In good times and bad, we advocate for laws and policies that support our state’s most vulnerable children – especially those in low-income families and communities of color. Our key challenge during the 2010 legislative session was to protect vital services for children and families from budget cuts that could have erased decades of progress. We achieved remarkable success on many levels this year, preserving critical support systems for families weathering the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

Read our in 2010 Legislative Session Review for an in-depth look at our victories for kids across Washington state and the challenges that lie ahead.

Apple Health for Kids provides comprehensive and affordable health coverage for children in our state. The Senate’s budget proposal completely eliminates funding for outreach activities. The ability to leverage future federal performance bonuses, in the millions, relies on our ability to identify and enroll eligible children through successful outreach strategies.

Read about our state's highly effective Apple Health for Kids outreach efforts.

Lawmakers are debating ways to adopt a balanced budget by March 11th—they can either cut services, raise revenue, or do a combination of both. We support a balanced approach that includes significant new revenues. Delaying action is not an option. Read more about why kids need revenue now.

Washington state is at a critical moment for children’s health. For five years, state leaders and community partners have been working toward the vision of covering all children in Washington by 2010. Apple Health for Kids: A Prescription for Economic Stability is a new report from the Children’s Alliance that examines where our state stands after five years of progress, highlighting our achievements in children’s health coverage and access, and outlining what remains to be done in order to fulfill the promise of covering all kids.

Background on the federal performance bonus awarded to Washington State for progress on enrolling children in Apple Health for Kids.

Read about the performance bonus award.