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Catholic
Charities USA Disappointed
by Cuts to Medicaid in Budget Agreement
The following, in part, is a
statement by Catholic Charities USA President Rev. Larry Snyder on the federal
budget agreement between House and Senate negotiators that would make $35
billion in mandatory spending cuts in fiscal 2006, including $9 billion in the
Medicaid program. Catholic Charities directors from around the country are
meeting in Washington, DC, this week and are shocked to find that so many
members of Congress are unaware of the likely consequences of the budget cuts
in Medicaid. We are disappointed that the budget deal requires substantial
cuts in health care for the poor and elderly, a decision that is devastating at
a time when millions lack health insurance and have no way to pay for medical care.
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/news/content_displays.cfm?fuseaction=display_document&id=601&location=3
**Children, Youth &
Families
The
Child Support Program: An Investment That Works
A paper from the Center for
Law and Social Policy provides data to explain how child support helps children
and increases self-sufficiency. It also briefly discusses the federal program’s
performance and its funding.
PDF: http://www.clasp.org/publications/cs_funding_042005.pdf
Effects of Welfare and
Employment Policies on Young Children
According to a report from MDRC, in welfare and employment programs that
provide earnings supplements, increased family income plays a key role in
improving children's school achievement. This report summarizes the results of
recent research conducted as part of the Next Generation Project, a
collaboration between researchers at MDRC and several leading research
universities, which draws on data from welfare and employment experiments
launched in the early 1990s aimed at increasing the self-sufficiency of
low-income parents in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to providing evidence for policymakers
to assess evolving welfare policies, this research helps advance our understanding
of the effects of parents’ economic circumstances and child care arrangements
on the development of low-income children.
http://www.mdrc.org/publications/407/abstract.html
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Parents to Celebrate
Children's Mental Health Week, May 1-7; Children's Mental Health Week Tool Kit
Available Online
Most of us know a child or
adolescent with a mental illness, whether it's attention deficit disorder, bipolar
disorder, depression, anxiety or an eating disorder. However, due to stigma and
the lack of public awareness and education, many are unaware of it. Families
Together in NYS, a parent-run organization offering support and information for
families of children with mental illness is offering a free downloadable tool
kit for this special week. The tool kit contains Children's Mental Health Week
activity ideas, a sample press release, graphics for stickers and iron-on
transfers for t-shirts, children's mental health statistics and facts, how to
seek help, promote awareness and eliminate stigma; and information on screening
for and identifying depression.
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=46501
Mental Health Week Toolkit: http://www.ftnys.org
Teen Girls Use Steroids to
Tone Up, Not Bulk Up
The Associated Press reports that up to 5 percent of
middle-school girls and 7 percent of high-school girls say they have tried
anabolic steroids, and experts believe that some girls use the drugs in hopes
of toning their bodies, rather than adding on muscle like boys.
Researchers say many of the girls who use steroids also have eating disorders.
Some, like their male counterparts, use the drug to boost athletic performance
– a trend observers attribute to more girls taking part in competitive sports.
But others simply want to look more like their musical or matinee idols.
http://www.jointogether.org/sa/news/summaries/reader/0%2C1854%2C576786%2C00.html
House OKs Bill Toughening
Abortion Consent
According to Associated
Press, the House passed a bill that would make it illegal to dodge
parental-consent laws by taking minors across state lines for abortions, the
latest effort to chip away at abortion rights after Republican gains in the
November elections.
No one knows how many minors
cross state lines for abortions to circumvent laws in their home states
requiring parental consent.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050428/ap_on_go_co/abortion
Stop Explaining 'Why' when
Teens Kill; Instead Reach Out
According to a Purdue University
sociologist, the labels put on youths who commit violent crimes not only
prevent society from understanding their behavior, but also act as a barrier to
solving the problem. We're trying to solve the problem by protecting them or
punishing them without actually engaging with teen-agers because we are
scared." The researcher analyzed how teens who were involved in violent
acts, such as murder and beatings, were described and profiled in the news
media by politicians, experts and the general public during the 1990s.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-04/pu-pse042605.php
**Community Development
HUD Response to Report on
Record Minority Homeownership
The Census Bureau released
data showing that minority homeownership hit an all-time high during the first
quarter of 2005. The new quarterly record rate of 51.6 percent means that 15.7
million minority families now own their own homes. There was also a new
quarterly record for Hispanic homeownership. The rate of 49.7 percent means
there are now 5.8 million Hispanic homeowners in the United States.
Overall homeownership was also at an all-time high in the first quarter, with
74.5 million American families now owning their own homes.
http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr05-057.cfm
HUD Launches
Spanish-Language Fair Housing Campaign in 13 Cities
Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago and Dallas are among the 13 cities targeted by a new
Spanish-language fair housing radio campaign released today by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development. The goal of the new campaign is
to make tenants and their landlords as well as homebuyers, realtors, borrowers,
and lenders aware of federal law as prohibiting discrimination in housing based
on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or
disability. HUD’s latest Housing Discrimination Study found that Hispanics
experience discrimination one in four times that they attempt to rent a home.
http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr05-056.cfm
HUD Raises Fines for
Lenders who Fail to Assist Troubled Borrowers
The Department of Housing and
Urban Development published a final rule that dramatically increases the amount
of damages HUD can seek against FHA lenders that fail to engage in loss
mitigation techniques. Loss mitigation options enable many homeowners who are
in default on their FHA mortgage to avoid foreclosure and remain in their
homes.
http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr05-059.cfm
HUD Announces More than
$20 Million to Help Develop Housing for Very Low-Income Elderly
The Department of Housing and
Urban Development announced more than $20 million in grants to provide
predevelopment funding for 104 sponsors of Section 202 Elderly Housing projects
in 38 states. The funds will assist them in bringing their projects from the
award of a Section 202 grant to initial closing within the allotted 18 months.
The Section 202 Demonstration Planning Grant Program will provide upfront funds
for such predevelopment activities as architectural and engineering work, site
control, and other expenses related to the development of the projects prior to
initial closing. Without the grant funding such costs would not be reimbursable
until closing or would have to come from other funding sources.
http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr05-060.cfm
CDC Releases First
National Violent Death Reporting System Data
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention today released the first data from the National Violent
Death Reporting System (NVDRS). Data reported by the first six participating
states, (Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina and Virginia) show increases in suicide and homicide rates for the
years 2000 through 2003. This data is in contrast to decreases in violent
deaths reported in these states and nationwide from 1993 through 2000.
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r050422a.htm
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**Disabilities
Disabled at Work: Hidden
Cost of Jobs for Older Americans
A study conducted by
economists at the RAND Corporation Institute
for Civil Justice (ICJ) and the University of Michigan Institute for Social
Research (ISR) found that about one-third of all disabled people in their 50s —
and half of all disabled men — became disabled because of their jobs. The
finding supports what many weary older workers have long suspected: that work
may compromise their health and that postponing retirement may carry hidden
costs.
http://www.rand.org/news/press.05/04.25.html
**Economic Security
Work
Supports and Low-Wage Workers: The Promise of Employer Involvement.
A publication from the Finance
Project aims to increase the knowledge base on how to involve employers in work
supports for low-wage workers and also lays out key areas for future work.
Full report: PDF: http://www.financeprojectinfo.org/publications/worksupports.pdf
Executive Summary: PDF: http://www.financeprojectinfo.org/publications/worksupports-execsum.pdf
The Conflict between
Marriage Promotion Initiatives for Cohabiting Couples with Children and
Marriage Penalties in Tax and Transfer Programs
According to The Urban Institute, encouraging and
strengthening marriage continues to move up the US's social policy agenda. This
analysis assesses the actual marriage penalties or bonuses facing these
couples. In addition to examining the consequences of current (2003) federal
tax laws, it also assesses the incentives that will be in place in 2008 as the
final marriage-related provisions of 2001's tax reform are phased-in. The paper
incorporates potential changes in transfer income received through welfare in
assessing marriage penalties and bonuses for low-income cohabiting couples with
children.
http://www.urban.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&NavMenuID=3&Template=/TaggedContent/ViewPublication.cfm&PublicationID=9250
DOL Announces $15 Million
Grant Competition for Youth Offender Projects
U.S. Secretary of Labor
Elaine announced that approximately $15 million will be competitively awarded
for Responsible Reintegration of Youthful Offender projects. The grant program
is designed to address the specific workforce challenges of youth offenders and
will use strategies that prepare them for new and increasing job opportunities
in high-growth, high-demand industries. The competition for grants will remain
open until Monday, May 23, 2005, with awards to follow.
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=46287
Assessing the New
Federalism — Eight Years Later
According to the Urban
Institute, dramatic changes have occurred in the experience of low-income
families, those who have been on welfare and those who haven't, from the
mid-1990s to the present. “Assessing the New Federalism: Eight Years Later,”
synthesizes much of what has been learned so far through an intensive research
effort, including a national survey of 40,000 American families. ANF research
charted new territory, by asking new questions and by zeroing in on state
budget and policy choices. These findings offer a comprehensive picture of
those leaving welfare and provide answers to such questions as how many people
recently off welfare are working and for how many hours.
http://www.urban.org/content/Research/NewFederalism/AboutANF/ResearchFocus/Focus.htm
New Center
Resources on Benefit Program Simplification and Coordination
The Center on Budget and Policy
Priorities has established a Project on Program Simplification and
Coordination. This is in response to complex and duplicative paperwork
requirements prevent many low-income families — especially working families —
from receiving benefits that can help them meet basic needs such as food,
health care, and child care. Such requirements also add to state agency
workloads and costs. The project is designed to help make low-income programs
easier both for eligible families to participate in and for states to
administer.
http://www.cbpp.org/pubs/prosim.htm
**Education
Effective Strategies for
Federal Monitoring of the Head Start Program
Testimony from The Urban Institute was presented before the
Senate Subcommittee on Education and Early Childhood Development, discusses the
Head Start program, effective strategies for federal monitoring, and the
content and recommendations of the Government Accountability Office's recent
report regarding a Comprehensive Approach to Identifying and Addressing Risks.
The testimony offers perspective on effective strategies for building the
strongest possible federal oversight role to support high-quality, fiscally
accountable, programmatically successful, and well-managed Head Start programs
across the country.
http://www.urban.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&NavMenuID=3&Template=/TaggedContent/ViewPublication.cfm&PublicationID=9246
Access
to Community College for Undocumented Immigrants: A Guide for State
Policymakers
A policy brief, created for
ACHIEVING THE DREAM, a national initiative to increase the success of
underserved groups in community colleges, explores and highlights some of the
actions being taken by states and institutions to improve the access of
undocumented students to postsecondary opportunities, particularly in public
community colleges. The brief focuses on the five states currently
participating in the Initiative, all of which have large or rapidly growing
immigrant populations. It also reports on developments in several other states
and at the federal level.
http://www.jff.org/jff/kc/library/0248/index_html
Reward Teachers Who Get
Results, Particularly Those in America's Most Challenging Classrooms
The U.S. Education Secretary
told more than 300 educators and others attending the Milken Family Foundation
National Education Conference that, "we must treat our teachers like the
professionals they are. That means we must reward teachers who make real
progress closing the achievement gap in the most challenging classrooms."
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/04/04272005.html
Academically Interested Minorities,
Won Prestigious Pre-College/Community Award for 2005 From National Association
of Multicultural Engineering Program Administrators
The Academically Interested
Minorities was recognized by the National Association of Multicultural
Engineering Program Administrators (NAMEPA) as an exceptional contributor to
increasing the participation of minorities in engineering disciplines in higher
education. "Pre-college programs are the beginning stage of bringing
students into engineering programs."
http://www.ascribe.org/cgi-bin/behold.pl?ascribeid=20050425.110057&time=12%2014%20PDT&year=2005&public=1
**Health
Relatively Few US Adults
Report Having a Healthy Lifestyle
According to the Archives of
Internal Medicine, despite clear evidence of the health benefits, few US adults
conform to four common healthy behaviors that together characterize a healthy
lifestyle. Current public health reports emphasize lifestyle modification,
particularly quitting smoking, improved diet, increased physical activity and
weight control, as the key to prevention and control of chronic diseases,
according to background information in the article. Even though chronic
diseases account for the greatest burden in terms of illness, diminished
quality of life, and death, few Americans undertake the modifications that
would result in a healthy lifestyle, the researchers found.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-04/jaaj-rfu042105.php
New Study Shows Simple
Actions Wipe out Huge Higher Heart Risks for Asian Diabetics
New research from the
University of Warwick Medical School has shown that very simple interventions
to target the health care of UK Asian diabetics can almost wipe out the 40%
higher risks of heart disease linked to diabetes in that community.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-04/uow-nss042505.php
Report Cards Improve
Minorities' Access to High-Quality Providers
A Commonwealth Fund-supported
study shows that in addition to helping consumers make informed health care
choices, quality report cards can work to level the playing field for
minorities by improving their ability to see high-quality health
providers.
http://www.cmwf.org/publications/publications_show.htm?doc_id=274359
HHS Appoints Advisory
Committee on Minority Health
The Secretary of the
Department of Health and Human Services announced the appointment of eight
members to serve on the Advisory Committee on Minority Health. The committee
will advise the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on improving the
health of racial and ethnic minority groups and on the development of goals and
specific program activities for the department's Office of Minority Health.
The latest meeting of the committee included presentations on the status of
racial and ethnic health disparities, research challenges and opportunities,
improving service delivery to better address racial and ethnic disparities, and
the role of prevention in improving health outcomes for racial and ethnic
minorities.
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2005pres/20050422.html
Role of Medicaid in
Financing Family Planning Examined
According to The Kaiser Family Foundation, while twenty-one
states have expanded eligibility for Medicaid-funded family planning, many
states are confronting budgetary shortfalls leading to cuts in Medicaid
eligibility and services. At the federal level, there are proposals to cut
Medicaid spending and restructure the program in significant ways. This updated
issue brief provides an overview and analysis of the role Medicaid plays in
financing family planning services.
http://www.kff.org/womenshealth/7064-02.cfm
Quality Matters: Quality
Improvement in Medicaid
A brief from the Commonwealth
Fund looks at how states and Medicaid managed care plans are improving the
quality of care for their enrollees. Following the lead of corporate
purchasers, state Medicaid agencies have begun to incorporate
pay-for-performance and other incentives into their managed care plan
contracts. Some Medicaid managed care plans, in turn, are offering quality
incentives to their providers.
http://www.cmwf.org/publications/publications_show.htm?doc_id=274106
Policy Changes Needed to
Ensure Dual Eligibles' Access to Drugs
The Commonwealth Fund finds
that with home- and community-based services waiver programs, many low-income,
elderly, and disabled adults enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid can avoid
institutionalization and stay in the community. But the study says the
impending transfer of prescription drug coverage from Medicaid to Medicare
might place many "dual eligibles" in jeopardy.
http://www.cmwf.org/publications/publications_show.htm?doc_id=274708
Medicare Change Will Limit
Access to Claim Hearing
According to a report in the
New York Times, Medicare beneficiaries must now show special circumstances to
appear in person before a judge when their claims are denied. A new federal
policy will make it significantly more difficult for Medicare beneficiaries to
obtain hearings in person before a judge when the government denies their
claims for home care, nursing home services, prescription drugs and other
treatments.
For years, hearings have been
held at more than 140 Social Security offices around the country. In July, the
Department of Health and Human Services will take over the responsibility, and
department officials said all judges would then be located at just four sites -
in Cleveland; Miami; Irvine, Calif.; and Arlington, Va.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/24/national/24medicare.html?ex=1271995200&en=55ccdf4d960d46e5&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
A Healing Journey, From
Harvard to the Homeless Shelters
For the author, counseling
the mentally ill turned into a form of self-therapy. The last decade has
brought widespread use of peer counseling - people with mental illness working
with people with mental illness - as a supplement (not a replacement) to
traditional psychiatric treatment with medication and psychotherapy. The hiring
of patients, or consumers, as they are known, has become standard practice.
Studies are beginning to show the efficacy of this approach. The World Health
Organization's 2001 report noted that "patients with mental disorders can
be very successful in helping themselves, and peer support has been important
in a number of conditions for recovery.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/26/health/psychology/26essa.html?ex=1272168000&en=cb2adc8d2d565a27&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
**Hunger and Nutrition
WIC in the States:
Thirty-One Years of Building a Healthier America
The Food Research and Action Center has
published “WIC in the States: Thirty-One Years of Building a Healthier America.”
This report discusses the history, growth and success of WIC, a federal
nutrition and health program for low-income pregnant women, infants and
children. The report charts the number of women, infants and children served by
WIC from 1974 to 2004 for the nation, each state, the District of Columbia, and Native American Tribal communities. It also describes the nature
of WIC eligibility and benefits as well as the results of research about the
program.
http://www.frac.org/WIC/2004_Report/
Institute of Medicine News: Changes Needed in WIC Program
A new report from the
Institute of Medicine of the National Academies proposes a number of changes to
the WIC nutrition assistance program to encourage participants to consume more
whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, as well as to promote breast-feeding,
among other goals. If implemented, these revisions would be the most
substantial changes to the mix of foods offered through WIC since the
supplemental nutrition program for low-income women, infants, and children was
launched in 1974. The recommendations also are the first effort to apply the
new Dietary Guidelines for Americans to a national food program.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-04/tna-iom042705.php
**Substance Abuse
Are Drug Courts a Solution
to the Drug Problem?
The First Tuesday Forum at The Urban Institute pointed out that for the
past 15 years, as incarceration and arrest rates have climbed; specialized,
problem-solving courts have been created to deal with particular kinds of
offenders. Drug courts, the most common problem-solving court, feature
prominently in the White House's drug-control strategy and have been embraced
by practitioners. At the same time, some judges and legislators are concerned
that these courts will be perceived as "soft on crime" and may return
dangerous offenders prematurely to the community. Panelists addressed research
showing the short-term benefits of drug courts, and their impact on the
evolving judicial system.
http://www.urban.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&NavMenuID=3&Template=/TaggedContent/ViewPublication.cfm&PublicationID=9248
About One in Five Teens Misuse
Prescription Drugs
The 2004 Partnership Attitude
Tracking Survey, produced by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA), said
prescription-drug misuse by teens now exceeds their use of Ecstasy, cocaine,
crack, or LSD. "For the first time, our national study finds that today's
teens are more likely to have abused a prescription painkiller to get high than
they are to have experimented with a variety of illegal drugs." http://www.jointogether.org/sa/news/summaries/reader/0%2C1854%2C576748%2C00.html
