PathWays PA Policy Blog

As we reach the holiday season, we hope you will take some time to reach out to Congress in support of other families in need. Over the past year, we've heard reports of horrific conditions in shelters where unaccompanied children were held. . In August 2019, the government announced they had no plans to give the flu shot at border detention camps - despite the deaths of at least three children from the flu while in custody. In October, we learned that 1500+ additional migrant children were separated at the border in the United States. 207 of the children were under the age of 5. We've now reached a record number of children detained , plus  an over 50% increase in the number of pregnant women detained . Even when they aren't separated from their children, whole families remain in detention , with the Administration currently appealing a decision that would enforce a 20-day time limit on family detentions. This type of long-term detention is shown to lead to stress and...

This will be a working meeting to talk about and brainstorm the capacity the coalition has individually and as a group to get the word out about the importance of lead screening and about the availability of remediation services, as well as how to streamline the ways children are connected to the array of services they may need. The coalition needs your expertise and connections within the county! Delaware County Lead Poisoning Prevention Coalition Meeting Tuesday, June 25 from 9 am to 11 am Media Municipal Building 301 N. Jackson Street Media Please RSVP to Ann at annb at pccy.org by Tuesday, June 18

On Friday, President Trump signed a national emergency declaration  in order to pay for his proposed border wall. This declaration marks the 58th time a national emergency had been made, with 31 of those emergencies still in effect today . So what happens next? The ACLU already filed a lawsuit challenging the declaration, as did 16 states who say they are harmed by diverting funding to the wall. Congress has the ability to take up a joint resolution to end the emergency declaration, although it is unclear if they have the votes to do so (or to override the expected veto). Besides signing the emergency declaration, President Trump also signed a budget agreement, preventing another shut down.  The budget includes funding for 45,724 immigration detention beds, an increase from the 2018 budget - but 17% fewer people than the 49,057 currently detained. You can read more about the detention space here . Meanwhile, in a February 2019 court filing , the Administration state...

Several items in the news highlight the need to take action for immigrants and refugees this week: Children remain in detention facilities months after the family separation policy ended. 140 children are still detained, including 117 children whose parents were deported without them.    Asylum seekers are waiting weeks for initial interviews and waiting months for determinations about their cases. This wait was cited among the factors leading to the use of tear gas at the US-Mexico border over the weekend. Citizenship wait times have also increased. Take Action : HIAS offers a number of ways to take action: Join a HIAS briefing call on November 28 at 2pm EST for an overview of the current issues facing refugees and asylum seekers, and the ways you can get involved in taking action. RSVP required. Talking points to use with Congress Other action steps are available at  https://www.hias.org/take-action Welcoming America offers a series of actions y...

On July 11, members of the House added the Aderholt Amendment to a Labor-HHS Appropriations bill. If the bill goes into law with this amendment, it could harm children in the child welfare and foster care system and turn away qualified adoptive and foster parents. Under the Aderholt Amendment, states that refuse to give money to discriminatory providers could see their child welfare budget cut by up to 15%. This amendment would allow child welfare providers to receive taxpayer dollars even when they refuse to serve qualified potential parents based on their marital status, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity. Providers who discriminate against the children themselves would also be able to receive money under this amendment, even if they: deny service to LGBT youth,  force youth to hide their gender identity,  allow youth to be subjected to medically debunked practices like conversion therapy Take Action: Senator Wyden has been circulating a letter op...

Last night, a federal judge in California ordered that children separated from their parents as part of the zero-tolerance immigration policy be reunited with their families within 30 days . Children under five must be reunited even sooner, and all parents must be able to contact their children by phone within ten days. This action is good, but the work of reuniting children and protecting families is far from over. You can find our previous posts on this topic here and here . For the latest on what we can do, see below. Families Belong Together Rally. Rallies will be happening across the country on June 30.  The main rally will be in DC, but you can learn about all rallies at familiesbelongtogether.org. Contact your elected officials . Dial 202-224-3121 to reach any member of Congress. The  American Immigration Lawyers Association  has tools that you can use. Here is a sample script: Hello, my name is _____ and as a constituent, I urge the _____ to use Congress'...

(Updated June 19, 2018) Here are more resources to help you take action against the separation of family members entering the United States (read  our post  from last week for the original information). Thanks especially to  Families Belong Together  for your comprehensive list of information. ** Here's what's happening.  The Guardian   put together a Q and A that you can read  here . According to this article, migrant families crossing the border illegally, even if they are seeking asylum, may now be criminally prosecuted under a new policy put in place this April. If the families come with children, the children are separated from their parents while the parents are held in federal jail. Children then wait to be reunified with their parents or to be sent to relatives or sponsors. According to  The Guardian , this wait can take weeks or months.  News reports  from  this weekend  show some of the facilities for children a...

In the past few weeks, we've learned more about immigration policies in the United States that are separating children from their parents at the border. The  United Nations is calling it a human rights violation  and reports that several hundred children have been separated from their parents since October 2017.  According to the UN, the practice is illegal and needs to stop immediately. Take Action: Contact your member of Congress: The American Immigration Lawyers Association has a call and email script you can use available  here . Sign a letter from the ACLU asking for family separation to stop. Help to end family detention here in Pennsylvania: Learn more from the Shut Down Berks Coalition

From our friends at PCCY . Smile Day is free dental care for children 1-18 years old, particularly children who are uninsured, have no dental insurance or haven’t been to the dentist in over 6 months. Children will receive care in dentist’s offices in Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Call PCCY to make an appointment (in any language) starting on March 12th at 215-563-5848 x21. Read more here !

With thanks to our friends at PCCY As we have previously mentioned on this blog, the Senate has recently released their upcoming Health Care Bill. The bill was not voted on, but the details are now available to the public. The Senate is currently in recess for this week which makes this an ideal time to be vocal about the effect the bill will have. Whether it is to family, friends, the public or directly to your legislators, this is a great opportunity to educate and inform about the implications of the bill. The Senate bill currently retains caps on Medicaid which would harm millions of children, seniors and individuals who are disabled. Below are ways that you can continue to be active around the Senate Health Care Bill, including daily actions you can do and upcoming events you participate in. Things you can do every day this week: Call Senator Casey and Senator Toomey and ask them to reject the Senate bill. Tell them how it would affect your child and/or cause millions of A...

The Lead Paint Hazard Control Program has recently been started by the Community Action Agency of Delaware County ( CAADC ) to help families with children under the age of five who are at risk from dangerous lead paint in their homes. If you have, or think you might have, lead-based paint in your home, the CAADC can spend up to $10,000 to fix the hazard. To qualify for CAADC action, you must be a homeowner (not a renter) living in Delaware County but not  Upper Darby, Chester, or Haverford. Income guidelines apply - however new income limits were recently released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and are slightly higher than they were last year. More in depth information regarding the program can be found below in a brochure issued by the Community Action Agency of Delaware County. Click here to download a pre-survey to see if you are eligible for the Lead Paint Hazard Control Program. After completing the pre-survey, click here to download...

From @PAHomelessYouth :  #couchesdontcount with @SenBobCasey and Youth employees at @PECCaresPhilly bringing awareness to #youthhomelessness Several key legislative proposals that affect Pennsylvania's 20,000+ youth who experience homelessness are stalled in Congress. Will any of these bills become law? What happens if they do not? Find the answers to these and other questions at the inaugural " Legislative Briefing about Youth Who Experience Homelessness." The forum will discuss with Senator Robert Casey's Legislative Director the current federal legislative status of the Education for Homeless Children and Youth, the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Act, and two other bills. On July 16, the U.S. Senate passed the Every Child Achieves Act, S. 1177, by 81-17. This legislation reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, including the education subtitle of the McKinney-Vento Act. The House passed its ESEA reauthorization bill, the ...

The Adopt-a-Family program provides the opportunity for PathWays PA client families to experience the many joys of the holiday season that they otherwise may not have been able to afford. Thanks to the generous contributions of local donors, families have been able to create their own special holiday memories over the years. In fact, thousands of client families have benefited from the Adopt-a-Family program since its inception! Please help us continue this success by adopting a family or signing up to donate a Welcome Kit today ! Interested in PathWays PA posts on similar topics? 9/3/15 - Do You Need Access to Food? PathWays PA Can Help 9/1/15 - PathWays PA's Basic Center Program Helps Homeless Teen Girls Go Back to School 10/22/13 - Adopt a Family for the Holidays

Free eye care will be available for children at Wills Eye Hospital on Saturday, October 24, 2015 from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm. Children must attend with a parent or guardian, and SEPTA tokens will be available for each screened child. All children are welcome, even those without insurance! Visit  http://www.pccy.org/resource/give-kids-sight-day/ to learn more! Interested in PathWays PA posts on similar topics? 9/1/15 - PathWays PA's Basic Center Program Helps Homeless Teen Girls Go Back to School 8/25/15 - FAMILY Act 8/25/15 - Flu Season: The Case for Paid Sick Days

Many students are starting back to school this week. While some are anticipating meeting their new teachers and reconnecting with their friends to share stories of their summer, there are thousands of homeless teen girls wondering where they where they are going to sleep tonight, and whether they will be able to attend school at all. PathWays PA's Basic Center Program provides emergency shelter services to help runaway and homeless teen girls between the ages of 13 and 17 years old with assistance stabilizing their lives, remaining engaged in school, and successfully returning home (when safe to do so) or transitioning to safe, permanent independent housing. For more information about the Basic Center Program please contact LaSheena at 215-397-4287. Interested in PathWays PA posts on similar topics? 8/25/15 - FAMILY Act 8/26/15 - Many Faces of Hunger 6/26/15 - New and Improved?: House Bill 222 Remains Cruel

The FAMILY Act was introduced to Congress in March of this year. Under this bill, workers would have access to paid sick time. This recompense can help families in a great deal of ways. The way one would apply for “caregiving days” would be through the Office of Paid Family and Medical Leave, which is established in the Act. This Office would then deem eligibility for benefits. In order to be eligible, one must meet multiple requirements. One must be insured under Social Security and held a job in the past 12 months before applying. The “caregiving” must have occurred from 90 days before to 30 days following the application. Monthly recompense can range from $580 to $4,000, depending on one’s income. The amount of benefits is a percentage of one’s wages, therefore a part-time or lower tier employee can still receive assistance, however their assistance may be of a lower monetary value than a full-time employee. The bill covers gaps that FMLA creates. Many who qualify for time un...

Two in three kids will get sick every year and require at least one day off from school. However, 52% of parents do not have access to paid sick time to care for their children. So what does that mean? That means that children go to school sick. This releases a slew of health issues. Other children, educators, and administrators are now in contact with highly infectious diseases. In addition, the child will probably not recover within the regular time frame. Studies show that healthy children are more focused and have fewer behavioral problems. There are many terrible accounts from educators about children coming to school sick. “I work at an elementary school. I have seen many children come to school so sick they could hardly stand, some even with fevers. When we would offer to send them to the office, the children would often cry and beg not to be sent home because they had already been told by their mom or dad that they could not miss work because they could not afford it. Kids ...

As the summer draws to a close, PathWays PA is trying to get a few more days of summer fun for their children at the Center for Women and Families. CFF Camp runs from August 24 to September 4. There are a few things necessary for these last days before school starts. Jump ropes, chalk, table top tennis, and other engaging objects are needed. In addition, face-paint, bubbles, and water balloons would help the children make the most out of the camp. Candy and arts and crafts supplies would be appreciated as well. The schedule for the kids is jam-packed. From arts and crafts, to talents shows, to picnics and games, these last few weeks of summer can be unforgettable for these children. We can't do it without your help! Visit http://bit.ly/PWGiving  to donate, or deliver to 310 Amosland Road, Holmes, PA 19043. Interested in PathWays PA blog posts on similar topics? 8/10/15 -  Swiss Farms Gift-A-Meal Program to Help PathWays PA 7/30/15 - GED Graduation Ceremony 2015 7/7...

How much do you know about the homeless of Philadelphia? You are probably aware of the fact that there are people living on the streets of the city, but the statistics may shock you. Shelters all around Philly are filled to capacity. However, 48% of families are turned away just because there is no room for them. That means if we double the number of shelters in Philadelphia, then we may just barely be able to accommodate those seeking help. These numbers only include those who are seeking shelter. Many young people refuse to go into emergency housing because of the conditions. The need for Coordinated Assessment is increasing. This is where a person’s or families’ specific needs are evaluated and measured in order to decide what type of program they should enter. For the most part, the choices are transitional housing or emergency housing. Transitional housing offers services that can teach occupants a trade or some type of skill. In addition, participants would learn about bill...

Women make up half of America’s workforce. Two-thirds of America’s caregivers are female. Does the math not add up? Wait until you see the numbers on their access to sick time. 43% of female workers in the private sector do not have any paid sick time. 54% of working women have no paid time to care for themselves or their children. 82% of women earning under $8.25 an hour do not have one minute of sick time. When mothers try to care for their children, 42% find that they are unable to because they must work. Only 27% of daughters could take care of their parents. One in five women say that either they or someone they know has been fired or disciplined for taking time off to either recover from an illness or injury or to care for a family member. The hardest hit are women of color. More often than not, colored families have a woman as their main breadwinner. Many low-income families are of color, and 3.5 days of missed pay could mean a month without groceries. Job loss is devastati...