Thursday, April 9, 2009

Biden announces $68M in Pa. funding for health and human services programs

Vice President Joe Biden announced today that the Obama Administration will make $68,305,855 available to Pennsylvania for crucial health and human services programs that help provide care for children and prevent disease. Pennsylvania will receive $60,416,767 in Recovery Act funding to support child care for working families. The Obama Administration also plans to make $7,192,425 in vaccines and grants available to Pennsylvania to ensure more underserved Americans receive the vaccines they need. A separate vaccine program supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Philadelphia will also receive an additional $966,663.

Nationwide, $2 billion in Recovery Act funds for the Child Care and Development Fund will allow states across the country to support child care services for more families whose children require care while they are working, seeking employment or receiving job training or education. The funds will be used by states to provide vouchers to families for child care or to provide access to care through contracts with child care centers or invest in quality improvements. Recovery Act dollars will support a wide range of child care providers, including child care centers and home-based programs.

“Parents are worried about finding a job or keeping the job they have and they shouldn’t have to worry about affording quality child care,” said Vice President Biden. “Safe, affordable, high-quality child care gives working parents the peace of mind they need to be stable, dependable employees.”

In addition to funding for child care programs, an additional $300 million in Recovery Act funding and grants will help ensure more underserved Americans receive the vaccines they need. The Vice President’s announcement came as Americans mark National Public Health Week.

Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the majority of these new resources will be used to purchase vaccines, which will be distributed through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Section 317 immunization program to all 50 states, several large cities, and U.S. territories. Funding will also be used to support national public information campaigns regarding vaccines and support grants to states that demonstrate innovative new ways to ensure more Americans receive the vaccines they need.

“Vaccines help keep children healthy, prevent costly stays in hospitals, and fight diseases that can lead to serious illness or death” added Biden. “The Recovery Act will help vaccinate more Americans, cut health care costs, improve public health and save lives.”

More information regarding the child care and vaccine programs is included below. To see a list of state by state funding for child care programs, visit:
http://transparency.cit.nih.gov/RecoveryGrants/grant.cfm?grant=childcare. To see a list of state by state funding for vaccine programs, visit: http://transparency.cit.nih.gov/RecoveryGrants/grant.cfm?grant=vaccines


Child Care and Development Fund

The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the primary Federal program specifically devoted to child care services and quality. It enables low-income parents and parents receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to work or to participate in the educational or training programs they need in order to work. Funds may also be used to serve children in protective services. In addition, a portion of CCDF funds must be used to enhance child care quality and availability.

The $2 billion in Recovery Act funds for the Child Care and Development Fund will allow states across the country to support child care services for more families whose children require care while they are working, seeking employment or receiving job training or education. The funds will be used by states to provide vouchers to families for child care or to provide access to care through contracts with child care centers. Recovery Act dollars will support a wide range of child care providers, including child care centers and home-based programs.

A portion of the funds will be used to improve overall quality and enhance infant and toddler care. For example, states may train child care providers, assist providers in meeting health and safety requirements, hire specialists specifically trained to work with infant and toddler providers, provide grants to providers to achieve higher quality and invest in other initiatives.

The new funds supplement the existing $5 billion child care subsidy program, the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). The Recovery Act funds will be awarded on a formula basis to states, the District of Columbia, five territories and 260 tribal grantees representing approximately 500 Indian tribes.

For more information on the Child Care and Development Fund, visit
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/ccdf/factsheet.htm


Immunization Grant Program

The Section 317 program provides funding for immunization operations and infrastructure necessary to implement a comprehensive immunization program at the federal, state and local levels.

Of the $300 million in Recovery Act funds allocated to the Section 317 program, $250 million will help existing Section 317 grantees acquire and make recommended vaccines available by using $200 million of these funds for CDC-purchased vaccines that will be made available to states and territories. The remaining $50 million will be used to provide program operation grants and scientific and technical support to states and territories to deliver the vaccines and strengthen vaccination programs. Vaccines and Recovery Act resources will also be made available to the urban Section 317 programs in Chicago, Houston, New York City, Philadelphia, San Antonio, and Washington, D.C.

An additional approximately $18 million in grants to provide support to Section 317 grantees that demonstrate innovative approaches to increase the number of Americans who receive the childhood vaccine series, zoster vaccine, and influenza vaccine, and for improving reimbursement practices. A portion of vaccine purchase may be used to support innovative initiatives for expanding access to vaccines in schools and communities. Applications to apply for these grants will be made available on grants.gov.

Nearly $32 million in Recovery Act funds will be used to increase information, communication and education and strengthen the evidence base for immunization. This will include activities to increase national public awareness and knowledge about the benefits and risks of vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases. Funds will also help provide tools and education for health care providers and to monitor and assess the impact and safety of licensed vaccines routinely recommended for use in the United States to ensure that national vaccine policy is appropriate and effective.

For more information on Section 317 as well as information on vaccine-preventable diseases, go to
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/

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Friday, March 27, 2009

Murphy praises Obama's plan for Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, D.C. -– Today, after President Barack Obama announced a new plan for Afghanistan, Iraq war veteran, former Captain in the 82nd Airborne Division and Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8) released this statement.

Rep. Murphy praised President Obama’s plan for taking the fight to the enemy. Obama’s plan calls for an additional 4,000 troops to Afghanistan and seeks to “disrupt, dismantle and defeat” the terrorists who attacked us on Sept. 11, 2001 -- including al Qaeda and the Taliban currently growing in strength in Afghanistan and near the border region of Pakistan. he increase in troops will help train and support the Afghan army and target the terrorist strongholds in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. The 4,000 troops will come from the 82nd Airborne Division -- the unit with which Congressman Murphy served in Iraq -- and will arrive there by the fall.

“There is no better unit to go after those responsible for the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 than the 82nd Airborne All Americans. Having served with the 82nd in Iraq, I commend President Obama’s decision to send my fellow paratroopers to do what they do best -- take the fight to the enemies of the United States," said Murphy.

“Our troops are performing brilliantly and they will now have even more resources in the fight against bin Laden and the Taliban in Afghanistan and near the border regions of Pakistan. I am proud to partner with our commander in chief in this effort,” said Murphy.

Murphy is the first Iraq war veteran to serve in Congress. He is a former West Point professor and criminal prosecutor, and he lives in Bristol with his wife, Jenni, and their 2-year-old daughter, Maggie.

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