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Public Encouraged to Attend Town Hall Meeting in Fresno on Autism

The California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism will hold a public forum July 31 at Fresno State University to discuss the status of the commission and seek community input about the needs of children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. By September, the commission plans to make recommendations to Gov. Schwarzenegger and the state Legislature on closing policy gaps in early diagnosis and treatment, educating children with autism, and transitional services for children who “age out” of the California school system. Magdalena Beltrán-del Olmo, TCWF vice president of communications, is an appointed member of the commission.
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Report Finds Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals Leaking into San Francisco Bay

A new report by the Environmental Working Group, a TCWF grantee, reveals that chemicals commonly found in household products are bypassing sewage system filters and flowing untreated into San Francisco Bay. “Down the Drain” finds that phthalates, bisphenol A and triclosan—synthetic chemicals used to manufacture consumer products and suspected of interfering with human and wildlife hormone systems—are not captured by municipal sewage plants. The report includes test results, chemical information and suggestions of products to avoid.
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Nothing Stops a Bullet Like a Job

A new documentary film, “Father G and the Homeboys,” follows four gang members as they struggle to overcome drug addiction, reunite with their children and hold onto jobs. Father G (the Rev. Greg Boyle, S.J.) keeps the homeboys on track. Boyle is founder of Homeboy Industries, a TCWF grantee based in Boyle Heights—a community east of downtown Los Angeles—that provides employment opportunities and counseling for at-risk youth. Conceived and directed by John Bohm, a Los Angeles schoolteacher, and narrated by Martin Sheen, the film won the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary from the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival.
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Mini-Farmers Market Opens in Low-Income Neighborhood of Sacramento

Filling a void left after the closure of grocery stores within walking distance of the Sacramento neighborhood of Alkali Flat, a new weekly mini-farmer’s market is selling vegetables and fruit from local farms. Opened and operated by Sacramento Mutual Housing Association, and made possible by a grant from TCWF, the 15-stand market will be an important resource for low-income residents who would otherwise have to drive miles to the nearest supermarket to find fresh produce.
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Nonprofits Invited To Seek Advocacy Assistance From Alliance for Justice

By clarifying the laws governing advocacy by tax-exempt organizations, Alliance for Justice (AFJ) helps nonprofits speak on behalf of underrepresented communities in public policy debates. A national association of environmental, civil rights, mental health, women's, children's and consumer advocacy organizations, AFJ offers workshops, publications and public education activities. A grant from TCWF has enabled AFJ to provide free technical assistance to California nonprofit organizations with questions about advocacy laws and regulations. Call (866) NP-LOBBY or visit the Technical Assistance section of the AFJ website.
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Evaluating Health Care Reform Proposals’ Coverage of Uninsured Women

Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP) has published a new report that assesses the impact of health care reform proposals on uninsured women. Funded by grants from TCWF and the Blue Shield of California Foundation, ITUP reviewed six proposals for increasing health care coverage of California’s uninsured. The report describes how the proposals would affect coverage for uninsured women and work with existing state and county programs. Benchmarks include eligibility, benefits, affordability, maternity coverage, family planning and linguistically accessible care. (PDF)
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Kaiser Family Foundation Launches Health Policy Issues Website

A new website from the Kaiser Family Foundation— health08.org— will serve as a central hub for resources and information about health policy issues addressed by the 2008 presidential candidates. The site provides policy analysis, public opinion surveys, daily news updates, videos of speeches and debates from the campaign trail, original interviews and resources for journalists covering the election.
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Study Shows Decline of Job-Based Health Insurance in California

Job-based health insurance coverage in California—the backbone of the state’s health insurance system—continues to decline, according to a new report from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Funded by grants from TCWF and The California Endowment, the study shows that employment-based coverage of non-elderly residents fell from 56.4 percent in 2001 to 54.3 percent in 2005. Although the percentage decline in job-based insurance may seem small — 2.1 percent — it meant that 678,000 fewer working Californians had health insurance, the report said.
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California Ranks 39th on Health Scorecard

The Commonwealth Fund has published a 50-state scorecard of health system performance that assesses key health system indicators, including access, quality, potentially avoidable hospital use and costs of care, equity, and the ability to live healthy lives. “State Scorecard” findings reveal wide variations among states and much room for improvement—in illness prevention and management as well as in cost control. An interactive U.S. map presenting state-specific rankings and results—compared with benchmarks—shows California’s overall ranking as 39 out of 50, with a high of 3 for “healthy lives” and a low of 50 for “quality.”
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CaliforniaSpeaks to link Eight Sites Together for Non-Partisan Conversation on Health Care Reform Issues

On August 11, thousands of Californians from across the state will participate in CaliforniaSpeaks, a live, statewide videoconference, designed to give residents a direct voice into the health reform debate. The forum will link participants gathered at eight sites across California and will also involve state leaders Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, Senate President pro Tem Don Perata and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, among others. To ensure that attendees span all different ages, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds and political beliefs, participants will be randomly selected. CaliforniaSpeaks, a project of AmericaSpeaks, is funded by grants from TCWF, The California Endowment and The Blue Shield of California Foundation.
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