Press Release

Child Health

ADVOCACY GROUPS JOIN CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND’S HEALTHY CHILD CAMPAIGN IN MOTHER’S DAY PLEA TO CONGRESS

For Immediate Release
May 7, 2007

 

For More Information Contact:
Ed Shelleby
(202) 662-3602

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — To highlight the plight of 9 million uninsured children and their mothers, the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) and a coalition of more than 140 advocacy groups around the country mounted a Mother’s Day Call to Action urging Congress to guarantee every child in America comprehensive health coverage in 2007.

This Mother’s Day, 1,839 children will be born without health insurance. This week, supporters of CDF’s Healthy Child Campaign—including the American Association of School Personnel Administrators, Jack and Jill, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of Social Workers, National Youth Advocacy Coalition, and the Progressive National Baptist Convention—will send postcards and emails and make calls to Members of Congress asking them to guarantee all necessary health and mental health services to every child and pregnant woman in America, a goal encompassed in the CDF-endorsed All Healthy Children Act(HR 1688), introduced by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) in March.

“As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let us not forget the millions of parents who struggle to give their children the healthy start they need in life to survive and thrive,” said CDF President Marian Wright Edelman.  “Our campaign supporters are committed to ensuring every child gets the health coverage they need this year. We join them in urging Congress to make this goal a reality in 2007.  The 9 million uninsured children cannot wait. They are dying and suffering now.”

Earlier this year, 14-year-old Devante Johnson  from Houston, Texas, 12-year-old Deamonte Driver from Prince George’s County, Maryland, and 6-year-old Alex Callender from Pass Christian, Mississippi, died because they could not get urgently needed health and dental care. Healthy Child Campaign supporters’ calls, emails and postcards will carry the same message to Congress: “Children are dying in America because they do not have health insurance.  Nine million children in America are uninsured.  Millions more are underinsured. Every 47 seconds another child is born without health insurance. This year Congress can and must stop this moral disgrace.” For more information on this Mother’s Day Call to Action, visit www.childrensdefense.org/mothersday.

CDF’s Healthy Child Campaign is committed to:

  • Ensuring all children and pregnant women health coverage;
  • Guaranteeing children and pregnant women all medically necessary health and mental health services regardless of where they live; and
  • Streamlining and simplifying enrollment so children and pregnant women get and keep health coverage.

To learn more about the All Healthy Children Act(HR 1688) and CDF’s Healthy Child Campaign, visit www.childrensdefense.org/healthychild.

For more information about the Children’s Defense Fund, visit www.childrensdefense.org.