MCAN and affiliates are leading a campaign in Massachusetts to get support of our Congressional delegation for reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) which is a key funding source of the MassHealth program for health insurance to low wage working families. The potential funding shortfalls of $1.1 billion for Massachsuetts over 6 years could lead to cuts in children's health here and imperil the implementation of the new law for health care for the uninsured.

--MCAN is releasing a report on this issue at a press conference it is holding with members of Congress on this issue on March 5
--MCAN affiliate MICAH met with US Congressman Ed Markey on this issue on February 22 in Framingham
--MCAN affiliate UIA met with US Congressman James McGovern on this issue on February 26
--Five people from UIA and MCAN went to Washington, DC to participate in the PICO national meetings and actions on SCHIP with members of Congress to be held on March 7

MCAN is participating as a member of the ACT Coalition that worked for passage of this law and is now organizing for implementation of the new law

MCAN participated in the ACT press conference on February 26 towards influencing the Connector Board decision on the need to include prescription drug coverage in the new health plans offered under the new law.

MCAN and its affiliates worked successfully for refunding of the $11 million Shannon Grant program we worked to get passed in December 2005. These go to cities for law enforcement efforts on gangs and prevention programs. The refunding was passed in may 2007 after an active organizing campaign in the cities of our affiliates and at the State House.

MCAN is playing a key role in developing a proposal for a major state funding proposal for prevention programs as part of its work in helping lead the Safe Teens/Safe Communities Coalition.
We organized successfully for passage in July 2007 of $2 million in state funds for a pilot proposal for violence prevention programs

MCAN's affiliates in Brockton and New Bedford, BIC and UIA, worked for increased state funding in the YouthWorks state budget program for funding for teen summer jobs. A $2 million increase was passed in July.

MCAN helps lead the Workforce Solutions Group coalition which is working for increased state funding for job training, ESOL, GED. We met on February 23 and again in July with the Patrick Administration's new Secretary of Workforce Development, Suzanne Bump, on these issues.

Applications for the job training funding we helped win last year called the Workforce Competativeness Trust Fund are due on April 2 and grants were made in May.

MCAN and the Workforce Solutions Group helped get an additional $7 million in job training funds for another round of Workforce Competativeness Trust Fund grants for a fall 2007 funding round.

MCAN and WSG are playing a key role in implementing the Food Stamp Employment and Training Program (FSET) which could enable community based organizations, cities, and community college to get matching federal funds for 50% of the cost of training and education they are doing with low wage workers on food stamps. Applications for the funding can now be made to the State Department of Transitional Assistance.

MCAN and affiliates attended the SEIU 1199 rally for the organizing for the new union of personal care attendants and our New Bedford, Fall River, Brockton and Lynn affiiates are working in support of this campaign.

MCAN is working with the New England Carpenters Union on strategies to deal with employer violations of wage and hour, overtime, and safety regulations especially for immigrant workers. Together with MCAN's MICAH affiiate in MetroWest and MIRA and the Carpenter's Union, we've formed a MetroWest Immigrant Worker Center.

MCAN and affiliates are discussing ways to work with SEIU 1199 and the Painters Union on local issues in communities of our affiliates

MCAN jointly leads the Workforce Solutions Group with the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and the Mass. Assoc. of Workforce Boards and the Crittendon Women's Union. This coalition works on increasing funding for job training, ESOL, GED