Children’s Cabinet Welcomes New Members, Adopts Priority Indicators

The Governor’s Children and Youth Cabinet meeting, held Dec. 1 in Gainesville, opened with the welcoming of new members recently appointed to the Cabinet. The new members included House Speaker designee, Rep. Nick Thompson, and gubernatorial appointee Steven Uhlfelder, who were in attendance.  Justice Barbara Pariente was announced as Chief Justice Quince’s designee, and AHCA Secretary Thomas Arnold will succeed Holly Benson who recently stepped down.

 

The Cabinet also heard a progress report from Gay Lancaster, JWB-CSC of Pinellas CEO and chair of the Cabinet’s Budget Committee. The Budget Committee is undergoing an exercise to align state agency budgets to the Cabinet’s outcomes and indicators. During the meeting, the Cabinet also narrowed its priority headline indicators of child well being, which will guide work in each of the four outcome areas as follows:

 

Outcome: Every Florida Child is Healthy.

Key Indicator: Children with health insurance

 

Outcome: Every Florida Child is ready to learn.

Key Indicator: Children kindergarten entry assessment scores show they are ready for school

 

Outcome: Every Florida child lives in a stable and nurturing family.

Key Indicator: Children in poverty

 

Outcome: Every Florida child lives in a safe and supportive community.

Key Indicator: Homeless Children

 

Toni Crawford and Jim Kallinger announced that implementation of the Cabinet’s Data Sharing Initiative is under way. The group also heard budget presentations from each of the cabinet agencies, which reflected very austere proposals and serious cuts to important programs.

 

The Cabinet’s next meeting was rescheduled from Jan. 28, 2010 to Jan. 26, 2010. The meeting will take place in Tallahassee.

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