Simply cut and paste the following message into a new email:
We know how critical it is to the health and welfare of Michigan that we have adequate numbers of social workers who do the work to keep our kids safe, our residents mentally healthy and our communities thriving. It is estimated that by 2030, the US will experience a shortage of 200,000 social workers in the critical fields of child welfare, mental and behavioral health and substance use disorder services.
Fully funding nonprofit agencies delivering these vital services to children and families is critical to sustain Michigan’s current child welfare and behavioral health workforce and ensuring the needs of the most vulnerable Michiganders can be met NOW and into the future.
We urge you to support rate adjustments to fund a 25% increase in the foster care administrative daily rate, 20% increases in family preservation and adoption administrative rates, $4M appropriation to fund on-site clinical services at foster youth independent living facilities, a 5% rate adjustment for juvenile justice services, a 10% increase in rates paid to foster and adoptive families and juvenile guardians, provide $10M for scholarships and loan repayment programs to support child welfare professionals, and support the governor’s recommendations for wage increases for professionals providing behavioral health services.
Thank you for your consideration of this request. We know you are doing all you can to make sure our state is leading the way in providing these critical support services to our most vulnerable neighbors. Strong families support strong children who create a strong future for our state. It starts with us now.
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