PathWays PA Policy Blog

Postpartum depression is a very real illness that affects many mothers following childbirth, and sometimes fathers too. Read this new blog posting by the Women’s Law Project to learn more about how postpartum depression is being debated on Capitol Hill.

President Obama is expected to announce a major plan for community colleges sometime today. According to The Workforce Alliance , this plan will include $9 billion in competitive grants to colleges and states, $10 billion for community college expansion, and $50 million to expand online learning. Check back with PathWays PA and The Workforce Alliance throughout the day for more information.

It’s been years in the making, but federal legislation passed in 2007 will finally take full effect next week, when the federal minimum wage increases to $7.25 (after going from $5.85 to $6.55 in July 2008) . If you have questions about the minimum wage, the Department of Labor has a question and answer section you might want to read. And if you think minimum wage workers are either teenagers or part-time workers, think again : 1.1 million workers age 25 and over earned the minimum wage or less in 2008, representing 44 percent of all minimum wage earners. 40 percent of all minimum wage earners are full-time workers.

PA Budget Today in Philadelphia, state senators held a hearing on SB 850 in which they mentioned that their colleagues, particularly those outside of Philadelphia, had not heard from their constituents on the budget in general or the cuts involved in SB 850 in particular. If you are upset about the cuts in SB 850, which range from education to hospitals to the elimination of the Industry Partnership program , please tell your legislators today . At the hearing today, senators said they need to hear from you: if the choice is between cutting spending on hospitals, burn units, Industry Partnerships, and childcare, or increasing revenues, which do you support? Federal Issues Real Health Care Reform Can’t Wait The key committees working on health care in the House and Senate are finalizing their proposed legislation and it is crucial they continue to hear from their constituents. They need to hear that real health care reform needs to include: Affordable coverage; Comprehensive benefits...

After much talk this week about temporary tax increases and cut-only budgets, a budget seems to be heading towards the light of day in the House chambers. Senate Bill 850, which was passed by the Senate on May 6th, was a contentious bill even before the July 1 budget deadline. Among many other cuts, the bill completely eliminated the Industry Partnership program and cut funding for important programs such as Child Care Works, Head Start, and Pre-K Counts. While the bill did not make it out of the House Appropriations Committee in early June, it now appears that SB 850 will be the vehicle for upcoming changes, and will be voted on again in the Appropriations Committee on Monday. Despite all the cuts included in SB 850, even more reductions - $1.7 billion worth - will be needed to balance the budget if no new revenue streams are added. The programs whose funding is reduced or eliminated under SB 850 are too many to list – although these links will take you to cuts related to children...

As the unemployment rate rises; more homeowners - with good financial histories – are facing foreclosure. The Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition's Foreclosure Prevention Task Force has recently released its updated edition of the Foreclosure Prevention Resource Guide . The Guide is designed to help professionals assist their clients in navigating the mortgage foreclosure process. It provides up-to-date information relevant to Philadelphia’s five-county region. This Foreclosure Guide will help you: Better understand the mortgage foreclosure process Know your rights if you are behind in your mortgage payments Learn about housing counseling resources and grant and loan programs Identify opportunities to preserve your home Get important contact information To receive a hard copy, e-mail Rachel Moore at rmoore@gpuac.org or download it at www.gpuac.org/foreclosurehelp.htm .

If you are a business, education, civic, or labor leader and you have not yet signed on to support the Industry Partnership program, the time to sign on is now . As the budget debate continues, the Industry Partnerships program , which connects industry to education and training opportunities, is one of many threatened with cuts or outright elimination. Please sign on to the Industry Partnership letter today, and contact your legislators to tell them of the importance of Industry Partnerships. If you think you may have already signed on, be sure to verify that your organization is on the list .