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RE: 09 Supplemental - Restore CSO Family Planning Nurse Program
To: "Schmick, Rep. Joe" <Schmick.Joe@leg.wa.gov>
Cc: prentice.margarita@leg.wa.gov, linville.kelli@leg.wa.gov
Dear Representative Schmick,
Thank you for your reply. I want to suggest that with federal matching dollars this program is the best deal we can get for our state dollars. For $3,600/yr apiece ($253,000 / 70) of state dollars, we retain 70 nurses in their jobs providing critical services to those among us with the least resources.
Keeping these 70 nurses employed in high-skilled jobs at bargain rates, not only injects over $2 million of federal money into local economies, but keeps a lid on state-paid costs of unintended pregnancies.
Our family has benefited from this program. During our first pregnancy, before my wife became a registered nurse (thanks to a federal two-to-one matched savings program for tuition), we needed to have her pregnancy confirmed before we could access obstetric medical care through Medicaid. The best, least costly option for this was through the CSO nurse.
While that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, we now have two beautiful, healthy daughters thanks, in part, to the confidence in the health system we gained from that experience with the CSO nurse.
This relatively minor expenditure provides significant services, saves Washington jobs, brings Washington federal taxpayer money back to Washington, and helps families like mine
Please do what you can to save this program. Thank you.
Your Constituent,
Joe Reilly
8900 S Mullen Hill Rd Lot 611
Spokane, WA 99224-9269
(509) 536-7518
jreilly4261@gmail.com
Dear Representative Schmick,
Thank you for your reply. I want to suggest that with federal matching dollars this program is the best deal we can get for our state dollars. For $3,600/yr apiece ($253,000 / 70) of state dollars, we retain 70 nurses in their jobs providing critical services to those among us with the least resources.
Keeping these 70 nurses employed in high-skilled jobs at bargain rates, not only injects over $2 million of federal money into local economies, but keeps a lid on state-paid costs of unintended pregnancies.
Our family has benefited from this program. During our first pregnancy, before my wife became a registered nurse (thanks to a federal two-to-one matched savings program for tuition), we needed to have her pregnancy confirmed before we could access obstetric medical care through Medicaid. The best, least costly option for this was through the CSO nurse.
While that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, we now have two beautiful, healthy daughters thanks, in part, to the confidence in the health system we gained from that experience with the CSO nurse.
This relatively minor expenditure provides significant services, saves Washington jobs, brings Washington federal taxpayer money back to Washington, and helps families like mine
Please do what you can to save this program. Thank you.
Your Constituent,
Joe Reilly
8900 S Mullen Hill Rd Lot 611
Spokane, WA 99224-9269
(509) 536-7518
jreilly4261@gmail.com
On Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 7:11 PM, Schmick, Rep. Joe <Schmick.Joe@leg.wa.gov> wrote:
Thanks for your input and detailed comments. The magnitude of the budget woes are huge. 58% of the budget is mandated spending which includes K-12, some medical costs, and public safety. That leaves $14.2 billion of the original $33.7 billion that we have to review and make significant cuts. With a $7 billion deficit you can see the size and scope of which we are dealing.
I realize that many programs will be cut back, some cut altogether. These decisions are going to be difficult to make. As Ranking Member on the Health and Human Services Committee and on the House Ways and Means Committee, I am hearing testimony daily from folks in every aspect of care and public services asking for no cuts.
As session progresses, the House and Senate will each present their proposed budgets. We will spend many, many hours debating these drastic changes in services and programs.
I appreciate hearing from you and knowing of the importance of this program. If you are aware of any cost saving ideas, I would appreciate it if you could send your suggestions to me.
Sincerely,
Joe Schmick
State Representative
-----Original Message-----
From: jreilly4261@gmail.com [mailto:jreilly4261@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2009 7:58 PM
To: Schmick, Rep. Joe
Subject: 09 Supplemental - Restore CSO Family Planning Nurse Program
Representative Joe Schmick
419 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0001
Dear Representative Schmick,
In these tough times, is it a good judgment for our state to cut a program that matches every state dollar with nine federal dollars, saves the state over four dollars for every dollar spent, and is an essential part of our health care and financial safety net?
The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has eliminated the Community Service Office (CSO) Family Planning Nurse program in their discretionary budget cuts for the remainder of the 2009 Supplemental Budget, and of course carried the cut forward into the new biennium.
I understand that cuts have to be made, but this cut makes no sense.
Not only was this program extremely successful at reaching low-income citizens, but every dollar the state spends on the program was matched with nine federal dollars.
In times of economic hardship, when we know that the state spent over $333 million on pregnancy care in 2008 and approximately half those pregnancies were unintended, it's common sense to provide the family planning services that save over four dollars in pregnancy care costs for every dollar spent.
Please return the CSO Family Planning Nurse program to the fiscal year 2009 Supplemental Budget for the remainder of the current biennium. This will cost only $253,000 in state dollars, and will result in regaining $2,277,000 in federal matching funds for urgently needed family planning services.
Sincerely,
Joe Reilly
8900 S Mullen Hill Rd
Lot 611
Spokane, WA 99224-9269
