THREE APPROACHES TO CARE, CHILDREN, AND THE 2024 ELECTION

---

The 2024 elections provide an opportunity to elect candidates to enact a transformational agenda for care and childfdn and families.

At the same time, the stakes involved  in this election go to the heart of America's democracy and its support for ALL children, whatever their race, gender, zip code, family structure, or cultural or political beliefs and values. 

This is not the first time that American politics have been at a crossroads in this respect.  Click the acftion button to go to an essay describing this challenge (in the context of challenges faced in the 1920s and 1950s) and the moment of opportunity we have in adressing them.

Our WHO WE ARE page provides our mission, our advocacy goals and methods, our membership, our history, and basic information about the Iowa helping workforce and its importance to our state's prosperity -- fulfilling Iowa's values as a caring community and contributing to the well-being and economic prosperity of our state.

The Iowa Helping Community Policy Group began in June, 2020 with a focus upon elevating issues and concerns of the helping community in the 2020 elections. We are expanding our efforts in the 2022 election, including convening a policy summit and submitting candidate questionnaires to state and federal candidates on their views.

Elections offer the opportunity to educate candidates and voters and to activate and mobilize workers and advocates on presenting the policy needs of these most essential workers and the people and families they serve.  

We advocate for and with those on the frontlines providing help to children, seniors, and those in-between. We emphasize these "helpers" are society's essential workers, the "workforce behind the workforce," a core part of Iowa's economy and infrastructure, and  the embodiment of Iowa's caring culture. The EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY page provides new and updated information on our specific education and advocacy actions.

At the federal level, we support investments to expand the size, raise the compensation, and recognize the value of frontline workers in child care, direct care (home and community-based services and care in institutions), and public and community health. The FEDERAL POLICY page provides more specific information on these proposed investments and the our group's actions to advance them. ,

At the state level, we advocate for effective implementation of new federal funding in child care, public health, and direct care. This includes recognition of this workforce as a core part of Iowa's economy and inclusion of frontline workers, the people they serve, and others committed to strengthening this workforce in the planning, implementation, and oversight of new investments. The STATE POLICY page provides specific information on our proposals to and actions Iowa state government can take to support both paid and unpaid helpers in the state..

As a part of the American Rescue Plan Act, Congress and the President provided expanded funding for home and community-based services, and Iowa has taken action to use this funding to increase training, expand services, and improve workforce support. This represents a major step in recognizing and supporting the helping community. The HCBS MEDICAID page provides more detail on this important element of supporting the caregiving community.