Appreciate support of visiting programs
To the editor:
In early January, we wrote a letter to the editor asking members of the Maine Legislature to preserve state funding for Head Start and home visiting. We now want to thank them for doing so in the recently enacted FY12 supplemental budget. Head Start and home visiting programs offer Maine youngest at-risk children and their families important early interventions. These services aimed at helping young children can help steer young children toward long-term academic and social success and away from crime.
Supporting our youngest kids with research-proven programs such as these are important for future positive outcome for both the children and for our communities. Studies have shown that kids who participate in high-quality early learning programs are better prepared as they enter school, perform better academically and are more likely to graduate on time. Most important to us as law enforcement leaders, these children are also much less likely to be involved in serious crime.
Voluntary home visiting programs can help reduce child abuse and neglect, strengthen families and keep children out of abusive environments. These programs often help break a terrible cycle of violence. These are all great outcomes for kids that also lead to increased public safety. We therefore ask that Maine state legislators continue to support these critical services that benefit Maine’s youngest citizens as they undertake the FY13 supplemental budget proposal.
And we thank our legislators for their support of Maine’s youngest and most at-risk children.
Michael Gahagan
Caribou Chief of Police
President, Maine Chiefs of Police Assoc.
Glenn Ross
Penobscot County Sheriff
President, Maine Sheriff’s Assoc.
