BATTLE CREEK – State Representative and House Democrats’ Women’s Task Force member Kate Segal (D-Battle Creek) — joined by task force co-chairs Reps. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D-Muskegon) and Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) and representatives of the Region 3-B Area Agency on Aging and SNAP Childcare — said Monday night that ensuring access to child and elder care is an essential component of economic security for Michigan families.
“The task of making sure that children and older adults are properly cared for often falls to women,” Segal said. “Therefore, true economic security for women and their families can only be obtained when women have the ability to care for their children and parents while being able to maintain a good career at the same time. Removing the roadblocks that make it difficult for women to care for their families is one of the main goals of our task force.”
Task force members heard from their guests and members of the audience at the meeting held at the Burnham Brook Community Center. Topics of discussion included the high cost of child care and health insurance and the difficulty many women face when they need time off of work to care for infants, sick children or aging parents.
“Women in Michigan are looking for real solutions that will let them care for their loved ones while contributing to their family’s income,” said Hovey-Wright. “We’re committed to developing policies and resources that will support Michigan families and bring relief to women who are struggling to earn a paycheck and care for their children and parents at the same time.”
“My colleagues and I were grateful to hear from women about the challenges they face in supporting their families,” said Irwin. “We’re going to take what we learned Monday night back to Lansing, where we will work hard on their behalf to create solutions that will work for Michigan families.”