PathWays PA Policy Blog

Starting tomorrow thanks to the Affordable Care Act women will be able to receive additional health care services. Any new plans after August 1st will have to include key preventative services without co-pays : Comprehensive contraceptive care: The full range of Food and Drug Administration approved contraceptive methods, including birth control pills, condoms and IUDs as well as sterilization procedures, patient education and counseling for all women with reproductive capacity.  Screening and counseling for intimate partner violence: Screening and counseling for women and adolescents about current and past violence and abuse so that providers can address health concerns about safety and other health problems that may be associated with interpersonal and domestic violence. Screening for gestational diabetes: Screening pregnant women for gestational diabetes, a form of the disease which develops during pregnancy and occurs more often among women of color. Breastfeeding counsel...

Federal Policy Updates  A JOB SHOULD LIFT YOU OUT OF POVERTY, NOT TRAP YOU IN IT Women who earn minimum wage are struggling to make ends meet. The current minimum wage at $7.25 an hour can not support our families. If you support raising the minimum wage sign this petition today . What would raising the federal minimum wage do? Rebuild our economy. For every $1 added to the minimum wage, low-wage worker households spend an additional $2,800 the following year. Ensure a better future for our children. 21.5 million children have a parent who would benefit from a minimum wage increase.  Increase jobs. Increasing the minimum wage would boost consumer spending, which drives 70% of our economy.  Sign this petition today because we deserve the opportunity to work hard and earn enough to support our families! For more information on the benefits of increasing the minimum wage please check out the National Women's Law Center fact sheet . From our friends at 9t...

Development and Communications Assistant Excellent communication, organizational, computer and interpersonal skills required. Previous experience with fundraising, proposal writing, marketing, journalism, public relations, and coordination of special events is preferred. Ability to manage agency website and supervise development/communication interns within the development team. Prefer experience with Gift Works software. Bachelor’s Degree required. E-mail or fax cover letter and resume to: LD/FF 610-328-2807. SIL Case Manager The SIL Case Manager will have at least three years experience providing direct services to teen parents and their children. Individual shall possess the ability to identify with and adapt to the goals and philosophies of the agency and the program . Familiarity with the concepts of strength-based practice. Mature individual with the knowledge of the skills necessary to live independently. Candidate shall demonstrate empathy, flexibility, perseveranc...

Tonight the Opening Ceremonies for the Summer Olympic Games takes place. For the next few weeks, all eyes will be on London as athletes from all over the world compete in events from archery to soccer. This year is particularly exciting for women . It is the first Olympics where all participating nations will be sending women to compete. In addition, it is the first year that the US Olympic team will include more women than men. The 1900 Olympics were the first where women were allowed to compete when lawn tennis, croquet, and golf were introduced. Since 1900 women began to participate in more events and dominated many of them. With the introduction of women’s boxing this year, there are no Olympic events that are exclusively for men. We look forward to seeing team USA compete and will be cheering on all the men and women!

Twenty two year ago today Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) , legislation aimed to improve the lives of people with disabilities. The law protects individuals with disabilities when it comes to employment, public accommodations, transportation, and public services. The law has provided for things from curb cuts to protections from discrimination but there is still more work to be done. For example, right now employment for people with disabilities is lower than it was before the passage of the ADA . While more needs to be done to remove barriers for people with disabilities, today is a day to be thankful for all the ADA has done and the promise it has for the future.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) , enacted in 1994, was the first piece of American legislation that recognized the pervasive nature of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. VAWA programs give law enforcement, prosecutors and judges the tools they need to hold offenders accountable and keep communities safe, while supporting survivors and recognizing their role in the fight to end gender-based violence. VAWA needs to be reauthorized to ensure the continuation of these vital, life-saving programs and laws. In addition, this is also an opportunity to expand VAWA by improving services available to LGBTQ survivors of violence, breaking down barriers to services for undocumented survivors, and continuing prevention efforts to counter the high levels of violence against Native American and Native Alaskan women. If you support VAWA please sign this letter that was put together by the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (NTF) . If y...

This spring marked the second anniversary of the new health care reform law and Raising Women's Voices of Southeastern Pennsylvania, a coalition PathWays PA is a member of, celebrated by launching the Countdown to Coverage campaign! This campaign is aimed at helping women understand the concrete ways that the Affordable Care Act is making it easier for women to get the services we need to stay healthy throughout all life stages and across all socioeconomic levels. We are currently counting down to an important milestone for the health care reform law, and more importantly, for women. Starting on August 1, all new insurance plans will have to start covering important preventative health services for women, such as contraception, screening and counseling for domestic violence, annual well-woman visits, and breastfeeding supports, without charging co-pays. Expensive co-pays are a major barrier for women and can prevent us from getting the care we need. This preventative care ...