U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) has introduced legislation designed to reduce poverty by helping both parents and their children.
“The federal government’s current approach to poverty is simply not working well enough,” Heinrich said.
Senator Martin Heinrich says current federal programs to address poverty are not well coordinated and sometimes even have different eligibility requirements. And he says that leaves many children and their parents behind.
To address that, Heinrich reintroduced the bipartisan Two-Generation Economic Empowerment Act.
“Addressing the needs of children and parents separately and without a comprehensive strategy often leaves children or parents behind and diminishes a whole family’s chance of success,” Heinrich said.
To improve chances for success, Heinrich’s office cites two-generation programs that provide childcare and extend the hours for career services and childhood development programs to better match parents' schedules.
Another idea: expanding home visiting programs to offer information on education, workforce training, and employment opportunities.
James Jimenez, Executive Director of New Mexico Voices for Children, says research shows these home visiting programs are effective. And Heinrich’s effort to strengthen the programs makes sense.
“New Mexico has a strong home visiting program right now. But it is not as strong as it could be, if, in fact, we saw better coordination amongst all of the entities that are providing home visiting services. Home visiting is really important, because it teaches new parents how to be good parents and how to be strong parents.”
Heinrich’s legislation would also allow for better coordination between federal, state, and local programs to address poverty. Heinrich cites an example in Las Cruces Public Schools.
“I toured Jornada Elementary School in Las Cruces and sat down with educators to discuss how Las Cruces Public Schools is working to better coordinate its state and federal funding together to improve early childhood learning. That includes implementing the new New Mexico Pre-K program, which is working to increase access to early childhood education across our state. In addition to making sure children are ready for their first day at school, the program also provides parents with support and resources so that they can play an active role in helping their children learn and grow,” Heinrich said.
Addressing career education for parents is also part of Heinrich’s approach. Anne Mosle says that effort will help children too. Mosle is Vice President at the Aspen Institute and Executive Director of Ascend. She says even small income increases can make a big difference.
“And so, when we think about the importance of health, education, and economic assets for families, it’s very important that we recognize that a three thousand dollar difference in a parent’s income when their child is young is not only important to the immediate stability for that family; it can make the difference of whether they can stay in their home versus eviction, or also remain the same school district, and stay with that kind of stability, it also has a proven long-term effect. And down the road can have a 17 percent increase in that child’s future earnings,” Mosle said.
To address employment opportunities for parents, Heinrich is also introducing The Pathways to Health Careers Act in the Senate; it passed the House last fall.
“This grant program provides job training with critical family supports that low-income families need to succeed in their healthcare careers goals. This includes support services like childcare, transportation, and career coaching to provide a supportive pathway to a career, not just an entry-level job, in a well-paid and highly in demand health profession,” Heinrich said.
The need for those well-paid jobs is urgent for millions.
More than 38 million people, or about one in eight Americans, lived below the poverty line in 2018. And that number includes nearly 13 million children.