Policy & Practice articles from September 2005

Policy & Practice archives from September 2005

Conferences and major meetings in 2005.
September 1, 2005... Where You Can Find APHSA During Our 75th Anniversary Year Information about upcoming 2005 conferences and meetings is posted, once available, on the APHSA web site at http://www.aphsa.org. Click on "Conferences and Events." Please join us....

Homage to Don Jose: 'It's a Wonderful Life'.(Don Jose Stovall)
September 1, 2005... I have a confession to make. In my spare time, I love to watch old movies, especially those from the 1930s and 1940s. My preference is for the really nostalgic and sentimental flicks in which the good folks always win out and the endings are...

Inside story.
September 1, 2005... Management is one of those areas where academic theory and best practices on site often clash. The problem is that there are usually 99 theories (often provided by professors with limited experience) for every good study of outstanding...

Medicaid reform begins and ends with states.(my turn)
September 1, 2005... We've seen the headlines; heard the television reports; listened to the talk around the water cooler. It's the topic of every Medicaid office in the country. Reform. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most people agree it's needed, but not...

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, wins 'Oscar' in government.(Allegheny County Human Services Department )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... On Wednesday, July 27, the Allegheny County Human Services Department was awarded the Innovations in American Government Award from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government for its unique approach to working with people who have...

Casey Foundation report shows increase in child poverty.(Annie E. Casey Foundation)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... National trends in child well-being are no longer improving in the rapid and sustained way they did in the late 1990s, according to a recent report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Among the negative trends: the number of children who live...

Americans view Medicaid positively, reluctant to see state and federal cuts.(first things first)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Public attitudes toward Medicaid are remarkably positive, and with strong opposition to proposed cuts, according to a recent public opinion survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation. While two-thirds of those polled think their state has major...

Social Enterprise Management: transforming government service delivery.(Advertisement)
September 1, 2005... Citizen Service, long an oxymoron, is becoming an attainable goal. From New York to Utah and from Louisiana to British Columbia, forward-looking state and provincial governments are embracing a new Social Enterprise Management (SEM) business...

A drug prevention program you'll never forget.(Community Action Network for Drug-free Lifestyle Empowerment Inc.)
September 1, 2005... A nonprofit organization is using some creative drug prevention and awareness techniques they call The Reality Tour to present the life of a teen on heroin. The Community Action Network for Drug-free Lifestyle Empowerment (CANDLE) Inc.,...

Leavitt names members to Medicaid advisory panel.(Mike Leavitt, Department of Health and Human Services )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... On July 8, Mike Leavitt, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced 13 voting members and 15 nonvoting members of an advisory commission charged with identifying reforms necessary to stabilize and strengthen...

CMS wants more states to join demonstration project that began in January.(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... CMS is seeking five to 10 states to help expand its demonstration project aimed at helping inform citizens about how to plan for long-term care. The goal is to help controlling costs in the Medicaid program. Administrator Mark McClellan...

CMS announces new web site for low-income subsidy.(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... On July 11, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and two groups on aging launched a web-based service to help low-income Medicare beneficiaries determine their eligibility for the financial subsidies that begin January 1, 2006,...

Celebrate National Family Week.(first things first)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Join other public human service agencies in celebrating National Family Week 2005 this November. To help identify other community-based organizations with which you can collaborate, plan or host an event, the Milwaukee-based Alliance for...

New child welfare training center opens in Pittsburgh.(Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program by University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... PITTSBURGH -- Child welfare professionals and foster parents from across Pennsylvania now have the opportunity to receive training at a new state-of-the-art facility, which opened June 22 in Mechanicsburg. The University of Pittsburgh...

Report: many uninsured kids get no medical care.(first things first)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Federal data show one-third of the roughly 8.4 million U.S. children without insurance go without medical care for an entire year, even though many are eligible for government health programs. Uninsured children in Southwestern states and...

Amy Plotnick.(Staff spotlight)(Brief Article)(Biography)
September 1, 2005... Name... Amy Plotnick Time at APHSA... 24 years and 6 months [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Title... Publications Manager, Communications and Member Services Place of Birth... George Washington University...

Michigan builds leadership inside the organization.(Michigan Department of Human Services, Development Dimensions International, Leadership Academy )
September 1, 2005... Imagine the looming threat of 75 percent of your top leaders retiring in the next few years. That is the challenge the Leadership Academy was created to meet. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In 2001, the Michigan Department of Human Services...

Succession planning: attitude, action, and a nurturing environment.
September 1, 2005... From the day Karl Kurtz, director of Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare, took the reigns of the agency, he has been attentive to succession management, working with department leadership to raise their consciousness about the issue. ...

Knowledge management: key to Georgia's succession planning efforts.
September 1, 2005... Baby boomers play a significant role in America today. Their impact is notably demonstrated by the vast media campaigns vying for their economic power. A second contributing factor to consider is that baby boomers are also nearing and entering...

Food stamp nutrition education: promoting healthy eating.(Durham's Innovative Nutrition Education for Lasting Improvements in Fitness and Eating)
September 1, 2005... Making healthy food choices is a challenge for everyone, and especially for children, who are subject to innumerable influences in their environment as they develop preferences and practices that will last a lifetime. [ILLUSTRATION...

National Summer Conference: July 17-19, 2005.
September 1, 2005... 1. APHSA Board members Gary Stangler, executive director of the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative; Jim Hine, commissioner of the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services; Deborah Marley, assistant secretary of Washington's...

Individual liability of supervisors.(legal notes)
September 1, 2005... Supervisors are often named as defendants in lawsuits even though they have no direct involvement in the event itself. Individuals alleging discrimination or other wrongful behavior in the workplace frequently sue both the agency and their...

Federal systems development and MITA.(Medicaid Information Technology Architecture)
September 1, 2005... Healthcare services are a complex process with long episodes of care that have multiple services provided by multiple providers guided by significant legal requirements. Historically, they are expensive because of the many lines of code...

Iowa Child Support Unit launches employer web site.
September 1, 2005... DES MOINES, Iowa -- Employers who make Iowa child support payments on behalf of their employees may now make those transfers online. The Iowa Child Support Recovery Unit (CSRU) has launched a business-focused Internet site that will allow...

Florida unveils web-based report card for DCF.(Florida Department of Children and Families)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) recently unveiled a new way for Floridians to see a DCF "report card" that can be accessed through a web-based performance Dashboard at:...

Indiana sets methamphetamine standards.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana child welfare officials have joined law-enforcement officials, health professionals, and others to develop statewide rules to protect and remove children found in homes or other places where methamphetamine is produced....

Ohio Department saves money by putting files on disks.(Clark County Department of Job and Family Services)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Millions of documents used to flood the Clark County Department of Job and Family Services, crowding precious space and making it difficult for caseworkers to find quickly the paperwork they needed. But now the tide has...

Louisiana DDS changes promote 'No Wrong Door' effort to help clients.(Department of Social Services)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... BATON ROUGE, La. -- In a move to implement the state Department of Social Services' (DSS) "No Wrong Door" initiative, Louisiana is making changes to allow citizens to apply for some services, including the Food Stamp program, at any of the...

N.J. disaster mental health response system improves crisis counseling.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... TRENTON, N.J. -- Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks brought nationwide attention to the importance of mental health disaster response planning, New Jersey has been providing crisis counseling services and specialized interventions. During...

Tennessee initiative to transform health care delivery system.(TennCare Bureau's Community Connection program)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- The state of Tennessee's TennCare Bureau has partnered up with BlueCross/BlueShield to revolutionize health care delivery by using technology to help reduce medical errors, avoid duplicate services, and detect fraud and...

16 states get $30 million for exemplary work on Food Stamp Program.(state and local news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the Food Stamp Program has achieved a historic 94.12 percent overall payment accuracy rate and that it has awarded $30 million to 16 states for their exemplary administration of the program in...

Succession planning: there are no magic bullets.(making things happen)
September 1, 2005... We find ourselves talking these days about succession planning with a tinge of panic in our voices. Baby boomer retirements, early-outs, and staff "who just aren't ready" are daily topics in human service agencies. Many states are doing an...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2005... Phil Basso is a program director of leadership and practice development at APHSA. The article in June 2005 Journal "Designed for Success: a Blueprint for Group Collaboration" was authored by Becky Cobb of Catholic Charities, Ill.; Todd Jackson...

Sidonie "Sydney" Squier in June became director of the Office of Family Assistance, Administration for children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.(newsmakers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Sidonie "Sydney" Squier in June became director of the Office of Family Assistance, Administration for children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she is responsible for administering the Temporary Assistance for...

Barry Maram and Antonia Novello were among this year's recipients of the National Governors Association's Distinguished Service Award to State Government.(newsmakers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Barry Maram, director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), and Antonia Novello, commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, were among this year's recipients of the National Governors Association's...

John Selig was named head of the Department of Human Services.(newsmakers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... In Arkansas, John Selig was named head of the Department of Human Services. He replaced Kurt Knickrehm, who left state government to join the private sector. Selig heads the newly combined DHS and the state Department of Health. He was the...

Michael Danjczek has announced that he will retire in the summer of 2006.(newsmakerss)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Michael Danjczek, president and executive director of the Children's Home of Easton Services Inc. and president of the Children's Home of Easton Inc., Pa., has announced that he will retire in the summer of 2006. The 56-year-old said that...

Department of Health and Social Services.(Karleen Jackson is new commissioner)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... In Alaska, Karleen Jackson has been named commissioner of the Department of Health and Social Services, effective Oct. 1. Jackson has been serving as the deputy commissioner since February of 2003. She replaces Joel Gilbertson, who resigned to...

Food and Nutrition Service.(Jody Cornwell to head agency)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Jody Cornwell, assistant deputy director with the Missouri Family Support Division in charge of the Food Stamp program, has been appointed food stamp director for the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Mountain Plains Region, headquartered in...

Department of Human Resources.(Elizabeth Seale leaves Maryland agency)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Elizabeth Seale, deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Human Resources (DHR), has resigned to become the chief operating officer for the Corporation for National and Community Service. She joined the administration in January 2003. ...

Division of Child Support Enforcement.(Margot Bean is new commissioner)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Margot Bean, director of the Division of Child Support Enforcement for the New York Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, was named the new commissioner of the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement. Bean is also the president of...

Department of Child Services.(James Payne is new head)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Judge James Payne was named director of the Indiana Department of Child Services, a new stand-alone department.

Department for Community-Based Services.(Mike Robinson to leave)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... In Kentucky, Mike Robinson, director of the Department for Community-Based Services, has announced his retirement.

Medicaid.(Warren Jones retires as director while Bobby Moody joins)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... In Mississippi, Warren Jones retired from the position of Medicaid director. Bobby Moody is acting as interim executive director.

David Zentner.(retires as Medicaid director)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... David Zentner is retiring as North Dakota's Medicaid director.

Department of Human Services.(Brian Johnston is new interim director)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... In Oregon, Brian Johnston has been named interim director of the Department of Human Services.

Lynn Reed.(interim Medicaid director)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Also in Oregon, Lynn Reed is serving as the interim Medicaid director.

Office of Children and Youth Services.(Debra Liebel retires)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... In Pennsylvania, Debra Liebel, Erie County's director of Children and Youth Services, retired effective July 29 after more than 33 years with the Office of Children and Youth Services.

Department of Social and Health Services Children's Administration.(Cheryl Stephani joins Washington state agency)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... In Washington state, Cheryl Stephani has been appointed assistant secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services Children's Administration.

APHSA.(Jennifer Abdelnour at American Public Human Services Association)(Gregorio Hunt joins National Association of State Medicaid Directors )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... At APHSA, Jennifer Abdelnour joined the Center for Workers With Disabilities. She works on federal disability policy, housing, transportation, definition and determination of disability, and Personal Assistance Services. Gregorio Hunt joined...

NASMD.(newsmakers)(Martha Roherty joins National Association of State Medicaid Directors )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Martha Roherty has been named director of NASMD.

Welcome, new and returning local agency members.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Janine Sewell Director Fredericksburg Department of Social Services Fredericksburg, VA The city's history spans Colonial times, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and the 20th century. Cathi Grams ...

Illinois program promotes family economic success.(the field works)
September 1, 2005... The enactment of the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act ushered in a new set of demands for public human service agencies and the clients they serve. The law replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children...

Write with the reader in mind.(words on words)
September 1, 2005... Some of us write as if our messages are intended for ourselves. They like to show off their big words and involved sentence structure. Because they are their own audience, they seldom bother to write or organize messages so that they can be...

First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently.(Book Review)
September 1, 2005... First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently By Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman. Hardcover/271 pages/Simon & Schuster, 1999/ISBN 0-684-85286-1 List Price $26 Many books are devoted to management...

Numbers in the news.(statistics)
September 1, 2005... In 2004, the U.S. poverty rate increased to 12.7 percent, from 12.5 percent in 2003. In addition, the poverty rate rose last year for working-age people, those ages 18 to 64. In 2004, the median pay of full-time male workers dropped more...

Our do'ers profile.(David Sanders of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services)(Biography)
September 1, 2005... In Our Do'ers Profile, we highlight some of the hardworking and talented individuals in public human services. This issue features David Sanders of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. Name: David Sanders ...