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E-Update - June 19, 2016
E-Update - June 19, 2016
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Prescribe-A-Trail Phoenixville.
Nature's Fireworks Firefly Presentation Norristown.
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NEW LAST WEEK: Over 100 New Links Added to E-Update ResourcesTM Guide
We have updated our E-Update ResourcesTM guide of links to thousands of free services,
from local governments in Chester and adjoining counties up to the federal level.
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Please "Share" this wealth of information with others. If you are aware of items that are
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NEW THIS WEEK: Chester County Records First Zika Virus Case
A non-pregnant woman who recently traveled to an area affected by mosquitos carrying the
Zika Virus has become Chester County's first confirmed case of Zika.
The County Health Department says the individual wasn't hospitalized and has recovered.
To date, 23 cases of travel-associated Zika Virus have been confirmed in Pennsylvania with
no locally-acquired cases in the state.
Further information about the local case is available at
www.chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/34192, with additional information from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the virus, which can cause a serious birth
defect if one is infected during pregnancy, at www.cdc.gov/zika/about/index.html.
NEW THIS WEEK: Pennsylvania Streamlines Elderly and Disabled Food Stamp
Application Process
A new state process is decreasing the paperwork and the number of times it takes for the
elderly and the disabled to apply and retain food stamps, or Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services says a new Elderly/Disabled Simplified
Application Process (ESAP) reduces the current application from 24 pages to a simplified
two-page document with ESAP households now having a 36-month certification period,
versus the current annual recertification period.
ESAP will be available to households that meet all the following criteria:
Every member in the household is at least 60 years old, has a disability, or both; and
For SNAP eligibility, a household includes only individuals who live under one roof
and who purchase and prepare meals together.
NEW THIS WEEK: Health Department and Faith Groups Join in Stop Gun Violence
Campaign
The Allegheny County Health Department has joined with several churches and faith-based
organizations to promote Preventing Gun Violence, with Western Pennsylvania pastors
preaching this message from the pulpit.
The government agency has been joined by Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania,
Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and a coalition of
Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches to take up the call, according to the Pittsburgh
Sun-Gazette at www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2016/06/20/Baptist-minister-offers-arecipe-for-gun-violence/stories/201606200042.
The call toolkit is available at www.pts.edu/UserFiles/File/PDFs/Gun%20Violence/Gun
%20Violence%202016.pdf.
Other faith toolkits are available from the Washington National Cathedral at
www.cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/GunViolenceToolkit.pdf and the
Presbyterian Peace Fellowship of the Presbyterian Church USA at
www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/peacemaking/pdf/gvp_toolkit.pdf.
NEW THIS WEEK: Chesco Seeks to Upend Current System to Attack Homelessness
Chester County will attempt to "turn the system on its head" next month when it
implements new procedures to focus on the most vulnerable of its homeless population,
some 51 percent of which has been identified as currently not being helped.
Lauren Hutzel, county Decade to Doorways administrator, told dozens of county
administrators and workers, agency personnel and others during a Community
Conversation in West Chester that the county will be following Montgomery, Bucks and
several large metropolitan areas that already have such a system for prioritizing services
delivery based on needs of the most vulnerable of the homeless population.
A new VI-SPAT "supertool" process, expected to go into effect Monday, July 11, will change
the first-come, first-served approach through the county's ConnectPoints system that
currently is aiding less than half the homeless who seek assistance.
The new initiative, still using ConnectPoints, will assess each individual through VI-SPDAT
which includes a Vulnerability Index and a Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool and
provides housing intervention and other supports based first on those with the most critical
needs.
Those in need will continue to contact ConnectPoints at (610) 696-1999, which will be
followed up with a needs assessment of each case. Those requiring shelter will be
prioritized and an appropriate shelter then will contact the most vulnerable, based on the
priority list.
The 24/7 system will be changed to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, officials said, since
this is the time that most calls currently are being received.
Long term goals are to implement a system in which no homeless is on the street, the
supply of housing in the county exceeds the demand, any incident of homelessness is rare,
brief and non-recurring, and no one is in a shelter more than 30 days.
County department heads, including Community Development, Mental Health/Intellectual
and Developmental Disabilities (MH/IDD), and Drug and Alcohol, reported they have been
working more collectively on this issue, saying there needs to be a community approach
because "money (alone) is not going to solve the problem."
They also said the county also is continuing to gather information so it actually can
understand the issue, saying there will be many trials and errors as the new process moves
forward.
Directors of county shelter operations also have started to meet together monthly to discuss
issues and help coordinate services delivery.
The new process was likened to a mass casualty operation in which everyone who is injured
is assessed first for severity of injuries and then treated on the basis of who has greatest
need.
Further information on the new system is available from Hutzel at (610) 355-4723.
NEW THIS WEEK: Violence Can Seen Acceptable to Children Experiencing High
Levels
Children with high levels of exposure to violence report the highest levels of depression,
anger and anxiety and can come to believe that violence is an acceptable way to solve
problems and is without consequence, according to a report.
Daniel J. Flannery, professor and director of the Begun Center for Violence Prevention
Research and Education, and Mark I Singer, professor of family and child welfare, both at
Case Western Reserve University, provide the overview in a story in The Conversation.
The report is available at www.theconversation.com/heres-how-witnessing-violence-harmschildrens-mental-health-53321?
utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+June+13+2016
+-+5026&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+June+13+2016++5026+CID_ff109eb7fb9b59fc9931e6a14bef3e48&utm_source=campaign_monitor_us&utm
_term=Heres+how+witnessing+violence+harms+childrens+mental+health.
NEW THIS WEEK: Montco Public Defender Opens Pottstown OfficeMontgomery County Public Defender has opened an office on Wednesdays at 364 King
Street, home to other county officfes, in Pottstown.
The satellite office will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. for initial applications for Public
Defender services for both adults and juveniles, initial client interviews and record
expungement petitions.
Further information is available at www.montcopa.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3113,
Dbeer@montcopa.org or (610) 278-5183.
As reported in our E-Update Resources GuideTM, the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services National Institute for Aging has issued safety tips for before, during and after trips
to the hospital, including guidance for family and caregivers and patient rights, at
www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/hospital-hints.
Medicare also has published a six-page checklist, Your Discharge Planning Checklist, to help
individuals avoid being re-admitted after a hospital stay at
www.medicare.gov/pubs/pdf/11376.pdf with the The Joint Commission, an independent,
nonprofit organization that accredits and certifies more than 20,500 health care
organizations and programs in the United States, providing additional information at
www.jointcommission.org/toc.aspx.
NEW THIS WEEK: Self-Paying Health Insurance Buyers to Get Hit Next Year
Millions of individuals paying the full cost of their health insurance will face rising premiums
next year, according to the Associated Press, with no financial help from government
subsidies.
The news service reports that no subsidy exists for those making more than $47,520 for an
individual and $97,200 for a family of four, or four times the federal poverty level, with
subsidies also not available for consumers at any income level who purchase outside of
HealthCare.gov or a state marketplace.
The report is available at
www.bigstory.ap.org/article/bb2893d74c98434d9cbc2c759ef28be0/proposed-premiumhikes-rattle-consumers-paying-their-own#.
NEW THIS WEEK: Area Colleges Under Federal Investigations for Alleged Sexual
Violence Issues
Several area college are reported to be among 11 in Pennsylvania with open federal
investigations by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights for alleged sexual
violence incidents dating back to 2013.
The PennLive report is available at
www.pennlive.com/news/2016/06/11_pennsylvania_colleges_under.html#0.
NEW THIS WEEK: Maximum Check Cashing Fees for Government Checks to be
Reduced; New Car Seat Rules to Take Effect
Check cashing fees for government checks will be lowered under a bill signed into law by
Pennysylvania Gov. Tom Wolf.
The new legislation, effective August 16, will reduce the maximum fee for government
assistance checks from 2.5 percent to a half percent and other government checks to 1.5
percent. Maximum fees for other types of checks will remain unchanged.
The law also requires check cashing facilities to post fees in plain sight and will provide for
triple reimbursement to check cashers by those engaging in fraudulent cashing.
The legislation is available at www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?
txtType=HTM&sessYr=2015&sessInd=0&billBody=S&billTyp=B&billNbr=489&pn=1847.
In other legislative action, children under two years of age will be required to be in rearfacing child seats while traveling in a motor vehicle.
This legislation, effective August 12 and implementing the seat direction refinement, is
available at www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?
txtType=PDF&sessYr=2015&sessInd=0&billBody=S&billTyp=B&billNbr=1152&pn=1591.
NEW LAST WEEK: Montco to Seek Family Stability, Low Birth Weights and
Childhood Trauma Improvements
Investing in Healthier Families to seek improvement in family stability and well-being and
birth outcomes was the focus at a Maternal & Early Childhood Summit at Montgomery
County Community College (MCCC) in Blue Bell.
Dr. Val Arkoosh, vice-chair of the county Board of Commissioners and interim medical
director of the county health department, and Dr. Cindy Christian, endowed chair in
Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, made the case
for investing early in what can help; supporting parents rather than blaming them, including
trauma informed care; increasing pre and postnatal home visits; and developing a full
collaboration to focus on the issues.
The commissioner said goals involved in family stability include reduction of child
maltreatment, reducing risk factors while increasing protective factors, and early and
holistic provider engagement with families and communities.
Improving birth outcomes include reducing infant mortality rates, promoting full-term
pregnancies, and building strong relationships among communities, providers and families,
including access to prenatal care and social services.
Dr. Arkoosh told some 100 summit attendees that families suffer from the fact that
resources are not distributed equally across the county, adding that she is determined to
find a pathway out of these statistics associated with infant deaths.
Dr. Christian said that great strides have been made in bettering conditions of senior
citizens in the United States but this hasn't occurred with vulnerable children because they
come with parents.
Parents voices get lost, she said due to a disproportional balance between racial bias and
child trauma risk.
Coincidentally, while the Blue Bell summit was underway, an unrelated meeting was starting
at MCCC's Pottstown campus at which a plan to begin educating the community about early
childhood trauma and its effect on education and child well-being was unveiled.
NEW LAST WEEK: Individual Health Insurance Buyers May be Hit Hard Next Year
Millions of Americans buying their own health insurance may be hit next year with major
premium hikes.
The Associated Press is reporting that those who pay the full cost of their health insurance
will face the sting of rising premiums, with no financial help from government subsidies.
use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana where legal and other drugs, and opportunities to
gamble.
Both sessions will be offered from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Room 250, Government Services
Center, 601 Westtown Road, West Chester, and from noon to 2 p.m. at Holcomb offices at
467 Creamery Way, Exton.
Further information and required registration are available at
devon.mingey@holcombbhs.org or (610) 363-1488.
West Chester CTC meets from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the second Thursday of each
month of the school year at the West Chester Area School District Spellman
Administrative Building, 829 Paoli Pike, West Chester. Lunch is provided by reserving at
rsvp@wcctc.org or (610) 359-5817.
Downingtown Area CTC meets from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of the
month from September through May. On June 21, in the YMCA Community Room, 100
Devon Drive, Exton, the group will recognize students who have assisted with CTC
activities during the past year. Further information and registration are available at
dtownctc@umly.org or (610) 458-9090 x2827.
Coatesville CTC Community Prevention Board, a body coterminous with the Coatesville
Youth Initiative Steering Committee, meets periodically in the fourth floor Community
Room, Brandywine Health Foundation, 744 East Lincoln Highway, Coatesville. Further
information and requested lunch reservations are available from Jarvis Berry, CTC
community mobilizer, at Jarvis@coatesvilleyouthinitiative.org or (610) 380-0200.
Malvern Penn State Great Valleys Alumni Association and My Career Transitions
(MCT), an all-volunteer job counseling group, meets from 9:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
the second Saturday of the month, except August and December, in 130 Main
Building, Penn State Great Valley, 30 East Swedesford Road, Malvern, preceded by a
new member orientation at 8:30 a.m. On July 9, a panel of Sharon Crandall, Karen
DeLise, Mike Hendri, and Ford Myers will discuss The HR Angle on Recruiting and
Hiring in the Musser Auditorium of the Conference Center building, a different
location. Further information and required registration are available at
http://mycareertransitions.com/new/?q=upcoming-meetings.
West Chester Unemployment support group meets bi-weekly from 5:45 p.m. to
7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 130 West Miner Street, West Chester, to
learn tips and techniques related to job searches. Further information is available
from Elisabeth Hartwell at ehartwell@firstpreswc.com, at (610) 696-0554.
West Chester BarnabasWC group meets from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Mondays,
except holidays, in the Community Room, Providence Church, 430 Hannum Avenue,
West Chester. Further information is available at www.barnabaswc.org or
info@barnabaswc.org.
Reading 7 p.m. to 8:30 pm. on the first and third Wednesdays at St Catharine's of
Siena Parish Center. 2427 Perkiomen Avenue, Reading. Further information is
available from John Senick, facilitator, at (610) 779-4005.
West Grove 6:45 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month from September to
June in the new Parish Life Center, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church,
300 State Road, West Grove. On June 29, in the Children's/Adoration Chapel of the
Church, Christine Zaccarelli, pro bono director at Legal Aid of Southeastern
Pennsylvania, will discuss the organizations free services related to employment and
other law for qualifying individuals. Further information is available from John
Colgan at johnfcolgan@gmail.com.
Additional information on all St. Josephs People chapters is available at
www.josephspeople.org.
Sunflower Seed Products Recall Continues to Expand; Gold Medal Flour Also Goes
on List
Food markets and companies in multiple states, including Pennsylvania, are continuing to
expand a recall of products containing sunflower seeds due to potential Listeria
monocytogenes contamination, with Gold Medal Flour being added to a second recall
report.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says Listeriosis is a serious
infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria
monocytogenes, and is an important public health problem in the United States, primarily
affecting older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune
systems.
Recalls started last month after a report to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Further information on the infection is available at www.cdc.gov/listeria/index.html, with
information on all types of recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts, along with a link to
receiving automatic alerts from the FDA, is available at
www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm.
In a separate action, manufacturer General Mills, says Gold Medal flour, Wondra, and
Signature Kitchens flour, accounting for 38 cases of apparent contamination since
December, were sold in Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel, Shaws, Vons, United, Randalls, and
Acme stores.
Recalled brands, lots and safety information are available at www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2016/o12106-16/advice-consumers.html, with a map of areas impacted to date at
www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2016/o121-06-16/index.html.
Cash Welfare Payments More in Pennsylvania, But Many Not Receiving Them
Pennsylvania spends more on cash welfare than the majority of states, but less than a third
of those in poverty are receiving it, according to a national report.
The Wealth & Poverty Desk of American Public Medias Marketplace, which identifies itself as
"the most widely heard program on business and the economy in the nation", says the bulk
of the state's welfare spending 72 percent, or $763 million went to the state's core
welfare reform goals of basic assistance, work support and child care in 2014, with a heavy
emphasis on child care. For every 100 families living in poverty in the state, only 31 percent
received a "welfare check".
The report says there are approximately 40,000 more families in poverty in Pennsylvania
than there were 20 years ago when national welfare reform went into effect, with 75,983
out of 255,864 receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance in
2014.
In adjoining states, Delaware allocated 33% on cash payments in 2014 and spent the
second greatest proportion of its funds in the United States, behind Illinois, on childcare.
Maryland spent 29% in cash payments, and New Jersey spent only 24% on cash payments,
with $557 million of its total welfare expenditures being allocated to pregnancy prevention,
ranking number 1 in the country.
The full report is available at http://features.marketplace.org/yourstateonwelfare, with
Pennsylvania statistics at
http://features.marketplace.org/yourstateonwelfare/pennsylvania.html.
Zika Virus from Mosquitoes Drawing Increasing Concern for Both Women and Men
The Zika virus is drawing increasing focus, particularly for
women who could become pregnant and men who can
transmit the disease, from the federal Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), with new guidance and
information to prevent transmission and health effects.
The CDC says there is "mounting evidence" that supports a
link between Zika, transmitted initially by mosquitoes, and
microcephaly, a birth defect that is a sign of incomplete
brain development, and possibly other problems such as miscarriage and stillbirth.
The new guidance is available at www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/s0325-zika-virusrecommendations.html, with further information on the disease at www.cdc.gov/zika.
Please Note: New and Updated tags refer only to the time of appearance of information
in these E- Updates. Some on-going activities may have been in existence for some time
and are being listed for awareness.
Letting People Know/Making a Difference - Ongoing
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Blessings
Casey
Casey Jones
Transformation Initiative
Building Healthy Communities Through Healthy Families
(610) 707-1494 / bps461@msn.com
2009-2016 Casey Jones, Transformation Initiative for Building Healthy Communities Through Healthy Families.
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