Our Coalition’s Foster Care Public Health Nurse Budget Request needs to be brought up for a vote in Senate and Assembly Budget Committees by early next week. We need your help calling members of the legislature to make this happen.
We are trying to convince the Legislature to add $1.65 million dollars to the state budget in order to help reduce the overmedication of foster children with psychotropic drugs.
We are asking the Legislature to include funding for 42 foster care public health nurses in the state budget, to oversee and monitor children who have been prescribed psychotropic medications.
It’s easy and quick. Just follow the script below
The deadline to call is Monday 5/23 so the budget chairs can bring the item for a vote on Tuesday 5/24!
You can find phone numbers for all of the assembly members here and senators here
If you are not a California resident, please call the offices of Assembly Budget Sub Committee Chair Tony Thurmond at (916) 319-2015 and Senate Budget Subcommittee Chair Holly Mitchell at (916) 651-4030. For non-residents you will need to adapt the phone script appropriately.
Sample Script
Hello, my name is _______________________ and I live in your district.
I am ________________ (Choose from the list below if appropriate)
A former foster youth
A public health nurse in _________ County and a member of SEIU Local___________
A trained psychologist/psychiatrist
A Dependency attorney
A youth advocate
A resident of ________________ (city).
(your profession/member of organization)
I’m calling to ask my representative to support the $1.65 million dollar budget ask for public health nurses to monitor prescriptions for foster children. This budget request will be matched with an additional $5 million dollars in federal funds. Will the member make a request to the budget chair to ensure this item is brought up for a vote? Thank you. About The Organizers:
The National Center for Youth Law is working with youth and advocates on bills and a budget ask that call for safer mental health care treatment for foster children. Foster youth are regularly prescribed too many medications at too high of dosages for too long and we want the legislators to help change that.
The Goal:
Our plan is to make as any many calls as possible with at least one foster youth and one public health nurse from every county making personal phone calls or email messages to their legislators. Youth at NCYL can help you practice or prepare for your call.
Please let us know if you are able to help organize others to make phone calls! Send along this script to your contacts or introduce them to Anna Johnson by email or text! Ajohnson@youthlaw.org or (920) 471-8177.
