In Attendance

Sara McCormick, Center for Public Policy and Administration, U of U
Joyce Dolcourt, Governor's Council for People with Disabilities
Connie High, New Horizons Project, U of U
Dianne Cunningham, Social Research Institute, U of U
Lynette Rasmusson, Office of Child Care, Department of Workforce Services (DWS)
Helen Thatcher, DWS
Sheila Walsh-McDonald, Salt Lake Community Action Program (SL CAP)
Garth Mangum, Utah Issues Board
Robin Arnold-Williams, Department of Human Services
Virginia Martinez, SL CAP Head Start
Lois Kelson, Community Action Services, Provo
Steve Blackman, Utahns Against Hunger
Karen Silver, SL CAP
Tim Schultz, Utah Issues
Shirley Weathers, Walsh and Weathers Research and Policy Studies (WWRPS)
Bill Walsh (WWRPS)

Welcome and introductions
    Everyone introduced themselves.

Child Care
    Shirley Weathers led a group discussion on the document "CHILD CARE - Proposals for UREAP Participant Consideration," which was put on the UREAP web site on 10/16/01. Robin Arnold-Williams described the main recommendations of the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) that dealt mostly with funding streams, coordination and flexibility. Robin provided an APHSA memo (10/10/01) of an Appropriations Bill passed by the house that included Child Care, Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), and Child Welfare, but did not include TANF Supplemental Grants to States. She said the Senate was expected to be less generous. Participants made numerous comments for changes to the UREAP document. They wanted infant and special needs child care to be noted.  Lynette Rasmusson, from the DWS Office of Child Care, said they had an RFP out to study some of these items, to be completed by the 2003 Legislature. Utah has not drawn down federal child care dollars ($10 million) with its refusal to come up with the state matching dollars. Reimbursement issues continue to persist in state and nationally. The federal rules allow subsidies up to 85% of the median income; Utah pays up to 56% with present Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding. The dilemma of mandating quality and qualifications versus costs was debated. Some prefer federal health and safety requirements and guidelines, while others spoke in favor of raising wages and benefits for workers and providers. The Utah Office of Child Care and the Healthy Child Care America organizations are funding some projects as models in these areas. Utah legislators seem to view child care primarily as an economic issue. The use of monetary incentives rather than federal mandates for quality improvements was suggested.
    There was little consensus on recommendations for Child Care. Shirley said staff put up the proposals as an online questionnaire at the UREAP web site and urged all participants to share their views that way. The deadline will be Thanksgiving.

Recession, Economic Stimulus, and UREAP Priorities
    Bill Walsh lead a discussion about Congress and the situation in Washington, D.C., since the September 11 Attack and subsequent disruptive events. One item being discussed is an economic stimulus package to jump start the economy, probably consisting of a combination of spending and tax cuts. Some economists are calling for one-time spending on social programs that will be spent quickly and circulated in the economy, such as in Medicaid or a reduction in payroll taxes. Bill noted that UREAP staff considered the issue will likely be settled along partisan lines. The group advised that UREAP monitor the situation send the message to Utah's Congressional delegation that investing in low income families is worthwhile and will serve well to stimulate the economy. The point was made that taking funds from one program to fund another, as has been suggested in some health programs, is not appropriate and is against one of the UREAP Principles.

Food Stamp Bill and Letters
    Shirley reported on the third draft of the UREAP Food Stamp Position Paper, which included comments made during our last meeting when Linda Stone was present. She noted a change in format of this paper and other position papers.
    Just last week Senator Richard Lugar, Ranking Republican on the Agriculture Committee, submitted S. 1571 including a Nutrition Title that addresses many more of our priorities than the House Bill. An APHSA memo dated 10/22/01 supporting the Lugar Bill was distributed. The Bush Administration, FRAC, NGA, NCSL, and CLASP also support the bill. Shirley distributed a draft letter, versions which will be sent to Senators Lugar, Hatch and Bennett, supporting the Lugar Bill. Several comments and edits were suggested and Sheila Walsh-McDonald agreed to be final editor. The letters will be FAXed, with the UREAP Food Stamp Position Paper attached, by the end of the week.
    Shirley also announced that Tommy Thompson at HHS has asked for input on Welfare Reform Reauthorization by November 30. Staff will prepare a UREAP comment and will send information to the UREAP email list so that individual entities can also decide whether they want to submit a separate, more targeted comment.

Contacts with elected officials
    UREAP staff has been in touch with the staffs of Senators Hatch, Bennett, Congressman Matheson, and Governor Leavitt. Meetings have not been set yet but will be pursued as conditions warrant. UREAP contacts with national groups working on welfare reform are also expanding.

Announcements
    Neena Verma, Ph.D., formerly Research Director at Utah Issues, has moved back to SLC and is looking for research work.
    The Utah Nonprofit Association has an e-mail service announcing job openings in nonprofit organizations.
    The Center for Public Policy and Administration just released Laurie DiPadova's The Impact of Welfare Reform on Charitable Organizations: The Capacity of the Charitable Welfare Sector in Utah, August 2001. It's available at CPPA's web site.
    The Self-Sufficiency Standard Project plans to release its findings on November 20. They will recommend a language change: no longer talk about "work subsidies," rather say "work support."
    UREAP members are encouraged to recruit additional members. The more organizations listed as UREAP members on communications and Position Papers, the more impressive the messages.

Next Meeting
Tuesday, November 27, 2001, at Horizonte, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. The main topic will be Health Care & Medicaid.