April Newsletter

		April 2006

Spring is the perfect time to start new advocacy projects- check out this version of the Tots Talk for ideas and opportunities. You will find updates on the issues, activities across the nation, and information pertinent to your advocacy efforts.

N THIS ISSUE:

Docs For Tots New York

Docs For Tots Washington State

DFT's work in California

Advocacy Opportunities Nationwide

Coming Soon- New Resources

Upcoming Survey to Doctors

Ways to Give to DFT

Docs For Tots New York

Twelve docs in New York recently contacted members of the NY Senate to educate the Senators on the importance of additional funding for pre-k. Their efforts paid off! On March 28th the New York State Senate and Assembly agreed to include $50 million in new money for pre-kindergarten for all children in the state budget. This potentially signals an end to the lack of funding pre-k has received for the past five years. Thank you to all the network doctors who have had a hand in this exciting step forward for children in New York!

"In just minutes I was truly making a difference, advocating for children in ways that will have a broad impact on their health and well being"

-Dr. Gonzalo Sabogal, practicing pediatrician and participant in the letter campaign for pre-k funding in New York.

Docs For Tots Washington State

On 3/28/06 Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire signed the bill which will create a new cabinet level Department of Early Learning in July 2006. Simultaneously, multiple foundations and corporations are joining with the Governor to create a new public-private partnership called Thrive by Five. Each of these entities will be hiring new leadership, kicking off efforts in Early Learning which will provide opportunities for Doc For Tots Washington network doctors to get involved in the coming months and years.

The Early Learning Council holds regular meetings which are open to the public. All network doctors are encouraged to attend and learn more about the Early Learning Initiative. The next meetings will be April 18th and May 23, click here to learn about the meetings and Initiative or contact Dr. Jill Sells.

California

We are pleased to announce the addition of a new Project Liaison, Dr. Rola Magid, to the Docs For Tots team. Dr. Magid, an active pediatrician from Ventura county, will provide assistance in making contact with organizations and doctors in California, attending local events, and keeping our network informed of important child advocacy issues in specific counties and the state as a whole. Dr. Magid attended the Packard Grantee meeting in Oakland on March 31st and gained insight into the projects and organizations involved in ensuring all children have access to quality preschool.

Docs For Tots collaborated with Ariemba Momanyi from the Sacramento division of the NAACP on their March 2006 e-newsletter, contributing an article on the benefits of quality pre-kindergarten. Docs that are interested in contributing opinion-editorials for future issues should contact Bethany Giles.

Wyoming

Bill (HB 92) recently passed, developing a quality child care system for the state of Wyoming, providing several opportunities for network docs in this region to get involved in advocating for the health and well being of children. Network doctors have been asked to help by writing letters to the editor, reviewing the child care system plan being developed, and testifying at the legislative hearings in October of 2006 when the plan is presented to legislators. For more information please contact Rachel Zukrow, Project Coordinator.

DFT Network Survey

In order to better serve our network and meet the requests of advocacy organizations for doctors, DFT will be conducting a survey to assess the resources and information provided to network doctors. We would appreciate your cooperation in filling out the short questionnaire which takes 3-5 minutes to complete. Surveys will be e-mailed to all network doctors in the following weeks.

Coming Soon...

Watch for the new PowerPoint on Infant and Toddler Policies and Practices for the Zero To Three Policy Network. We will be posting this new presentation in the Resources section of the DFT Web site.

Ways to Give

DFT'sOnline Donation makes it easy to continue to grow the number of physicians who actively advocate for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers on the national, state and local levels. With your help, Docs For Tots can continue to pursue its vision of a time when no young child lives in poverty, no young child suffers from disparities in health and development outcomes due to race, ethnicity or socio-economic status, all young children have access to quality early care and education, and children's doctors are actively engaged in bringing about these changes. Just click the link to donate online today.

Docs For Tots

A Nationwide Network of Doctors Advocating for Young Children!

Research Fact

Through an ongoing Docs For Tots research study to determine the extent of advocacy education in US medical schools, it appears that advocacy education is still in its nascence as a formal topic addressed in medical schools. However, when advocacy is incorporated into the curriculum, respondents frequently referred to the teaching and application of child advocacy. Hopefully such early education in child advocacy will encourage involvement in groups like DFT and contribute to a better future for the children of America.

Doc in Action

Network docs are actively advocacting across the nation in different ways! In Stockton, CA network doctor Randhir H. Singh signed on to a rapid response letter to the editor which was published in The Stockton Record on April 4th.

Dr. Singh's letter read, "At an age when children's brains are developing most rapidly, preschool introduces them to pre-reading and pre-math skills they might not develop at home because their parents lack education.

Unfortunately, the high cost of preschool puts it out of reach for low-income families." The letter was in response to an article from March 26, called "Poverty rips open educational rift in San Joaquin." To view Dr. Singh's full response click here. If you are interested in joining the Rapid Response team in California please contact Bethany Giles, Project Coordinator.