February, 2010

Sen. Howell Wins Coverage for Treatment of Autistic Children

Posted by The Farm Team on Feb 19, 2010 in Statewide | 0 comments

February 19, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:    Michael Kelly, Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus
Phone:       (804) 513-3733
Email:       Michael@vademocrats.org

SEN. HOWELL WINS COVERAGE FOR TREATMENT OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN

~ Bipartisan coalition passes measure despite well-funded opposition ~

RICHMOND—Senator Janet Howell (D-Fairfax) led the Senate of Virginia this week as they “dealt a blow to mighty insurance and business lobbies” (Associated Press, 02/17/10). Senator Howell’s SB464 requires insurance companies in Virginia to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autistic children between two and six years of age. The measure will expand availability of early intervention treatments that can lead to improved outcomes for children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Senator Howell won passage of the critical coverage mandate over the strong objections of powerful special interests.

“This is a small but important step for children with autism spectrum disorder. These families and these children are desperate for services that we don’t provide them,” said Senator Howell. “I am so proud to have led my fellow Senators in giving these kids some of the assistance they need and deserve.”

According to a June 2009 report by Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), nearly 50% of autistic children who receive intensive developmental therapy can function normally and successfully in the classroom with an additional 40% of diagnosed children experiencing an improvement in function. The report also noted that “providing intensive treatment to young children can significantly reduce public costs by decreasing the need for special education and other forms of public assistance.”

“The treatments that will now be covered are going to give these children the best opportunity for a successful life and that is the most important thing,” said Senator Howell. “The fact that the state could realize some savings over time is really just an added benefit and another reason I fought so hard for this bill.”

The insurance mandate was crafted to provide needed coverage for children with autism while minimizing the impact on insurance premiums.

Senator Howell helped assemble a bipartisan coalition that overwhelmingly passed the bill on Monday by a vote of 27-13. It will now go before the House of Delegates for consideration. Her comments on the floor of the Senate in support of the bill are available online at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAGuQU8fnaQ.

Why Women Don’t Make It Up The Ladder

Posted by The Farm Team on Feb 18, 2010 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

A new study offers explanations for a great disappearing act.

The corporate quest for equality for women in management is a lot like motherhood: Everybody is for it. Bain & Company recently conducted a survey of more than 1,800 businesspeople worldwide, and nearly 80% of them–women and men–said they were convinced of the benefits of gender parity at all levels. And for good reason: Many businesses recognize that retaining more women as they ascend the corporate ladder will add diversity of experience and perspective and also will help them understand women as buyers and influencers. Higher retention rates will also save companies millions in recruiting and retraining costs. There’s only one problem: The mechanism for getting women into leadership positions is flawed…

[UPDATE] Free Tax Preparation – February 20

Posted by The Farm Team on Feb 18, 2010 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

Deloitte Tax LLP in partnership with the Fairfax County Department of Family Services and Volunteer Fairfax will host a Community Tax Assistance Day on Saturday, February 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Bryant Alternative High School in Alexandria.

This program offers free assistance with 2009 Federal tax returns for households with a total income of $49,000 or less. In addition, at 2:00 p.m., Deloitte will host a counseling session for participants interested in learning more about how to navigate the college financial aid process.  This class will provide tips to increase chances of securing financial aid for which participants are eligible. Free onsite childcare is available to families as well.  For more information, including materials to bring, please view the attached PDF flyer (also available in Spanish) or visit http://nvacash.org.

Aid is Power. Who Do You Want to Empower?

Posted by The Farm Team on Feb 17, 2010 in Statewide | 0 comments

Read this online

In the immediate aftermath of a catastrophe like the earthquake in Haiti, you’re focused on one question: How can I help? It’s the right question, but the answer isn’t always what it seems. Many people assume that donating to a large relief agency is the surest way to help meet the overwhelming need.  People trust a name-brand; and in fact, these organizations do have a critical role to play, especially where government doesn’t or can’t assume full responsibility for disaster relief.

The problem is that most big relief operations are designed to swoop into a crisis, deliver services and leave.  And when they do leave, people are no more knowledgeable, self-reliant or resilient than they were before. Your first priority in a crisis is to help save lives. In Haiti, and other places where people face frequent disasters, it’s critical to help save lives in a way that builds community capacity to respond to the next disaster and ultimately, move toward real development.

Here’s how you can help.

• Support organizations that reinforce-rather than replicate-the activities of existing community groups. Too often, big international agencies temporarily set up shop and inadvertently undermine local organizations by attracting their best staff, driving up rents and ultimately weakening the very organizations that communities need for long-term recovery.
• Support organizations that understand the role that women play in disasters. Women are commonly portrayed as passive victims. In reality, they are critical first-responders. Relief efforts should also recognize that women are the primary care-givers of those who are most at-risk in a disaster and supply women with resources to meet the needs of children, the sick, the disabled and others in their care.
• Support organizations that involve people who are impacted by the crisis in relief efforts. The “victims” may not have the resources to address the disaster, but they know first-hand what they need to recover and rebuild. Relief operations designed to include local people to play leadership roles, set priorities and make decisions are the ones that leave skills and resources in the hands of community members.
• Support organizations that talk about root causes of vulnerability in a crisis. Haiti’s earthquake is a natural disaster, but there’s nothing natural about families living in shacks without disaster plans or government services. Understanding what makes people vulnerable is the first step in building resiliency.
• Support organizations with a history of work in the country.  Having local roots, speaking the language and being culturally sensitive go a long way towards getting things done in a crisis.
• Support organizations that will stay in the country after the news teams and big agencies leave. Long-term projects keep people thinking about the future, helping to ensure that aid is delivered in a way that builds lasting solutions.
• Support organizations that are funded largely by people like you. Government-supported agencies are often beholden to government policy, not accountable to their members or, more importantly, to the communities where they work.  Haiti needs relief efforts that are going to strengthen Haiti itself, not efforts that pride themselves on funneling most of their money back to US corporations.
• Support small organizations. It may seem that a large-scale crisis requires a large-scale response. But many big aid operations are bureaucratic, slow and inefficient. Often, the best response to tremendous, urgent need is to replicate successful small-scale models of aid delivery rather than try to get a giant operation moving quickly.
• Support organizations with a human rights perspective. These groups recognize that the provision of water, housing, sanitation and healthcare after disaster is the fulfillment of every person’s basic rights. Organizations that view Haitians as rights-holders, not victims, will be more effective at supporting Haitians as they strive to rebuild a society based on human rights for all.
• Support organizations that you want to see strengthened. When you donate, you’re boosting the capacity of the organization you’ve given to, even if that’s not your motivation for giving. Remember, aid is power. So the next time you give, ask yourself: who do you want to empower?

By Yifat Susskind, MADRE Policy and Communications Director.  A version of this op-ed was distributed by the National Women’s Editorial Forum.

MADRE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

MADRE · 121 West 27th Street, #301 · New York, NY 10001 · (212) 627-0444 · www.madre.org

Aspirin Boosts Breast Cancer Survival Rate

Posted by The Farm Team on Feb 17, 2010 in Statewide | 0 comments

by Lin Edwards

(PhysOrg.com) — An observational study of 4,164 women diagnosed with breast cancer showed those taking aspirin in the period after diagnosis had a much lower rate of recurrence, and a much higher survival rate than those who did not.

The study analyzed the use of aspirin by women who had been diagnosed with stage 1, 2 or 3 breast cancer between the years 1976 and 2002. All participants were taking part in the Nurses’ Health Study, which followed 238,000 nurses in the US for three decades. The women were followed until their death or the cut-off date of June 2006. During this period 341 of the women died of breast cancer, and 400 had metastases or their cancer returned. The women who were taking aspirin were taking it for other conditions, and most were taking low-dose aspirin to ward off stroke and heart attacks.

Dr Michelle Holmes, Associate Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at Harvard Medical school, who carried out the study, found a 50 per cent reduction in the risk of death during the follow-up period in women taking aspirin. The best results were for those taking aspirin between two and five days a week (71% reduction), while those taking it six to seven days had a slightly lower (64%) reduction. Overall, taking aspirin gave the women a 50 per cent reduction in the risk of death, and also reduced the risk of the cancer returning. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including naproxen and ibuprofen, also reduced the risks.

The study was observational and therefore does not establish definitive cause and effect or explain how aspirin reduces the risks, and the data only revealed the number of days the women took aspirin, and not the dosage. Holmes said the findings agree with the results of some earlier studies. She said that we are beginning to realize that “cancer is an inflammatory disease, and aspirin is an anti-inflammatory.” It may work by lowering the blood level of estrogens, or could prevent the early spread of cancer in some way, Holmes said.

Holmes said that aspirin has negative effects in some people and can cause bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, and it should never be used as a substitute for traditional cancer treatments. As the paper, published online yesterday in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, notes there may be some skewing of the results since women are advised to stop taking aspirin during chemotherapy, and this could result in an over-estimation of the benefits of aspirin. More study and clinical trials will be needed to confirm the findings, but if women with breast cancer are taking aspirin for other conditions they may also be helping to prevent their cancer from returning.

More information: Aspirin Intake and Survival After Breast Cancer, J. Clin. Oncol. 0: JCO.2009.22.7918v1. DOI:10.1200/JCO.2009.22.7918

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