Initiatives for Children
How ironic that The Times (“Visit a Capitol Success for Willie Brown,” March 12) quotes Assembly Speaker Willie Brown as saying that Gov. Pete Wilson “stood for anti-women, anti-children.” The Speaker said this, while meeting with a group of feminist leaders in Washington just one week after the governor was presented with an award for his contribution to the quality of child care.
In his inaugural address, Wilson proposed 10 prevention initiatives, all of which focus on children and families. He has acted on all 10. These initiatives, which represent the essential building blocks and foundation for creating a government based on prevention, include programs that address problems at the root. They include:
* Healthy Start--The cornerstone of the governor’s initiatives, this program provides funding for schools to facilitate local coordination and integration of health, mental health and social services for children and their families to detect problems early.
* Child Care--California is considered one of the 10 best states in the nation for promoting and expanding affordable, quality child care. According to Working Mother magazine, California is a “yardstick for other states and represents the nation’s best in comprehensive and innovative child care initiatives.”
* Preschool Expansion--In his first year of office, Wilson expanded the state preschool program to serve an additional 21,000 4-year-olds--doubling the number of children being served.
* Access for Infants and Mothers (AIM)--A program to provide access to prenatal and well-baby care to uninsured low-income women. The AIM program is a public/private partnership that subsidizes private insurance for prenatal, well-baby and maternity services.
* BabyCal--A statewide multimedia campaign to educate pregnant women about the necessity for early prenatal care.
These are but a few of the innovative and varied programs Wilson has enacted in his first term of office. “Anti-women, anti-children”? I think not.
MAUREEN DiMARCO
Secretary of Child Development
and Education, Sacramento
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