Tell Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Council that District families need paid family medical leave AND early childhood education and health services!

Urge Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Council to continue standing with infants and moms!

This is the good news: On September 6th, the Mayor signed into law the Birth-to-Three for All DC Act of 2018, a bill unanimously passed by the District of Columbia Council that would meaningfully expand childcare access and prenatal/postnatal services for families with young children in Washington, D.C.

The bad news: Mayor Bowser then went on to announce that she was calling on the DC Council to reopen and cut back on the Universal Paid Family Leave program!

What in the what? This means the District would be expanding access to pre and postnatal services for families and at the same time acting in a way that will limit families ability to access these same expanded services!?! It makes no sense.

Let's not rob Peter to pay Paul. Join us in urging Mayor Muriel Bowser and DC Council to support funding for the Birth-to-Three for All DC bill and leave the Universal Paid Leave Act alone!

Dear Mayor Muriel Bower and the DC Council,

As your constituent, I ask that you ensure the District has strong foundations for families by supporting funding for the Birth-to-Three for All DC bill while not compromising funding for paid family medical leave by reopening and cutting back on the Universal Paid Family Leave program.

Paid family leave and high quality health and education services aren’t separate or interchangeable, but the building blocks that together ensure the health and success of all families. Research shows that:

Women who take paid family leave are 47% less likely to need to re-hospitalize their infants and 51% less likely of being re-hospitalized themselves compared to women taking unpaid or no leave
Infant mortality drops by up to 13% with paid leave and moms with paid leave are more likely to breastfeed exclusively and, as a result, more likely to benefit from increased investments in lactation services, such as those included in the Birth-to-Three for All legislation
Evidence based home visiting has been shown to end multi-generational cycles of poverty and puts families on the path to good health, educational success, and economic self-sufficiency. What’s more, for every dollar invested in home visiting, as much as $5.70 is returned to the community
Childcare providers are an important conduit to services that improve the health and wellbeing of children and families that last a lifetime

Taken together, these policies represent a comprehensive system of supports that strengthen families, communities, and our economy. Robbing families of critical supports not only goes back on a promise to families, but threatens the very foundation needed to build strong and healthy families. No one should have to choose between family, community, and healthcare supports for their young child.

DC has the opportunity to ensure all infants, babies, toddlers, and their families a strong start. We urge you to find new revenue to make these critical supports a reality because our families need and deserve the best possible chance to thrive. Let's not rob Peter to pay Paul by disinvesting from a program that would help both District families and businesses.

Sincerely,

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