The organization that I decided to
research was the “Children’s Defense Fund”. The website for this organization is http://www.childrensdefense.org/.
The Children’s Defense Fund is a non-profit child advocacy organization that has
worked more than 40 years to ensure a level playing field for all children.
Their policies and programs lift children out of poverty; protect them from
abuse and neglect; and ensure their access to health care, quality education
and a moral and spiritual foundation. Supported by foundation and corporate
grants and individual donations, CDF advocates nationwide on behalf of children
to ensure children are always a priority.
To survive and thrive, all children need access to
comprehensive, affordable health coverage that is easy to get and keep. Unmet
health and mental health needs can cause children to fall behind
developmentally and have trouble catching up physically, socially and
academically. Poor children and children of color have the worse access to
health care compared to their wealthier and healthier White peers. More than
5.2 million children under age 18 were uninsured in 2013. The over- whelming
majority live with working parents and are citizens. More than a third live in
three states California, Texas, and Florida. Uninsured children are more likely
to be children of color, children ages 13-18, and children who live in rural
areas. More than half 3.7 million are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP but not yet
enrolled.
The Children’s Defense Fund works
to ensure that all children have access to child-specific health coverage that
is affordable for families. Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance
Program (CHIP) are a big help to decreasing that number. It is now at a low
status. The organization is working to expand health coverage for the remaining
uninsured children, keep all children enrolled in coverage, and ensure timely
access to appropriate care. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, it has a
significant impact on children with private insurance coverage too. Insurers
are no longer able to refuse to cover children with pre-existing conditions,
revoke coverage when a child gets sick or place annual or lifetime caps on
coverage.
Reference
Fund, C. D. (n.d.). Children's Health.
Retrieved from Children's Defense Fund:
http://www.childrensdefense.org/policy/health/
HI Angel
ReplyDeleteWe have chosen the same organization to follow and report on. I'll be interested to read your views on their issues they speak about.
Angel, very interesting blog post. I find it horrifying that 5.2 million children under the age of 18 were uninsured in 2013. Ensuring that all children have health insurance and access to quality health care is certainly a very worthy cause.
ReplyDeleteAngel, I do agree that physical and mental health are primal in the development of children. They impact the cognitive, emotional and social development as well. Thus, the initiative of the Children Defense Organization justifies the order of priority in ensuring the health and well-being of children.
ReplyDelete