STAND FOR CHILDREN DAY '99: READY TO LEARN, READY TO SUCCEED - Last year, there
were over 1,200 local Stand For Children Day events: rallies, marches, community picnics, candidate forums, book drives and child care appreciation celebrations. For information about this year's events and the Cyber-Stand For Children, happening May 17 to June 6, see: http://www.stand.org. Post a Stand For Children banner on your Web site: http://www.stand.org/stand99/Banners/index.html.PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THE INVEST IN AMERICA STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES - In a time of
economic prosperity and budget surpluses, our nation has an opportunity to address urgent domestic needs. See http://www.ombwatch.org/ia/.NATIONAL BUS TOUR ABOUT FEDERAL SPENDING - Business Leaders for Sensible
Priorities will tour the nation for the next three years delivering presentations on the need for increased domestic investment. To schedule a stop in your community email: dave@businessleaders.org. For information see: http://www.businessleaders.org.NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OPPOSE HUMAN NEEDS CUTS IN FY99 SUPPLEMENTAL SPENDING
BILL - The Coalition on Human Needs, email: pwlester@chn.org, released a letter to House and Senate conferees opposing budget authority cuts that target programs for the poor and vulnerable in the Senate version of the bill. The letter is signed by 77 national organizations concerned with poverty programs. http://www.handsnet.org/alerts1242/alerts_show.htm?doc_id=11151CBPP TAX DAY PRESS CONFERENCE "Taxes on Middle-Income Families Are Declining,"
by Iris J. Lav of Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, points to critical flaws in the "Tax Freedom Day" report issued by the Tax Foundation each April 15. http://www.cbpp.org/4-14-99tax.htm. The Center's site features more tax reports of interest: at: http://www.cbpp.org/tax99.htm.ANALYSIS OF SUPERMAJORITY PROPOSAL - The constitutional amendment (H.J. Res 37)
to require approval of two-thirds of the House and Senate for any bill increasing federal revenues would make it more difficult to address the long-term financing problems of Social Security and Medicare, says analysis by Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. http://www.cbpp.org/4-12-99tax.htmRepublicans pushed a $1.74 trillion budget for fiscal 2000 through Congress,
meeting the April 15 deadline for only the second time since it was set in 1987. Overall, the Budget Resolution Conference Report is extremely harmful to children says Children's Defense Fund, requiring Congress to cut non-defense discretionary programs by 10.9% in FY 2000 and 27.8% in 2004. http://www.childrensdefense.org/takeaction.SENATE JUVENILE CRIME BILL A DANGER TO CHILDREN - It will put more children at
risk of abuse and assault in adult jails. It does not guarantee crime prevention funding, or make guns safer or less accessible to children. The legislation undermines efforts to address the disproportionate confinement and disparate treatment of minority youth in the juvenile justice system, says Children's Defense Fund, http://www.childrensdefense.org/takeaction/juvenilejustice.htmlCWLA TESTIMONY ON DELINQUENCY PREVENTION - Child Welfare League of America urged
that 50% of resources in any new juvenile justice legislation go to support delinquency prevention. In light of recent crime trends showing dramatic decreases in juvenile crime, they urge careful consideration of the growing evidence of the effectiveness of prevention strategies. Arrest rates for violent juveniles continue to decline and recently reached their lowest point since 1990. Contact Tim Briceland-Betts at CWLA, 202-942-0256, bricebet@cwla.org. http://www.cwla.orgAPRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH - Many organizations across the country
will join the growing number of governors in flying a Children's Memorial Flag on April 23 to memorialize children who have died and to raise awareness of violence against young people. Contact Mary Layton at CWLA, mlayton@cwla.org, 202-942-0251. http://www.cwla.org/cwla/communic/flag/memorialflag.htmlResources on child abuse prevention from Family Resource Coalition of America
are at: http://www.frca.org/fsnews.htmQUALITY CHILD CARE LINKED TO SCHOOL READINESS - New data from the National
Institute for Child Health and Development (www.nih.gov/nichd/) "Study on Early Child Care" provides evidence that the quality of child care significantly impact children's school readiness and language skills, at about half the rate of family effects. The most comprehensive of its kind, NICHD's longitudinal study follows more than 1,000 children from birth through third grade. The findings are posted at http://www.srcd.org/pressroom.htm#Does Child along with other research presented at the Society for Research in Child Development's biennial meeting in Albuquerque, April 15-18.CHILD CARE IN THE POST WELFARE REFORM ERA - Poor parents, like other parents,
cannot work without child care. An article by Welfare Law Center assists advocates in helping their clients access quality child care and assuring that they do not lose needed public assistance when child care is unavailable. http://www.welfarelaw.org/chcc.htmHAZARDS IN CHILD CARE CENTERS - Two-thirds of licensed child-care centers
studied by federal investigators last year had at least one condition that could be hazardous to the safety of children. For a safety checklist for parents and providers of child care write: Child Care Safety Checklist, CPSC, Washington, DC 20207.SHARE CHILD WELFARE INFO - Oregon child welfare consultant Alice Galloway,
email: HN6748@handsnet.org, invites child welfare professonals to ask questions and learn from others about issues like assessment tools other states use when determining a level rate system for foster care payments; recruitment and retention strategies for foster parents; what works for youth exiting foster care in terms of higher education and employment, etc. See the Children, Youth & Families area on WebClipper's DISCUSSIONS page: http://www.webclipper.org/thread_msg1141/thread_msg_show.htm?message_id=2893. Sign up for a free trial WebClipper membership at http://www.handsnet.org.WEBCLIPPER'S NEW FUNDING PAGE - will offer current Federal Register NOFAs,
Foundation and Corporate funding notices, samples from the Oryx Grants Database, ready-to-use funding search topics and more. Opening next week on WebClipper.MENTAL HEALTH PARITY - While the proposed Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act
of 1999 introduced this week by Senators Pete Domenici (R-NM) and Paul Wellstone (D-MN) is a positive first step toward equality of access to health care, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law says it raises concern among consumer advocates about its distinction between mental illnesses demonstrated to be "biologically based" and those viewed as having different causes. Mental health advocates support a bill introduced by Reps Marge Roukema (R-NJ), Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Bob Wise (D-WV) to provide full parity for mental health and substance abuse services in private insurance policies. Contact: lee@bazelon.org. http://www.bazelon.orgThe Partnership for Recovery, 202-347-1549, faults the Senate Mental Health
Parity legislation for excluding substance abuse. http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0414-142.htmSUPPORTING FAMILIES IN TRANSITION - HCFA is encouraging states to do more to
ensure those leaving welfare are not mistakenly denied Medicaid coverage. See "Supporting Families in Transition: A Guide to Expanding Health Coverage in the Post-Welfare Reform World." http://cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/welfare.htmNEXT CHILDREN'S HEALTH CAMPAIGN COONFERENCE CALL is April 23 at 2 p.m. EST. Dial 1-800-598-2084 and ask for the Children's Health Campaign Conference call.
From CDF's Child Health Information Project Listserv, http://www.childrensdefense.org/listserv_chip.html.AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRESERVATION - Funds are available to prevent the loss of
more housing developments, but HUD needs OMB's approval to use the funds for this purpose. An OMB green light to HUD would start saving units immediately. Contact Jacob Lew, Director of OMB, 202-395-4840; Fax: 202-395-3888; urge him to authorize HUD to use its existing discretion to mark some of the properties' rents up to market rates, giving owners a real reason to stay in the program. For more information contact National Low Income Housing Coalition at 202/662-1530. From the Center for Community Change Policy Alert, http://www.communitychange.org/alerts.IMPACT OF RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUPS - The first survey of rural
community development groups document their enormous impact on rural America. Accomplishments include: more than 149,000 affordable houses and apartments built or repaired; 6 million square feet of industrial, commercial and community service space developed; more than 9,500 businesses established employing 41,000 people. Contact Stand Up for Rural America, http://www.ruralamerica.org, 202-739-0886. Press release at: http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0414-105.htm.NATIONAL TOWN MEETING FOR A SUSTAINABLE AMERICA, MAY 2-5 - Across America,
communities, businesses and organizations are finding ways to achieve economic prosperity and a high quality of life without sacrificing our environmental or social goals. Spotlighting successful sustainable actions that can be replicated elsewhere, events in communities across America will connect with the national meeting in Detroit through interactive technologies. See http://www.sustainableamerica.org/about/default.cfm for information, including financial assistance opportunities, or call 1-888-333-6878.NEW USDA TOLL-FREE LINE - 1-800-221-5689 will allow persons interested in
learning about Food Stamp Program eligibility to make a request for written materials, reports Food Research and Action Center, http://www.frac.org.LIVING WAGE MOVEMENT - San Francisco may soon be the latest of about two dozen
U.S. cities to pass "living wage" laws, which require firms doing business with local government to pay higher-than-minimum wages. Despite increases in 1996 and 1997, today's U.S. minimum wage of $5.15 has 20% less buying power than it did two decades ago. A chart of living wage ordinances in the U.S. is at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/04/09/BU93193.DTL. For background see ACORN's Living Wage site: http:www.livingwagecampaign.org or email: rescampaign@acorn.org.YWCA RACIAL JUSTICE CONFERENCE - April 29 in D.C. will strive to develop
strategies for nonprofit organizations, government and businesses to eliminate institutional racism in health care, education, housing, employment and economic empowerment. See: http://www.ywca.org/mission/news.html or call 202- 828-7044. YWCA'S ACTION KIT TO ELIMINATE RACISM is at: http://www.ywca.org/action_kit_98/action_kit_98.html.Join the 3rd annual YWCA Race Against Racism, May 1: call 301-871-0400 or register at:
http://www.runwashington.com/races/ywca/ywca99.html.3-CITY STUDY OF WELFARE REFORM - A new four-year study, launched in Chicago,
will take an intense look at the effects of state-imposed sanctions on families and children. The $19 million study will focus on 2,800 families in Chicago, Boston, and San Antonio. The researchers will do intensive interviews with families, allowing people on public aid active input on the welfare changes that have swept this country. See: http://www.jhu.edu/~welfare/. Reported in IL Welfare News, http://www.povertylaw.org/iwn/apr99/apr99toc.htm.NEW HOPE - Designed and operated by a community-based nonprofit, Milwaukee's New
Hope Project was based on a simple philosophy: People working full-time shouldn't live in poverty. The project provided a comprehensive package of supports, including affordable health insurance and child care assistance, two critical needs of poor working families. It worked. New Hope increased participants' employment, reduced their poverty, and. perhaps most striking, improved their children's school performance and social competence, reports Manpower Demonstration Research Corp. http://www.mdrc.org/Press%20Releases/NewHopePR.htmlNO SAFETY NET - Of the 13 states that recently surveyed adults who have left the
welfare rolls, six asked detailed questions about how their families were coping. Each state found evidence of lives made harder by the loss of cash assistance, each found families facing mounting troubles, says a report from stateline.org: http://www.stateline.org/story.cfm?StoryID=12021MATHEMATICA REPORTS ON IOWA WELFARE REFORM - New reports examine year-two
impacts and costs/benefits. http://www.Mathematica-MPR.COM/IOWA.HTM. For printed copies call 609-275-2350.WELFARE REFORM: WHAT CAN YOUR PROGRAM DO? The family support field has an
important role to play in ensuring that families get the support they need, and that policymakers hear families' voices as they review welfare policies. A To-Do list is excerted from "Jargon-Free Guide to Supporting Families," from the Family Resource Coalition of America REPORT. http://www.frca.orgNEW MEXICO WORKS ACT - NM Center on Law and Poverty has updated their analysis
of the NM Works Act including amendments made to the Act during the 1999 regular session of the NM state legislature. Posted in HandsNet's Legal Services/State Advocacy Forum; email: HN1604@handsnet.org.