CLASP AUDIO CALL
THE PUBLIC BENEFITS BOOST: NEW STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING TAKE-UP
REGISTER NOW FOR MAY 26th (12:30- 1:30 ET)

Increasing access to work supports and other public benefits such as food stamps, EITC, child care subsidies, Medicaid can help families living on low incomes gain vital income and services. Boosting the take-up of public benefits is an issue that has finally gained traction not only among researchers and service providers, but among policy makers.

In this audio conference you will learn the role that public benefits can provide toward family stability and the latest legislative developments; new lessons from research that can help practitioners deliver access to public benefits; and two states’ strategies to boost uptake—one dramatically lifting Medicaid access and another gaining applicants through school-based social services.

For details, click here and register.

Guests:
Elizabeth Lower-Basch CLASP, Senior Policy Analyst
Frieda Molina MDRC, Deputy Director
Ruth Kennedy Louisiana Children's Health Insurance Program, Director
Linda Schmidt Michigan Department of Human Services, Poverty Policy Director

 

 

Thanks to our great colleague Shadi Houshyar for bringing this Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) issue to the Partnership’s attention. This letter to Congressional leadership advocates for responsible health and environmental policy around toxic substance issues.Please contact Shadi at shadih@firstfocus.net if your organization would like to sign on to this letter. Please include your name, organization, and title in your email.

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May 13, 2010

Dear Chairmen Boxer, Waxman, Lautenberg and Rush, and Ranking Members Barton, Inhofe and Whitfield:
As organizations committed to improving the lives of our nation’s children, we believe it is essential to protect our children and other vulnerable populations from toxic chemicals. Unfortunately, the statute that regulates chemicals used by industry and in consumer products -- the Toxic Substances Control Act or TSCA -- is inadequate to protect children’s health, while the number of chemicals to which we expose our children continues to grow. It is time to renew our commitment to and strengthen our national approach to regulating chemicals to assure that human health is protected.

We are pleased that a consensus is growing on the need to reform TSCA to protect the public and to ensure that risks from chemicals are adequately understood and appropriately managed. We are writing to urge you to make the reform of TSCA a priority, and to ask that in the process, you assure that this reform protects children’s health from current and emerging environmental threats.

As you know, children have unique vulnerabilities to harmful chemicals in their environment. A child’s chemical exposure levels are greater, pound-for-pound, that those of an adult. Children can be less able to process and excrete chemicals than adults. We also know that children’s developing organ systems are more vulnerable to damage from chemical exposures. An exposure which may cause little or no harm to an adult may lead to irreparable damage to a child. Further, children have more time in which to develop a disease triggered by early exposure, including prenatal exposure to toxins, such as cancer.

A growing number of diseases and disabilities affecting children are linked to unhealthy and unsafe environments. Chemical exposure can lead to neurotoxicity, neurobehavioral and reproductive problems, immune and hormonal disruptions, and is associated with a host of diseases and disabilities. Research has shown that minimizing early exposure to harmful chemicals or products can prevent later health problems.
As you work with your colleagues in Congress to update TSCA, we urge you to make a priority of protecting the health of children by putting into place new processes to ensure the products they are routinely exposed to are safe. With this goal in mind, we respectfully urge you to use the following principles and policies as a framework for a modernized TSCA:

• Protecting our children. Assessing chemicals against a strong health standard that requires protection of children and other vulnerable populations;
• Additional safety margin for children. Providing an additional safety margin for children, pregnant women, nursing women and women of child-bearing age;
• Protection for children most at risk. Addressing health disparities among low-income and minority children, children with special health care needs, and children whose parents have occupational exposure to chemicals, and reducing the disproportionate impact of toxic chemicals on children and other vulnerable populations;
• Basic information. All chemicals must provide data on potential hazards, exposures and uses;
• No longer assuming that a chemical is safe until proven otherwise; the safety of a chemical must be demonstrated by the submission of required data;
• Chemicals must go through a review process on a regular basis rather than receiving a one-time permanent approval;
• Strong enforcement provisions including routine inspections and random audits of facilities and laboratories;
• Ensure that claims of “confidential business information,” or CBI, do not interfere with the public’s right to know.

We thank you for your efforts and look forward to working with you to protect the health of our nation’s children and to make needed reforms to our nation’s chemicals laws.

First Focus
Action for Children North Carolina
Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT)
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD)
Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families
Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice
Association of University Centers on Disabilities
Autism Society (National Office)
California Church IMPACT
CHADD – Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Children's Environmental Health Network
Citizens Against Ruining the Environment-C.A.R.E.
Citizens' Environmental Coalition
Community Action Partnership
EcoBirth
Environment California
Environmental Health Fund
Environment Illinois
Healthy Child Healthy World
Healthy Schools Network
Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition
Illinois PIRG
Illinois Public Health Association
Indiana Toxics Action INND (Institute of Neurotoxicology & Neurological Disorders)
Iowa Breast Cancer Edu-action
Kentucky Youth Advocates
Learning Disabilities Association of America
Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition
Maternal and Child Health Access
Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health
MOMAS (Mothers of Marin Against the Spray)
Movement Strategy Center
National Down Syndrome Congress
National Health Law Program
New Mexico Voices for Children
Nursing Mothers Counsel
Oregon Environmental Council
Oregon Toxics Alliance
Preventing Harm Minnesota
Project IRENE
Rayonier Hazardous Waste Cleanup Project Olympic Environmental Council Coalition
Safer Pest Control Project
Salt Lake Community Action Program
SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center
TASH
The Arc of the United States
The Black Children's Institute of Tennessee
The Endocrine Disruption Exchange
United Cerebral Palsy
Voices for Ohio's Children
Voices for Utah Children
Voices for Virginia's Children

 

Thanks to Rebecca Wilkins, senior counsel at Citizens for Tax Justice, for her/CTJ’s leadership on this important issue.

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Americans for a Fair Estate Tax — A coalition fighting to preserve a fair estate tax

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May 19, 2010

Dear Senator:

We are writing to express our alarm that an apparent deal is being negotiated to weaken the estate tax beyond even the very generous 2009 levels as proposed in President Obama’s budget. The discussion is being disguised as a “compromise” between lawmakers on both sides of the issue, but instead the proposal is being crafted entirely by senators that have consistently supported weakening or completely repealing the estate tax. In fact, this new “compromise,” although camouflaged by phase-ins and deceptive budget tricks, is likely to ultimately result in the same costly giveaway proposed last year by Senators Lincoln and Kyl and added to the Senate budget resolution.

Reducing the estate tax is the wrong policy priority and the wrong fiscal priority. It is incomprehensible that more than $250 billion in tax cuts for the nation’s wealthiest families should be placed higher on Congress’s agenda than extending tax cuts for the middle class or making improvements to the refundable tax credits permanent. Indeed, it is disturbing that cutting the taxes of wealthy trust fund heirs would even be on the agenda at a time when one in ten Americans is out of work, discretionary spending is being frozen, and budget deficits are looming.

Revenue from a robust estate tax could be used to save teacher jobs, to provide access to college, to finance critical health care research, to help struggling families, and to build the nation’s infrastructure, or to reduce the continuing deficit. These investments can strengthen the recovery from the current economic crisis and put us on a path for long-term growth and shared prosperity.

The Administration’s proposal to reinstate the 2009 estate tax exemptions and rates is more than generous and is projected to cost the country $253 billion over ten years compared to current law. The country cannot afford additional tax cuts that benefit only the very wealthiest among us – the emerging proposal will cut the taxes of the richest 1 in 400 estates. The 2009 rules, with a $7 million per couple exemption, already exempt the vast majority of small businesses and farms. The few that will pay the estate tax have several significant safeguards to protect them from having to liquidate any business or farm assets in order to pay the tax.

We are also extremely concerned about the budget gimmicks that will reportedly offset the cost of this windfall to the super rich. Proposals to phase in rate reductions or exemption increases only mask the enormous revenue loss in years outside the budget window. The same is true of proposals to allow estates to prepay the tax. The additional revenue in the first few years will be dwarfed by the cost of the provision over the long term. These irresponsible revenue losses cannot be tolerated when the country faces the deficits and debt levels that are projected. Any true revenue offsets, even within the estate tax, should be used to fund critical programs, to reduce the deficit, or to offset the already enormous cost of extending the 2009 rules. Another tax cut for the wealthiest estates in the country should not be anyone’s priority.

We urge you to communicate your concern to leadership and to vote against any amendment that would further reduce revenue from the estate tax. We are counting on you to make the urgent needs of ordinary Americans and the long-term fiscal health of the country the top priorities for Congressional action.

Sincerely,

American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO
American Association of University Women
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
American Federation of Teachers
Americans for Democratic Action, Inc.
Americans for Responsible Taxes
Campaign for America’s Future
Citizens for Tax Justice
Coalition on Human Needs
CommonGoods Network
Communication Workers of America
Community Action Partnership
Economic Opportunity Institute
Every Child Matters Education Fund
Friends Community on National Legislation
Institute for Policy Studies – Program on Inequality and Common Good
Money With A Mission
The National Advocacy Center Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Committee for Responsible Philanthropy
National Education Association
National Women’s Law Center
NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
OMB Watch
Responsible Wealth
RESULTS
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
Service Employees International Union
Sugar Law Center
Tax Justice Network USA
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
United Food and Commercial Workers International Union
United for a Fair Economy
USAction
US Public Interest Research Group
Wealth for the Common Good
Wider Opportunities for Women
Working America
YWCA USA

Every May, the Partnership promotes National Community Action Month as an effective way to tell your agency’s success stories, honor your staff and board, and provide current information to the leaders, media, and residents of the areas and neighborhoods you serve. Here are a few recent examples from across our nation.

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Many thanks to the staff at Community Services Employment Training in Visalia, California, for sending us an article that Carolyn Rose, Executive Director, had published in the Visalia Times-Delta. In the article, “CSET recognizes community action,” Carolyn mentions that the CAA honored 10 individuals and organizations for their contributions on May 17, and discusses the agency’s recent accomplishments. This was a great way to get the word out about CSET and Community Action! Click here to read the article.

On May 12, Bernice Edwards, Executive Director of First State Community Action Agency in Georgetown, Delaware, received a proclamation from the Georgetown Town Council declaring May Community Action Month and recognizing the efforts the agency has made to improve the community and lives of local residents. Media coverage appeared in the Sussex Countian.

The North Carolina Community Action Association received a proclamation from Governor Bev Perdue proclaiming May Community Action Month in the state. Governor Perdue also hosted a National Community Action Month reception at the Governor’s mansion.

Autumn Dickens received the Personal Responsibility and Achievement Award from
Southeast Kansas Community Action Program (Girard, Kansas)
at its Staff Appreciation Day on May 7

 

We would like to receive information from you on the following topics for the Summer issue of The Promise magazine:

• CAA National Community Action Month commemorations – how did your CAA celebrate in May—did you honor volunteers and staff, host an event, or get an article published in the local newspaper? And did your elected officials proclaim May “Community Action Month?” Give us the scoop! Please note: if you’ve already emailed us your NCAM materials in response to earlier requests, we have your submissions on file and will include them.

• News on new staff appointments, awards, best practices and success stories. If you’ve done something new or innovative to help people and change lives, let us know!

Submissions Guidelines

• Please email a news release or similar document (such as a newsletter article) that provides a general description of the topic(s) above.

• Photos – If available, please email 1 or 2 photos that directly relate to your submission. All photos should be in JPG format at 300 dpi, and as large as possible. Include photo captions, and if needed, the photo credit information.

• Please email your submissions and photos to magazine@communityactionpartnership.com. Include the subject line “magazine submission” or something that describes your submission, i.e. “CAA tax program”. Please note the new email address, all magazine related correspondence should be sent there.

Convention Discount Early Bird Rates End on June 18!

To view or download the 2010 Annual Convention Brochure, click here. Hotel rooms are selling quickly at the Boston Marriott Copley Place. Click here to reserve online and assure your reservation is confirmed at the convention rate of $189.00 single or double.

 

Partnership president and CEO Don Mathis will be part of a panel on May 27th at which he discuss the relationship of childhood obesity, hunger, and poverty at a meeting of 200+ attendees at a Disruptive Women in Health Care breakfast seminar. A summary of the event’s media advisory appears below.

MEDIA ADVISORY

Disruptive Women Bloggers Tackle Childhood Obesity at Breakfast

As part of its monthly breakfast series, Disruptive Women in Health Care bloggers, and guests, will share their efforts and solutions to the obesity challenges facing individuals, families, and communities. Let’s Move, the program developed by First Lady Michelle Obama to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation, marks an important step forward in combating this enormous public health challenge. We applaud the First Lady’s efforts and offer several suggestions to help realize that goal.

SPEAKERS include:

• Robin Strongin, Creator, Disruptive Women in Health Care Blog
• Gwen Tolbart, WTTG Fox 5 DC, Professional Speaker (moderator)
• Donald Mathis, President & CEO, Community Action Partnership
• Aimee Smith, Senior Program Specialist, YMCA of Philadelphia & Vicinity
• Diana Long, Past Board Member, YMCA Philadelphia, Developer of BrandDanceTM, Principal of DML Consulting, and Disruptive Women in Health Care blogger,
• Lorraine Friedman, JD, Founder and Executive Director of the DreamDog Foundation, award-winning author and songwriter, and Disruptive Women in Health Care blogger

Check out about Disruptive Women in Health Care at www.disruptivewomen.net

The mission of the Disruptive Women in Health Care blog is to serve as a platform for provocative ideas, thoughts, and solutions in the health sphere. While the focus of the blog is on encouraging the voices of women, men are welcome to share their thoughts as well. Disruptive Women in a project conceived of and owned by Amplify Public Affairs. Our May 2010 breakfast, “Childhood Obesity: A Big Fat National Challenge,” is sponsored by Candace Littell LLC. Our media partner is The Hill.