Friday, August 29, 2008

IMMIGRATION ADVOCATES NETWORK

On August 25, 2008 in Laurel, Mississippi, ICE launched the largest immigration raid in the country. Over 595 people were arrested, and reports of violations, including the segregation of workers by ethnicity or race, have surfaced. We want to alert you to information about volunteer activities to help raids victims in Mississippi, and other resources available on the Immigration Advocates Network.
All of the resources listed below are available on the Mississippi Raid Resources page at http://www.immigrationadvocates.org/link.cfm?10659

NC's mental health system

Patient advocates: N.C.'s mental health system needs fixing
http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/3451353/

What Comes after Welfare Refrom? A New Agenda for Fighting Poverty

The Sulzberger Distinguished Lecture Series, sponsored by the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University, presents:

What Comes after Welfare Reform? A New Agenda for Fighting Poverty
featuring: Rebecca M. Blank
Robert V. Kerr Senior Fellow
Brookings Institution

Following the passage of landmark legislation reforming the cash welfare system in this country in the mid-1990s, major increases in employment among single mothers were linked with major declines in their use of cash assistance. The current debate over 'next policy steps' focuses on a very different set of issues than did the debate of the 1990s. Among the key topics to be discussed: Why we should focus on fathers and low-income men as well as single mothers and their children; the importance of linking low-income persons with mainstream financial institutions; and further policy options that would help provide support for working and non-working low-income families.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008
3:30 - 5 PM
Sanford Institute, Rhodes Conference Room
201 Science Drive
Duke University West Campus
Reception immediately following

This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, so please RSVP for this event by September 5.

Parking for this event is available for a fee in the Science Drive visitor's lot or the Bryan Center parking deck. Directions and parking information.

Erika Layko
Meeting and Events Coordinator
Center for Child and Family Policy
Duke University
919.613.9350
www.childandfamilypolicy.duke.edu

Cherry Hospital workers Assualt Patient

Cherry Hospital workers accused of beating patient

RALEIGH, N.C. — Two workers at Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro have been arrested on accusations they beat a patient, state Department of Health and Human Services chief spokesman Tom Lawrence said. Health-care technicians Taniko Dominique Upton, 33, and William Kenneth Johnson, 52, were charged Friday with simple assault on a handicapped person, which is a misdemeanor.Upton and Johnson were taken to the Wayne County Jail and released after posting $5,000 bonds. For more information, refer to link below.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3423682/

Volunteer with ACLU at Fiesta del Pueblo

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Join ACLU at Fiesta del Pueblo, Sep. 6-7

Saturday and Sunday, September 6th and 7th, the ACLU will be tabling at the best fiesta of the year – La Fiesta del Pueblo! We’ll be giving out great information as usual, co-hosting Know Your Rights sessions throughout both days, and having a blast talking with people, eating fabulous foods from Central and South America and the Caribbean, watching wonderful performances!

If you’ve never been to Fiesta, over 40,000 people attend each year. You can check it out HERE. It’s at the NC State Fairgrounds, Jim Graham Building.

SO, with 40,000 attendees, what we need is Volunteers! You can sign up in 1 hour chunks (or stay for the whole afternoon!) – On Saturday from 12pm to 8pm, and Sunday from 12pm to 6pm. The extra bonus: it’s indoors this year, so no worries about heat exhaustion!

If you are interested in wearing one of our fun t-shirts or buttons and getting to know fellow North Carolinians as we let people know their rights and give away the best civil liberties information out there, Contact Rebecca Headen by Email at aclulegal@nc.rr.com or at our office, (919) 834-3466.

Tribal Services Resource Page

Tribal Services Web Pages
http://www.nrcys.ou.edu/yd/tribal/ts2.html

The National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development (NCWRCYD) has expanded its web site to include pages featuring information related to American Indian tribes and youth. These pages serve as a resource for agencies, individuals, and others providing services to American Indian youth and their families. Information available on the Tribal Services pages includes: how NCWRCYD can assist Tribes to enhance services provided to tribal youth; publications focusing on American Indian children and youth in out-of-home care; links to other web sites that may be useful to tribal and state agencies serving American Indian children, youth, and families; and information on federal recognized American Indian Tribes.

Social Work Reinvestment Victory

Social Work Reinvestment Victory: Congress Passes the Higher Education Reauthorization and Opportunity Act!

On July 31, Congress passed the Higher Education Reauthorization and Opportunity Act, (HEA) which will significantly expand student aid for thousands of students pursuing higher education. The vote on the five-year reauthorization was overwhelmingly bipartisan, 380 to 49 in the House and 83 to 8 in the Senate. The President signed H. R. 4137 it into law on August 14, which includes loan forgiveness for social workers, mental health professionals, and school counselors, among other professions. In addition, it increases the maximum Pell Grant amounts from $4,800 to $6,000 in 2009 and up to $8,000 in 2014. Further, it requires the Education Department to publish data about college costs; requires universities with the highest tuition increases to submit reports to the agency explaining them, requires universities to publish textbooks costs in online catalogues so that students know the true cost of a course; and simplifies the onerous financial aid forms by cutting an eight page form with 108 questions to a two page form with 44 questions.
With respect to the loan forgiveness provisions, the law encourages students to enter public service jobs by authorizing up to $10,000 in loan forgiveness for child welfare workers, public defenders, prosecutors, firefighters, military service members, first responders, law enforcement officers, educators (including those who focus on early childhood), nurses, and others serving the public interest. Eligible borrowers must be employed full time in an area of national need and not in default on the loan for which they seek forgiveness. Child welfare workers who have a degree in social work or a related field with a focus on serving children and families and who are employed full time in public or private child welfare services are eligible as well as mental health professionals with a Master’s degree in social work, psychology, or psychiatry, who service children, adolescents, or veterans. For each year of full time employment in an area of national need that a borrower completes on or after the law is enacted, $2,000 of the student loan obligation will be forgiven for up to five years. Therefore, the maximum a borrower could receive is $10,000. The loan forgiveness provisions will be effective on or after the date of HEA’s enactment and will be available on a first come, first served basis and subject to appropriations. To find out if you qualify for the loan forgiveness provisions, go to http://www.federalstudentaid.ed.gov/. You will need to have federal student loans as private loans are not eligible for loan forgiveness. The Secretary of Education will have to work out many of the implementation details such as the definition of “national need” and whether or not previous years work will count toward the loan forgiveness.
NASW has been working to secure student loan forgiveness legislation for social workers for many years. Last year, we were able to secure loan forgiveness for social workers in the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007 http://www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/updates/2007/092107.asp, an important victory for our Social Work Reinvestment Initiative.
H.R. 4137 provides for a few new initiatives, one of which is the establishment of a program to award grants to Hispanic Serving Institutions that provide graduate students with fellowships, scholarships and academic support and faculty exchanges. The Patsy Mink Fellowship Program has been created to encourage minorities and women in graduate school programs to pursue academic areas in which they are underrepresented.
Beyond loan forgiveness and the aforementioned new programs, the new law also impacts the social justice community with a provision requiring the Department of Education to collect college campus hate crime categories identical to the categories that have been collected by the F.B.I. since 1991. NASW believes that this essential component would give students and parents a comprehensive picture concerning campus safety in addition to redressing substantial gaps in the hate crimes data promulgated by the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) within the Department of Education. Every year, numerous students are the victims of bias-induced slurs, vandalism, threats, and physical assaults on college campuses. In 1998, to increase awareness of hate violence on college campuses, Congress enacted an amendment to HEA requiring all colleges and universities to collect and report hate crime statistics to the OPE.
Colleges must document only those crimes involving bodily injury when the victim was targeted because of his or her race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or disability. Unfortunately, the Department of Education’s present hate crime statistics reflect abysmal underreporting and do not corroborate with hate crime information collected by the F.B.I. under the original statute. The delineation had been the definition of a hate crime as well as the omitted crime categories contained within the Department of Education’s data collection protocols. To this end, NASW and other national organizations are profoundly committed to a revision in the Department of Education’s hate crime categories ensuring that they would parallel those collected by the Department of Justice. The aforementioned provision alleviates any discrepancies between the F.B.I. definition of a hate crime and the HEA definition and, moreover, includes omitted crime categories to the Department of Education’s hate crime data collection mandate. The Association contends that this vital provision will further provide foundation for the total enactment of hate crimes legislation.
Loan forgiveness, new scholarship programs, and enhanced hate crime data collection procedures are some of the key issues included in the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEA) for social workers and students. We will keep you apprised of any implementation or regulatory changes as a result of this legislation.
Nancy McFall Jean, MSW, NASW Lobbyist

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Smoke-free NC

We want to know WHY you support legislation that calls for a comprehensive bill prohibiting smoking in public places in North Carolina.

¨ We will take your stories to your legislators.
¨ We will take your stories to the news media.
¨ We will let decision makers hear from you – their constituents – why it is time to go smoke free.

We know you oppose secondhand smoke.
Now please take the time, go to www.smokefreenc.org and tell us WHY.

For additional information please contact www.ncalliance.org

NTI Registration Is Now Open

NTI REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

Every year, ZERO TO THREE provides an opportunity for professionals to enhance their knowledge about early childhood development through our National Training Institute (NTI). The NTI is the most comprehensive multidisciplinary conference in the infant-family field, focusing on cutting-edge research, best practices, and policy issues for infants, toddlers and families.
This year the NTI is scheduled for December 5-7 (Pre-Institute December 4) at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Enjoy travel to Los Angeles, the landmark Westin Bonaventure Hotel and the many nearby cultural, entertainment and beach attractions.
Take advantage of early bird rates by registering before September 26!

http://www.zerotothree.org/site/R?i=-QMVnr6DkQX8g0o1N2X4Vw.

Once you've registered, please contact the Westin Bonaventure directly to make hotel reservations. Be sure to mention that you will be attending the ZERO TO THREE 23rd National Training Institute in order to take advantage of the negotiated conference rate.

The Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites
404 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
213-624-1000 OR 800-937-8461

www.westin.com/bonaventure
http://www.zerotothree.org/site/R?i=D9C9sAV0ABGzHRsoVhqjLg..
For more information about the National Training Institute visit http://www.zerotothree.org/site/R?i=jbzoguFnxzuKUU3YkPgQgg..

Communication Bulletin Website

Communication Bulletin #97 regarding Chief of Resource and Regulatory Management has been posted to the DMH Website:
http://www.ncdhhs.gov/mhddsas/announce/index.htm

Monday, August 25, 2008

Vote Now to Empower Foster Youth

Juvenile Law Center staff attorney Jessica Feierman has submitted a proposal entitled Foster Youth Speak Out (FYSO) to the American Express Member’s Project initiative. Your vote will help boost this nationwide initiative to the next level of consideration.
500,000 youth are in foster care nationwide. FYSO will allow them to have their voices heard so they can advocate for safe, nurturing, permanent homes and for positive school experiences. FYSO will create an interactive web community connecting foster youth across the nation with each other and the public to improve the foster care system. Youth will get further support from volunteer lawyers, who will teach them the advocacy skills they need to transform foster care from the inside.
Over 1,100 projects have been submitted. The top 25 most nominated projects will make it to a final voting round. American Express is providing $2.5 million in funding to the five Member’s Projects that receive the most votes, with grants ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million. If Jessica's project makes it to the final five, JLC expects to be the non-profit that implements the program.
On Jessica's behalf, JLC asks that you please nominate Foster Youth Speak Out to help it make it to the top 25! You do not need to be an American Express Card member to nominate FYSO — just sign in as a guest and follow directions to nominate the project.
To nominate Foster Youth Speak Out, and see the video, go to:
http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/EZCTS4.
This project could change the lives of thousands of youth. And you can help them with just a few clicks.

Does Lottery Add Money to Education?

RALEIGH — A group responsible for helping to oversee the N.C. lottery renewed a debate Friday about how much the games benefit education. Members of the state Lottery Oversight Committee expressed concern that some lottery money has only replaced education funding from other sources, rather than supplemented existing funding.

Survey: Teachers' Happiness Varies Widely

RALEIGH — Your children may be eager to return to school on Monday, but their teachers might not be so excited to be back in the classroom. A recent survey shows that teachers at some schools in the Triangle and across the state are strongly dissatisfied with their working conditions.

3 Hospital Projects Vie for Approval

RALEIGH — Bold may be better if you’re trying to bring new medical services to fast-growing Wake County. WakeMed wants to build the county’s first women’s hospital in North Raleigh. Novant Health proposes a community hospital in Holly Springs to improve health care in the southern part of the county. Rex wants to expand on its main Raleigh campus. But regulators, based on growth projections, have approved just 41 new hospital beds for Wake County, so only one hospital has a chance of getting what it wants.

Head of DHHS Demands Discipline

RALEIGH — The man whom Gov. Mike Easley charged with fixing North Carolina’s mental health system said Friday that hospital administrators failed to properly discipline employees responsible for leaving a patient without food for nearly a full day before he died. Dempsey Benton aid that Jack St. Clair, director of Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro, has been ordered to re-examine the discipline, which ranged from counseling to five-day suspensions.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Action Alert from NASW National

Government Relations Action Alert August 05, 2008

Support the Increased Student Achievement Through Increased Student Support Act!

Support the Increased Student Achievement Through Increased Student Support Act!

Take Action!

New York Representative Edolphus Towns recently introduced, “Increased Student Achievement Through Increased Student Support Act (H.R.6654),” a bill that will have a tremendous impact on the lives of children by creating a better trained and prepared school social work workforce to address the psychosocial and emotional issues that can impede educational performance. Our nation currently faces a serious shortage of qualified school-employed professionals, putting students with issues that interfere with learning at greater risk for school failure.
The “Increased Student Achievement through Increased Student Support Act” seeks to address this shortage. It creates a federal grant program designed to increase the number of school social workers, school counselors, and school psychologists serving low-income local educational agencies (LEAs) by creating a pipeline between institutions of higher education and low-income school districts. Institutions of higher education with graduate training programs in school social work, school counseling, and school psychology that develop collaborative training and placement partnerships with LEA’s will be eligible to apply for federal grant funds to hire and pay participating graduates to work in those schools. Program participants who remain employed in a low-income school setting for a minimum of five years will be eligible for loan forgiveness. By expanding the number of school social workers in low-income, high-need schools, we can improve the school and life success for students throughout the country.
Action Needed:
Please contact your Representative and urge them to co-sponsor the “Increased Student Achievement Through Increased Student Support Act.” Click on the Take Action button to be directed to a page where you enter your zip code to get the phone number of your Representative. Let them know that you are a social worker who is committed to improving the lives of our nation’s children and you look forward to passage of this important legislation.
Thanks for your advocacy.
Nancy McFall Jean, MSWNASW Lobbyist

Monday, August 11, 2008

Thomas Mahle Named Director of Broughton Hospital

Release Date: August 7, 2007

Contact: Tom Lawrence, 919-733-9190

MORGANTON – N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dempsey Benton today announced the appointment of Thomas J. Mahle as Director of Broughton Hospital in Morganton. He will begin his duties on August 25.
“Mr. Mahle brings with him 18 years of broad experience in health care management and service delivery which we know will greatly benefit Broughton Hospital and its patient population,” said Benton. “He has served at all levels in psychiatric service delivery including two years early in his career as a mental health technician in a psychiatric hospital providing general adult and chemical dependency services.”
Mahle’s career includes seven years as Director of Behavioral Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center/Miami Heart Institute in Miami Beach, FL. His experience at Mount Sinai included serving as administrator of its 99-bed inpatient psychiatric unit, administrative director for the Alzheimer/ Memory Clinic, and administrator for the Department of Psychiatry/Psychology. Mahle earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Kings College in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA.Dr. Art Robarge, interim director at Broughton, will return to his previous position as Director of J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center in Morganton. Benton praised Robarge for having provided outstanding leadership for Broughton during his tenure. The hospital regained CMS certification under Robarge’s leadership.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1152728.html

Published: Jul 24, 2008 01:32 PM Modified: Jul 24, 2008 01:56 PM

Auditor looking at state health plan
Dan Kane, Staff Writer

The Office of the State Auditor is delving into the controversy surrounding the finances of the state health plan that serves roughly 650,000 state employees, teachers, retirees and their families.

Tim Hoegemeyer, general counsel for the auditor's office, said today that it has begun an audit into the plan's oversight and financial forecasts.

He said the audit was prompted by announcements that the plan's fortunes had gone awry, and from public requests to look into the plan.

The controversy started earlier this month, when legislative leaders caused the plan's executive administrator, George C. Stokes to be fired.

They said Stokes had not kept them informed of the plan's finances, and that they only learned recently that a projected $50 million surplus was going to turn into a $65 million deficit.
Stokes has denied in news statements that the plan is in a fiscal collapse.
He said he was improperly fired.

The state House voted at the end of the legislative session last week to provide $100 million from the rainy day fund to prop up the health plan if it runs out of money, but the Senate did not go along. Senate leaders sought to increase co-payments for plan members, which the House would not agree to.

Legislative leaders have said they may have to go into a special session later this year if the plan's fortunes worsen.

It's not known how long the audit will last.

"Basically, when the auditor goes in, even though we say we are going to focus on the oversight and the forecasting, it's open season because we have to be completely open to what we might find," Hoegemeyer said.

State Auditor Les Merritt, in a news release, urged current or former state employees with helpful information to contact the auditor hotline at 800-730-TIPS.

All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be published, broadcast or redistributed in any manner.
Prescription Data Used To Assess Consumers
By Ellen Nakashima
Health and life insurance companies have access to a powerful new tool for evaluating whether to cover individual consumers: a health "credit report" drawn from databases containing prescription drug records on more than 200 million Americans.

Do you love D.C.? Get the insider's guide to where to stay, what to do and where to eat. Go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/cityguide/index.html?referrer=emailarticle for your guide to D.C. now.
© 2008 The Washington Post Company Privacy Policy

*Blog Editor Note* The Joint Insurance Committee, a coalition of professional associations who look at reimbursement for practitioners has been monitoring this issue for some time. If you know that this has happened or is happening to your clients, please let us know.

Sad news from our colleagues in WV

8-2-08, 12:58 am

Dear Leaders in NASW West Virginia,

Social worker Brenda Lee Yeager, 51, of Lincoln County, a Child Protective Service (CPS) Worker, was tragically killed in the line of duty on Wednesday. Her body was found today and the circumstances of her murder are beginning to surface.

The members and leaders of the National Association of Social Workers, West Virginia Chapter mourn the loss of our valued colleague and share in the grief of her family and loved ones. We also mourn for the innocent children whose lives have been irrevocably altered by this tragedy.

Below are two news media reports on the murder. This event will receive much news coverage in the coming days, so we wanted you to be aware and prepared in case you are asked for comment. The media reports we have seen have shown a great respect for Brenda as a social worker, and noted that CPS workers are not adequately compensated for the important work they do. Even an accomplice, who was not involved in the murder, bemoaned the fact that such a terrible thing had happened to a social worker who was trying to help.

We do not know why Brenda was visiting this family alone. To comment on this would be pure speculation. Although policies on field visits vary with the situation, Brenda would probably be alive today if she had not called on this family alone. Not only has the life of a dedicated social worker been senselessly lost, but the lives of the children she was trying to protect and adults in their sphere have been irrevocably changed for the worse.

This tragedy will increase the National Association of Social Worker's commitment to implement better policies, procedures, staffing, training and salaries to prevent it from happening again.

Last year, the State of Kentucky passed social worker safety legislation in the wake of a similar tragedy. During its 2008 Regular Session, the West Virginia Legislature considered, but did not pass, an important bill designed to improve social worker safety. SB 286/HB 4103 would have increased criminal penalties for those who commit felony or misdemeanor assault and battery on CPS or APS (Adult Protective Service) social workers operating in the performance of their duties. If passed, social workers would have been included with law enforcement and other public safety officers, and recognized as often being put in dangerous situations in the course of the work.

The threat of increased criminal penalties may well avert some violent crimes against social workers, but more can be done:

- Policies and staffing levels should insure that social workers never go alone into potentially violent situations in the field.

- Social workers should be equipped with self-defense skills and technology to insure their personal safety.

- State and federal funds should be applied to insure that social workers in protective services are well trained and competitively paid for the important work they do.

For several years, NASW West Virginia has sponsored social worker safety courses to increase awareness, offer safety tips, and improve self-defense skills. We will continue to do so, and we will work to insure that employers provide social workers with the tools needed to do their jobs safely and effectively.

THANK YOU for your leadership and service to NASW WV!
Please let me know if you have questions concerning this message.

Take care,Sam

Sam Hickman, ACSW, LCSW
Executive Director
NASW West Virginia Chapter


WVMETRONEWS.com

08/01/2008 Three Arrests Made In Murder of Social Worker StaffHuntington
Huntington State Police made three arrests in connection with a missing persons case. The following is the State Police release.
ON THURSDAY JULY 31, 2008 THE WEST VIRGINIA STATE POLICE RECEIVED A COMPLAINT OF A MISSING ADULT, BRENDA YEAGER OF 8128 DINGESS AVENUE IN HAMLIN WV. SHE IS A SOCIAL WORKER AND WAS CONDUCTING HOME VISITS ON WEDNESDAY JULY 30, 2008. THE STATE POLICE WAS ADVISED SHE HAD NOT BEEN SEEN OR HEARD FROM SINCE WEDNESDAY WHILE SHE WAS MAKING THESE VISITS. THE STATE POLICE BEGAN A MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATION AND ON FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2008 THE BODY OF A FEMALE AND A VEHICLE OF THE SAME MAKE AS THE VICTIM’S WAS LOCATED IN A REMOTE AREA NEAR MOUNT UNION ROAD, HUNTINGTON, WV. THE STATE POLICE BEGAN INVESTIGATING THIS DEATH AS A MURDER INVESTIGATION AND WAS OF THE BELIEF THAT THE BODY DISCOVERED WAS THAT OF BRENDA YEAGER. AS A RESULT OF THIS FINDING THE STATE POLICE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SEVERAL POTENTIAL WITNESSES AND SUSPECTS. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE BRENDA LEE YEAGER, THE VICTIM, HAD GONE TO THE RESIDENCE OF ROSEMARY FORNEY AND STEVEN ANTHONY FOSTER JR. ON WEDNESDAY JULY 30, 2008 FOR A HOME VISIT. THE VICTIM WAS THEN ATTACKED AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY STEVEN FOSTER JR. AND ROSEMARY FORNEY. THE TWO THEN KILLED THE VICTIM. THE VICTIM’S BODY AND HER VEHICLE WERE MOVED TO A WOODED REMOTE AREA A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE RESIDENCE. IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2008 THE BODY AND THE VEHICLE WERE BURNT IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO DESTROY EVIDENCE OF THE CRIME. ON FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2008 THE STATE POLICE ARRESTED THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN CONNECTION WITH THIS MURDER: 1) STEVEN ANTHONY FOSTER JR., AGE 23 (4293 MOUNT UNION ROAD, HUNTINGTON, WV) CHARGE: MURDER2) ROSEMARY FORNEY, AGE 22 (4293 MOUNT UNION ROAD, HUNTINGTON, WV) CHARGE: MURDER3) STEVEN ANTHONY FOSTER SR, AGE 51 (427 ½ 28TH AVENUE, HUNTINGTON, WV)HE IS THE FATHER OF STEVEN ANTHONY FOSTER JR.CHARGE:3RD DEGREE ARSON, CONSPIRACY, DISPOSAL OF A BODY UPON COMPLETION OF A CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION THE VICTIM’S BODY WAS SENT TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINERS OFFICE IN CHARLESTON FOR AN AUTOPSY AND FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL ON GOING BY THE WEST VIRGINIA STATE POLICE.

WCHSTV.com

Three people are arrested for allegedly beating, sexual assaulting and burning the body of a missing social worker, Brenda Lee Yeager.

State police say the 51-year-old was last seen on Wednesday, her last scheduled stop was to be on Mount Union Road in Huntington, West Virginia.

Friday, a woman's body was found in a burned out car, the same make and model of Yeager's car, in a remote wooded area a short distance from her last stop.

Yeager's family members started to arrive at the crime scene after they read the local newspaper.

Jamie Jones, Yeager's son-in- law, says, "I got a call from my wife, saying the Herald Dispatch website says that they have found a burned vehicle with a females body in the Mount Union Ridge area."

Troopers say as they were interviewing potential witnesses and suspects lead them to the house that the victim had visited.

The residence turns out to be the home of 22 year old Rosemary Forney and 23 year old Steven Anthony Foster Jr. located on 4293 Mount Union Road in Huntington.

Foster, Forney and Foster's Father 51 year old Steven Anthony Foster Sr., were arrested in connection with Yeager's Murder.

Troopers say the victim was attacked, sexually assaulted and killed by Steven Foster, Jr. and Rosemary Forney.

Foster Sr., is charged with 3rd degree arson, conspiracy, and disposal of a body.
Dear Allies and Friends,

Due to the massive amounts of misinformation and confusion regarding the August 8th check points and rumors of raids, the North Carolina Latino Coalition, El Pueblo, Inc., and the NC Justice Center with the support of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice have compiled a concise document responding to these inquiries. You can view the document in the link below (*) or in the attachment, it is titled “update-to-advocates-leaders-06aug08.pdf”. The links further below (1-5) will make much more sense once you read the NC Update for Immigrant Advocates and Community Leaders document.
* http://www.ncimmigrants.org/update-to-advocates-leaders-06aug08.pdf

The first link directs you to some ready to print Know Your Rights cards. These cards are to be given to community members. These cards state that the individual wishes to exercise their right to remain silent. The second and third link will direct you to some intake forms in case you observe instances of racial profiling or questionable situations on behalf of law enforcement. The last two links will direct you to some helpful materials developed by Casa de Maryland on what individuals should know about detention and deportation. This document is being made available to you as a proactive measure. If you have any questions about any of this information feel free to contact the individuals listed at the bottom of the NC Update for Immigrant Advocates and Community Leaders document. Thank you for your work and your support!
1. http://www.ncimmigrants.org/NC-rights-card.pdf2. http://www.ncimmigrants.org/Racial-Profiling-Intake-English.pdf3. http://www.ncimmigrants.org/Racial-Profiling-Intake-Spanish.pdf4. http://www.elpueblo.org/docs/Detentions-Deportations/KNOWYOURRIGHTSPA.pdf5. http://www.elpueblo.org/docs/Detentions-Deportations/KNOWYOURRIGHTENG.pdf
Organizational Self-Assessment for Cultural and Linguistic Competence

http://www.nctsnet.org/nctsn_assets/pdfs/Organizational_Competence_Brief.pdf

This brief from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides an overview of organizational cultural and linguistic competence, organizational assessment, and resources. It begins by explaining criteria for organizations that are culturally and linguistically competent, and then provides information on legal mandates that support linguistic competence and guiding principles for organizational self-assessment. Resources for additional information on organizational self-assessment and strategies for facilitating cultural and linguistic competence are listed, along with steps for moving forward towards cultural and linguistic competence.
Creating Partnerships between Behavioral Health Providers and Child Welfare

(http://www.thenationalcouncil.org/galleries/policy-file/Substance%20Use%20and%20Child%20Welfare.pdf)

This brochure from the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare presents information supporting a need for multi-agency collaboration.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Information from the NC General Assembly

2008 Enacted Laws by Date and by Bill Number
New - Bills Pending on the Governor's Desk
2007-2008 Legislative Effective Dates
The National Institute of Mental Health Strategic Plan

The National Institute of Mental Health Strategic Plan(http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/strategic-planning-reports) represents the culmination of a year-long initiative launched by NIMH to develop a new Strategic Plan that will serve as a guide to the Institute for advancing mental health science over the next five years. Its development has been a collaborative effort among scientific experts, advocacy groups, Institute staff and more than 500 members of public who provided input.
NIMH’s mission is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery and cure. For NIMH to continue fulfilling this vital public health mission, the Institute must foster innovative thinking and ensure that a full array of novel scientific perspectives are used to further discovery in the evolving science of brain, behavior, and experience. In this way, breakthroughs in science can become breakthroughs for all people with mental illnesses.
In support of this mission, NIMH will generate research and promote research training to fulfill the following four objectives:
Ø Promote discovery in the brain and behavioral sciences to fuel research on the causes of mental disorders
Ø Chart mental illness trajectories to determine when, where, and how to intervene
Ø Develop new and better interventions that incorporate the diverse needs and circumstances of people with mental illnesses
Ø Strengthen the public health impact of NIMH-supported research
NIMH is currently finalizing the new Strategic Plan’s layout and graphic design, but wanted to ensure that its contents reached the public as soon as possible. Please read over the Plan’s text and check back in the coming weeks for a PDF version of the final document.
SAMHSA Launches New Homelessness Resource Center Web Site

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has launched a new Homelessness Resource Center web site. The web site is designed to support individuals working to improve the lives of people affected by homelessness who have mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and histories of trauma. This social networking site is designed to help users network with other providers of homelessness services, such as by sharing knowledge and experiences. Other features include accessing resources from the library, downloading resources and practical tools, rating and commenting on content, posting helpful information, and learning about upcoming events. Topics, such as how to reach out to the homeless, the transition from homelessness, health care, self care, and housing, are included to promote recovery-oriented and consumer-centered homeless services. For more information, visit: http://www.homeless.samhsa.gov.
Out of the Darkness Walk
Close to one million people make a suicide attempt each year and every 16 minutes someone dies by suicide in the U.S. More than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have an underlying mental illness, most often depression. More than 24 million people suffer from depression or another mood disorder each year. Suicide affects people of all age groups and socio-economic backgrounds. It is the third leading cause of death among teens and young adults and individuals ages 65 and older account for 16 percent of all suicide deaths.
The Triangle Consortium for Suicide Prevention (TCSP), along with the American Federation of Suicide Prevention, presents the 3rd Annual "Out of the Darkness Walk." TCSP encourages you to attend this local community walk, which will take place on Sunday, November 2 at 2:00 PM, beginning at the Capitol Building in Raleigh.
Walk to save a life; Walk to honor a loved one; Walk to promote awareness. There is no registration fee for the walk, but participants are encouraged to solicit sponsors and collect donations. For more information email romaine.riddle@mha-nc.org. To register or donate, visit www.outofthedarkness.org.
The NC Mental Health Planning Council Seeks Input on Mental Health Services

The NC Mental Health Planning Council is seeking additional input regarding mental health services in North Carolina to supplement input gathered previously during Community Forums. Anyone interested in encouraged to visit Survey Monkey at the link below and enter responses to the NC Mental Health Planning Council's survey.
There will be no individual identifying information about your responses. Please respond to the survey before the end of August so that the Division of MH/DD/SAS can compile the responses and share the results with the Planning Council. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=TB87oN2Clik9VKFiz_2fB0KQ_3d_3d
Heroes Are Everywhere – Help Us Find One!!
The fight against mental illness is waged in countless ways by countless individuals. The Heroes in the Fight recognition program celebrates dignity, courage, hope, and recovery in the ongoing treatment of people with severe and persistent mental illness. Designed to recognize those who provide exemplary care and support for patients and their families, Heroes in the Fight has been established and sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company in partnership with The Coalition for Persons Disabled by Mental Illness. Celebrate your heroes today by formally nominating them as a Hero in the Fight at www.heroesinthefight.org. Please note that nominations are due by August 19, 2008. Nominees and winners from across North Carolina will be recognized at an Awards Luncheon to be held in September 2008.

IU #47 from DHHS

Implementation Update #47 , which covers CS legislative clarification, contact information for VO, authorizations for TFC, state funded services contract, MOA clarification is now available on the Division's Enhanced Services Implementation Updates page.
http://www.ncdhhs.gov/mhddsas/servicedefinitions/servdefupdates/index.htm