State budget cuts impact Wyoming's most vulnerable children and families

For the most part, Wyoming fares poorly in children's health care. It's not Alabama-bad, but statistics provided by national organizations regularly put us somewhere in the middle of the pack. This would seem to run counter to Wyoming's status as one of the few states that prospered economically during the past decade. 

The latest Wyoming Kids Count data report ranks Wyoming 28th when it comes to twelve criteria, including teen death rates, low birth weight babies, adequate prenatal care, etc. Here's a summary:

The child well-being indicators in the 2012 Wyoming Kids Count report show improvement over time for just four of the twelve indicators. Results have worsened over time across the remaining eight. Many Wyoming mothers do not receive adequate prenatal care, have difficulty finding a hospital to give birth, and they are often lacking in education about the risk factors that can negatively impact childbirth and child development. 

Whatever the topic -- health care, mental health, substance abuse, K-12 education -- Wyoming ends up ranked either in the bottom of the top tier or the top of the bottom tier. This runs counter to the idea that Wyoming can have it all -- or "do it all," as Gov. Mead said in his recent State of the State speech. We might be able to do it all, but we haven't yet.

This is why it's distressing to learn about cuts to my favorite non-profit organization. UPLIFT provides services to those families with special needs children. I've been a board member since 1998. I've also received UPLIFT services for my special needs children. More about that below. But first, here's is some background on the current budget cuts:

In 2011, thanks to UPLIFT, families of 717 children with special health care needs received support, advocacy, mentoring, and training with a positive impact on their skills in the following areas:

·         Ability to better care for their child at home

·         Ability to advocate for their child’s needs

·         Ability to access needed services

·         Reduction of family stress due to their child’s special health care needs

The most important piece of data indicated parents were better able to care for their children at home thus reducing the need for costly out-of-home place. The average annual cost for a child in out-of-home placement is $120,000.  UPLIFT support services average annual cost is only $1,500 per child.


In 2011 UPLIFT served children in 21 Wyoming Counties. UPLIFT currently maintains 5 regional offices to better serve children and families statewide. Current state budget cuts of 44% will result in the closing of offices and a significant reduction in the number of children and families that will be served.

UPLIFT is the only statewide family-run organization providing these support services and has been an active part of Wyoming communities since 1990. Over the past 5 years UPLIFT has served 3,600 children and their families. Current budget cuts will result in a loss of services to approximately 200 children annually. Without adequate funding, anticipated negative outcomes for families and communities might include increased out-of-home placement, juvenile justice involvement, school failure, and increased family stress.


If you're disturbed by these cuts, contact your state legislators and tell them to do something about it. I did. Here's my e-mail:


Dear Sen. Fred Emerich:

I was shocked to hear this week that Wyoming Department of Health budget cuts to UPLIFT will result in the closing of offices and a significant reduction in the number of children and families that receive crucial services from this non-profit organization. These cuts amount to 44 percent of the funding that UPLIFT receives from the state.

I urge you to support a bill that will restore this funding during the upcoming biennium.

Why is UPLIFT important? It’s been crucial to my family on several occasions. UPLIFT is the only organization in the state that provides one-on-one assistance to families whose children require Individualized Education Programs or IEPs. My son was diagnosed in kindergarten with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Without special help provided by an IEP, he never would have graduated and gone on to college (which he did). IEP meetings require parents to meet with a phalanx of administrators, teachers and counselors from the school. Parents are often clueless as to what they can request as far as special accommodations. UPLIFT provides family support specialists who accompany the parents during these school meetings. My wife and I received assistance from UPLIFT employees at IEP meetings at McCormick Junior High and East High School. All this was at no cost to us.


Our son is a community college grad and will attend CSU in the fall. He's doing just fine, thank you.

Eight years later, our daughter needed assistance to cope with a severe learning disability, epilepsy and Attention Deficit Disorder. UPLIFT staff assisted at IEP meetings. Later, after our daughter was treated in a mental health facility for bipolar disorder, UPLIFT provided crucial wrap-around support to help our daughter transition back to school and the community. This was paid for through the Wyoming Children’s Mental Health Waiver. This was a great thing because, without it, we never could have afforded the long-term mental health care or the transition services. These on-site support services cost much less than in-patient treatment at a mental health facility. The average annual cost for a child in out-of-home placement is $120,000.  UPLIFT support services annually average only $1,500 per child.

I am happy to report that our daughter, now 18, is a student in the music program at LCCC – and received a full scholarship. This would never have happened without crucial services provided by UPLIFT.

We read so much about Wyoming’s pioneer status and the difficulty its citizens have in receiving health care services. Here is an organization that fills a huge need in the state, one that would not be addressed without UPLIFT.

I am not just talking about families in Laramie County where UPLIFT’s main office is located. In 2011, UPLIFT served 717 children in 21 Wyoming counties through its five regional offices. In Fremont County, UPLIFT served 120 children. This county, as you know, is home to thriving communities in Lander and Riverton and Dubois. It is also home to pockets of grinding poverty, substance abuse and domestic violence, both on and off the Wind River Reservation. It’s not too much of a stretch to say that UPLIFT has saved lives in Fremont County.

Over the past five years, UPLIFT has served 3,600 children and their families. Current budget cuts will result in a loss of services to approximately 200 children annually. Without adequate funding, there will be increased out-of-home placement, juvenile justice involvement, school failure, and increased family stress.

I’ve been following the committee meetings leading up to the legislative session. I know that tough budget choices have been made – and will continue during the session. But this is one funding measure that is crucial to the well-being of Wyoming’s children. Please support Sen. Peterson’s amendment. Our families are counting on you.

Sincerely,

Michael Shay

Feel free to use any of my wording. You probably have your own story. Tell it.

In the meantime, contribute to UPLIFT here.