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| Texas Gets $50 Million to Expand Health Insurance for Working Poor |
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has received a $50 million grant to provide cost sharing accounts to help low-income working Texans purchase health insurance. Starting in 2010, the cost sharing accounts will be available to eligible employees receiving coverage though one of three new initiatives:
- Healthy Texas is a new statewide initiative that helps small businesses offer affordable health insurance to employees. It lowers premiums by using a state-funded pool to help cover employees with high health care costs. It will begin enrollment in the summer of 2010.
- TexHealth Coalition provides affordable health coverage to small businesses in Galveston and Central Texas. It will expand to Houston, Dallas, El Paso and the Brazos Valley within a year.
- Community First Health Plan will begin offering a new coverage for small employers in Bexar County and seven surrounding counties in January.
The cost sharing accounts will help low-income employees pay for insurance premiums or co-pays and deductibles. The account is managed by the health plan, and the employee directs how the funding is used to best meet their health care needs. |
| Most Uninsured Working-Age Texans Are Employed |
Recently released U.S. Census Bureau statistics on the medically uninsured show that Texas continues to have the highest uninsured rate in the nation with over 6 million people with no public or private health insurance. An analysis of the Texas data by the Center for Public Policy Priorities (CPPP) reveals that the rate of uninsured children in Texas has decreased while the number of uninsured working-age adults has increased. The CPPP analysis of U.S. Census data also showed that two-thirds of working-age Texans who have no health insurance do have a job. Texans aged 19 - 24 have the highest uninsured rate of 46%. Visit the Center for Public Policy Priorities for more data, charts and analysis. | |
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| Children & Youth Mental Health |
The CAN Community Council will have a panel discussion on mental health issues for children and youth this Monday at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. The Child and Youth Mental Health Planning Partnership will also share their newest FAQ. Watch the meeting on Cable Channel 6. |
| Federal Stimulus - Local Impact |
| The Intergovernmental Stimulus Coordination Steering Committee is working to coordinate stimulus funded initiatives. Click here to see focus areas and priorities.
Visit the CAN website's Federal Stimulus - Local Impact page for this and other updates. |
| Visit our website! |
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www.caction.org | |
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| Community for Youth Summit |
| Students, parents and members of the community are invited to attend a Community for Youth Summit this Saturday, September 19th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Reagan High School. The community conversation will focus on how to create a more effective and efficient juvenile justice system to help solve problems and prevent truancy and drop outs. Community volunteers, judges, government officials and others will participate in the conversation. Learn more at www.community4youth.org. |
| Community Training Session - Para Una Buena Vida |
 The Blueprint for Educational Change and Para Una Buena Vida will hold a community training session on Monday, September 21st from 9 - 11 a.m. at Ballet Austin, 501 W. 3rd St., to prepare community members to help deliver the following messages to young people:
- Graduate from high school for lifetime earnings of over $1 million.
- Graduate from college and earn $1 million more.
- Become fluent in two languages and earn even more.
To learn more visit www.paraunabuenavida.com. |
| Capital Metro Seeks Input on Proposed Budget |
Capital Metro has developed a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2010 that avoids a January fare increase with the use of $2.6 million in federal stimulus funding. Capital Metro will hold a Public Hearing on the Proposed FY2010 Budget on September 21st at 5 p.m. in the Capital Metro headquarters, 2910 E. 5th Street. The Board is scheduled to adopt the budget on September 28th. Visit www.capmetro.org to learn more. |
| CAMPO Seeks Input on 25 Year Transportation Plan |
 CAMPO is developing a plan to address regional transportation needs through the year 2035 and would like public input to help develop the plan. Visit campotexas.org/2035plan.php to take a survey and learn more about the plan. |
| AISD Seeks Input on Strategic Plan |
Austin ISD would like student, parent and community input on the development of a strategic plan to guide the District through 2013. A "community conversation" will be held on Thursday, September 22nd from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Travis High School Cafeteria.
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| HopeFest Family Resource Fair |
HopeFest '09 is a church-sponsored event to connect northeast Austin families with health, education, employment, legal and other resources. The day-long event, to be held at Reagan High School on October 10th, drew 4,500 people last year. In addition to resources, there will be live music and performances. Click here for more information. |
| Cultural Competency to Improve Behavioral Health Services |
 The National Leadership Council on African American Behavioral Health and WLT Consulting present a webinar on "Cultural Competence, Path Dependency, and Help-Seeking: Using cultural competence to change help-seeking patterns and consumer choices".
Dr. King Davis, Professor, and Robert Lee Southerland, Chair of Mental Health and Social Policy School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin will be featured speakers in the webinar on October 9th from noon to 1:30 p.m. This webinar will redefine cultural competence and show how it is helpful for changing path dependent, help-seeking patterns, particularly among groups of color. |
| Public Hearings on State Housing Plans |
The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs will hold public hearings across the state to receive public comment on the following:
- 2010-2014 State of Texas Consolidated Plan
- 2010 HOME, Housing Tax Credit and Housing Trust Fund Affordable Housing Needs Score
- 2010 HOME Housing Tax Credit and Housing Trust Fund Regional Allocation
Formula
- 2010 Housing Tax Credit Qualified Allocation Plan and Rule (QAP)
- 2010 Real Estate Analysis Rules
- 2010 Multifamily Housing Revenue Bond Rule
- 2010 Compliance Monitoring Rules
The public hearing in Austin will be held October 12th at 9:30 a.m. at the Thompson Conference Center, Room 2.012. Documents related to the hearings will be located at www.tdhca.state.tx.us, beginning September 18th. Written comments will be accepted through October 28th. |
| Re-Visioning Austin & Affordability in Austin's Comprehensive Plan |
 HousingWork's Sixth Annual Fall Housing Summit will consider how Austin's Comprehensive Plan can help Austin realize a vision of "all kinds of housing in all parts of town." The Summit is free and will be held on November 14th at the Senior Activity Center at 2874 Shoal Crest.
Panelists will address the relationship between neighborhood planning, education, transportation and other aspects of community planning. Participants will consider how we can achieve "integrated planning" for all parts of town that recognizes the interconnectivity of schools, jobs, services, health, transportation and housing. Register at HousingWorksSummit@yahoo.com. |
Nominations Now Open for 2009 Butler Awards
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The Butler Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2009 Community Action Network Butler Awards. Recognize the individuals or organizations who make a difference in the lives of Central Texans. The deadline for nomination is October 15th. Winners will be announced at the CAN Appreciation Reception on November 20th at the Mexican American Cultural Center. Link to the on-line nomination form.
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Community Action Network is a collaboration of organizations and individuals in Central Texas who are working together to build a community of equity and opportunity.
CAN's role in the community is to ...
- Enhance awareness of community issues;
- Strengthen partnerships and connect planning efforts;
- Support collaborative strategies that maximize community resources and impact; and
- Mobilize action by reporting on progress made to improve the community's well-being.
CAN Partners: Austin Area Human Services Association, Austin Area Interreligious Ministries, Austin Chamber, Austin Community College, Austin Independent School District, Austin Travis County Mental Health Mental Retardation Center, Capital Metro, City of Austin, Community Justice Council, Integrated Care Collaboration, Seton Family of Hospitals, St. David's Community Health Foundation, St. Edward's University, Travis County, Travis County Healthcare District, United Way Capital Area, University of Texas at Austin, and Workforce Solutions - Capital Area.
CAN Issue Area Groups: Aging Services Council, Austin/Travis County Victim Services Task Force, Basic Needs Coalition, Behavioral Health Planning Partnership, Central Texas After-School Network, Child & Youth Mental Health Planning Partnership, Developmental Disabilities Planning Partnership, Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, Early Care and Education, HousingWorks, Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, Ready by 21, Reentry Roundtable, and Regional Transit Coordination Committee. | |
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