Oh...Hell....No!!!

Click the title link and please go sign this petition! Thanks!

I imagine I will post a big ole rant later, but for now I'm just too angry! The words just won't come!

Postcards from Amerah

It's been awhile, I know. My fault, not hers. I can't remember just how long it's been since I talked to her, but she knows what I'm doing and she knows why and she's just waiting, patiently, as always, for me to gather my nerve and face what I need to and speak of it, to her. I'm doing what I always do, when I'm faced with the possibility of great devastating loss...I run...I refuse to acknowledge...I try to shroud myself in as much denial as I can find, even if I don't know if it's as bad as it could be. Even the smallest inkling of yet another devastating loss is just to much for me to bear. She's the closest female friend I have, after all. Tears are pouring down my face as I write this and it's silly because I don't even know! How stupid is that?

Anyway, that's my confession for the day. Here's the postcard.

"(The Writer: Me – some things I think about on the healing journey called life.)

I had an "aha" moment this morning. I started thinking about old friends...friends from back in the day...friends who would share their deepest secrets - the good, bad and the ugly with each other...and, because of different circumstances - a move, a marriage, a life style change, etc. lost touch with each other...friends you still call friends because of the “good old days"...friends I still love and miss.

My "aha" moment" was: just may be we stopped communicating because of "the good old days" because when we see each other’s old stuff is triggered (shame because of shenanigans/unhealthy behaviors); just may be we shy away from each other because we have changed - we become Christians, Muslims, Buddist, etc. and we my be thinking, because one of us may or may not have made a change, "...she knows to much about my good old days and she might be judging me."

To my dear friends from "the good old days", I ain't the one. When you "walk" back to "the good old days" if you would just look down you will see a third set of footprints, God and mine. You will see our new "running" buddies, Grace and Mercy! And, when you open your closet door, guess who have a couple of skeletons "standing" close to you - mine, my dear friend, MINE!

Today, my dear, dear friend, whatever skeletons that are lingering in the closet of the past - we have been forgiven - Jesus has paid the price. And when I see you...when we meet again, my love for you is steadfast, unmovable and abounds in my respect for you - I ain't the one to cast the first stone. I'm your "side-kick", your trusted friend, and your sister-friend in Christ. You my dear, dear friend is not a "season" on this journey called life with me...you are a life time friend. Thanks for the memories, my friend...the good...the bad...and the ugly - they made us who we are today - CHILDREN OF GOD!"

Major Depression , the Oil Spill and Hurricane Season...

Most of you know, I suffer from major depression. Most of the time I keep it under control with exercise, vitamins and diet because my body just will not tolerate the medications on the market today. I've been doing quite a bit a yard work lately so it was well under control. Until yesterday, when President Obama had his press conference on what all is being done to help with the disastrous mess.

Now, I have purposely been avoiding the news, taking my mother's stance of "lie to me, I don't want to know it" on the issue, not because I don't care, but because all I can think about is what will be next to destroy our coastline and our main resources for revenue in the Gulf Coast Region? Then it hit me. Hurricane Season. I can not begin to describe the images that are going through my head. Things like a fine film of nasty oil sludge being sprayed all over everything from the coast all the way inland. A Hurricane will pick that stuff up and drop it wherever it damn well pleases. Everyone in it's path should be worried,

So, you know me, I went about searching for what the 2010 hurricane forecast will be. It ain't going to be pretty....

*Activity for the Atlantic Region is expected to be 85% above normal for the 2010 season

Here I was just going to include a link...not good enough. I want you all to read the entire prediction and NOAA's explanation of the scientific factors precluding this prediction. Scary stuff...

"DISCUSSION

1. Expected 2010 activity

Known climate signals and evolving oceanic and atmospheric conditions, combined with dynamical model forecasts, indicate a high likelihood of above normal activity during the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. This outlook calls for an 85% chance of an above-normal season, only a 10% chance of a near-normal season, and a 5% chance of a below normal season.

An important measure of the total overall seasonal activity is the NOAA Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index, which accounts for the intensity and duration of named storms and hurricanes during the season. We estimate a 70% chance that the 2010 seasonal ACE range will be 155%-270% of the median. According to NOAA’s hurricane season classifications, an ACE value above 117% of the 1950-2000 median reflects an above-normal season. An ACE value above 175% of the median reflects an exceptionally active (or hyperactive) season.

Consistent with the expected ACE range, the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season is expected (with 70% chance) to produce 14-23 named storms, 8-14 hurricanes, and 3-7 major hurricanes. Therefore, this season could see activity comparable to a number of extremely active seasons since 1995. If the 2010 activity reaches the upper end of our predicted ranges, it will be one of the most active seasons on record.

For the U.S. and the region around the Caribbean Sea, the historical probability of a hurricane strike generally increases with increasing seasonal activity. During exceptionally active seasons, the historical probabilities increase markedly for multiple hurricane strikes in these regions. Nonetheless, predicting the location, number, timing, and strength, of hurricanes landfalls is ultimately related to the daily weather patterns, which are not predictable weeks or months in advance. As a result, it is currently not possible to reliably predict the number or intensity of landfalling hurricanes at these extended ranges, or whether a given locality will be impacted by a hurricane this season. Therefore, NOAA does not make an official seasonal hurricane landfall outlook.

Because of the ongoing oil crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, we are including some historical statistics of tropical cyclone activity for this region (excluding the Bay of Campeche) based on past above normal seasons. These statistics do not represent an explicit forecast for tropical cyclones in the Gulf of Mexico during 2010, as it is impossible to reliably predict such activity so far in advance. Historically, all above normal seasons have produced at least one named storm in the Gulf of Mexico, and 95% of those seasons have at least two named storms in the Gulf. Most of this activity (80%) occurs during August-October. However, 50% of above normal seasons have had at least one named storm in the region during June-July.

2. Science behind the 2010 Outlook

The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season outlook primarily reflects an expected set of conditions during the peak months (August-October) of the season that is very conducive to increased Atlantic hurricane activity. This expectation is based on the prediction of three climate factors, all of which are conducive historically to increased tropical cyclone activity. These climate factors are: 1) the tropical multi-decadal signal, which has contributed to the ongoing high-activity era for Atlantic hurricanes that began in 1995, 2) a continuation of exceptionally warm sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the Main Development Region (MDR, which includes the Caribbean Sea and tropical Atlantic ocean between 9oN-21.5oN; Goldenberg et al. 2001), and 3) either ENSO-neutral or La Niña conditions, with La Niña becoming increasingly likely.

The outlook also takes into account dynamical model predictions from new models such as the NOAA Climate Forecast System (CFS), the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF), the United Kingdom Meteorology (UKMET) office model, and the EUROpean Seasonal to Inter-annual Prediction (EUROSIP) ensemble. All of these models are indicating a high likelihood of an extremely active season.

a. Expected continuation of tropical multi-decadal signal

One primary factor guiding this outlook is an expected continuation of the tropical multi-decadal signal, which has contributed to the current high-activity era in the Atlantic basin that began in 1995. This signal is associated with a coherent set of atmospheric conditions, all of which are conducive to increased Atlantic hurricane activity.

During 1995-2009, some key aspects of the tropical multi-decadal signal within the MDR have included warmer than average SSTs, reduced vertical wind shear and weaker easterly trade winds, below-average sea-level pressure, and a configuration of the African easterly jet that is more conducive to hurricane development from tropical waves moving off the African coast. Many of these atmospheric features typically become evident during late April and May, as the atmosphere across the tropical Atlantic and Africa begins to transition into its summertime monsoon state.

Several of these conditions are now present, and they are expected to persist through the hurricane season because we anticipate they are linked in part to the tropical multi-decadal signal. These conditions include 1) weaker (i.e. anomalous westerly) trade winds in the lower atmosphere, anomalous easterly winds in the upper atmosphere, anticyclonic circulation (i.e. streamfunction) anomalies in the upper atmosphere in both hemispheres, and reduced vertical wind shear.

It is impossible to know with certainty whether the multi-decadal signal is indeed continuing during 2010, and current climate models cannot skillfully forecast the multi-decadal variability of the Atlantic climate system. Nonetheless, given that key anomaly patterns now present have also been present for the past 15 years, and have previously been linked to the tropical multi-decadal signal, it is reasonable to expect that they are again linked to this signal. If so, this would reflect a continuation of the active Atlantic phase of the tropical multi-decadal signal that began in 1995.

b. Above average SSTs in the Main Development Region

The second factor guiding the outlook is the expectation of above-average to near-record SSTs in the MDR during August-October. It is very possible that the SST anomalies will be much larger than that typically associated with the multi-decadal signal. Record warm SSTs are now present in the MDR, with departures exceeding +1.5oC nearly everywhere east of the Caribbean Islands. Record warm temperatures were also present during March and April, with area-averaged departures of +1.3oC observed in April. This monthly value is much larger than the previous record departure of +0.95oC seen in 1958. This warmth is much larger than anywhere else in the global tropics, and is further indication that climate conditions are favorable for hurricane development in the Atlantic basin.

A set of factors likely combined to produce the record warmth now in the Atlantic. Based on the observations, the likely cause of the extreme Atlantic warming is a pronounced weakening of the northeasterly trade winds that led to a sharp increase in Atlantic SSTs during February and March. This increase occurred in combination with the typical warming associated with El Niño. It is also superimposed upon the background warming associated with the warm Atlantic phase of the multi-decadal signal that has been in place since 1995, and with longer term trends.

Based on the observations, a key to the development of this record warmth was a sharp increase in SST anomalies during February and March, in response to a significant weakening of the normal northeasterly trade winds and low-level ridge over the eastern tropical Atlantic north of the MDR. These overall anomaly patterns are consistent with El Niño (Knaff 1997, Chelliah and Bell 2004). However, their amplitude is more strongly related to a persistent upper-level jet stream pattern that featured blocking activity at high-latitudes of the North Atlantic and a strong jet stream across the southern North Atlantic. This pattern was associated with a persistent negative North Atlantic Oscillation and positive East Atlantic circulation pattern, which at times was linked to a hemispheric circulation pattern called the negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation.

Two other instances of very warm SSTs have been observed in the MDR during February-April (1958 and 1969). In both years, the SST anomaly subsequently decreased by roughly 50% during the summer months. For 2010, although the record SST departures may well decrease somewhat, we still expect a continuation of above average SSTs throughout the Atlantic hurricane season. This outlook is consistent with the current (and expected) pattern of reduced trade winds across the tropical Atlantic in association with the expected tropical multi-decadal signal. However, it is very possible that the SST departures will be much larger than that associated with the multi-decadal signal. Several climate models are predicting either near-record or record SSTs in the MDR during August-October.

c. ENSO-Neutral or La Niña

Another climate factor known to significantly impact Atlantic hurricane activity is the El Niño/ Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The three phases of ENSO are El Niño, La Niña, and Neutral. El Niño tends to suppress Atlantic hurricane activity, while La Niña tends to enhance it (Gray 1984). These typical impacts can be strongly modulated by conditions associated with a low- or high-activity era. We expect either Neutral or La Niña conditions during the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, with La Niña now becoming increasingly likely.

The El Niño episode, which contributed to the below normal Atlantic hurricane season last year, has dissipated. Conditions in the equatorial Pacific Ocean are becoming increasingly favorable for the development of La Niña. Also, in the upper atmosphere the pattern of circulation (i.e. streamfunction) anomalies during the last 30 days, and the last 60 days, indicates cyclonic anomalies in the central subtropical Pacific of both hemispheres (blue shading in NH, red shading in SH). This pattern suggests that the atmosphere has already transitioned out of its El Niño state observed last winter and early spring.

All ENSO forecast models currently predict either Neutral or La Niña conditions during the Atlantic hurricane season. During the last few months, the models have been increasingly indicating the development of La Niña during the summer. La Niña contributes to reduced vertical wind shear over the western tropical Atlantic which, when combined with conditions associated with the ongoing high activity era and warm Atlantic SSTs, increases the probability of an exceptionally active Atlantic hurricane season (Bell and Chelliah 2006). NOAA’s high-resolution CFS model indicates the development of La Niña-like circulation and precipitation anomalies during July.

3. Further analysis of the Ongoing High Activity Era in the Atlantic Basin

Atlantic hurricane seasons exhibit extended periods lasting decades of generally above-normal or below-normal activity. These fluctuations in hurricane activity result almost entirely from differences in the number of hurricanes and major hurricanes forming from tropical storms first named in the MDR.

The current high-activity era has been in place since 1995. Hurricane seasons during 1995-2009 have averaged about 14.5 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes, with an average ACE index of 160% of the median. NOAA classifies ten of the fifteen seasons since 1995 as above normal, with seven being hyperactive (ACE > 175% of median). Only five seasons since 1995 have not been above normal, which include four El Niño years (1997, 2002, 2006, and 2009) and the 2007 season.

This high level of activity since 1995 contrasts sharply to the low-activity era of 1971-1994 (Goldenberg et al. 2001), which averaged only 8.5 named storms, 5 hurricanes, and 1.5 major hurricanes, and had an average ACE index of only 75% of the median. One-half of the seasons during this low-activity era were below normal, only three were above normal (1980, 1988, 1989), and none were hyperactive.

Within the MDR, the atmospheric circulation anomalies that contribute to these long-period fluctuations in hurricane activity are strongly linked to the Tropics-wide multi-decadal signal (Bell and Chelliah 2006). A change in the phase of the multi-decadal signal coincides with the transition in 1995 from a low-activity era to the current high-activity era.


You know, it seems as though we haven't fully recovered from Katrina. You can still see piles of wreckage here and there that have obviously been there for awhile that people just forgot about and/or learned to live with. Can you even imagine how hard it will be to remove all that wreckage if it's covered in nasty, sludgy oil? My heart breaks mostly for the wildlife, they can't go inside to air-purified homes and be safe.

When is the healthcare reform going to take effect? July? I think I might need the drugs to get through this one.....

This is so funny...and so me!

Wow, it's been three months since i posted anything on here! Sorry about that. Been having sort of a rough go of it lately...but this made me laugh so hard I had to post it!

A.A.A.D.D.

> KNOW THE SYMPTOMS ..... PLEASE READ!
>
> Thank goodness there's a name for this disorder.
> Somehow, I feel better even though I have it!!
>
> Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D.
> Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
>
> This is how it manifests:
>
> I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I
look over at my car and decide it needs washing.
>
> As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I
brought up from the mail box earlier.
>
> I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
>
> I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can
under the table, and notice that the can is full.
>
> So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the
garbage first.
>
> But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take
out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.
>
> I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only one
check left.
> My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house
to my desk where I find the can of Pepsi I'd been drinking.
>
> I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Pepsi
aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over.
>
> The Pepsi is getting warm, and I decide to put it in the refrigerator
to keep it cold.
>
> As I head toward the kitchen with the Pepsi, a vase of flowers on the
counter catches my eye -- they need water.
>
> I put the Pepsi on the counter and discover my reading glasses that
I've been searching for all morning. I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers..
>
> I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with
water and suddenly spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table.
>
> I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I'll be looking for the
remote but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.
>
> I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the
floor.
>
> So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up
the spill.
>
> Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to
do.
>
> At the end of the day:
> the car isn't washed
> the bills aren't paid
> there is a warm can of Pepsi sitting on the counter the flowers don't
> have enough water, there is still only 1 check in my check book, I
> can't find the remote, I can't find my glasses, and I don't remember
> what I did with the car keys.
> Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really
> baffled because I know I was busy all day and I'm really
tired.
>
> I realize this is a serious problem,
> and I'll try to get some help for it but first I'll check my
e-mail....
>
> Do me a favor.
> Forward this message to everyone you know because I don't remember who
I've sent it to.
>
Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, your day is
>
> COMING

Tough times for Ottawa's homeless 'Blues Lady'

Click the title link for the story. I know you are wondering why I put the story on this page and not on the blues page? I probably will put it on there later, but go read the story and you will understand. There are two words in the story that sum it all up... then come back over here and donate if you can and I will make sure this great lady gets whatever we can scrape up for her.

Isn't this an absolutely awesome face!?!?!

With an awesome story to go along with it :) She kind of reminds me of Amerah, maybe when her hair turns totally white :) Click the title link to read the story.

Guess Where I Live???

Got this in my feed. Click the title link for the full article including pretty charts...

Red State Reality: Unhealthiest Residents, Worst Health Care


Throughout their all-out campaign to stop health care reform, Republican leaders have relied on questionable forecasts from the Lewin Group, a subsidiary of insurer UnitedHealth Group. Now, another study funded by UnitedHealth has some unwelcome news for the GOP braintrust: the red states they represent are the unhealthiest in the nation. Following on the heels of the Commonwealth Fund's 2009 Scorecard of state health care system performance, the United Health Foundation's report is just the latest confirmation that health care is worst where Republicans poll best.

As Forbes noted:

The annual ranking looks at 22 indicators of health, including everything from how many children receive recommended vaccinations, to obesity and smoking rates, to cancer deaths.

The diagnosis isn't pretty for Republicans committed to denying the health care their constituents need most of all. The 2009 rankings (above) reveal that nine of the top 10 healthiest states voted for Barack Obama in 2008. Conversely, 9 of the 10 cellar dwellers backed John McCain in 2008; four years earlier, the 15 unhealthiest states voted for George W. Bush for President.

With Vermont topping the list and Mississippi bringing up the rear, Americans would do to listen to Dr. Howard Dean and not Governor Haley Barbour when it comes to the health care debate.

Vermont ranked first this year thanks in part to its low rate of obesity, high number of doctors and a low rate of child poverty. New England in general sets a benchmark for the country, the report found. All six New England states are in the top 10. These states have favorable demographics and an excellent public health infrastructure, including a large number of doctors per capita.

Eight of the 10 bottom-ranked states are from the south, with Mississippi coming in dead last for the ninth consecutive year. Mississippi has a sky-high death rate from heart disease and high infant mortality. In general, residents of these states are more likely to be smokers or to be obese, the report found. They also have worse health insurance coverage, fewer physicians per capita and live in areas with high violent crime and more child poverty.

As it turns out, Mississippi residents aren't merely the sickest in the United States. They are also plagued by the worst state health care system in America.

In October, the Commonwealth Fund released its 2009 state health care scorecard. There, too, Mississippi led the Republican south in providing dismal health care. Again, while nine of the top 10 performing states voted for Barack Obama in 2008, four of the bottom five (including Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Louisiana) and 14 of the last 20 backed John McCain. (That at least is an improvement from the 2007 data, in which all 10 cellar dwellers had voted for George W. Bush three years earlier.)

In theory, their steadfast opposition to the health care legislation before the Senate should present a double quandary for the Republican leadership in Congress and in the states. After all, their residents not only need health care reform desperately. As it turns out, the funding for it would come in part from blue state taxpayers.

As the Washington Post noted in May ("A Red State Booster Shot"):

Health-care reform may be overdue in a country with 45 million uninsured and soaring medical costs, but it will also represent a substantial wealth transfer from the North and the East to the South and the West. The Northeast and the Midwest have much higher rates of coverage than the rest of the country, led by Massachusetts, where all but 3 percent of residents are insured. The disproportionate share of uninsured is in the South and the West, the result of employment patterns, weak unions and stingy state governments. Texas leads the way, with a quarter of its population uninsured; it would be at the top even without its many illegal immigrants.

As it turns out, health care reform spending would be little different from the overall pattern of red state socialism. That is, red state residents disproportionately benefit from the steady one-way flow of tax dollars and earmarks spreading the wealth from Washington to their states.

Of course, no amount of data will stop Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warning of a "government-run" plan that "that denies, delays, or rations health care." After all, with his home state's 41st and 45th place rankings in resident health and health care performance, McConnell's nightmare future is Kentucky's horror story present."

Slacking...

Ok, I know I've been slacking. I own that, but it seems that most of you have been slacking too. Why else would congress be allowed to get away with the crap they are pulling lately? Because we all are slacking. We have forgotten our voice of just a scant year ago. We are not writing, calling, yelling our opposition to their tricks of late. Here's some nice (sic) reading for you this morning...

Right-wing protesters at GOP rally display prominent sign tying health care to the Holocaust.

The big banks are still up to their old tricks

Goodbye to Reforms of 2002

This is the one that pissed me off the most...

New York Businesses Get H1N1 Vaccine

Ok, that's my rant for the day...make a call, write a letter...let them know we are still out here and we are still watching and waiting...oh and yeah, still without a job, still starving and our babies are still going without...but hell yeah, you go on and get your H1N1 vaccine, the country would be devastated if you got sick and died...

It's to little to late for us, but finally they did something for the rest of you...

House Votes to Speed Up Credit Card Reforms

Maloney-Frank bill will implement credit card reforms immediately upon enactment

Washington, DC – The House of Representatives today overwhelmingly approved legislation sponsored by Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Barney Frank (D-MA) that would push up the effective date of credit card reforms scheduled for next year to immediately upon the signing of the bill. Originally passed by Congress and signed into law by the President last spring, the Credit CARD Act had three staged implementation dates: August 2009, February, 2010, and August, 2010. H.R. 3639 moves up the remaining dates by which banks and credit card issuers would have to comply and applies to the largest card issuers that control over 80% of the credit card market. The bill passed by a vote of 331-92.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney said, “Card companies have redoubled many of the abusive practices that brought Congress to pass my original reforms last Spring. Rather than use the time-- time they asked for-- since the bill’s signing in May to prepare for the changes, they’ve raised rates and fees with absolutely no regard for the dire position of millions of their customers.

“I believe the card issuers have heard the message loud and clear today: their practices can no longer be tolerated. These reforms are crucial changes which level the playing field between card issuers and card holders. The reforms force the credit card market to actually function as markets should: by open competition among card offerings, with clear disclosure of interest rates, fees and other features. It bans rate hikes on existing balances, deceptive due-date gimmicks, and requires consumer opt-in to over-limit fees—and allows consumers enough time to switch cards if other terms and conditions change,” Maloney said.

“Consumers, especially in this economy, cannot wait any longer for these protections. I am extremely pleased that this legislation passed today,” said House Financial Services Committee member Rep. Dan Maffei (D-NY), who successfully offered an amendment today that will move the effective date of the bill to the date of enactment.

The House also approved an amendment, offered by Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Betsy Markey (D-CO), permitting card issuers that adopt a moratorium on interest rate increases on current balances and new balances incurred before Feb. 22 to be exempt from the earlier effective date for a provision that requires an issuer to apply customer payments to the highest rate balance. Today’s bill also would exempt small credit card issuers that frequently outsource computer programming functions, and gift card providers, due to the fact that gift cards have already been printed and shipped for the 2009 holiday season. Both would have to comply with the later deadlines previously laid out in the Credit CARD Act.

The bill now goes to the Senate, where Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) has introduced companion legislation (S. 1833) and Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Chair of the Senate Banking Committee, has introduced an immediate moratorium on retroactive rate increases (S. 1927).

The provisions which will take effect immediately upon enactment include:

·Prohibits arbitrary interest rate increases and universal default on existing balances;

·Prohibits issuers from charging over-limit fees unless the cardholder elects to allow the issuer to complete over-limit transactions, and also limits over-limit fees on electing cardholders;

·Requires payments in excess of the minimum to be applied first to the credit card balance with the highest rate of interest;

·Prohibits issuers from setting early morning deadlines for credit card payments;

·Prohibits interest charges on debt paid on time (double-cycle billing ban);

·Requires issuers extending credit to young consumers under the age of 21 to obtain an application that contains: the signature of a parent, guardian, or other individual 21 years or older who will take responsibility for the debt; or proof that the applicant has an independent means of repaying any credit extended;

·Requires penalty fees to be reasonable and proportional to the omission or violation.

·Requires that creditors periodically review all interest rate increases since January 2009 and reduce rates when a review indicates that a reduction is warranted.

These provisions already took effect last August 20th:

·Provide increased written notice to consumers of any increases in the interest rate or otherwise makes a significant change to the terms of a credit card account;

·Inform consumers of their right to cancel the card before the rate hike goes into effect;

·Send statements to consumers 21 days before the due date of any payments.

FSDWebUpdate

Sunday Morning Procrastination :)

Here I sit, coffee to my left, jar of peanut butter to the left of that, complete with spoon, Sheryl Crowe on the Finetune player singing "If it makes you happy" can't get much better than that.

The roast is in the oven and there is a load of clothes in the washer and one in the dryer.

Then there is this...the four to six page paper due at midnight tonight expecting me to relate Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory to my decision to enter a master's program looming all around me, books stacked in every available space on the desk. I say "available space" because there is a cat in the window, one on the printer and one on the cpu all staring at me wondering what I am going to do. I can not wrap my head around that subject, much less four to six pages, and I can't find any research to give me any ideas. I guess it's not a very important subject for research...why any middle aged woman in her right mind would decide she needed a masters in mental health counseling.

It seems as though every assignment so far has been designed to make you drag your laundry out for all the world to see and analyze it...crap, I need a therapy session or six :)

Did I ever tell you I'm one of those who can't do anything unless she's under the pressure of a deadline? Don't worry about me...I'll be cranking it out ninety to nothing probably right up until 11:59 :)

Postcards from Amerah

Please keep Amerah and her sister in your prayers. These are trying times for the both of them.

She sent this to me today and as always managed to give me a smile and a laugh despite it all...

"Joe gets up at 6 a.m. and fills his cof­feepot with water to pre­pare his morn­ing cof­fee. The water is clean and good because some tree-hugging lib­eral fought for min­i­mum water-quality stan­dards. With his first swal­low of water, he takes his daily med­ica­tion. His med­ica­tions are safe to take because some stu­pid com­mie lib­eral fought to ensure their safety and that they work as advertised.

All but $10 of his med­ica­tions are paid for by his employer’s med­ical plan because some lib­eral union work­ers fought their employ­ers for paid med­ical insur­ance — now Joe gets it too.

He pre­pares his morn­ing break­fast, bacon and eggs. Joe’s bacon is safe to eat because some girly-man lib­eral fought for laws to reg­u­late the meat pack­ing industry.

In the morn­ing shower, Joe reaches for his sham­poo. His bot­tle is prop­erly labeled with each ingre­di­ent and its amount in the total con­tents because some cry­baby lib­eral fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained.

Joe dresses, walks out­side and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some envi­ron­men­tal­ist wacko lib­eral fought for the laws to stop indus­tries from pol­lut­ing our air.

He walks on the government-provided side­walk to sub­way sta­tion for his government-subsidized ride to work. It saves him con­sid­er­able money in park­ing and trans­porta­tion fees because some fancy-pants lib­eral fought for afford­able pub­lic trans­porta­tion, which gives every­one the oppor­tu­nity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day. He has a good job with excel­lent pay, med­ical ben­e­fits, retire­ment, paid hol­i­days and vaca­tion because some lazy lib­eral union mem­bers fought and died for these work­ing stan­dards. Joe’s employer pays these stan­dards because Joe’s employer doesn’t want his employ­ees to call the union.

If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unem­ployed, he’ll get a worker com­pen­sa­tion or unem­ploy­ment check because some stu­pid lib­eral didn’t think he should lose his home because of his tem­po­rary misfortune.

It is noon­time and Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe’s deposit is fed­er­ally insured by the FSLIC because some god­less lib­eral wanted to pro­tect Joe’s money from unscrupu­lous bankers who ruined the bank­ing sys­tem before the Great Depression.

Joe has to pay his Fan­nie Mae-underwritten mort­gage and his below-market fed­eral stu­dent loan because some elit­ist lib­eral decided that Joe and the gov­ern­ment would be bet­ter off if he was edu­cated and earned more money over his life­time. Joe also for­gets that his in addi­tion to his fed­er­ally sub­si­dized stu­dent loans, he attended a state funded university.

Joe is home from work. He plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the coun­try. He gets in his car for the drive. His car is among the safest in the world because some America-hating lib­eral fought for car safety stan­dards to go along with the tax-payer funded roads.

He arrives at his boy­hood home. His was the third gen­er­a­tion to live in the house financed by Farm­ers’ Home Admin­is­tra­tion because bankers didn’t want to make rural loans.

The house didn’t have elec­tric­ity until some big-government lib­eral stuck his nose where it didn’t belong and demanded rural electrification.

He is happy to see his father, who is now retired. His father lives on Social Secu­rity and a union pen­sion because some wine-drinking, cheese-eating lib­eral made sure he could take care of him­self so Joe wouldn’t have to.

Joe gets back in his car for the ride home, and turns on a radio talk show. The radio host keeps say­ing that lib­er­als are bad and con­ser­v­a­tives are good. He doesn’t men­tion that the beloved Repub­li­cans have fought against every pro­tec­tion and ben­e­fit Joe enjoys through­out his day.

Joe agrees: “We don’t need those big-government lib­er­als ruin­ing our lives! After all, I’m a self-made man who believes every­one should take care of them­selves, just like I have.”

Janann W. Ransom"


Take care of yourself woman, you know I'm prayin' for you and sister too.

Guest Post

It seems as though I'm not going to post anything. Adrienne contacted me asking if she could write up a post for me to post on here. I wrote her back saying "as long as it pertains to social work' and this is what she wrote. I have to admit I wasn't sure if I would post it and even after reading it I still wasn't sure. Then I read it again. I think I will leave it up for awhile to come back to when I need to be reminded or when I'm having a bad day or I'm feeling particularly cynical. Thanks Adrienne, it's great to see social work from someone else's eyes every now and then.

What Social Work Involves

When you earn a degree in social work, you plan to help those who are less fortunate than you. You have visions about making a huge difference in people’s lives and of them being eternally grateful to you. But, a social worker’s life is nothing spectacular like the movies – you are not a hero or heroine who steals the show. Instead, you are the constant but steady presence in the lives of people who need help and are desperate for it. You may not make their life out of the ordinary, but you sure do much to make it bearable. So if you’re thinking of going in for social work, here’s what the career involves:

* Long hours, long lasting memories: Yes, you may have to work long hours, but the memories you form stay with you for life. Some may not be all that pleasant, but the success stories of people you have helped linger and come back to soothe you when things don’t seem to be going too well. The good times make you stick through the bad ones, no matter how tough things are.
* Grateful people, angry people: You’d be surprised at how grateful people are when you make a positive difference in their lives with your help and encouragement. But that’s only one end of the spectrum. On the other, you have those who take out their anger against the system on you – as far as they’re concerned, you’re the scapegoat who is to blame for all their troubles. So you must be prepared to deal with all kinds of people in the same frame of mind.
* Average salary, above average relationships: The pay’s not much, but the relationships you form with people are truly rich and rewarding. When you bond with your clients, especially when there are children involved, and help them get back on their feet and past their struggling days, you cement a lasting friendship that stands even though you are no longer a regular presence in their lives.
* A sense of satisfaction: And last and most important of all, when you help other people and feel that you are making a difference in their lives, you feel a sense of satisfaction, one that makes you feel good about yourself and what you are doing with your life. It is true that there is more joy in giving than in receiving, because when you give your time and effort to help people as a social worker, you feel yourself being filled with an inner peace and contentment that cannot be bought at any price.

By-line:

This guest article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of accelerated online degree . Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: adrienne.carlson83@yahoo.com

Postcards from Amerah

Being southern women and totally dumbfounded by the entire incident Amerah and I present to you another southern woman's letter to Joe Wilson...



"Joe Wilson, Member
United States Congress
212 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D. C 20515-4002



903 Port Republic Street
Beaufort, South Carolina 29902



Mr. Wilson:

I am an 80 year old mother and my older child is 51 years old; but, if ever I were to hear him call anyone a liar or rudely and obstreperously tell someone they were telling a lie, I would slap his face.. My two children, 41 and 51 respectively, are very well reared as was I. I can remember as a little innocent child calling someone a liar.. I only did it one time because the lecture in the form of a lesson in proper decorum sank in, and to this day, I have never called anyone a liar. My mother considered this the ultimate in rudeness and disrespect, not only for the person I called a liar, but for me, myself.

Having learned that lesson at such an early age, it made me cringe when you, at age 62, and a former military man, yelled to the President of the United States of America, “You lie.” As a military man, you know the chain of command; and, you were addressing the Commander in Chief of the United States of America. Of course, President Obama who is a very refined gentleman did not respond and he kept right on target delivering the most brilliant speech I have ever heard. I can say this with a degree of authority because I have been witness to every presidency since Herbert Hoover. Never in the hallowed halls of Congress have I witnessed such coarse, gross, despicable behavior.

I don't know if your mother is alive or not, but if she is, I'm certain that she hung her head in shame knowing that all over the world you have disgraced her, yourself, your wife, your four sons, your office, your constituency and your country. Children of good breeding, who are properly reared carry the teachings of their parents throughout their lives. At 80 everything I do is tested against, “what would my mother think of that?” I would never defame her precious memory by demonstrating lack of self control and a knowledge of the social graces that separate women from ladies and men from gentlemen.

My mother was a proper Southern genteel lady who commanded respect because of the way she carried herself. I would think that your being from the South, you would have gotten some of that good ole Southern hospitality and gentility that seems to be characteristic of intelligent people of the South.

I do so hope you will listen to the foreign media as I did late last night. You are an international disgrace because from Ireland to China and England, your crudity was the main topic of conversation.

I note that you have a law degree. I wonder how proud your alma mater, University of South Carolina Law School, was of you tonight as you showed to the world that education without character is vacuous and meaningless. There is a popular expression of people with degrees who lack common sense, they are referred to as “educated fools.”

If you were playing to the media and to the camera for attention, you succeeded because your worldwide legacy will be that you were the ill-suited and ill-placed person who demeaned himself in the halls of Congress for the first time in U S history.

Written with embarrassment for my country,
Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration


****Editor's Note:

Tell Congressman Joe Wilson what you think of his comments:

DC Address:


The Honorable Joe Wilson
United States House of Representatives
212 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4002

DC Phone:

202-225-2452

DC Fax:

202-225-2455

Email Address:

http://www.house.gov/formwilson/IMA/issue.htm

WWW Homepage:

http://www.joewilson.house.gov/


District Offices:

903 Port Republic Street
Beaufort, SC 29902

Voice: 843-521-2530
FAX: 843-521-2535"

New? Blogs for You this Morning

I'm pretty sure I've told you of Ornery Bastard before. Prepare yourself for profanities before going over there, but not only is he worth the read, the people leaving comments to his ravings are too. One of the worthiest is Elizabeth whose blog is The Middle of Nowhere. I particularly enjoyed her comments over at Ornery Bastard(kept me from having to comment). Her post titles alone make me want to go back over and over :) Have fun!

Rest in Peace Senator Kennedy

Today, for those of us who are totally on the left side of the fence, is an almost crippling day, because last night we lost our greatest political power. I know brain tumors are more often than not, a lost cause, but somehow I believed he would come through it and not leave us. Here's the statement from his family:

"Edward M. Kennedy – the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply – died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port. We’ve lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever. We thank everyone who gave him care and support over this last year, and everyone who stood with him for so many years in his tireless march for progress toward justice, fairness and opportunity for all. He loved this country and devoted his life to serving it. He always believed that our best days were still ahead, but it’s hard to imagine any of them without him."


His obituary from the New York Times and a video chronicling his life are here and more here

Senator Kennedy's Senate page

tedkennedy.com

A 54 page pdf document of Senator Kennedy's many accomplishments

Postcards from Amerah--A Seniors' version of "Jesus Loves Me"

"Senior version of Jesus Loves Me"

Here is a new version just for us who have white hair or no hair at all. For us over middle age (or even those almost there) and all you others, check out this newest version of Jesus Loves Me.


JESUS LOVES ME

Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.
(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME.. YES, JESUS LOVES ME..
YES, JESUS LOVES ME, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in His I'll go
On through life, let come what may,
He'll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME.. YES, JESUS LOVES ME..
YES, JESUS LOVES ME, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song..
Telling me in words so clear,
"Have no fear, for I am near."
(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME.. YES, JESUS LOVES ME..
YES, JESUS LOVES ME, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

When my work on earth is done,
And life's victories have been won.
He will take me home above,
Then I'll understand His love.
(CHORUS)

I love Jesus, does He know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say,
That I love Him every day.
(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME.. YES, JESUS LOVES ME..
YES, JESUS LOVES ME, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Thanks, girl...you always come through just when i need it :)

U.S. Uninsured Workers--New Report from Cover the Uninsured

Click the title link for everything you need to support your argument for the healthcare bill.

Postcard from Amerah--A Woman's Only Flaw :)

One Flaw In Women

They fight for what they believe in.

They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer

when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel

and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about

a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member,

yet they are strong when they

think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss

can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you

to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what

makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.

They have compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their

family and friends.

Women have vital things to say

and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

News from the Child Welfare League of America

Today's email from the Child Welfare League of America

"House Finishes FY 2010 Appropriations On Deadline

Before leaving for the August break, the House of Representatives completed action on the last of the 12 appropriations bills when they approved the Defense appropriations. The Senate has one more week before they break until Labor Day and they are likely to approve all twelve bills out of committee and approve at least four bills by the full Senate. So far, Congress appears to be on track to complete action on appropriations by the start of the federal fiscal year on October 1.

The House approved H.R. 3293, the appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor-HHS), on Friday, July 24 by a vote of 264 to 153. The spending totals in the bill are close to what the Administration had requested. Overall, the bill spends $160 billion in discretionary dollars, an increase of $5.6 billion from this year's funding level. The bill also provides $567 billion in mandatory funding, most of which applies to HHS and represents mandatory funding for Medicare and Medicaid. Part of the mandatory funding is for entitlements under Title IV-E foster care, adoptions assistance, and subsidized guardianships. Title IV-E is expected to total $7.2 billion, an increase of $146 million from 2009. According to budget projections, $4.6 billion will be spent on foster care including administrative costs, $2.4 billion will be spent on adoption assistance along with administration costs, and $49 million will be spent on the new subsidized guardianship program (kinship care). Adoption assistance is the fastest growing of the three, and the guardianship program is still in its start-up phase. All the cost projections for the Title IV-E programs are just projections since claims could increase or decrease according to need and the number of eligible children.

The House Labor-HHS bill also funds Head Start at $7.2 billion, an increase of $120 million, while child care remains at the 2009 level of $2.1 billion in discretionary funding. Child care receives an allocation of $2.9 billion in mandatory funds for a total of slightly more than $5 billion. Both Head Start and child care received $2 billion each as part of the stimulus package enacted earlier this year, and that is not included in these totals.

The Senate was also moving on the Labor-HHS bill with the full Appropriations Committee voting out its bill by the end of last week. There will be some differences in spending levels and priorities when the Senate completes action on their bill and writes the final committee report.

Health Reform to Wait Until After Recess

As Congress begins to leave for its month-long August recess, it became clear last week that neither the full Senate nor the full House will vote on comprehensive health reform legislation before returning in September. Lawmakers do not seem particularly rattled by the slipping timeline, and vow to continue significant work and movement on health reform in the fall.

The House bill that was produced by the three committees with jurisdiction over health reform, the America's Affordable Health Choices Act (H.R. 3200), was introduced on July 14 and has since been voted out by the Ways and Means Committee and the Education and Labor Committee. H.R. 3200 would place shared responsibility on individuals, employers, and the government to ensure that the vast majority of Americans have health coverage. Exceptions to the requirement would be available for individuals facing hardship and the smallest businesses, with other small businesses able to get a tax credit. Effective in 2013, Medicaid would be expanded by the House bill to cover all individuals falling below 133% of the federal poverty level ($14,400 for an individual). To cover more of the uninsured and provide choice, an insurance exchange would be created whereby individuals and small businesses could purchase coverage, with the option to buy a public plan. Certain benefits would be mandatory--including preventive services, rehabilitative and habilitative services, mental health and substance abuse services--and, for children, vision, hearing, and oral health services.

The third committee to approve the House bill, the Energy and Commerce Committee, postponed markup for the majority of last week to hold behind the scenes meetings between committee leadership and members of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition. A deal was reached Wednesday afternoon and the committee resumed consideration of H.R. 3200. The deal slashes the total price tag of the bill by decreasing subsidies to low-income families and exempting additional small businesses from the employer mandate to provide coverage, among other changes. During markup, Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) offered an amendment that was accepted on therapeutic foster care (see article below).

Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of six senators from the Finance Committee continued discussions to finalize the committee's health reform package. The committee was leaning towards not including a public option, as both the Senate HELP and House tri-committee reform bills have. Also different is that the Senate Finance reform plan will not include an employer mandate in the form of penalties, but rather will offer incentives for employers to provide coverage to their employees. The Finance Committee negotiators had not yet come to consensus on how to finance its package, but a possibility gaining traction is to tax high-end insurance policies totaling over $25,000. Late last week, the Finance Committee received a preliminary score from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) indicating that their plan would cover nearly 95% of Americans at a cost of less than $900 billion over 10 years, all of which is fully offset.

The Finance Committee reform package, once voted out of committee, will have to be merged with the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee bill, which the HELP Committee passed on July 15. Lawmakers are hoping that this reconciliation would be possible over the August recess.

Therapeutic Foster Care Amendment Added to House Health Reform Bill

On Thursday, July 30, when the House Energy and Commerce Committee resumed markup of its health reform legislation, H.R. 3200, Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) offered an amendment that was accepted by voice vote on therapeutic foster care. Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) provides intensive, individualized services in a community-based environment for children with severe mental and behavioral health needs. It is an evidence-informed placement that has produced positive outcomes including improved social skills and psychological adjustment, reduced behavioral problems, and placement stability. The U.S. Surgeon General's 1999 report on mental health recommended TFC as a promising, effective intervention for children with serious emotional disorders.

Baldwin's amendment provides a basic definition of TFC and protects reimbursement for TFC by stating that nothing in the Medicaid statute prohibits Medicaid for paying for the treatment contained in TFC. CWLA worked in strong partnership with organizations such as the Foster Family-based Treatment Association, the Alliance for Children & Families, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare and thanks Baldwin for her strong support of vulnerable children and youth and TFC programs.

Rhode Island Approved for Kinship-Guardianship Option, More Pending

The Children's Bureau has approved Rhode Island's amended state plan that will allow that state to utilize Title IV-E funds for the new kinship-guardianship option as provided for through last year's Fostering Connections Act (P.L. 110-351). Seven other plan amendments have been submitted. In addition to Rhode Island, the others that have submitted a plan amendment are the District of Columbia and the states of Connecticut, Maine, Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Connecticut is the most recent plan amendment submitted. More states are expected to take the option.

The kinship-guardianship option became effective shortly after Fostering Connections was signed last October, but there is no timeframe or deadline for states to take the option. While some were expecting states to act more quickly, it has been less than one year since enactment of Fostering Connections, and that enactment coincided with the recession. Factors that may inhibit states include some states requiring legislative changes, other states contemplating dramatic cuts in human service funding, and other states awaiting greater instruction and clarification from HHS on issues such as whether or not children already in kinship placements and otherwise eligible being covered once a state has taken the option or whether coverage extends only to new kinship arrangements established after a state plan has been amended.

A state has to first submit an amended plan and then it must be approved. There are a number of actions states must take to use Title IV-E funds for the kinship placements including: outlining how they will assure the child and the relative's eligibility, meeting new case plan requirements, and meeting background check requirements. There are also major budget considerations for states depending on how they currently fund kinship care or if they even have a kinship placement option in place.

The official calculation by the CBO anticipated savings from the kinship care option due to expected shifts in reduced administrative costs. Such results may vary by state circumstance. Some states have used all federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to pay for kinship placements. In those instances, since TANF is an entitlement of federal funds that a state receives annually at the same fixed level, a state may have to spend state general fund dollars to match the new kinship option. Kinship care is an important permanency option and the goal of advocacy groups including CWLA is that eventually all 50 states will take the Title IV-E kinship-guardianship option.

Webinar Explores Fostering Connections Act's Impact on Older Youth

The National Foster Care Coalition, in conjunction with the National Court-Appointed State Advocate Association, is hosting a webinar on the Fostering Connections Act provisions impacting older youth. This is a free, one-hour webinar review of the provisions for older youth, and an opportunity to discuss strategies to support and effectively advocate for older youth. Much of the discussion will be based on a new report on the frequently asked questions on these provisions, available through the link below.

The webinar will be held on August 5 at noon Eastern (11 am Central, 10 am Mountain, 9 am Pacific) and will be held again on August 19 at 4 pm Eastern (3 pm Central, 2 pm Mountain, 1 pm Pacific).

Register for the August 5 session.

Register for the August 19 session.

Download the FAQ Report.

Study Reaffirms Mental Health Needs for Transitioning Youth

A study funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that will be published in Children and Youth Services Review found that 45% of youth with prior involvement with the child welfare system had at least one mental health problem as they transitioned to adulthood. The study sampled over 5,000 children from 92 child welfare agencies across the country. More than a quarter of the youth were in the clinical range for depression.

The study also examined the youths' surrounding life circumstances, finding that at least 60% lived in households at or below the national poverty line and over a quarter were living with at least one child. The study's authors call for researchers, policymakers, clinicians, and service system administrators to acknowledge these extreme needs and work better with this vulnerable population.

One piece of legislation that Congress is working on to address this is the Healthy Transition Act, H.R. 2691. The bipartisan bill, reintroduced by Representatives Pete Stark (D-CA), Mary Bono Mack (R-CA), and Dave Camp (R-MI), was first introduced in the 110th Congress in conjunction with a Government Accountability Office report finding that in 2006, at least 2.4 million young adults aged 18 to 26 experienced a serious mental illness.

To help this population access needed services and make a successful transition to adulthood, the bill would provide planning and implementation grants to states to develop statewide coordination plans to help adolescents and young adults with serious mental illness. States would be urged to target specific populations, including but not limited to those involved with the child protection and juvenile justice systems. The legislation would establish a federal committee to coordinate service programs helping young adults with mental illness, and provide technical assistance to states. A Senate companion bill has not yet been reintroduced. CWLA strongly supports this legislation, along with our friends at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, the American Psychological Association, First Focus, and Mental Health America.

CWLA Continues Survey on Prevention

Last fall, CWLA posted a brief poll on our website asking what the White House Conference on Children and Youth should focus on. In the poll, individuals were asked to select three top issues. Prevention of child abuse and neglect was ranked by 16% of respondents as the number one priority--coming in ahead of other critical areas such as strengthening child protective services (14%) and youth transitioning out of foster care (11%). As a result and to continue the process, CWLA is going to use these survey findings to gather more information on each of the critical issues. We are asking you to take a new three-minute survey focused on prevention. Take the prevention survey and tell us what prevention services exist in your community. Are there waiting lists? How would you describe prevention?

Key Upcoming Dates for Congress

August 1-September 7: House summer break
August 8-September 7: Senate summer break
October 15: Deadline for budget reconciliation instruction"

Making the stimulus funds work...Go Tennessee!!!