This week, we are sharing information about proposed changes at the federal level that could affect your family. We want you to have this information so you can reach out to your federal lawmakers if you have feedback. In another blog post, we shared some tips and things to consider as you decide if and what to share with policymakers. We encourage you to read that post as well.
These are some current proposed changes at the federal level if you would like to reach out to your policymakers about them:
- If passed, changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would cost states more and also have work requirements that could be difficult to document and comply with, so people could lose their SNAP benefits even if they were trying to follow all the proposed rules.
- President Trump’s proposed budget eliminates the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, including the Institute for Disabilities Studies at the University of Southern Mississippi.
- President Trump’s proposed budget recommends changes to how the federal government funds special education services. This could affect funding for all Parent and Training Information (PTI) Centers, including Mississippi PTI.
- President Trump’s proposed budget eliminates the Statewide Family Network (SFNs) Program for Children’s Mental Health. This grant typically supports Families as Allies and allows us to focus on our primary mission of ensuring Mississippi’s system of care for children is family-driven. (However, it is not the sole source of our funding.)
If you have feedback about any of these issues, you can contact your United States senators by calling, emailing, or going by one of their offices in Mississippi. Everyone in Mississippi has the same two United States senators:
- Senator Roger Wicker, office locations and phone numbers – email
- Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, office locations and phone numbers – email
