 Website | E-Mail Me | Biography | Newsroom | Subscribe | Unsubscribe |
||||||||||||||||||||
| July Keaveny Connection | Contact: Stacy Morse — (573) 751-3599 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Free Health and Back-to-School Fair: July 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||
More than 40 organizations will take part in the fair and offer free services and products. Some of the participating organizations and their respective services include:
You can click here to view photos from last year's health and back-to-school fair. If you have any questions, or are interested in participating or volunteering, please call my Capitol office at (573) 751-3599. Also on July 20, the People's Health Centers will host a poverty simulation, in which I will participate. The Community Action Poverty Simulation is designed to help people better understand the realities of poverty. Participants will assume roles of people from low-income families, and will face difficult situations these people deal with on a regular basis, such as providing basic necessities and shelter on a limited budget. More than 46.2 million Americans (16 million of whom are children under the age of 18) live in poverty, and this simulation is a good way for people to better understand the struggles people with limited incomes encounter every day. |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Sen. Keaveny Appointed to Interim Committees | ||||||||||||||||||||
The establishment of the Senate Interim Committee on Medicaid Transformation and Reform is in response to debate about health care services in Missouri. One of my top legislative priorities throughout the 2013 legislative session was expanding Missouri’s Medicaid program. The Medicaid program serves low-income individuals, children, pregnant women, individuals with disabilities, and senior citizens. Expanding the Medicaid program would have provided health care to thousands of low-income citizens, in addition to creating up to 24,000 new jobs in the first year of the expansion. However, attempts to expand Medicaid throughout the 2013 legislative session were defeated. The committee is charged with issuing a report and recommendations regarding Missouri’s health care system to the General Assembly by Dec. 15, 2013. I’m disappointed that the Missouri Legislature did not expand our state’s Medicaid program this year, but I am hopeful this committee will determine a plan for the Legislature to help improve access to health care for our most vulnerable citizens and utilize federal dollars that belong to Missourians. The first hearing for the Senate Interim Committee on Medicaid Transformation and Reform will take place Tuesday, July 9, at 9:00 a.m. in Senate Committee Room 2. The hearing will be limited to public testimony, but subsequent hearings of this panel will have scheduled witnesses. Another interim committee on which I will serve is the Senate Interim Committee on Capital Improvement Assessment and Planning (click here for my recent press release on this committee). Along with other panel members, I'll be responsible for gathering input on State Capital improvement needs, particularly the needs of state parks, mental health facilities, state buildings, and higher education facilities. The committee report of recommendations for state improvements is due by Dec. 1, 2013. |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Reflecting on Trip to Taiwan | ||||||||||||||||||||
Missouri has a strong reputation for its exports, and is one of 12 states with an established international presence in Taiwan. Last March, the governor’s administration signed agreements with two Taiwanese trade organizations to sell $700 million in Missouri goods to Taiwan over the next four years: a $200 million agreement between the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Taiwan Feed Industry Association, and a $500 million agreement between the Missouri Department of Economic Development and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council. Taiwan is a very valued friend to Missouri, and I’m glad we have the chance to help advance each other’s economies and create a better quality of life for our citizens. No matter the differences between our cultures and how many miles separate us, people all around the world have a similar mission to earn a comfortable living and provide for their families. |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Transfer Guidance for Students and Families | ||||||||||||||||||||
| The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced that it is issuing help to Missouri school districts following the recent Breitenfeld v. School District of Clayton ruling from the Missouri Supreme Court. The guidance document will provide districts assistance with managing requests from parents for student transfers from unaccredited to accredited districts. One of the recommendations in the guidance document states, "School districts should adopt and publish a policy for class size and student-teacher ratios that range between the desirable and minimum MSIP Resource Standards for all grade levels. For the 2013-2014 school year, this policy should be adopted and published by Aug. 1." On June 11, the Missouri Supreme Court upheld a state law that allows students to transfer out of unaccredited school districts. The court stated that the state law does not violate the Hancock Amendment, which prohibits governments from implementing new costs without providing the means in which to pay for them. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 167.131 provides, in part, that an unaccredited school district shall pay the tuition for students to attend a school in another accredited district of the same or an adjoining county. Click here to read an Associated Press article that further highlights the Breitenfeld v. School District of Clayton case. |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Fair Saint Louis 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Here is the schedule for July 4:
One of the best activities of the Fourth of July is watching fireworks displays. The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to leave it to the professionals. However, if you choose to handle fireworks yourself, please be safe and check out information about safety tips and fireworks permits by clicking here. Anyone with concerns about a fireworks dealer or the types of fireworks being sold by a dealer should call the State Fire Marshal's office at (573) 751-2930. Have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend with your friends and family! |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Missouri Kids Count Data Book | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Dedicated to ensuring children grow up to be happy, healthy, and productive members of society, Missouri Kids Count (a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation to track the well-being of children in the United States) posted its annual data book from 2012 online — the book highlights how children are doing in the areas of health and education in each of Missouri's 114 counties and the City of St. Louis. The database that hosts the Kids Count book allows you to generate custom graphs, maps, and county-by-county profiles regarding children's well-being. This resource is a good tool for lawmakers and other officials to see the education and health levels of children across the state. By pinpointing the children who are at risk, measures can be taken to help improve their outcomes and direct children's families to the appropriate resources. You can view a complete list of information from 2012 by clicking here. Among other resources on this page is a profile of Missouri, notes from 2012's findings, and data about education, child health, and child safety and protection. |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Nurses for Newborns: Saving Babies, Strengthening Families | ||||||||||||||||||||
Countless infants in Missouri are suffering from appalling rates of health problems, including medical neglect and malnutrition, resulting in injury, illness, and even death. The main focus of Nurses for Newborns is to provide critical intervention services to ensure that every baby reaches their first birthday. The work of Nurses for Newborns promotes health, safety, and overall well-being for young ones, while efforts for families promote strength and are designed to support and encourage expecting and new parents. The organization currently serves infants and families in 25 Missouri counties, in addition to offering programs in mid-Tennessee. Nurses for Newborns will help parents and babies with:
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| Community Announcements | ||||||||||||||||||||
730 Carroll St. in St. Louis. At the market, you can purchase cheeses, spices, flowers, baked goods, and general merchandise. The featured products for June and July are homegrown strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, asparagus, onions, and watermelons. There is also a pet shop and several different restaurants around the market. The Soulard Farmers Market has a unique history, dating as far back as 1779. At the time, the area was a flat meadow where farmers would come and sell their crops and livestock. In 1841, two city blocks were specifically designated as a farmers market, and the market's history has grown and prospered since. Here are the hours of the Soulard Farmers Market:
Warming and Cooling Sites in St. Louis
The cooling sites are typically available if an Excessive Heat Advisory (Heat Index is expected to reach 105 degrees or air temperature will range from 100-104 for four or more consecutive days) or an Excessive Heat Warning is issued by the National Weather Service. To find a cooling site near you, visit www.211helps.org/Heating-Cooling-Sites.aspx. You can also find cooling sites by visiting the Heat Up St. Louis website (heatupstlouis.org), which during this time of year, offers information on how to stay cool. If you know someone who is elderly or has young children, be sure to check in on them to be sure they are doing okay in the heat. Heat Up St. Louis officials will also help check on your neighbors if you send them an email with your neighbor's name, street address, zip code, and city. You must also include a daytime phone number. All information will be treated with confidentiality. It's also important to be aware of how you can prevent heat-related illness, which can be fatal. Read information about heat-related illness (provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) by clicking here. |
||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg)
