MD pilots innovative anti-child hunger program

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Last month Maryland was selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to pilot the Community Eligibility Option (CEO) in the 2013-2014 school year. CEO provides free meals to all students in schools with high percentages of low-income students. The Maryland Budget and Tax Policy Institute was one of several organizations involved in advocacy efforts to bring this new tool to Maryland, and we are please that Maryland's application was approved.

Three education agencies will take part in the pilot: Baltimore City Public Schools, select schools in Washington County, and the SEED School of Maryland. CEO means that every student in these schools will be provided with free school breakfast and school lunch. By providing for all students, CEO eliminates the negative stigma often associated with eating school meals. Additionally, CEO reduces paperwork for families who no longer have to qualify individually, and administrative costs for the school system related to processing individual applications. CEO is already operating in over 400 local education agencies in 7 states and the District of Columbia with great success.

Implementing CEO in Maryland places us on the leading edge of improving access to – and the quality of – school meals for children. This is an important step forward as the Free State works to achieve the Governor’s goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015.

The Week Ahead

Last week Neil Bergsman blogged about this week's Food Stamp Challenge, which he is participating in, while I blogged about the falling national unemployment rate. Neil also broke down Question 7 (the expanded gambling referendum) for Fox 5 DC. And last but not least, Greg Cantori officially joined the team as CEO of our parent organization Maryland Nonprofits last Monday.

Tuesday, October 9th

• Advisory Council for Alternative Response meets. The Council is developing alternatives to traditional responses to cases of suspected child abuse or neglect. 1pm in room 1044, Department of Human Resources, 311 West Saratoga Street, Baltimore.

Wednesday, October 10th

• House Health and Government Operations Committee goes on a site visit to the University of Maryland, College Park's School of Public Health. Members will be briefed on the Center for Healthy Families, minority health disparities, the Center for Health Information, and the Institute for a Healthiest Maryland. 9:30am to 1:30pm at University House, University of Maryland, College Park.  
• Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) meets. 10am in room 100, 4160 Patterson Ave, Baltimore.
• Maryland Nonprofits offers Now What? Sustaining Your New Nonprofit. This is a Maryland Nonprofits training. For more information or to register, go to their events page.

Thursday, October, 12th

• Maryland Economic Development Commission holds an infrastructure roundtable. 10am to noon at the Verizon office, 13100 Columbia Place, Silver Spring, MD.
• Board of Directors of the Maryland Health Insurance Plan (MHIP) meets. Topics will include findings from an audit of MHIP; the Missing Federal Application Report; updates on procurements, the Senior Prescription Drug Assistance Program, and federal enrollment; and a discussion about MHIP/Exchange messaging. Participants may attend in person or by conference call. Dial in 888-769-8761 Passcode: 7592829. 9am in suite 630, 1 Calvert Plaza, 201 E. Baltimore Street, Baltimore.

The Week Ahead (Labor Day Edition)

Last week Neil Bergsman spoke to the Maryland Gazette about the state's work force and the woeful state of MD information technology compared to the private sector. You can find links to this and all our media appearances on our press page. On Wednesday I blogged about unemployment in Maryland's metro areas; while Thursday saw Neil's post about the FY 2012 closeout report, in which revenues exceeded estimates by $230 million.

Also last week our parent organization, Maryland Nonprofits, announced the appointment of Greg Cantori as President and CEO. You can read the full press release here.

Tuesday, September 4rd

• State Advisory Council on Hereditary and Congenital Disorders meets to discuss newborn screening. 6-8pm in room 300 of 201 W. Preston Street, Baltimore.
• Workgroup on Lead Liability Protection for Rental Property meets for the third time. Meeting information and meeting notes are available here. 10am to noon at the Maryland Insurance Administration, in the hearing room on the 24th floor of 200 St. Paul Place, Baltimore.

Wednesday, September 5th

• Workgroup on Access to Habilitative Services Benefits meets for the third time. 9-11am at the Maryland Insurance Administration, in the hearing room on the 24th floor of 200 St. Paul Place, Baltimore.
• Health Services Cost Review Commission holds their monthly meeting. 10am in room 100 of 4160 Patterson Ave, Baltimore.
• Maryland Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Authority meets. 9am in the lower level conference room at the One Call Center, 7223 Parkway Drive, Hanover.

Friday, September 7th

• Bureau of Labor Statistics releases national employment figures for August. In July the U.S. unemployment rate rose slightly, to 8.3 percent.