The Honorable ___________
RE: Increase Funding for California's School
Health Program -- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/Division
of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)
Dear __________:
California's proposal
was approved but not funded.
Approximately 18 other states were funded. The proposals were highly competitive with approximately 40
states applying for funds. We
understand that California is very close to the "cut-off" line in
the listing of rank-order states and that California would have been funded
if CDC had more funds. We
are asking your help in allocating additional funds to the 2004 CDC/DASH Budget
to fund more states so that they can fund the "approved but not funded
projects" such as California's.
Specifically, an additional $10 million for CDC-DASH is needed in 2004
for this work to continue in California and other states.
(Line item: Health and
Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chronic Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion Functional Table, School Health line item.)
I/We [identify your organization if you are writing to
represent a group] are writing today to bring to your attention that we
were recently informed by the CDC/DASH that after seven years of funding,
California will not be funded to
continue their significant work in School Health.
California has done an outstanding job over the past seven years for the
children and youth of our State. In a state the size of California -- with over
6 million public school children, 8,700 school sites, 1,000 districts and
300,000 teachers -- this is a huge task.
There is broad support for
California's work in the area of school health including the school health
coalition, a work group of approximately 100 organizations, agencies and leaders
from schools and communities that have joined forces to develop a system of
supports for kids and their families.
As you are well aware, children/youth that are healthy -- physical,
mentally and emotionally -- are more successful in school. I/We are
asking for your assistance.
California has a long list
of significant accomplishments that are a direct result of the grant funds
received over the past seven years.
Some of these examples include:
[list local or organizational achievements, or select several
off the attached list.]
As an active member of the
School Health Program in California, [I/we]
urge you to keep California's school health program alive. The kids and families of California will
be the real winners. Thank you
for your assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,
Name
Organization