ELMHURST — The Illinois General Assembly should adequately fund early intervention and preventative programs for economically disadvantaged women and children. Two programs, Head Start and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) have proven successful and cost effective. Yet the General Assembly has completely eliminated the state`s total share of $5.8 million to WIC in 1993.
Head Start helps prepare young children to succeed in school and secure a better future. The WIC program provides federal and state money to needy women and children for food, immunizations and day care. Like Head Start, WIC is a money saver. According to the Congressional Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families, ``every $1 spent on early childhood education saves $6 in later special education, crime and welfare costs,`` and ``every $1 spent on childhood immunizations saves $10 in later medical costs.``