Mississippi Senate Study Group on Women, Children and Families holds first set of hearings

Broad matters for this week’s hearings included a statistical overview of maternal/little one healthcare, adoption, foster care, and little one help.

This week, the Mississippi Senate Examine Group on Ladies, Youngsters and Households held their first set of conferences to listen to from quite a lot of audio system on how the state can greatest help households. The lawmakers, appointed by Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann, are tasked with making legislative suggestions associated to households and younger kids from delivery to three years outdated.

Broad matters initially set for this week’s hearings included a statistical overview of maternal/little one healthcare, adoption, foster care, and little one help.

State Senator Brice Wiggins, who serves as a member of the Senate Examine Group, spoke with Y’all Politics in regards to the latest hearings the group carried out. Hear what he has to say in regards to the conferences under.

On Tuesday, lawmakers heard from representatives from Mississippi State College (MSU) Social Science Analysis Heart, the College of Mississippi Medical Heart (UMMC), the Mississippi State Division of Well being (MSDH), the Division of Medicaid, the Delta Well being Alliance, the Nationwide Convention of State Legislatures, Heart for Being pregnant Selections, Group Well being Affiliation of Mississippi and others.

State Senator Nicole Boyd, Chair of the Examine Group, stated the legislators began the committee conferences off by trying on the information. 

“They’ve performed a tremendous job of compiling numerous statistics and information so we sort of get a full image of what we’re and metrics that we want to see modified within the state,” Boyd stated.

A few of these information factors have been shared by the MSU Social Science Analysis Heart, the place presenters famous that final 12 months, 4,470 folks (0.4% of the workforce) labored in childcare in Mississippi whereas the imply wage of Mississippi childcare workforce was $9.37 /hour or $19,490/12 months.

Dr. LouAnn Woodward, Vice Chancellor for UMMC and Dean of the College of Drugs, stated that Mississippi is ranked #1 within the U.S. in the case of the best fetal mortality fee, the best toddler mortality fee, and the best pre-term delivery fee.

In response to the Delta Well being Alliance, 559,756 residents reside within the Delta’s 19 counties, which represents 19% of the state’s inhabitants.

“The Mississippi Delta has among the many highest charges of teenage being pregnant and unintended being pregnant within the nation,” Delta Well being Alliance stated of their presentation. “When ladies have kids earlier than they’re prepared, they’re much less more likely to end college and attain high-paying employment and usually tend to require help from social service packages.”

DHA said that research show Head Begin and different packages enhance the employment and wage prospects of single moms. Their presenters stated that high-quality preschool is pivotal for the longer term success of essentially the most at-risk kids. 

“The financial and social impacts of broadly accessible, high-quality preschool are substantial,” the DHA presentation said.

The Nationwide Committee of State Legislatures (NCSL) mentioned state legislative traits and examples pertaining to maternal and toddler deaths. 

“All states renew maternal deaths and at the least 28 states overview fetal-infant deaths,” NCSL’s presentation said.

Group Well being Heart Affiliation of Mississippi (CHCAMS) shared extra information, noting that between 2019-2021, there have been 13,254 well being middle prenatal sufferers in neighborhood well being facilities. 

In response to CHCAMS, 35% of ladies sufferers at well being facilities are uninsured. 

On Wednesday, the Examine Group heard from representatives of the Mississippi Little one Safety Companies (CPS), Mississippi Supreme Courtroom Adoption Process Pressure, Workplace of the Legal professional Normal, Mississippi Division of Human Companies (MDHS), and extra.

The Mississippi Division of Little one Safety Companies (MDCPS) prompt legislative concerns for 2023, together with:

• Full separation of MDCPS from MDHS 
• Technical Invoice
• Secure Haven Legislation
• Neglect Definition

On behalf of the Legal professional Normal’s Workplace, Deputy Legal professional Normal Whitney Lipscomb testified and beneficial a number of coverage proposals relating to how the Legislature might positively impression moms. Proposals from the AG’s workplace included tax credit for childcare, paid parental depart, and enhancing little one help.

Courtroom Appointed Particular Advocates (CASA) shared about their packages in Mississippi. CASA packages are at present serving 693 kids in foster care throughout the state and served 560 kids in 2021. CASA reported that 93% of their suggestions have been accepted or court docket ordered by a choose. The group recruits, trains and supervises volunteers to function Volunteer Advocates for kids on youth court docket dates. CASA says it at present has 297 Volunteer Advocates throughout the state. 

CASA additionally mentioned some suggestions, together with: 

• Wage enhance MDCPS workers to forestall turnover and assist with retention of workers
• Timing of paying useful resource mother and father (when little one is initially positioned within the house) and help offered to them 
• Youngsters in custody receiving well timed month-to-month allowance

The Division of Human Companies offered a number of legislative requests on the Senate Examine Group listening to.  MDHS would love the state to incorporate the Little one Assist Pointers Advisory Group’s Report and its Guideline Suggestions into laws to be handed within the 2023 Session to make sure courts can order the help every little one wants.  MDHS would additionally prefer to see lawmakers:

• Move the modification to the rules to permit incarcerated and involuntary dedication to represent a cloth change in circumstances 
• Encourage additional collaboration with eh Division of Insurance coverage and the Gaming Fee for alternatives to gather arrearages by way of Insurance coverage Claims Matching and on line casino profitable intercepts 
• Proceed the beforehand accredited funding for SUCCESS undertaking to modernize the legacy pc methods at MDHS to advertise a extra environment friendly and efficient administration of not solely IV-D Program, but additionally TANF/SNAP eligibility and childcare packages

The Senate Examine Group will meet once more on October 25 and 26, 2022.

Broad matters set for these dates embody childcare availability and early intervention. Further listening to dates or matters could also be added as vital.

The general public is invited to submit written testimony to [email protected], which can be shared with the complete research group.

**Contributions from Sarah Ulmer, Capitol Correspondent**