Health

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

In today’s rundown: A Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner is highlighted for helping women find “untraditional” jobs.  The D.C. Council rejects a plan to fund a youth employment program with money from homelessness services.  A free health clinic is being held in D.C. tomorrow.  And The NonProfit Times releases a top 50 list.

— CASA de Maryland, a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner, is featured in this Voice of America article for using construction training to help women increase their self-esteem and find better-paying jobs.  And you can check out a video version of the story here:

— DCist reports that the D.C. Council has voted down the mayor’s proposal to extend this year’s Summer Youth Employment Program.  Money for the proposed extra week for the program would have come from the city’s fund for homelessness services.

— More than 1,200 people are expected at tomorrow’s free health clinic at the Washington Convention Center.  Appointments can be made online, by phone and walk-ins will be accepted.  Click here for more details.

— The NonProfit Times has released its “Top 50 Power & Influence List.”

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

In today’s rundown: More than a thousand people will be treated at D.C.’s largest free clinic this week.  |  How a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner is working with the humane society to get more women to leave violent situations.  |  Affordable housing advocates say there’s more the D.C. government can do to keep low-income tenants in their homes.

— Later this week, organizers will host D.C.’s first-ever large-scale free clinic.  The August 4th clinic, which will be held at the Washington Convention Center is still short about 200 volunteers.  1,200 uninsured patients from D.C., Maryland and Virginia are expected at Wednesday’s clinic.  Click here for more details.

— Doorways for Women and Families, a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner, is featured in this article about a joint project with the American Humane Society to ensure that women who are leaving a domestic violence situation have a safe place to keep their pets.  The Pets and Women’s Shelters (PAWS) program is the only one of its kind in Northern Virginia.

— Affordable housing advocates in D.C. are calling on the city to create a dedicated, local source of funding to help low-income tenants purchase and stay in their homes.  Click here to hear about their efforts.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Money Woman_emdotIn today’s rundown: Women, along with everyone else, are confused by their finances.  |  Medicine may not be enough in the battle to fight HIV and AIDS.  |  A stalking victim comes to D.C. to push for tougher anti-stalking laws.

— A growing number of American women control the finances of their households, but many are not confident in their fiscal management abilities, according to a new study out this week. But as Jezebel.com points out, we’re not the only ones confused by finances.

— The news of a vaginal gel to prevent the transmission of HIV was hailed as a breakthrough when it was announced at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna last week.  But some argue that creating a medical solution to the spread of the virus isn’t enough.  They say it’s just as critical to find solutions to the social issues that surround HIV.  Click here for details.

— ESPN sportscaster Erin Andrews was in D.C. this week to support the Simplifying the Ambiguous Law, Keeping Everyone Reliably Safe (STALKERS) Act of 2010.  The purpose of the bill is to strengthen current federal anti-stalking laws.  Andrews was stalked by a man who followed her across three states and filmed her through the peephole of her hotel room doors.  Click here to read more about the proposed legislation.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Female_condom_packIn today’s rundown: D.C. increases distribution efforts for the female condom.  The number of local children living in poverty is well above the national average.  Elementary schools that serve impoverished students in Fairfax County will be given extra funds for more teachers and summer classes.

— Local community groups are stepping up efforts to introduce D.C. residents to the female condom.  They’re handing out 500,000 condoms — and giving lessons on how to use them — on the street, in churches, at salons and in restaurants.  D.C., which has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the country, is one of the few places where the condom can be bought in drug stores.  Click here for details.

— D.C.’s poverty rate among children is well above the national average, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.  The report says that 41 percent of D.C. kids live in families where no parent has full-time or year-round employment.  That’s 14 points higher than the national average.  Click here for a copy of the report, “Kids Count Data Book.”

— The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has grudgingly agreed to commit an extra $1.3 million to the neediest public school students, according to The Washington Post. The money will pay for additional teachers and instructional time at 11 elementary schools that serve impoverished children.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Medical symbol [credit cogdogblog]In today’s rundown: A one-day, no-cost medical clinic for D.C. residents.  |  A breakthrough vaginal gel could help decrease a woman’s risk of becoming infected with HIV.  |  The Senate will take another go at extended unemployment benefits.  |  A look at the rising number of girls in the juvenile justice system.

— A one-day free medical clinic will open up in D.C. next month for Washingtonians who can’t afford the health care they need.  The no-cost clinic will be open on August 4th from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.  Click here for more details.

— A vaginal gel can significantly cut a woman’s risk of becoming infected with the AIDS virus, according to research that will be presented today at the 18th International AIDS Conference in Vienna.  The gel, which was tested in South Africa, contains the antiretroviral drug tenofovir.  In the study, it reduced the risk of HIV infection by 39 percent in a group of women who used it for three-quarters of their sexual encounters.  According to The Washington Post, women who used it more consistently experienced 54 percent fewer infections.

— Senate Democrats are taking another shot today at a bill that would extend the deadline to file for unemployment benefits through the end of November.  Senate Republicans have blocked a vote several times over budget deficit concerns.  Click here for more.

— About.com’s Women Issues blog takes a look at “a vulnerable population” — girls who are in the juvenile justice system.  With an increasing number of girls entering the juvenile justice system, the blog explores what they’re being arrested for and why incarceration may not be the most effective way to help them.

Photo credit: CogDogBlog via Creative Commons

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

In today’s rundown: Thousands of local residents will lose their jobless benefits by Friday.  |  Before the recession there was a skyrocketing number of women and minority-owned small businesses.  |  The government unveils a plan to combat HIV/AIDS.  |  A mother speaks to her son about domestic violence and the death of Yeardley Love.

— According to the National Employment Law Project, by the end of this week 7,600 people in D.C., 17,700 Maryland residents and 30,900 people in Virginia will lose their federal jobless benefits.  With five unemployed workers for every job opening in the U.S., NELP and others are calling for the Senate to restore extended unemployment insurance.  Lawrence Summers, the director of the National Economic Council, writes that extending these benefits is critical for the national economy.

— Census numbers show that in the years leading up to the recession, there was a boom in the number of minority and women entrepreneurs.  According to The Washington Post, “by 2007, minorities owned one in five small U.S. businesses, and women owned almost one in three.”

— The federal government has unveiled a new plan to combat HIV and AIDS.  The plan seeks to cut new infections by 25 percent over the next five years and will treat 85 percent of patients within three months of a diagnosis.  For details and local reaction, please click here.

— Doorways for Women and Families, one of our Grantee Partners, has a new entry on their blog by a volunteer who writes about being troubled by her 11-year-old son’s reaction to the death of University of Virginia senior Yeardley Love.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

World_Aids_Day_RibbonIn today’s rundown: The president prepares to reveal the first national AIDS strategy.  |  Emergency legislation could keep all District residents cool this summer — even those who are behind on their bills.  |  A new high-education reform panel is formed in Virginia to increase access to college.  |  DC’s only community college finds success less than a year after opening.

— Later this week, President Obama will reveal the first-ever national AIDS strategy.  The strategy will include plans to curb the AIDS epidemic by cutting the number of new HIV infections and increasing the number of people who get treatment.  Reporters at the New York Times have read a draft of the strategy.  Click here for details.

— Tomorrow, the D.C. Council will consider emergency legislation that would stop power and gas companies from shutting off utilities during extreme heat.  Council member Mary Cheh introduced the legislation to help residents who are behind on their utility bills.  If the legislation is passed, the emergency regulations would only be in effect for the rest of the summer.  Click here for more.

— Virginia’s new higher-education reform commission appointed by the governor will hold its first meeting today.  The Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation and Investment will look into ways to increase the number of degree recipients and ensure college access and affordability.

— In operation for less than a year, the only community college in the District is seeing rising enrollment as the demand for a post secondary education increases.  The Community College of the District of Columbia took over several programs from University of the District of Columbia 11 months ago.  Click here to find out about the “promising signs” the new college has shown so far.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

In today’s rundown: Customers vs. philanthropists.  |  $25 million in federal money is earmarked for HIV and AIDS medications.  |  D.C.’s blood supply is critically low and the solution may be younger donors.

— Should nonprofits focus on selling goods to generate revenue in addition to bringing in charitable gifts?  While some say this is the model will work, Simone Joyaux at The Nonprofit Quarterly warns that there’s a big difference between a customer and a philanthropist.

— The Department of Health and Human Services will provide $25 million more to help states buy medications for people with HIV and AIDS.  Waiting lists for the medications have reached record levels due to the large number of Americans without health insurance right now.  Advocates for these patients say the $25 million will not be enough.

— Washington D.C.’s blood supply is critically low.  Because of the shortage, the D.C. Council is considering legislation that would allow 16-year-olds to donate blood with parental permission.  Click here for more.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

In today’s rundown: A Grantee Partner discusses immigration reform with the president.  |  The Senate rejects extended benefits for the long-term unemployed for the fourth time, leaving more than two million people without unemployment checks.  |  The economy and unemployment have caused an explosion in the number of people with HIV or AIDS who need antiretrovirals but cannot afford them.  |  Local girls get hands-on experience in science labs.

— Gustavo Torres, executive director of Casa de Maryland, a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner, met with President Obama earlier this week to talk about immigration reform.  Later today, the president will speak at American University about the need for reform.  Torres hopes the president addresses several issues.  Click here to find out what he doesn’t want the president to consider.

— Yesterday, the Senate rejected a bill that would have reauthorized extended benefits for the long-term unemployed.  This is the fourth time the Senate has rejected the bill and Democrats won’t make another effort to break the Republican filibuster until after the July 4 recess.  By that time, more than two million people will have missed checks.  Click here for details.

— “The weak economy is crippling the government program that provides life-sustaining antiretroviral drugs to people with HIV or AIDS who cannot afford them,” according to the New York Times.  The rapidly expanding waiting lists are caused by reductions in government resources and ballooning demand caused by unemployment and the loss of health insurance.

— Girls in Loudoun County have spent part of their summer getting hands-on experience with molecular biology and genomics.  The high school students are participating in the free five day workshop called the Genomic Opportunities for Girls in Research Labs (GO GIRL).  Click here to find out what they’ve learned.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

MObamaAnacostia_WhiteHousePhotoIn today’s rundown: The first lady addresses Anacostia Senior High School graduates after their school sees dramatic improvement.  |  Questions for local politicians on how they’ll defeat poverty.  |  And why health care reform needs to provide women with more than health insurance.

— First lady Michelle Obama addressed graduating seniors from Anacostia Senior High School this weekend, telling them to work hard and dream big.  The first lady also became emotional while thanking family members for supporting the graduates.  Anacostia has seen a dramatic improvement in its graduation rate.  Last year, about half of the students graduated.  Since a charter school group began managing the school, the graduation rate has risen to 80 percent.  Click here to listen to part of the first lady’s speech.

— In this letter to the editor in the Washington Post, D.C. Appleseed — one of The Women’s Foundation’s Grantee Partners — asks what political candidates plan to do about the unacceptably high rate of poverty in The District.  The piece also mentions Defeat Poverty DC, a coalition of residents and advocacy groups that are fighting to put a spotlight on poverty during the 2010 elections and beyond.

— Will the new federal health care law defend against the impoverishing effects of medical debt?  With women more likely to be sent into poverty by medical bills than men, some experts say the law needs to provide women with comprehensive coverage as well as more insurance.  Click here for details.

Photo credit: Official White House photo by Samantha Appleton