Policy & Practice articles from June 2006

Policy & Practice archives from June 2006

A tale of two leaders.(John Stoffa, Eric M. Bost )
June 1, 2006... Once at a management meeting I heard an adage that "managers do things right while leaders do the right thing." I believe that in order to be truly successful in Public Human Services Administration, both principles are essential. Of the two,...

Inside story.
June 1, 2006... As we prepare for our 2006 summer conference, we at the American Public Human Services Association would like to inform you that Policy & Practice has reached a milestone. For the past 18 months, we have been revamping our publication from a...

Welfare intern program helps both sides.(Deficit Reduction Act of 2005)(Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program)
June 1, 2006... One of the challenges I face as an administrator is the need to come up with creative solutions while dealing with constantly shifting priorities. This is especially true with the passage of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA), which has me...

25 million depend on emergency food assistance.(first things first)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... More than 25 million people, or about 9 percent of all Americans, receive food assistance on an emergency basis, according to the February 23 report, "Hunger in America 2006," commissioned by America's Second Harvest Network, an organization...

More uninsured after welfare reform.(first things first)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A study finds that welfare reform in the United States has increased the likelihood that women and children will lack health insurance. Researchers at Cornell University analyzed data from 1992 to 1999. In 1996, states switched from Aid to...

Recovery coaches can help reunite families.(first things first)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A five-year study involving 1,300 parents of 1,900 children in foster care in Cook County, Ill., found that having a "recovery coach," whose job is to prod parents to get and complete treatment for substance abuse, makes a difference for a...

Meth epidemic doubles crime committed by addicts.(methamphetamine)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Crime committed by methamphetamine addicts doubled to 6 million violent and property crimes in 2004 from 3 million in 2002, according to a new report by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. The report, "Meth Crime Rises as Budget Axe Falls: Will...

Social workers make a difference in the lives of children in foster care.(first things first)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... More than 168,000 social workers strive each day to improve the lives of children and families, particularly the half-million children living in the foster care system, according to a study by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW)...

Staff spotlight.(American Public Human Services Association's Jo-Ann Marshall)(Brief article)(Biography)
June 1, 2006... Name... Jo-Ann Marshall Time at APHSA... Three years Title... Help Desk Technician Place of Birth... St. Catherine, Jamaica A Typical Day Starts With... Up at 5:30 a.m., exercise if I am not too...

It's all about relationship.(human services)
June 1, 2006... One of the best stories from the annals of American journalism delivers a lesson for anyone who administers human services programs. On Sept. 23, 1955, news that President Eisenhower had suffered a heart attack was withheld for almost 12 hours,...

Media strategies for CEOs.(chief executive officers)
June 1, 2006... A series of child deaths and injuries in Delaware's foster care system in the late 1990s set off a firestorm of public outcry for change. Fueled by relentless media coverage, the pressure on the Delaware Department of Services for Children,...

Tell your truth slowly.(Cover story)
June 1, 2006... There isn't a human service communications professional who has not described his or her job as more firefighting than anything else. Sometimes the fires are big--a child welfare program with missing children, Food Stamp error rates going...

Maryland woman leads adoption effort by example.(focus: adoption)
June 1, 2006... Many childless couples and adults spend tens of thousands of dollars and travel across oceans to try to adopt a child when they could find happiness much closer to home and without the huge expense, travel and waiting time. Jannie Hayes of...

Suicidal clients: law, ethics, and documentation.(legal notes)
June 1, 2006... The "National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2003 Emergency Department Summary" reports that in the United States there were 31,655 suicides in 2002; suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States; every 18 minutes a...

Calif. County gets high marks in care of abused children.(state and local news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... NEVADA CITY, Calif. -- A national legal youth advocate group gave Nevada County the state's third-highest ranking in a report on the performance of child protective services throughout California. The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL)...

Michigan disburses Child Support payments electronically.(state and local news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... LANCING, Mich. -- The Department of Human Services' Office of Child Support, in coordination with Genesee County, began disbursing some child support payments through a debit card beginning April 26, in accordance with state law. This new...

Meth sending more children to foster care in Idaho.(methamphetamine)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... BOISE, Idaho -- The number of children in foster care is up by 40 percent over the last four years because of the growing use of methamphetamine, according to state officials. Department of Health and Welfare officials say about 70 percent...

Child support collection continues to increase in states.(state and local news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Department of Child Services, which oversees the child support bureau, reported in February that it collected more than $460 million in child support payments in 2004, the latest year for which statistics were...

Iowa and Mexico sign child welfare accord.(state and local news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa and the Mexican government have signed an agreement that will ensure the rights of Mexican citizens in the custody of Iowa's child welfare system. The agreement will also help Iowa officials work with the child's...

New Hampshire leads in Medicaid services.(state and local news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- New Hampshire is the top-performing state in offering Medicaid services to people with disabilities, according to a survey done by United Cerebral Palsy. United Cerebral Palsy, based in Washington, D.C., said New Hampshire...

Child care is big business in N.J., study finds.(state and local news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... TRENTON, N.J. -- Child-care operations have a bigger impact on New Jersey's economy than do many higher-profile industries, a study on the issue shows. That effect ranges from economic and societal effects to workforce development and...

Iowa hails drop in repeat child abuse cases.(state and local news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... DES MOINES, Iowa -- The number of Iowa children who were victims of abuse hit an all-time high in 2005, but fewer suffered repeat abuse in the state child welfare system, according to new statistics released in March. The numbers made...

Say what?(euphemisms)
June 1, 2006... Reapply If You Resurrect While recently browsing human service materials, I've come across a variety of quotable foolishness. The first is a particularly ridiculous euphemism for poor people: monetary underachievers. It reminds us that...

Richard Anderson, director of child and family services at Utah's Department of Social Services, is the new president of the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators, an affiliate of the American Public Human Services Association.(newsmakers)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Richard Anderson, director of child and family services at Utah's Department of Social Services, is the new president of the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators, an affiliate of the American Public Human Services...

Mary Dale-Bolson, secretary of the New Mexico Department of Children, Youth and Families, has resigned.(newsmakers)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Mary Dale-Bolson, secretary of the New Mexico Department of Children, Youth and Families, has resigned. Her replacement is Tommy Jewell, a former chief judge of the Children's Court.

In Oregon, Allen Douma has been named director of the Office of Medical Assistance Programs, the unit within the Department of Human Services the operates the Medicaid portion of the Oregon Health Plan.(newsmakers)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In Oregon, Allen Douma has been named director of the Office of Medical Assistance Programs, the unit within the Department of Human Services that operates the Medicaid portion of the Oregon Health Plan. Douma replaces Acting Director Lynn...

Mary Lou Hanley.(newsmakers)
June 1, 2006... Mary Lou Hanley, deputy director for children, youth and families at the Arizona Department of Economic Security, plans to retire in June 2006.

Cynthia Holland.(joins Florida Department of Children and Families)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Cynthia Holland has been named deputy chief of staff for mental health transformation at the Florida Department of Children and Families. She was chief of adult community mental health.

In Georgia, Kenneth Joe has been named director of the Fulton County office of the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS).(newsmakers)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In Georgia, Kenneth Joe has been named director of the Fulton County office of the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS). Fulton Director Debra Keys will become the DFCS field operations director for 137 of the state's 159 counties.

Cynthia LaWare, deputy secretary of the Vermont Agency of Human Services.(newsmakers)
June 1, 2006... Cynthia LaWare, deputy secretary of the Vermont Agency of Human Services, is now the secretary of the agency. She replaced Michael Smith.

In Rhode Island, Ronald Lebel has been named director of the Department of Human Services.(newsmakers)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In Rhode Island, Ronald Lebel has been named director of the Department of Human Services. Lebel has been serving as acting director of the department since August 2003, succeeding Jane Hayward, who is now secretary of the Executive Office of...

In Nevada, Thomas Morton, founder of the Atlanta-based Child Welfare Institute.(newsmakers)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In Nevada, Thomas Morton, founder of the Atlanta-based Child Welfare Institute, has replaced Susan Klein-Rothschild as the head of Clark County Child and Family Services Department.

In Ohio, Deborah Ortiz, assistant director of Lucas County Job and Family Services since 2002, was named the agency's executive director.(newsmakers)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In Ohio, Deborah Ortiz, assistant director of Lucas County Job and Family Services since 2002, was named the agency's executive director. She had served as the agency's acting executive director since the retirement of Isaac Palmer earlier this...

Mary Sheehan.(human services director )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In Minnesota, Mary Sheehan has been named health and human services director for Chisago County. She was director of the Community and Family Health Division with the Minnesota Department of Health. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Welcome, new and returning local agency members in 2006.
June 1, 2006... Terry Barley Director Cumberland County Office of Aging and Community Services Carlisle, Pa. Carlisle was settled in 1751 and incorporated in 1782. The city's Dickinson College was chartered in 1783, just a few days after the...

Document/content management in Minnesota: a tale of two approaches.(technology speaks)
June 1, 2006... Electronic document management started out as the little engine for the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and Hennepin County. It continues to gain momentum as it adds new efficiencies. Both agencies needed an electronic document...

ISM prepares for 39th annual conference.(affiliates' corner)
June 1, 2006... ISM board and conference committee members, as well as members of The Human Services Information Technology Advisory Group, are busily preparing for their 39th annual conference to be held September 10-13 in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Hilton,...

Food Stamp Directors prepare Phoenix conference.(affiliates' corner)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... This year's American Association of Food Stamp Director's annual education conference will be held in Phoenix, October 22-25. The theme of the conference is "Blazing New Trails." The conference will showcase exciting speakers and informative...

Protecting vulnerable adults financially.(the field works)
June 1, 2006... Financial exploitation of the elderly and vulnerable adults is a growing phenomenon. It is a multibillion-dollar business for those who exploit or scam our most vulnerable citizens. The human cost is immeasurable. What better way to combat the...

Welfare Reform in Motion.(Book review)
June 1, 2006... Welfare Reform in Motion... NYC Human Resources Administration/Department of Social Services City of New York, Department of Social Services. Softcover/123 pages. First edition. 2006. Price Not Listed "It's self-evident that the best...

Technology in Social Work Education and Curriculum.(Technology in Social Work Education and Curriculum: The High Tech, High Touch Social Work Educator)(Brief article)(Book review)
June 1, 2006... Technology in Social Work Education and Curriculum The High Tech, High Touch Social Work Educator By Richard Beaulaurier and Martha Haffey. 341 pages/The Haworth Social Work Practice Press. First edition. 200/ISBN-13:...

How to write a good lead.(words on words)
June 1, 2006... There is no doubt that a reader decides whether he or she wants to go on reading based on your first paragraph, and nothing in professional writing is as difficult as writing that lead paragraph. Most people preparing an article, a report...

Noted studies.(medically uninsured people, community colleges, food stamps)
June 1, 2006... Why Do People Lack Health Insurance? Currently, 46 million people in the United States do not have health insurance, an increase of 6 million since 2000. The rise in this lack of insurance has been attributed to a number of factors,...

Low-income.(numbers in the news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... About six in 10 low-income families (those with incomes below twice the federal poverty level) contain at least one adult who works year round and full time. Yet, more than 25 percent of these families experience food and housing insecurities,...

Children lived with relatives.(numbers in the news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In 2002, 2.3 million children lived with relatives without a parent in the household. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most children in kinship care (1.8 million) were privately placed with relatives without the involvement of a child welfare...

Victims of abuse or neglect in California.(numbers in the news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... More than 100,000 children were victims of abuse or neglect in California in 2004. During the same period, nearly 39,000 children in California were removed from their homes and placed in foster care--an average of more than 100 children every...

Safe child safety seat.(numbers in the news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Parents of nearly 283,000 children aged 1 to 6 would have difficulty finding a safe child safety seat because of children's combined age and weight. Every year more than 1.5 million American children get into motor vehicle crashes that are...

American babies.(infant mortality)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... American babies are three times more likely to die in their first month as children born in Japan, and newborn mortality is 2.5 times higher in the United States than in Finland, Iceland or Norway. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Only Latvia,...

Seniors.(senior americans)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... With more than 34 million Americans aged 65 and older living today, seniors make up about 12 percent of the population, including more than 4 million who are 85 and older and 50,000 centenarians. In 1960, just 1.6 percent of older men and...

Adult abuse.(adult protective services )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In 2003, the year the latest figures are available, state adult protective services received 565,747 reports of suspected elder and vulnerable adult abuse, compared with 482,913 reports four years before. Among the 50 states, Guam and the...

Safety net.(senior Americans )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Although Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other assistance programs have helped reduce poverty among the elderly from one-third of all senior Americans 40 years ago to just one in 10 seniors today, the safety net they offer is fragile....

Medicaid outpatient drug spending.(numbers in the news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Medicaid outpatient drug spending more than doubled to $23.7 billion between 1997 and 2002. The increase reflects a rise in the number of prescriptions written for Medicaid enrollees--from 301 million in 1997 to 429 million in 2002--and the...

Medicaid spending on drugs for disabled.(numbers in the news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Annual Medicaid spending on drugs for disabled adults aged 19 to 64 grew 97 percent during the period of the study, jumping from $5.3 billion to $10.3 billion, while drug spending for all Medicaid enrollees 65 and older rose 81 percent, from...

Average family income.(numbers in the news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The Federal Reserve Board found that average family income fell by 2 percent between 2001 and 2004 after adjusting for inflation, while in the previous three-year period, average family income grew by 17 percent. A quarter of Americans at the...

Chief executive made 279 times.(numbers in the news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... An average chief executive made 279 times the average pay of a non-supervisory production worker in 2005 in the private sector, up from 229 times in 2004 and 185 in 2003--Center for American Progress.

Ventura County combines automation and collaboration.(making things happen)
June 1, 2006... On April 3, the Ventura County Human Services Agency (HSA) launched the CalWORKs Welfare Information Network, or CalWIN, a computer system that automates welfare eligibility determination, budgeting, benefits calculation, and case management....

Our do'ers profile: in our do'ers profile, we highlight some of the hardworking and talented individuals in public human services. This issue features Ana Pagan of the Merced County Human Services Agency in California.(Biography)
June 1, 2006... Name: Ana Pagan Title: Director, Merced County Human Services Agency Years of service: I have worked for 14 years for public human service agencies. Before that, I worked for 12 years in agricultural human resources. Meeting the needs...