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| State of the Workforce Report |
 A new report on the Austin metro area labor market has been released by Workforce Solutions-Capital Area and Workforce Solutions-Rural Capital Area. The report finds the local labor force generally younger and better educated than most metro areas, but notes increasing disparities in education, skills and income for those on the "margins." The report details projected job growth and the changing face of local employment. It concludes with several recommendations, including... - align the K-16 education system to the needs of the labor market;
- support Adult Basic Education and English as a Second Language programs;
- ISDs and ACC should explore creating a regional technology training center; and
- diminishing federal funding for workforce education should be replaced with new sources of local funding.
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| Call for 50% Increase in Student Success Rate |  Austin Chamber and Austin Community College leaders agree more needs to be done to ensure that students who enter post-secondary college or training complete their training. Of the nearly 5,500 students who entered ACC for the first time in 2003, 33 percent transferred or earned a degree or certificate within six years. In the Austin Chamber's latest ACC Progress Report, a group of Metro Austin business leaders and Austin Community College administrators recommend that ACC increase its student success rate 50 percent by 2020. |
| Hire an Unemployed Texan and Receive $2000 | | The Texas Back to Work Initiative provides a financial incentive of up to $2,000 to employers who hire and retain qualified candidates, referred by Workforce Solutions, who are receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits. This initiative offers employers the ability to select pre-screened, qualified individuals and save costs associated with new hires. For more information, contact Donna Crenshaw at donna.crenshaw@twc.state.tx.us. |
| Murdock Says State Future Bleak Unless Education Disparities Addressed | |
Demographer Steve Murdock predicts a bleak future for Texas unless the state prepares preschool children before they enter school and increases grants for students to attend college. Murdock, who is currently a professor at Rice University, was most recently Director of the U.S. Census Bureau under President Bush and, before that, was Texas' state demographer. In a recent San Antonio News article, Murdock is quoted as predicting that average household incomes will fall if we continue on the current course of high dropout rates for low-income students. According to Murdock, Texas's future ability to remain an economic leader is tied to these students' futures. |
| Texans With Pre-Existing Conditions Now Have Access to Affordable Health Coverage | |
Texans who have been without health coverage for at least six months and who have been denied coverage due to pre-existing health conditions now have access to more affordable, quality coverage, thanks to the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This Center for Public Policy Priorities press release includes more information and important links. |
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| CAN Board to Consider Community Dashboard Indicator Recommendations | | The Friday, July 9th meeting of the CAN Board of Directors will focus on key recommendations to improve housing, transportation and air quality. The Board meetings from 1 to 2:45 p.m. are held at City Hall. Meetings are open to the public and can be viewed on Cable Channel 6. |
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Community Council Forum on Jobs |
The CAN Community Council is continuing its series of forums on on the Community Dashboard indicators. The July 19th forum will have information on the Unemployment indicator. Representatives of Workforce Solutions, the Austin Chamber, ACC and the Literacy Coalition will share information on what it will take for our community to move this indicator in the right direction. You can attend the meeting from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, or watch on Cable Channel 6. |
| Apply for CAN Community Council | | The CAN Community Council is now accepting applications for members for the Class of 2013. Get to know the issues in our community and become engaged in building collaborative solutions. Apply at www.caction.org. |
| Follow CAN's Tweets |  Get short, timely updates on meetings, research and more on CAN_Austin. |
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| Central Health - A Look Back and A Look Forward |
 Central Health (formerly Travis County Healthcare District) has just released a Five-Year Report Card that reviews progress on the organization's top five health care milestones. See how Central Health has done so far in
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enhancing emergency care;
- covering more people;
- increasing the number of providers and increasing access;
- expanding mental health care; and
- providing simpler, easier enrollment.
In addition to assessing performance to date, Central Health is also engaging the community in a conversation about what we want our health care delivery system to look like in the future. Sign on to participate in a new community planning initiative, Central Health Connection, and engage in a community conversation about how we can create a model healthy community. |
| City Receives Grant to Fund Chief Service Officer |
The City of Austin is one of ten cities selected to receive a "Cities of Service" grant to fund a Chief Service Office for two years. The purpose of the grant, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies, is to find new and innovative ways to harness the power of volunteers to help confront pressing challenges at the local level. Cities of Service is a national bi-partisan coalition of mayors that promotes community service. Read Mayor Leffingwell's blog to learn more. |
| National Call Center for Homeless Vets |
The Department of Veterans Affairs has created a national hotline to ensure that homeless veterans or veterans at-risk of homelessness have free, 24/7 access to trained counselors. The hotline is intended to assist homeless veterans and their families, VA Medical Centers, federal, state and local partners, community agencies, service providers and others in the community. To be connected with a trained VA staff member call 1-877-4AID VET (877-424-3838). |
| City of Austin Affordable Housing Forums | The City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development office is kicking off a series of quarterly forums on affordable housing this Friday, July 9th. All forums will be held from 9 - 10:30 am at 1000 E. 11th Street. The forums will consider how affordable housing is linked to other community issues and investments.
- July 9th - Affordable Housing and Place-Based Planning
- October 8th - Affordable Housing and Economic Development
- January 14th - Affordable Housing and Transportation
- April 15th - Affordable Housing and Health
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| Fitness Feria Seeks "Cultural Shift" Towards Fitness |
 The first ever Fitness Feria to be held on Saturday, July 17 from 8 am to 12 pm at the Burger Activity Center. This new experience is an innovative approach to health, wellness and prevention for the Spanish-language community in Austin.
Fitness Feria uses a proven engagement model to create a major "cultural shift" among Spanish-speaking families towards fitness, sports and health that leads to long-term higher quality of living. By bringing together the Spanish-language media, local athletic teams, and service providers, Fitness Feria aims to help Spanish-speaking parents and students develop an understanding of the "ABC's" of American movement in fitness and sports in order to pursue a lifetime of health and the potential to pursue scholarships, careers and other opportunities through athletics.
For more information, visit http://fitnessferia.com/. |
| Community Forum: Housing Progress Report |
Austin Travis County Integral Care and the Mental Health Task Force (MHTF) will host a community forum on housing in collaboration with the City of Austin, Travis County and ECHO (Ending Community Homelessness Coalition)
. The forum will take place on Tuesday, July 20th from 9 - 11 am at City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St.
MHTF Executive Coordinator Dr. Susan Stone, will moderate a panel discussion on the City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Action Plan, ECHO's permanent supportive planning efforts, Travis County's block grant program and ATCIC's coordination efforts to ensure supportive housing treatment services for individuals with behavioral health and developmental disabilities. There will also be an audience Q & A.
The forum is free and open to the public . Consumers, family members, providers and partner agencies are encouraged to come and share input on these critical issues that directly impact Austin's community. RSVP to erika.canales@atcic.org. |
| Summit 2010: Building Sustainable Housing Markets | | The City of Austin and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will host a one-day summit on developing a regional strategy to address affordable housing needs in Texas. The summit will be held on Friday, August 13th and will offer a forum for housing experts and stakeholders to discuss regional strategies to create and sustain affordable housing in Texas. The working session will bring together leading housing officials from across the State to develop regional housing action plans. By the end of the summit, attendees will have a realistic and achievable plan for sustaining affordable housing in their community. Register for the free day-long summit at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/housing/summit.htm. |
| Annual Addiction/Mental Health Symposium | |
"Bridging the Gap between Substance Abuse and Mental Health" will be the topic of the 3rd Annual Addiction/Mental Health Symposium on Friday, September 24th. The symposium will combine advanced information on Addiction and Mental Health while providing attendees with 5 hours of Continuing Education & CME Credits including 2 Ethics CMEs. Keynote addresses:
- "The Science of Addiction: From DSM to Treatment" by Carl Erickson, PhD, Director, Addiction Science Research & Education Center, College of Pharmacy at the University of Texas at Austin.
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"Advances in the Treatment of Depression" by Paul E. Holtzheimer, MD, Assistant Professor, Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.
Click here for more information about the symposium and to register. |
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Community Action Network (CAN) is a partnership of agencies and organizations in Austin and Travis County that provide resources to improve the health and well-being of people in our community. CAN is a collaboration of organizations and individuals 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 Interreligious Ministries, Austin Chamber of Commerce, Austin Community College, Austin Independent School District, Austin Travis County Integral Care, Capital Metro, Central Health, City of Austin, Community Justice Council, One Voice Central Texas, Seton Family of Hospitals, St. David's Foundation, St. Edward's University, Travis County, 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 Afterschool
Network, Child & Youth Mental Health Planning Partnership, Ending Community Homelessness
Coalition, Early Care and Education, HousingWorks, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Coalition, Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, Ready by 21, Reentry Roundtable, and Regional Transit Coordination Committee.
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