PathWays PA Policy Blog

A new report by the Department of Justice gives hope to victims of sexual violence, but also reveals much work still needs to be done.  The report highlights improving statistics including: From 1995 to 2010, the estimated annual rate of female rape or sexual assault victimizations declined 58%.  The percentage of females who were injured during a rape or sexual assault and received some type of treatment for their injuries increased from 26% in 1994-98 to 35% in 2005-10.  Some areas for improvement include: The percentage of rape or sexual assault victimizations reported to police declined to 35% in 2010, a level last seen in 1995.  In 2005-10, 23% rape or sexual assault victims received help or advice from a victim service agency.

There will be a series of conference calls and a webinar in April to assist in best practices in order to reach as many children as possible during the summer months and establish effective food sites in your community.  The events are as follows:  Tuesday, April 2 at 1PM-Summer Meals Matter, Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Summer Food Sites. Register   Thursday, April 11 at 3PM- Breakfast Matters "How to" Webinar: Healthy Menus for Breakfast in the Classroom . Register   Wednesday, April 17 at 1PM- Afterschool Meals Matter, Outreach to Latino Families. Register

Join the solar career move and learn valuable green job skills for free! If you qualify for a Free Grant you can receive Funded Solar PV Installer Training for women and men with previous experience working in the building trades. There will be a 3 week training from April 8th-26th Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM. Apply only if you meet the following requirements: 2+ years experience in construction, home remodeling, carpentry, electrical, roofing, HVAC, or related skilled trade  Basic electrical & tools of the trade knowledge  Comfortable working with fractions and solving equations  Valid Driver's License & daily access to a reliable car  H.S. Diploma/GED  Ability to lift 50lbs  Not afraid of working at heights  There is a special focus on recruiting WOMEN to join this program. To apply you must first fill out this survey . The grants will be administered through the Department of Labor .

If you rely on the state subsidy to help pay for your child care and your child is frequently absent, then you may be in danger of losing your subsidy. In an effort to control costs, Pennsylvania has implemented a new protocol limiting the number of days a child can be out of care to a maximum of 25 days per year for any reason. After your child exceeds 25 days absent, you will have to pay the full child care fee that your care center charges. Childcare centers are being required to collect payment from parents or notify parents of termination of childcare. Childcare centers have reached out to the Department of Public Welfare , who administers the subsidy program, to reconsider or modify their policy. However, at this time, the policy is in effect. If you have questions about these changes, please speak with your individual childcare provider.

Philadelphia Works is proud to announce an enhanced website that provides comprehensive access to information about programs and services and workshops for job seekers. The new website includes: Calendar of job search workshops at the four PA CareerLink Philadelphia centers  Exclusive job listings  Online Resume Builder tool  Materials to help Philadelphians prepare for their first visit to a PA CareerLink center Access to job seeker services for teens and young adults through the Philadelphia Youth Network

Over the last few months, Governor Tom Corbett has indicated that he has no intention of accepting new federal dollars to expand the state's Medicaid program. If he rejects these funds, more than 542,000 Pennsylvanians will be left uninsured. In recent months, Republican governors across the country have been changing their minds and accepting Medicaid dollars.  Pennsylvania lawmakers have an opportunity to accept new funds from the federal government to expand the state's Medicaid program. Add your name to the petition asking the Governor and lawmakers to accept the Medicaid Expansion!

The Philadelphia City Council just passed earned sick days legislation, ensuring that all Philadelphians can earn paid sick days. This important law will make sure that no one has to come into work while they're sick or have a sick child at home. Sign the petition asking Mayor Nutter to sign the bill into law!

The Food and Nutrition Coalition (@myFNC) will be hosting a Twitter town hall: "Help Feed Kids in Your Community this Summer with #SummerMeals" on Tuesday, March 26 from 1PM-2PM. The town hall will feature Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, Food Research and Action Center , Feeding America , USDA Food and Nutrition Service , and the New York City Coalition Against Hunger . Use #SummerMeals to participate.

On Thursday, March 21 from 2:00-4:30PM, at the United Way located at 1709 Ben Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) with the support of many other organizations will host a hunger forum. Many districts have had to scale back on summer school, which means more areas need additional summer feeding sites in order to serve children. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), PA Department of Education (PDE), Archdiocese of Philadelphia's Nutritional Development Services (NDS - which serves the five county SEPA region), and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation are partnering with PCCY to provide attendees the information they need to know about the program. Please RSVP to Stacy Kirk at stacyk@pccy.org or (215) 563-5848 ext. 34 with your name and organization.

10,000 Small Businesses is a program designed for small business owners who have a business poised for growth. The program provides two district components: Business and Management Education through the Community College of Philadelphia  Access to Small Business Loans through local partners, the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) and the Community First Fund.  Qualified applicants generally meet the following criteria: Owner or co-owner of a business  Business in operation for at least two years  Business revenues between $150,000 and $4 million  Minimum of at least four employees, including the owner Learn more and apply here 

State Senators Bob Mensch (R-Montgomery) and Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) will introduce legislation that would change the name of the Department of Public Welfare to the Department of Human Services. The current name is both misleading and stigmatizing. People with physical or intellectual disabilities don't consider themselves as welfare and nor should the state. The legislation will also be introduced by Representative Thomas Murt (R-Montgomery) in the state House of Representatives. Sign the petition and support the name change here!

From our friends at the National Skills Coalition : The House this week is set to vote on two bills that would make it difficult for workers—particularly the most vulnerable and hardest to serve workers—to get the training and services they need to get a good-paying job to support their families.  Please contact Congress today!  Later this week, the House is expected to vote on the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act (H.R. 803), a bill to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act by consolidating several existing federal workforce programs into a single $6 billion Workforce Investment Fund, eliminating dedicated funding and numerous policy protections meant to help those most in need to get the skills to advance in the workforce. The House is also expected to vote on the Preserving Work Requirements for Welfare Programs Act of 2013 (H.R. 890), a bill that would prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) from providing Temporar

Folks around the country are already feeling the impact of cuts made by the sequester to workforce development programs. These programs are designed to help those out of work get retrained and hired for jobs that are available in this new economy. Programs like this are essential in helping get people back to work and earning a steady paycheck. You can read personal stories using this interactive map and also submit your own story .

City Council will have it's second reading and vote on Councilman Greenlee's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act on Thursday beginning at about 10AM at City Hall in the City Council Room on the 4th floor. The bill would require all business owners in Philadelphia to allow employees to earn sick time. The bill was passed in 2011, but vetoed by Mayor Nutter. Please call your City Council member at: (888) 376-5807 to voice your support for earned sick time for all workers!

You can donate today at  https://www.justgive.org/basket?acton=donate&ein=23-2001837 . Dear Special Friends of PathWays PA, As many of you already know, federal sequestration (across-the-board federal budget cuts) took effect on March 1. PathWays PA is already feeling the impact of these cuts, as federal funding for our programs supporting homeless and runaway girls has been held up in Washington, D.C. PathWays PA remains committed to helping our runaway and homeless youth through programs like Transitional Living (TLP) and the Girls SHElter. However, these programs are at risk – and so are the girls and families who have transitioned from long-term homelessness to secure and stable homes through these programs. Transitional Living Program (TLP) provides transitional living services to young women ages 16-21 years (and their children) who are not involved in the child welfare system. Girls SHElter (Basic Center Program) provides housing and offers runaway prevention a

The Better Choices for PA Coalition's annual "Pie Day" launch event is tomorrow, March 12th in Harrisburg. We will call on the legislature to "grow the budget pie" by holding off on new tax cuts until they have enacted robust tax reform that closes corporate loopholes, increases accountability, and protects public investments in our schools and communities and the infrastructure needed for long-term economic growth. Meet at 10:30am in the main rotunda to deliver miniature pies, and our message, to every legislator, and then reconvene in the main rotunda for a 1:30pm press conference. RSVP to Kate Atkins at the PA Budget and Policy Center: atkins@pennbpc.org

Physicians for Social Responsibility and CeaseFire PA will hold a discussion on Wednesday, March 27 beginning on 7PM at the Friends Center located at 1501 Cherry St. in Philadelphia. Speakers will focus on the public health and social crisis that America faces from gun violence. Speakers include: Shira Goodman -Executive Director of CeaseFire PA David Keller Trevaskis -Esquire Henry D'Silva -MD C. William Schwab -MD, FACS, FRCS Professor of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Division of Traumatology and Surgical Critical Care

From our friends at The Census Project: Below is a link to a sign-on letter outlining the effects of the so-called sequestration on the FY 2013 federal budget for Census 2020 planning. The Obama Administration has requested a small change in how the sequestration affects the Census Bureau budget, called an "anomaly." The effects of sequestration and the need for the anomaly are outlined in the letter. We are asking for organizations to sign onto the letter by COB this Friday, March 8. If you can join in signing on, please contact Jason Shevrin ( jason.shevrin@gmail.com ) by COB Friday, March 8. The sign-on letter can be viewed at http://thecensusproject.org/letters/Census_Project-FY13_CR_ltr_to_Congress-FINAL.pdf .

Recently, Philadelphia became the third U.S. city to pass a resolution calling for federal and state funding of reproductive healthcare services, including abortion. The Women's Medical Fund offers direct assistance to women seeking reproductive health services, but resources don't always meet the growing need of assistance. The average women seeking assistance for reproductive health services makes $618 per month. Read the entire resolution here

Please join the Delaware County Tobacco-Free Coalition (DCTFC) at this month's meeting tomorrow, March 5 from 8:45 am to 10:00 am at Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems located at 126 E. Baltimore Avenue in Media. To learn more about the coalition, please e-mail Coalition Secretary, Kevin Gallagher or call at: (484) 444-0412

A hearing on Councilman Greenlee's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act will begin tomorrow at 10AM at City Hall in the City Council Room on the 4th floor. The bill would require all business owners in Philadelphia to allow employees to earn sick time. The bill was passed in 2011, but vetoed by Mayor Nutter. We need your help to finish the job this time. Join us in our fight to help all workers! With your help, we can make this bill become law!

A Place at the Table, a film that examines hunger in America today, features the voices of the Center's Director, Dr. Mariana Chilton and Barbie Izquierdo, of Witnesses to Hunger . Fifty million people in the U.S. - one in four young children - live in households that don't have enough money for food that supports an active and healthy life. The film shows Barbie's struggles to feed her two children and the sacrifices she must make to keep food on the table. The film premieres on March 1, 2013 in theaters, on iTunes and On Demand . Take action by visiting A Place At the Table Take Part .