Following two days of rallies and public events kicking off a campaign to cover all children in Colorado by 2010, Governor Bill Ritter announced his support for $25 million in funding this year to expand eligibility and reduce enrollment barriers for uninsured children.  Metro Organizations for People (MOP) and key child health advocacy groups are planning a broad state-wide campaign to press Colorado, which has one of the highest rates of uninsured children in the nation, to ultimately cover all children.

To kick off the campaign, MOP and its child health allies organized a rally on February 10 at the new Children's Hospital in Aurora. Led by the exuberant voices of the Odem Memorial Church of God in Christ Children's Choir, over 350 adults and children cheered and waved white pennants sporting the blue 2010 logo as leaders from MOP, and state political leaders, including Colorado Senate President Peter Groff and Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff, shared their determination that all the state's children have quality affordable healthcare coverage by 2010.

Karen Loaiza, MOP leader and parent liaison from Mitchell Elementary and Esther Miller from St. Therese Catholic Church in Aurora told personal stories of their struggles to get coverage for their children and grandchild. Taking the stage together, Principal Kristin Waters and student Karla Carranza, both of Bruce Randolph Middle School, a MOP member institution, shared how having a school-based health clinic on site improves student health and learning. Janet Dement, principal of St. Therese's Elementary, talked of the injustice to children, when they, like one of her pupils, are literally scarred for life because their parents lack money for treatment. The people responded, lining up to sign large 2010 flags to pledge their commitment to contact their legislators and urge them to pass two 2010 bills that will expand and simplify coverage and reduce barriers so that more children have healthcare coverage in 2008.

The following day, February 11, Governor Bill Ritter and Lt. Governor Barbara O'Brien together declared their commitments to expand children's healthcare coverage. At an event involving over 200 people, Bruce Lesley, keynote speaker and President of First Focus, a bipartisan advocacy group in Washington, D.C., declared that Colorado is poised to be a leader among the states in covering children. With almost three-quarters of Colorado voters wanting all kids covered and progress already made on a 2010 Roadmap to get there, Lesley stated that the goal of covering all kids by 2010 is achievable.

Governor Ritter's initial commitment to move ahead this year on children's health focused on increasing eligibility for the state's SCHIP program from 205 to 225 percent of poverty and taking steps to streamline the outreach and enrollment process to reach more eligible children.  MOP and the 2010 Coalition are continuing to press the Governor and State Legislative leaders to do more to make covering all children a key legislative priority.

For more information visit www.mopdenver.org

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