Q&A Summary of the Upcoming Changes to BadgerCare. The federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has approved a portion of the cost-cutting changes that the Walker Administration has been seeking to make to BadgerCare. See answers to some of the basic questions about those changes here.

2011-2012 State Legislative Session Wrap-Up. Check out WCCF's summary of legislation affecting kids and families that was considered in the recently ended legislative session. (Note that these lists do not include the biennial budget or special session bills.)

The Impact of Concentrated Poverty on Our Future. Growing up poor can be a struggle, but growing up in a poor neighborhood multiplies the challenges that children and families face, even for children who are not poor.  The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released a Data Snapshot on High Poverty Communities, highlighting the growth in the number and percent of children growing up in neighborhoods with concentrated poverty around the country and in Wisconsin (a 53% increase over the last decade).  Check out the Casey Data Snapshot and our WCCF blog posting for more ideas about what we can do to improve the outcomes for children growing up poor in low-income neighborhoods.

Policy Changes Affecting Working Families in 2012. This paper provides a two-page synopsis of delayed budget cuts and policy changes that will adversely affect Wisconsin’s working families in 2012. Read the paper and WCCF press release.