HELPFUL LINKS

Actions without Borders - Idealist.org

The Anne E. Casey Foundation

American Public Services Association

At Risk

US Department of Health & Human Services

ChildWelfare.com

Child Welfare League of America

Healthcare Association/Organization List

National Association of Social Workers

National Foster Parent Association

National Human Services Assembly

Social Work Organizations & Organizations

Administration's Medicaid Regulations Will Weaken Coverage, Harm State, and Strain Health Care System
Over the last year, the Administration has issued a series of Medicaid regulations and an interim final rule, which implements a provision of the 2006 Deficit Reduction Act.  Taken together these changes will reduce federal Medicaid spending by close to $15 billion over the next five years. Unless Congress acts to block them, these regulations will detrimentally impact children and people with disabilities, educational services, the foster care system, and health care services such as trauma care and neonatal intensive care, upon which entire communities rely. (Center for Budget and Policy Priorities). For more info..

Head Start Funding Cut After Bipartisan Reauthorization Bill Calling for Increased Investment is Approved: The President’s 2009 budget proposes to fund Head Start at $7 billion.  The omnibus appropriations bill cut Head Start funding by the equivalent of the cost of serving more than 20,000 children in Head Start this year. (Center for Budget and Policy Priorities). For more info..

Cost of Child Abuse Set at $104 Billion

Recent work and analysis by Prevent Child Abuse America calculates the annual cost of child abuse and neglect at $104 billion. This figure includes direct costs of abuse, long-term costs, and indirect costs. For more info..

New Information About The Health Coverage Tax Credits

The Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC), which pays 65 percent of health Insurance premiums for 16,000 trade-displaced workers and others, is the only use of federal income tax credits to cover the otherwise uninsured. In pending legislation to reauthorize Trade Adjustment Assistance, Congress has an opportunity to address HCTC's major problems, including participation by only 15 percent of eligible workers and administrative costs that consume roughly a third of federal spending on the credit. (Urban Institute). For more info..

New Resources...

New Report and State-by-State Scorecard from the Corporation for Enterprise Development: CFED released its 2007-2008 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard evaluating each state in six areas: financial security, business development, homeownership, health care education, and tax policy and accountability. Click here..

Special Feature: The Human Spirit Initiative is a volunteer-driven association of individuals whose lives have been dedicated to strengthening the human services sector, professionally and personally. Inspired by the amazing impact of individual Americans who shaped the health and human service sectors of the U.S. in the 20th century, they have joined together to form the Human Spirit Initiative. The organization is researching and calling attention to the history of the non-profit human services sector and the role of civic engagement in America during the 20th century. The initiative’s Share the Stories feature celebrates the contributions of “ordinary people” who volunteered their lives to found or shape significant human services organizations through a series of monographs. The first monograph celebrates the work of Jane Addams, the founder of the U.S. Settlement House movement, and the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In addition, Clifford W. Beers: The Founding of Mental Health 1908-1935 can be accessed here Jane Addams: The Founding of Hull House 1889-1920 can be accessed here.