PathWays PA Policy Blog

From our friends at the National Network for Youth The House and Senate are setting funding levels for federal spending levels for FY 2015 and your help is needed! The House has a bipartisan Dear Colleague Letter circulating that is asking members of the U.S. House of Representatives to sign a letter to the House Appropriations Committee. The letter asks the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies allocate sufficient funding to support to the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) program. You can reach your Members' offices using the congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Ask that your Representative sign on to the Dear Colleague that is asking for sufficient funding for the Run way and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) and the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program. Here is a fact sheet you can view before calling.

From our friends at PCCY Give Kids A Smile Day (GKAS) is a national effort of the American Dental Association (ADA) to connect kids to free oral health care and to establish dental homes for them. FREE dental care will be available for children in the Upper Darby, Havertown and West Philadelphia areas on Wednesday, April 16 and Friday, April 18. This special event is especially for children who have not had a dental exam in the last six months or who do not have health insurance. Participating dentists will provide free screenings and cleanings. The ultimate goal of Smile Day is for families to find a dental home for their children. Please call PCCY for participating dentists and Appointments at : (215) 563-5848 x32

From our friends at PCCY  On Saturday, April, 12 beginning at 8:30AM, free eye exams and glasses for children, ages 0-18, will be available at Wills Eye for Children . Wills is located on the Jefferson Medical College Campus, Hamilton Building, 10th & Locust Streets in Philadelphia. No appointment is necessary and children will be seen on a first come, first serve basis. No insurance is needed, but children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

From our Friends at the National Skills Coalition Congress is making decisions on federal spending levels for fiscal year (FY) 2015. Ask your Representative to restore funding for key workforce, education and training programs to provide workers the skills they need for the good-paying jobs employers need to fill. Under current law, spending caps and cuts will reduce the federal deficit by $3.3 trillion over the next ten years. But these cuts are creating new deficits in core government functions such as education, research, infrastructure and job training. With more than 10 million U.S. workers unemployed, now is not the time to reduce federal workforce development investments. Ask Congress to restore funding for employment, adult basic education, and occupational training programs so that workers and employers have the skills they need to compete.

Community members throughout Pennsylvania will be joining together on Tuesday, April 1st to call on State Representatives to pass Senate Bill 75 (SB 75) - critical anti-human trafficking legislation that will help Pennsylvania better protect victims, prosecute offenders, and prevent human trafficking from happening in the first place. The Philadelphia Anti-Trafficking Coalition and the Pennsylvania Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy Work Group will take care of all of the details - scheduling meetings with elected officials, identifying group leaders to guide conversations with Representatives, provide you with talking points, and more.  Register to attend or as a "pledge to call" participant . You'll receive information on SB 75, talking points, a sample script, and step-by-step instructions to help you make the call.

From our friends at PCCY  Learn about how you can help feed children this summer through USDA's summer feeding programs on Wednesday, March 26 from 1:00pm - 3:30pm at Chester City Hall located at 1 Fourth Street in Chester. Presenters Include:  Joyce Rouba-Program Specialist, USDA, Food and Nutrition Service  Mary Ringenberg-Education Administration Specialist, PDE  Anne Ayella-Assistant Director for Community Relations  Erinn Hill-Assistant Director for School and Summer Programs, Nutritional Development Services, Archdiocese of Philadelphia  Andrea Garrett-Chester City Department of Parks and Recreations  Local providers will also share tips from their experience. Please RSVP to Becca Stern at: rebeccas@pccy.org , or 215-563-5848 x14, with your name, organization, and contact information, including email and phone number

From our friends at People's Emergency Center  More than 19,000 homeless students is unacceptable. That's how many students experienced homelessness in Pennsylvania last year. Register today for your seat at the Growing Up Homeless Forum, on Friday, April 4, 10 AM to 12 Noon, at the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia . This important event will feature two nationally recognized leaders in homeless education: Dr. Peter Miller -One of the nation's most important and influential researchers working on understanding the needs of students who are experiencing homelessness.  Dr. John McLaughlin -Federal Coordinator of the "Education for Homeless Children and Youth Grants for State and Local Activities" for the United States Department of Education. Dr. McLaughlin works with every state in the nation, helping each one to improve their capacity to identify students and coordinate servic

From our friends at the  Friends of the Delaware County Women's Commission and the Delaware County BPW The 8th annual Womenomics Forum will take place in Media on March 29 from 8:00AM-11:30AM at Towne House located at 117 Veterans Square in Media. This event brings women together to identify specific economic issues and get practical, innovative ideas to improve quality of life. Keynote Speaker: Donna Saul -Business Strategist & Consultant "Navigating the Waters of Getting Ahead in the Workplace"  Please RSVP by Monday, March 24, 2014. Please click here for a registration form. Completed registration forms and checks (payable to Friends of the Delaware County Women's Commission,) should be mailed to 8 W. Front Street Media, PA 19063, Attn: Teresa Miller.

Financial Educator (Chester, PA) Innovative program that promotes economic well-being in low-income families seeks a BS/BA level Financial Educator. You must be comfortable with people, computers and TANF system and have the ability to discuss basic financial planning and budgeting. Must be able to work some evenings and Saturday mornings. Independent transportation required to multiple work sites. Bilingual a plus. 4 year degree required – no exceptions – prefer BSW; background in education, understanding of personal finance, or related field. Counseling experience also preferred. Grant-funded position. Please email or fax resumes to LD/LK/FE at 610-328-2807. EOE

PathWays PA is seeking two full time Veterans Navigators for a new regional Veterans services initiative based in Delaware County, PA. The Navigators will help connect local Veterans with state, federal, and community resources necessary for securing employment and building financial stability. The Navigator will serve as a primary point of contact to help Veterans prepare for employment, access supportive services, and navigate education systems. This position will include workshop facilitation, individual career coaching, case management, service referrals, business development, and community outreach. The ideal candidate will have a record of success as a Veterans case manager, social worker, program/project manager, etc. He or she must be a “team-player” with a passion for direct service and experience with workforce development. The Navigator must be an excellent communicator with strong problem solving skills, time management skills, and a working knowledge of Veterans issues

From our friends at the Coalition on Human Needs  HHS.gov is hosting a series of webinars on the Affordable Care Act throughout March. All webinars are open to the public and include a question and answer session where you can ask HHS staff any questions you may have. Please see the full list of upcoming webinars below. Health Care Law 101 - Health Insurance Marketplace  Wednesday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m.- Register Here   To Join By Phone Only, Dial 646-307-1706, Access Code: 281-771-511 For those joining by phone only, the Pin Number is the # key.  A presentation on the main provisions of the Affordable Care Act, the health care law. Information on the Health Insurance Marketplace, how to enroll in health insurance and key websites with resources on the law will be shared. We will end with a question and answer session. Please send your questions to ACA101@hhs.gov prior to March 19 at 12:00 p.m.  Questions and Answers on the ACA  Thursday, March 20 at 4:00 p.m.- Registe

The PA Conference for Women will be holding a fireside chat tomorrow, March 18, from 1:00PM to 1:30PM. The chat, entitled, "Mindfully Balancing Work & Life" will feature Dr. Christine Carter and Samantha Ettus. Dr. Christine Carter, Ph.D.,the author of RAISING HAPPINESS: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents . Join this high-energy, engaging conversation between Samantha Ettus and Dr. Carter. Register Here

From our friends at MomsRising  It is legal in Pennsylvania for an employer to ask you if you are a mom during a job interview. Then, that information could potentially keep you from getting the job. The fact is that maternal profiling is alive and well in Pennsylvania and it is time for it to stop. Tell your Pennsylvania State legislators that employment discrimination against mothers is wrong. A bill (HB 1984) has been introduced in the Pennsylvania State House that would prohibit employers from inquiring about maternal or marital status in a job interview. The state legislators need to hear that there is wide support for this important legislation! Contact your Pennsylvania State legislators and ask them to do everything they can to pass a bill that will protect moms!

From our friends at PHAN Join the Pennsylvania Health Access Network (PHAN) for a call on Tuesday, March 18th at 6:00 PM for state updates on Medicaid expansion and the upcoming budget. The call will touch on recent updates regarding the push for Pennsylvania to expand Medicaid, but will really focus on the budget, plans to end existing Medicaid programs, navigat or bills and more. RSVP here: http://bit.ly/TNPCSstateupdates

From our friends at CWLA Today, advocates across the country are coming together to support reauthorization of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV). Help us overwhelm Capitol Hill with thousands of messages about how home visiting helps children and families. Act now to reauthorize MIECHV. Action: Call Washington . Get connected through the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. Ask your Senators and Representative to reauthorize the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV). Follow these simple steps: Call 202-224-3121. Tell the operator who answers the phone the name of one of your Senators. (Not sure? Look up your Senators here .) Once you are connected to your Senator's office, tell the staff person who answers your name and that you are a constituent (name your city and state). Then, say, "I want Congress to reauthorize the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, because home visitin

From our friends at the National Partnership for Women and Families On Thursday, March 13, at 1:00 pm Eastern/10:00 am Pacific, the National Partnership for Women and Families will host a webinar featuring the results of Eileen Appelbaum and Ruth Milkman's recent study of Connecticut employers, Good for Business? Connecticut's Paid Sick Leave Law . Ruth and Eileen will discuss key study findings and answer questions about Connecticut employers' experiences with the nation's first statewide paid sick days law. The webinar will also be joined by officials from the Connecticut Department of Labor and Lindsay Farrell from Connecticut Working Families Organization to talk about Connecticut's experience. Please RSVP here to receive call-in and log-in information.

From our friends at the National Association of Women Business Owners Think Shark Tank vs. American Idol. On Wednesday beginning at 5:30PM, NAWBO will host Young Entrepreneurs Academy. Young entrepreneurs will make presentations to a panel of local investors to obtain funding for their new businesses/social movements. The event will take place at Bryn Mawr College, McPherson Auditorium in Goodhart Hall, located at: 101 N. Merion Ave in Bryn Mawr. The event is free. Register here!

From our friends at WOMEN'S WAY The Women & Influence Conference is a free public forum that allows community members to come together, focus and voice opinions on issues of importance to women, girls and families. This year's conference will feature a "girls' track" for young women aged 11- 18. The workshops will engage and train young women to become critical media consumers and creators. The conference will be held Saturday, March 15, from 9:00am-3:30PM at Moore College of Art and Design located at: 20th Street and The Parkway in Philadelphia. Registration is required. RSVP here.

From our friends at the National Women's Law Center Gabriela worked as a bartender and server. She alleged that her supervisor frequently pulled her close to his body, gave her hugs and grabbed her by the arms. He also made sexual comments, like "I can't wait to have you," "You are mine," "You would like to go out with an older man like me," "You look hot today," and "Where do you live so I can pick you up?" Have you gone through something similar to Gabriela? Have you experienced any of the following at your job: Unwelcome sexual advances Requests for sexual favors Suggestive remarks The display of pornographic materials If your answer is yes, you may have experienced sexual harassment at work. You're not alone. A national poll says 25 percent of women and 9 percent of men have been sexually harassed at work. Anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and weight loss are just a few of the problems they experie

From our friends at the Rittenhouse Square Flower Market The Rittenhouse Square Flower Market for Children's Charities is celebrating "A Century of Helping Philly Love Kids." On March 12 at the Philadelphia City Institute Library (located at 19th and Locust Street in Philadelphia) from 6:00PM to 8:00PM, the Flower Market will host an anti-bullying event that is free and open to the public. The interactive event will involve the audience and feature current and former children's charity beneficiaries, focusing on the problem of bullying and solutions. Groups participating include : Julie Rausch, MSS, MLSP, Executive Director-Anti-violence Partnership of Philadelphia Kelly Kroehle, MSW, Director of the Bryson Institute-The Attic Youth Center  Francine A. Williams, MHS, Ph.D,Supervisor of Street Outreach Program for Youth Emergency Service-Youth Service Inc.  Seating is limited, please RSVP to bpommisc@aol.com or 215-668-2941

From our friends at the National Women's Law Center  On Thursday, March 6, beginning at 2:ooPM, NWLC, ACLU, Planned Parenthood and NARAL will host a phone conference to provide information on the upcoming Supreme Court case. Beginning on March 25th, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the cases brought by 2 for-profit corporations who want to deny their employees insurance coverage of contraception. Contraception is critical to women's health and equality. This benefit is currently enjoyed by 27 million women and these employers want to take it away from the women who work for them. If you are interested in learning more, join the National Women's Law Center, ACLU, Planned Parenthood and NARAL for a conference call that will update you about the cases and inform you about the public education and media events in support of the contraceptive coverage benefit over the next few months and on the day of the court hearing. RSVP is required: Please email Yumhee Park

The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival is partnering with African American Museum in Philadelphia and Black Film Advisory Committee to bring the film Late Summer to our area. This is a wonderfully collaborative film directed by Korean American Ernie Park and starring an all African American cast. The film follows the life of Nadia who lives in a small house in rural Tennessee with her mother Sonya, who is recovering from a recent illness. Torn between staying at home to care for her mother or move several states away to a good university, Nadia spends her summer trying to decide between family obligation and personal growth.followed by a panel discussion featuring local African American and Asian American filmmakers. The screening, followed by a panel discussion, will take place on Thursday, March 6, from 5:30PM-7:30PM at the African American Museum in Philadelphia located at 701 Arch St. Panelists:  Nuala Cabral - BlackStar Film Festival Youth Program Coordinator  Mi

From our friends at PHAN  On Tuesday, March 4 beginning at 6:00PM, PHAN will host a call to discuss the new rights and protections gained within the LGBT community for health reform as well as what issues need further advocacy. Join the call! You can dial-into this call from anywhere as long as you RSVP first here: http://bit.ly/LGBTandACA