Check here for interesting links about synergistic strategies, available resources, and other news about addressing today’s pressing community challenges  -- turning them into opportunities that create Viable Futures.

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The President’s 2011 Budget: Creating Communities of Opportunity

This paper analyzes the 2011 budget by describing 19 new, expanded, or restructured programs that, if included in the final budget enacted by Congress, can pave the way to opportunity for low-income people and communities of color. The first nine pages of this document characterize several new directions undertaken by the Obama administration since taking office in January 2009; offer a recap of key elements in the President’s 2011 budget request; and provide a grid that summarizes programs that support communities of opportunity.

http://www.policylink.org/atf/cf/%7B97c6d565-bb43-406d-a6d5-eca3bbf35af0%7D/FINAL_2011BUDGET_FINAL.PDF?tr=y&auid=6436296

Delivering More: Scaling Up Farm to School Programs

How can farm to school programs reach more students and more schools?
The booklet from the Community Food Security Coalition seeks to answer this question and profiles the planning efforts of four farm to school programs, describes the related work of The Farm to School Distribution Learning Community, and explores the implications of the results.

http://foodsecurity.org/pub/Delivering_More-Scaling_up_Farm_to_School.pdf

Working Caregiver and Employer Health Care Costs

Employees in the U.S. who are caring for an older relative are more likely to report health problems like depression, diabetes, hypertension or heart disease, costing employers an estimated average additional health care cost of 8% per year, or $13.4 billion annually, according to the MetLife Study of Working Caregivers and Employer Health Care Costs. The report also found that younger caregivers (ages 18 to 39) cost their employers 11% more for health care than non-caregivers, while male caregivers cost an additional 18%.

http://www.caregiving.org/data/caregiver_costs_press_release.pdf

http://www.caregiving.org/data/Caregiver_Costs_Study_Web_FINAL_2-12-10.pdf

Health Reform Initiatives Related to Care for Elders
A new report from the National Academy for State Health Policy examines long term services and supports (LTSS) and chronic care coordination reforms enacted under the recently passed health insurance reform bills. The report examines reforms in five areas with a particular focus on how these reforms impact states. The areas examined include:

• The new national insurance program for LTSS established by the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act;
• Medicaid options and incentives to expand LTSS, especially LTSS received in the home or community setting;
• Other LTSS provisions such as an initiative to strengthen the direct care workforce; and
• Provisions that enhance chronic care coordination such as providing incentives for states to adopt Medicaid medical homes and nursing home reforms.

http://www.nashp.org/sites/default/files/LongTermServ%20Final.pdf

Recommendations for Improving Health through Transportation
Recognizing that transportation policies that can have profound positive impact on health, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed a brief that gives specific recommendations for including the consideration of public health within transportation issues. These include:  
Reduce injuries associated with motor vehicle crashes; improve air quality; expand public transportation; promote active transportation; encourage healthy community design; design to minimize adverse health and safety consequences; require research and surveillance; and support professional development and job creation.

http://www.cdc.gov/transportation/

News Bulletins

June 2010

February 2010

November 2009