PathWays PA Policy Blog

After three weeks of examining the state budget, organizations and coalitions across the state have had some time to weigh in.   County commissioners are among the many groups to have differing views on the budget, mostly centered around the Human Services Development Fund Block Grant, which will combine funding for 7 different programs into a single block grant .  The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania has endorsed this choice, as have Chester County Commissioners .  However, cuts made as part of the block grants seem worrying to some: according to the Patriot-News , Dauphin County Commissioner George Hartwick III is concerned with the cut in mental health services, saying “Literally, people could be turned out on the street. They could end up in prison or worse.”  The York Daily Record/Sunday News reports that commissioners are concerned that the governor’s budget proposal puts “county officials statewide in a position where they have to either make drastic cuts for

The purpose of the WOMENomics Forum is to bring together women of all ages to help identify women's economic issues and get practical, innovative ideas to improve quality of life. Keynote Speaker , Polly R. Moore, Esquire, "Women Finding Their Voice in the Workplace and Being Heard" Panel Presenters : Joslyn G. Ewart and Christine Potter, "Ease and Financial Security for Life's Transitions" and "Extreme Couponing" Breakout Sessions include "Social Networking in the Workplace," "How to Get a Job in Today's Market," "Money Management 101-How to Plan a Better Retirement," "Give Yourself Good Credit," and "Eating Healthy on the Go." Saturday, March 24, 2012 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Registration and coffee 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Program and Continental Breakfast Towne House 117 Veteran's Square Media, PA 19063 RSVP by March 17, 2012 Click here for details, registration and dir

From our friends at PHENND. Access to dental care remains an important issue as more than 25 percent of children in the United States between the ages of two and five are affected by tooth decay; this figure increases to over fifty percent among children 12 to 15 years old. Additionally, approximately 16% of children ages 6 to 19 went untreated for dental caries due to lack of dental care access. In recognition of February as National Children’s Dental Health Month, Public Health Management Corporation has published a report highlighting data from PHMC’s Community Health Data Base’s 2010 Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA) Household Health Survey on dental care access of children between the ages of 4 and 17 in the region. To read the report, go here:  http://www.chdbdata.org/datafindings-details.asp?id=97

From our friends at INSIGHT and NNSP . Join us for a free webinar this Thursday, March 1 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Pacific / 2:00 - 3:30 PM Eastern "How do alternative staffing organizations help low-wage workers gain employment?" "What are the outcomes of alternative staffing organizations?" "How do alternative staffing organizations function as business enterprises?" "How can workforce development organizations incorporate alternative staffing into their service delivery model?" This webinar provides an opportunity for sector initiatives and others to learn about alternative staffing organizations (ASOs), which use a fee-for-service model to help unemployed job-seekers gain employment. Like sector initiatives, ASOs serve as intermediaries in their local labor markets, providing supports and opportunities for job-seekers while becoming trusted sources of employees for their business customers. In the webinar, staff from Goodwill Staffing

State Call-to-Action for Public Education In February, Governor Corbett gave his Budget Address and cemented the $900 million dollar cuts he gave to public education funding.  These cuts have lead to increases in class size, the closure of school buildings, the elimination of successful programs such as full-day kindergarten and tutoring and the loss of many instructional and support staff, who teach and take care of students. On March 5, Education Voters of Pennsylvania will hold a Call-to-Action day to encourage individuals to share their thoughts on education cuts with legislators. To learn more and to participate, please visit http://www.educationvoterspa.org/index.php/site/news/call-to-action-for-public-education11/ . Funding for Emergency Mortgage Assistance The issue of the Homeowner’s Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP) is becoming very prominent in Harrisburg and the news media at this time. The Governor’s budget includes no funding for HEMAP, a loan prog

This is just a partial listing of the many great artists and craftspeople who will be displaying their items at the PathWays PA Art Show on April 1 .   Please join us - tickets are just $10, or $25 if you want to join us for our VIP Champagne Preview!  Examples of some of the artwork is in the flyer below. Andrea Agresta: Andrea’s art incorporates her adoration and respect for animals as well as a love for color and design. Working from photographs, she enjoys using several methods of applying acrylic paint on stretched canvas. Andrea has exhibited in juried shows at the Wayne Art Center, the Chester County Art Association and the Montgomery County Guild of Professional Artists.  Ana Delia McCormack: Ana is a fine artist whose work is influenced by her native country of Venezuela as well as the Chiaroscuro style of the old masters. She uses warm colors and high contrast of values technique to create beautiful pieces of art.  Brian Hearns: Brian’s artistic style is contemporary O

Witnesses to Hunger and the Center for Hunger Free Communities is holding a panel discussion on " Perceptions of the Welfare System and the People Who Use It. " WHEN: Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 4:00pm Martin Luther King Jr. Room Third floor at the Friends Center 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102. This panel will be moderated by the Center's Director, Dr. Mariana Chilton, and will feature four panelists: Cynthia Chen, second-year Master's in Public Health student at Drexel University School of Public Health; Bianca Lacey, Legislative Aide to to Rep. Bob Brady, Joel Levin, Supervisor, Department of Public Welfare, and Angela Sutton, participant and Advisory Board Co-Chair of Witnesses to Hunger. Through this panel they hope to discuss the common perceptions of the welfare system, its caseworkers and beneficiaries and how these perceptions are affected by and effect welfare and other policy. Also be sure to check out their latest blog post, "

Join us for PathWays PA's 5th Annual Art Show, featuring fine art, photography, and ceramics.   Sunday, April 1, 2012 VIP Champagne Preview: 1-2PM Honoring Senator Dominic Pileggi, Senate Majority Leader General Admission: 2-5PM Drexelbrook Corporate Events Center 4700 Drexelbrook Drive Drexel Hill, PA 19026 VIP Champagne Preview Tickets: $25.00 General Admission Tickets: $10.00 Wine, cheese, and chocolate will be provided. For sponsorship and ad information, click here.

Federal Policy Updates PRESIDENT’S BUDGET PLAN EMPHASIZES INVESTMENTS IN CHILDREN  President Barack Obama recently unveiled a 2013 federal budget that bolsters investments in children, with an emphasis on early childhood and K-12 education. Overall, the president’s budget invests an additional $1.4 billion in programs that benefit children, a modest increase of less than 2 percent over the current year’s budget. His budget plan calls for: $6 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, an $825 million increase (in discretionary and mandatory spending) that will serve an additional 70,000 kids and build on the progress of the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge. $8 billion for Head Start, an $85 million increase. $12.4 billion – a $20 million increase – for special education funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Level funding of $14.5 billion for Title I grants to aid economically disadvantaged students. $850 million for Race to t

The House was in session this week, but Senate did not have any voting days using the week to conduct budget hearings. According to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer , Gov. Corbett toured a Malvern factory powered by state-of-the-art robotics Tuesday, then hit the automatic-reset button on a replay of the state university tuition wars that dominated the battle over his first budget proposal last year. Corbett insisted to reporters during his tour of the high-tech Siemens Medical Solutions plant that his 2012-13 plan for a steep new cuts in state aid to higher education – including 30 percent less money to state-backed schools such as Pennsylvania State and Temple Universities – could be dealt with by reducing campus operating costs, not by raising tuition. Click here to read the Philadelphia Inquirer article.

Looking for some issues to take action on? You've come to the right place! Equal Pay : There are several things you can do to support pay equity- Talk to Congress about the Paycheck Fairness Act: The Paycheck Fairness Act would close loopholes in current equal pay legislation and prevent employers from retaliating against workers who voluntarily discuss their pay.  You can contact Congress at  http://bit.ly/yHmU62 or by calling the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.  Do a Pay Equity Self-Audit : Take the time to make sure your company is abiding by fair pay practices through this self-audit, available at  http://bit.ly/c8p6Ca . Talk to Women and Girls About Nontraditional Jobs: One reason for pay inequity is that women often end up in low-paying "pink collar" jobs.  Peer pressure and family pressure are two of the factors that keep women out of nontraditional workforce.  Encouraging women and girls to look into Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) j

Under health care reform, women are to have access to contraception without paying a co-pay. Last week, President Obama defended women’s health by not backing down from this guarantee. To seek a compromise with religious groups opposed to contraception, the President announced that women who work for religiously affiliated employers will access contraception directly from the insurance company rather than their employer. Members of Congress are still trying to pass legislation to repeal the contraception coverage requirement. The Senate could be considering legislation as early as today! Call your U.S. Senators and share your feelings on preventative health care for women and legislation that would take away women's access to birth control without a co-pay. Please make these important calls today - you can reach Senator Casey's Office at 202.224.6324 and Senator Toomey's Office at 202.224.4254.

Opportunity Knocks Names PathWays PA as Award Winner In 5th Annual "Best Nonprofit to Work For" National Contest Holmes, PA / Feb. 13, 2012 -- Opportunity Knocks announced today that PathWays PA is a winner of the 5th Annual Peoples' Choice Best Nonprofit to Work For Awards. Winners were selected from nominations based on employee essay submissions. National nominations were held November 8, 2011 through December 31, 2011 and individuals were told to submit a brief essay on why they consider their organization to be a great place to work. Details about the Awards can be found at http://content.opportunityknocks.org/best-nonprofit-to-work-for/ “This award is a great recognition of our staff, who work together to fulfill our mission each day,” said Carol Goertzel, President/CEO of PathWays PA. “This is a great credit to the leadership of a wonderful staff in a field that can produces burnout,” added Donna Brennan, PathWays PA Board Member. “PathWays PA’s sensit

PathWays PA Named One of  2011 Best Nonprofits to Work For Controller/Finance Director (Delaware County, PA) PathWays PA is seeking an experienced hands-on financial leader to oversee all finance and IT functions. Must have five or more years accounting/financial management experience, preferably in a mid-size non-profit. Bachelor's degree in Accounting required; MBA or CPA a plus. Fax resume with salary requirements to JLM 610-328-2807. Learning Center Group Supervisor Experience in preschool setting and knowledge of early childhood development required. Develop and implement individualized educational goals for children. Requires a minimum Associates Degree from an Accredited College or University, including 30 credit hours in early childhood education, child development, special education, elementary education, or the Human Services field and three years of experience with children. BSW preferred. E-mail or Fax resumes to: LD/CFF/LC at 610-328-2807. Part-Time Inco

Federal Policy Updates SUPPORT UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE Once again, millions of hardworking Americans face being cut off of unemployment insurance (UI) unless Congress acts to fully renew the federal UI program that's set to expire at the end of this month. One proposal to pay for the extension does so by reducing the number of working families who are able to claim the Child Tax Credit. The change would affect 5.5 million children in immigrant families earning an average of $21,000 per year, resulting in a loss of $1,800 in income . The Coalition on Human Needs is asking you to call your Members of Congress on Tuesday, February 14! Call toll-free 888-245-3381 or use this easy Click-to-Call page to connect with your Members of Congress. Please spread the word : Make sure your networks, friends, and co-workers know about calling on Tuesday. Make it your Valentine’s Day gift to unemployed workers across this nation. JOIN RESTAURANT WORKERS & SUPPORTERS ACROSS THE COU

Be part of the Adoption Tax Credit Awareness Day today, February 13, 2012 -a national effort highlighting the federal tax credit available to adoptive families. Join with adoption organizations, state agencies, adoptive families, advocates, and other interested parties to raise visibility of the adoption tax credit. Help spread the word collectively, through website postings, email blasts, newsletters, social media, and other informational outlets, so eligible families that may not be aware of this benefit can be sure to access the credit. Families who adopted as far back as 2005 may still benefit if they haven't already. Be sure to include non-internet based strategies since some adoptive families do not have access to the internet. The Information: IRS Form 8839 Instructions: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i8839.pdf IRS Form 8839: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8839.pdf IRS - adoption tax credit FAQ's: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=231663,00.html Vo

Beside the Governor’s Proposed Budget Address, the big news in Harrisburg this week was the passage of a major Marcellus Shale legislative package. According to an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, after more than three years of political debate and seven years into the shale gas rush, state legislators passed a comprehensive set of rules for the industry, including a fee on drilling and standards for municipal land use that may keep the fight going. Drillers will have to start paying between $190,000 and $355,000 per well over 15 years starting from 2011, depending on the price of natural gas, under the bill’s language. The 174-page bill creates sweeping reforms, including new disclosure standards for the chemicals used to tap the gas, lengthened setbacks to keep wells more distant from homes and waterways, and standards for emergency containment. Click here to read the Pittsburgh Tribune Review article .

Today, the Governor released his proposed budget for 2012-2013.   Governor Corbett described the budget as one that includes no tax increases but that does make cuts to higher education and public welfare programs. Several pieces of the Governor's budget stand out this year: Elimination of the General Assistance (GA) Program : The proposed budget ends the GA program , which serves individuals who do not qualify for TANF but have verifiable need such as those related to disabilities, domestic violence, caring for someone sick or disabled or participating in a drug or alcohol treatment program.  Most counties offer GA recipients $205 per month.  According to Public Welfare Secretary Gary Alexander, current GA recipients will be screened to see if they qualify for federal SSI or other programs. Community Legal Services has posted a statement on the decision to eliminate GA that gives more information about the program as well as the impact they think it will have on families.