1. DFT Reaches 350 Docs!
2. Docs For Tots New York Update
3. Better Baby Care: 3 new talking points and May audio conference
4. Supporting Partnerships to Ensure Ready Kids (SPARK) Universal School Readiness Conference, Saturday, April 30th, Washington, DC. 
5. Federal Budget Advocacy Update
6. Doc Spotlight: Dr. Miotto presents in Quincy, MA.
7. Farewell to Jaimie

1.  DFT has grown to 350 docs in 48 states and the District of Columbia! March was a great month for recruitment, as we welcomed over 30 doctors from 6 states to the network. But our work is not done there! We encourage you to continue to spread the word about DFT to colleagues and friends who would like to participate in child advocacy. There can never be quite enough doctors speaking on behalf of young kids! Just send them to http://www.docsfortots.org/SignUp.htm to get them involved!  

2.  Docs For Tots New York – DFT NY (www.docsfortots.org/newyork), our first state DFT project, is moving forward in New York on a number of children’s issues including infant mental health and universal Pre-K.  DFT was recently awarded a grant by Pre-K Now to support the promotion of universal Pre-K in NY, and will move forward with DFT NY to engage NY doctors in state pre-k advocacy efforts.  We are looking for other doctors to join us in advocating for New York’s children.  If you are interested in early childhood advocacy in New York, please contact Dina Lieser, M.D. (dlieser@docsfortots.org) for more information. 

3.  DFT is collaborating with Better Baby Care initiatives in Ohio, Texas, Maine, and Pennsylvania to promote best practices in infant and toddler care by linking our network doctors to advocacy opportunities.  In support of Better Baby Care, DFT has developed some exciting new projects:

• We now have 3 new talking points on infant mental health, social emotional development, and consumer product safety.  You can find these talking points and more resources here: www.docsfortots.org/bbcc. 
• We are developing opportunities for doctors to participate in Better Baby Care advocacy events such as co-writing op-ed pieces for local newspapers, giving informational interviews to reporters, and consulting for advocacy organizations.
• Lastly, we will be holding an audio conference for network doctors, the Better Baby Care network, and other advocacy organizations on May 10th, from 2-3pm.  This audio conference will address how to maximize advocacy opportunities between advocacy organizations and doctors.  We will have more information in the coming weeks, but if you have immediate questions or comments, please contact Programs Assistant, Sara So (sso@docsfortots.org).

If you or someone you know is interested in Better Baby Care, please contact our Advocacy Network Coordinator, Alice Hunt (ahunt@docsfortots.org). 

4.  On April 30th, DFT will be assisting network doctors in speaking at the SPARK/National Black Child Development Institute Universal School Readiness Conference in Washington, DC.  Doctors will add to SPARK’s agenda for quality child care in Washington, DC by addressing developmental issues and parent advocacy. Attendees will include child care staff, elementary school teachers, parents, and school administrators.  If you are interested in participating as a speaker, please contact Alice Hunt (ahunt@docsfortots.org).

5.  The federal budget for FY2006 has been a hot topic among many early childhood advocacy organizations as it could deprive many young children of benefits such as Medicaid and Food Stamps.  We have helped DFT network Drs. Guillermo Godoy, Debbie Frank, Chris Petersen, and Sophia Washington become actively engaged in this discussion by facilitating opportunities for them to speak with members of the press.  The following is an update:

• In response to the proposed federal budget for FY 2006, the Senate and House have each passed budget resolutions.  Due to the difference between the Senate and House budget resolutions, they will conference to come up with a joint budget resolution. 
• The House budget resolution cuts $69 billion from entitlement programs (i.e. Medicaid, Food Stamps) and $216 billion from domestic discretionary programs (i.e. K-12 education, Section 8 housing) over the next five years. 
• The Senate budget cuts $17 billion from entitlement programs and $203 billion in domestic discretionary programs over the next five years.  Medicaid fared better in the Senate, thanks in great part to the passage of the bipartisan Smith-Bingaman Medicaid amendment, which protects Medicaid from budget cuts.
• The greatest obstacle to reaching a conference agreement will be differences between the Senate and House over which committees to include in reconciliation and how deep the required cuts will be. If an agreement is not reached by 2006, the FY2004 budget blueprint will be used for FY2006.

For more info, please visit the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities www.cbpp.org.

6.  DFT network doctor, Dr. Mary Beth Miotto, presented a talk entitled “First Signs: Interpreting and Managing Developmental Milestones and Detours" for the Quincy Community Action Partners, in Quincy, Massachusetts.  Dr. Miotto is the chair of the CME committee for the Massachusetts AAP chapter, member of the Pediatric Leadership Alliance workforce, member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Association for the Gifted Education, and works in a solo practice focusing on children diagnosed with ADHD. DFT is proud to support Dr. Miotto! 

7.  For a year DFT has been fortunate enough to have Jaimie Lambert, a senior at American University, on our team as an intern.  She has helped develop many of our talking points and presentations, as well as grow our network from 100 doctors in 30 states to over 300 doctors in 48 states.  April is Jaimie’s last month with DFT as she prepares to graduate and move to New York.  We would like to recognize the important work she has done for us and wish her the very best as she moves forward from her graduation.  Congratulations, Jaimie!