Premieres Tuesday, March 26 at 11 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream now with KPBS Passport + Encores Wednesday, March 27 at 9 p.m. and Friday, March 29 at 4 p.m. on KPBS 2
During one of the nation's worst economic collapses, citizens in Pittsburgh banded together and created America's first health insurance program for the children of working poor families. It was appropriately named, "The Caring Program." On Aug. 5, 1997, a bill sponsored by Senators Orrin Hatch and Edward Kennedy, and largely modeled after The Caring Program, was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. It was exactly 13 years, 2 months and 23 days after a group of desperate protesters entered a church on the opposite side of town and asked for the chance to speak.
They were heard and helped, and ultimately children's healthcare was revolutionized. The journey of a grassroots community effort to a federal program is testament to the power of listening, caring and working together to achieve a transformative result.
Website: Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Watch On Your Schedule: "Children In Crisis: The Story of CHIP" is available to stream with KPBS Passport, a benefit for members supporting KPBS at $60 or more yearly, using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn how to activate your benefit now.
