APRIL WIPs
APRIL & May 04 WIPs
Reply and Fifth Request
Robert M. Clarke reply, subject " RE: Kim will resend the 1099s"
My address remains same as on you records since July 2003.
"She", I suppose, means Ms. Hedgpeth; if a payee asks for MMLLC 2003 proof of income, whether ANY ONE has sent them, then IT IS OBVIOUS that payee is asking for same documentation. I understand where Ms. Hedgpeth is coming from and I don't blame her: you are grating on every one's last nerve UNNECESSARILY. Ms. Hedgpeth also understands that this is YOUR problem, as I do.
For the record, as of this writing, I have not received said mentioned 2003 proof since my multiple requests have been sent to you.
Sophina Aryvz
From: "RMC" Reply-To: To: Subject: Kim will resend the 1099s Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 11:32:30 -0400 Hope you are well. Rmc I spoke with her yesterday and she did not seem to understand the request and said she had already mailed the items to you. What is the correct mailing address?
WCVE Richmond PBS, along with WHTJ Charlottesville PBS, will begin broadcasting the
"G.E.D. Connection" series on Sunday, May 2 at 7:30am.
Summer Institute Dates: Look for registration forms and information about this year's summer institutes inside the May issue of Progress. If you do not receive Progress, call 800-237-0178 for registration information or look for it on the Resource Center website at aelweb.vcu.edu/. Send us your home address to receive Progress.
is from U.S. Department of Health & Human Services • 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. • Washington, D.C. 20201, has long pg entitled Policy and Regulations where these are the topics, and was Last revised: February 2, 2004. See Glossary:
HHS Information and Hotline Directory A list, by subject, of Websites and public inquiry and publication phone numbers for popular topics:
Mailing Address and Telephone Number: The U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201
Telephone: 202-619-0257, Toll Free: 1-877-696-6775
(mail sent to our Washington D.C area offices takes an additional 3-4 days to process)
Healthcare Standards subtopic: Healthcare Informatics and Standards (takes you to "Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality" at on Medical Infomatics within the many different medical fields, espl on tracking patient medical history and resuting medical issues; plus other medical admin issues.
Rsch: Primary care practices working with researchers to improve community-based health care.
Computer Manufacturers Get Low Grades on Recycling
Computer makers' environmental programs generally stink, though U.S. companies -- particularly Dell and Hewlett-Packard -- are better than most, says an annual report released yesterday by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, an enviro group based in San Jose, Calif. No company is recycling more than 2 percent of its products -- products chock-full of lead, polyvinyl chloride, mercury, and other hazardous materials -- a statistic which coalition director Ted Smith called "pathetic." Coalition researchers singled out Dell for particular praise. The company, which received terrible scores on last year's report, has stopped using prison labor to recycle products and launched a new recycling campaign. A number of states are considering bills that would make manufacturers responsible, to some extent at least, for electronics recycling.
straight to the source: MSNBC, Associated Press, 20 May 2004
straight to the source: The New York Times, Laurie J. Flynn, 19 May 2004
❖ Good practice in workplace education is something we value as adult educators. Mary Ellen Belfiore has consolidated what we know about good practice in workplace education to date. You can download the report, Workplace Literacy: National and International Perspectives on Research and Practice, from the Ontario Literacy Coalition (OLC): on.literacy.ca/whatnew/wrkplace/wrkplace.pdf
❖ American Memory is a gateway to rich primary source materials relating to the history and culture of the United States. The site offers more than 7 million digital items from more than 100 historical collections:
❖ The California Health Literacy Initiative is excited to announce the launch of its Online Health Literacy Resource Center. To visit the Resource Center, please go to: .
❖ The Plain Language Action & Information Network is a government-wide group of volunteers working to improve communications from the federal government to the public. Their belief is better communication will increase trust in government, reduce government costs, and reduce the burden on the public: .
❖ The Health and Literacy Compendium, developed by World Education in collaboration with the National Institute for Literacy with a generous grant from the Metropolitan Life Foundation, is one resource guide for the health and literacy fields. This guide includes literacy curricula, student-generated materials, and websites commonly used by literacy educators. The Compendium is meant to encourage teachers and health educators to think about ways to disseminate and make known to others the resources they find valuable and to inspire people to create new materials, as gaps in the Compendium may represent gaps in information currently available in the field. You can find this document at: us/health/docs/comp/.
Project REACH: Recursos para la Ensenanza y el Aprendizaje de las Culturas Hispanas offers resources on the history and literature of the Spanish language, Latino cultures in the U.S., arts of the Spanish speaking world, instructional materials for teaching Spanish speakers, and the Quechua culture indigenous to the remote regions of the Peruvian Andes: REACH/index.htm.
Theory and Practice of Online Learning edited by Terry Anderson and Fathi Elloumi, Athabasca University, 2004, is concerned with assisting providers of online education with useful tools to carry out the teaching and learning transactions online. It presents the theory, administration, tools, and methods of designing and delivering online learning. This book can be downloaded in its entirety at: .
❖ The Council of the Great City Schools has prepared this fourth edition of Beating the Odds report to give the nation another look at how inner-city schools are performing on the academic goals and standards set by the states for our children. The report examines student achievement in math and reading through spring 2003; measures achievement gaps between cities and states, African Americans and Whites, and Hispanics and Whites; includes new data on language proficiency, disability, and income; and looks at academic progress: reports/beat_the_oddsIV.html
Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion is a report from the Institute of Medicine which defines health literacy as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.” This report examines the body of knowledge in this emerging field and recommends actions to promote a health literate society. The entire report is available: iom/pdfs/HealthLiteracyExecutiveSummary.pdf.
Cow Poop Powers California Dairy
A well-fed dairy cow produces 120 pounds of poop a day -- some 43,000 pounds a year. What to do with all that doo? Dairy farmer Albert Straus of Marin County, Calif., puts it in a big covered lagoon, where it decomposes and generates tons of methane gas, which he captures and uses to power his farm, his creamery, and his electric car. In California, where 1,950 commercial dairies house some 2 million excreting bovines, the state energy commission recently allocated $10 million in matching funds to encourage farmers to build methane digesters, and a 2003 state law paved the way for utilities to set up "net metering" for the farmers, which makes it possible for them to reduce or erase their electric bills. Not only will Straus save some $5,000 to $6,000 a month in energy costs, he is preventing tons of methane (a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide) from drifting into the atmosphere and organic pollutants from contaminating water sources. Plus, he now has a built-in, renewable source of jokes.
straight to the source: San Francisco Chronicle, Maria Alicia Guara, 14 May 2004
Get 'Slightly' Famous (tm)
The online newsletter by Steven Van Yoder, author of
Get Slightly Famous: Become a Celebrity in Your Field and
Attract More Business with Less Effort
Visibility + Competence + Word of Mouth = REPUTATION
Getting Slightly Famous in print media means reaching a larger audience, rather
than relying entirely on human contact. After all, there is only one physical
you. No matter how much you network, get around, or attend meetings, YOU can
only
go so far.
Appearing in the media is the equivalent of expanded networking. You reach a
targeted audience of people who might buy from you, and you build a relationship
with your target market that can lead to sales. Even if you have a small local
business, media exposure helps you establish a regional or national presence
without leaving your desk.
Media exposure works because it associates your name with the authority of the
media. When you read about a business in the newspaper or hear about it on the
radio, chances are you immediately elevate that business above its competitors.
It has solidity and credibility.
Appearing in media that reach your target market establishes a bond of trust
upon
which future sales are possible. Ultimately, your Slightly Famous media strategy
will develop your reputation as a business of choice in your market niche. As
more prospects run across your name in publications targeted at them, you will
acquire an aura of expertise that will get you more business with less effort.
Publishing Articles & Columns
Bylined, contributed articles are a mainstay in many trade and special interest
publications because most cannot afford full-time writers. From fillers to
features, these magazines rely on freelance writers and contributors like you
for
at least some of their content. Often written for a small fee—or given freely in
exchange for an author bio designed to elicit business—these articles show off
the expertise of the businessperson or consultant who authored it.
Besides exposing your business to thousands of prospects, it’s possible to get
feature articles devoted entirely to your business. As a bonus, article reprints
make excellent, low cost sales literature.
The key to publishing expert articles is to package your ideas in a
benefit-oriented fashion. Tell prospects how to think about or apply your
business solution. Give readers real information they can use, regardless of
whether they will buy from you. If you don’t, and use a thinly veiled sales
pitch
instead, editors will see through it and reject the article.
Articles are usually a one-shot deal. Columns, on the other hand, are regular
engagements that allow a writer to build relationships with readers. Columns
appear on a weekly or monthly basis in newspapers, magazines, and Web sites.
They
can brand an author not just as an expert, but also as a friend, confidante, and
mentor.
You don't have to achieve “Dear Abby” status to be a successful column writer.
As
with any Slightly Famous marketing strategy, your column only needs to reach the
right people in your target market to position you as a resource.
Be A Media Resource
Bylined articles are not the only way to see your name in print. Read any
newspaper or magazine article. You will see a handful of experts quoted within
stories as diverse as international business, stock market forecasts or the
latest fashion trends.
Reporters are not experts. That's why they need experts from the business world
to create their stories. The secret is to position yourself as a media resource.
The media rely on you, the industry expert, to give substance and credibility to
their stories. Experts can be book authors, speakers, consultants, managers and
professionals. If you have knowledge about a specific subject—and that subject
can be your business—you qualify too.
People who get quoted in the media pursue a strategy to be on journalists' radar
screens when journalists write stories about their industries. They make
themselves available as expert interview sources so that journalists will think
of them when they are writing relevant stories.
When you learn how the media works, and mold your expertise into a
carefully-crafted media attracting strategy, you actually help the media do its
job in exchange for valuable exposure for your company.
With a little effort, you can become the first person on a reporter’s list when
a
story about your business area comes up. But it won't happen if you don't let
the
media know you exist!
Time, Commitment, and Consistency
You wouldn’t expect a massive return on a monetary investment overnight. The
same
goes with getting Slightly Famous in print, where huge dividends come to those
who persist.
Like all marketing activities, print media exposure is a long-term commitment
that will yield long-term rewards. Is it worth the time? Yes. Landing just a few
clients can pay for all your marketing costs for the next year.
If you don't give print media exposure a chance, you'll never know what it can
Do for you. Establishing your reputation in print takes time. But if you are
committed, an inevitable 'snowball effect' will take place and can bring you all
the business you can handle!
Resch
Rsch
Photog Glossary:
Marketing Your Site
The first key to getting advertisers is to make them aware of your site. This is more than just telling people about your site. You should:
• Include a link to your site's relevant features in your email signature. For example, my Web Design Guide email signature looks like this:
...............................
Jennifer Kyrnin
About Guide to HTML
email: html.guide@
FREE HTML class:
FREE newsletter:
Get live help over the phone:
...............................
• Request links back to your site from all the sites that you link to. This is especially effective when you've already linked to their site. Often they will be happy to link to you when they find they are reciprocating already. Getting links to your site on other sites will increase your popularity rating on Web search engines and advertisers will be more likely to find your site.
• Find innovative ways to market your site. Many companies use small, inexpensive items with the company name on them as gifts and marketing aids. These are especially effective if they relate to your Web site in some way. For example, Kathy Hamlin, the Cocktails Guide at About had shot glasses created with her site URL on them. These worked as marketing aids, as every time someone uses it for a cocktail, they remember they could get recipes from Kathy at her site.
• Search engine placement is important, as advertisers use them just like anyone else. So, you should be sure to Optimize your site for search engines.
• Adding your site to advertiser directories is a good idea. Sites like list Web sites that use online ads as a revenue stream. Adbase provides the lister with a way to solicit advertisers directly and get the advertising information out to them directly. This service is easy to use, and for a limited time, basic listings are free.
Selling Your Site
Once you have started marketing your site, then you need to start selling your site to advertisers. You should create an information sheet for your advertisers. This sheet or Web page will detail what your site covers, the target audience, and how your potential advertisers can get more information. For example, if you are interested in advertising on Web Design at About, I would send you to this page.
Don't Give Up
The key to generating revenue through advertising is to not give up. You need to continue to create a site that is valuable and useful to your readers. Advertisers will be attracted to sites that are successful, and readers will be attracted to sites that contain valuable information. So don't spend more time marketing and selling your site than you do creating valuable content. Ultimately, that is what will generate advertising revenue and keep customers returning to your site as well.
How to Prepare your Page for Search Engines
Here's How:
1. Write a descriptive for the page. Make sure that your title is clear, and contains many of the keywords within the page itself. The title tag is always found in the and is required.
2. Write a description within the tag. Keep the description to about 200 characters, and make sure it uses keywords found within the page itself.
3. Put keywords in the tag. You don't need to use commas or other punctuation. Don't repeat keywords over and over in a row. Rather, put in keyword phrases.
4. Make sure that your page includes the keywords, phrases, and the title. Most search engines look at the repetition of the phrases in your title, description, and keywords within the page.
Tips:
1. The meta keywords and description are not as important as the title. Pay more attention to your title than your meta tags.
2. It is vital that your keyword phrases be found within the actual text of the page.
3. If you repeat a word in the meta tags that isn't on the page, your page may be penalized in the search engines.
It May Not Make You Rich, But There's Some Money In It
If you hadn't already guessed, the Web is not going to be the wellspring of wealth that a lot of people assumed it would. Some people will get very wealthy, but other people will earn nothing, and, in the nature of business fail and go out of business.
However, if your goals are a bit more modest, it is not unreasonable to expect your Web site to bring you some extra cash. Perhaps pay for the Web service it's running on and take your family out to eat once or twice a month. Perhaps more.
Affiliate Programs
Affiliate programs are a simple way for you to get some extra cash coming from your Web site. An affiliate program is where you partner with another company, usually an ecommerce company, to sell their product from your Web site. [pic]
For every product you sell, you get a portion of the proceeds. The best known affiliate program sells books for , but you can sell anything from car ads to fishing flies.
Advertisements
Many sites have advertising on them, and they are another way to add a revenue stream from your Web site. The money from advertising comes in two ways: first from the number of people who view the ad and second from the number of "click-throughs" on the ad. Basically, if your site gets a lot of hits (and so a lot of people will see the ad) it will get a better rate for advertisements. But even sites that have lower hit rates might have high numbers of clicks on the ad, and this will get you a better rate as well.
Advertising can take the form of banner ads, which usually cost a lot, or just sponsored links. You can see examples of each of those on as well. The banner ads on the top, bottom and sides cost more than the sponsored links on the bottom, and they each bring in different amounts of revenue.
Other Resources
There are lots of articles and information on how to raise money from your Web site. If you're interested in advertising, look at my Advertising resources. Affiliate programs (also called Associate programs) are listed on my Making Money resources page, as well as information on how to get started with associate programs and advertising on your site. If you are ready to move on to more advanced money making, then you should read my ECommerce resource page
Follow up at
Topics Covered by Web Design @ About
• Beginning HTML
• Intermediate and Advanced Web Development
• XML, including markup languages such as WML, SMIL, CDF, and more
• Marketing Web sites
• Web hosting solutions
• Web development tools
Advertising and Revenue Opportunities
The Web Design site offers many different options for advertising, at all levels and campaign types.
About Affiliate Program
Instead of advertising your site on About, you can promote the Web Design site on your site, and earn money for every click. About will provide banner advertisements, search boxes, and text links for you to place on your site.
Luna Network
Luna partner sites are linked directly from the Web Design front page. They are sites that are directly related to the Web Design topic. Luna partners receive promotion on the About network and provide promotion to About on their network.
Sprinks
When you use Sprinks to advertise your site, you have the opportunity to spend as much or as little as you would like on your listing. Each listing is listed based on keywords, and you only pay as much per click as you can afford.
Banner Ads on Web Design
The Web Design site offers many opportunities for targetted banner ads on the site.
It's Bike-to-Work Week!
Put down the car keys and hop on the ten-speed: It's national Bike to Work week! According to the Census Bureau, 99.7 percent of Americans burn gasoline on their way to work, so yes, we're talking to you. As to the potential benefits, we turn over the mike to cycling enthusiast Julius "Juby" Aulisio of Lakeland, Fla.: "The country would be so much better if everybody commuted [by bike]. We probably wouldn't have gone to war in Iraq because that was all about oil. The environment would be so much cleaner, and you wouldn't have road rage because they'd be getting rid of all their excess energy riding. Even if we could get 5 or 10 percent of the people commuting, the benefits to society as a whole would be incredible." Amen!
straight to the source: The Ledger, Gary White, 17 May 2004
Netherlands Prepares for Climate Change with Amphibious Homes
Builders in the low-lying Netherlands have always used ingenious means to keep the water out: If not for a series of dikes and canals, some half of the country would be under water. But now, with climate-change scientists predicting rising sea levels and more frequent severe storms, the Dutch are preparing for a wetter future. In one village, they are building a series of floating amphibious homes. These are not houseboats, but normal homes made of lightweight wood on solid ground. But instead of being anchored to the ground, they rest on hollow, buoyant foundations, so when the water rises, so do the homes. Builders hope that, in addition to insuring homeowners against floods, the new houses can increase the overall habitable land in Europe's most densely populated country.
straight to the source: , Associated Press, Anthony Deutsch, 07 May 2004
encourages our guests to become 'ekahi 'one' with the ecology and the culture while on our excursions as we feel the more involved you are, the better respect and understanding of each island. Your Native Hawaiian guides, with their vast knowledge of the islands and their culture, will take you to places you've only imagined in your dreams. To enjoy this excursion you should be in good physical condition and free of any serious health problems. The average tour time from hotel pickup to drop-off in the afternoon is approximately 4 hours. Our air-conditioned van will arrive at your hotel lobby at an assigned time in the morning. We provide complimentary bottled water, a light lunch ("Real Tropical™" excursion only), daypack, binoculars, a hiking stick, and rain ponchos if needed. Call us toll free at 1-877-597-7325 or order this excursion directly on our secure server from our Reservations page. Complimentary pickup and return in the Waikiki/Kuhio Beach area, otherwise, additional. Three tours avail: only in Oahu, 69, 69, $49 We conduct tours Monday through Sunday, however weekend and holiday excursions are conducted on private land. Our 'Real Sacred' excursion does not access state trails and therefore operates on weekends, even on holiday's. There are stringent limitations in place by the Department of Land and Natural Resources that limit us to weekday excursions only that overlap state lands. There are many reasons for this, including one just to let the trails rest and recover over the weekend. We as ecologists support this policy and know you will too. We have a limitation of the number of persons that we take on each excursion, there's a total per day limitation placed on trail use by DLNR. This is why we ask for first and second choices on our reservation form. We will try to confirm your day and date requested within 24 hours of your request. If neither day is available for one of the listed reasons, you will not be charged and we will call and let you know of this. This instance is rare though. We make every effort to reserve space for you on our excursions on the day you request. To some of the most remote spots that Hawai'i has to offer. Many of these spots are very remote and somewhat difficult to get to. Many areas have extremely steep canyons or gorges, and some drop for almost half a mile. It is imperative that you remain on the trail at all times. You should remain in sight of your tour guide during the entire excursion. Your guide knows the areas well, and is aware of areas of extreme beauty, but also of great danger. The hard facts are that over the past several years, many hikers (even experienced) have fallen victim to accidents and in many cases even death because of taking unnecessary chances by getting off the trail. Many have become stranded, or completely lost on hikes. Hawai'i has taken notice of this and is now requiring tour companies to obtain liability insurance to lessen their burden in case of accident. We have no choice as the cost of this insurance is enormous, and because of insurance regulations, other than highly recommend that while on our tour, you stay with your guide at all times.
Keep an eye on weather conditions. Flash floods are always possible with rain. Do not cross any stream that appears to be overflowing or flooding. Stay with your group or hike with a partner. Never hike alone! Believe us folks, it is very easy to become disoriented on many Hawai'i trails. Hiking alone is hiking at your own risk.
Do not take unnecessary risks. Don't climb or jump from waterfalls. Don't venture off defined trails to areas that are not marked or are poorly marked especially if you're not a seasoned outdoors person. Even then you are putting yourself at great risk. If you must leave any trail without a partner, it would be wise that you have a walkie-talkie, cell phone, or at the very least a whistle. Flashlights would come in handy also.
In Hawai'i many trail areas are overrun with introduced plants (non-native). We strongly recommend that you wash the dirt and soil off the bottom of your shoes before leaving the hiking area. Our guides carry a sprayer with water in it for just such a function on every tour. This prevents introduction of the hitch hiking seeds to other parts of the island. Also please never pick vegetation from its native location. Doing so can do one of three things. First you may spread the seeds of the plant (if non-native) to other parts of the island, you may actually be removing a native species from a spot where rehabilitation is taking place, and finally many plants are considered sacred to the Hawaiians. Please respect all.
---Treating Fathers Who Maltreat---
A recent article in "Clinical Psychology" argues that the intervention needs of
maltreating fathers are not met by traditional parenting programs, which may
actually support some of the problematic attitudes and behaviors of the abusive
fathers. "Effecting Change in Maltreating Fathers: Critical Principles for
Intervention Planning" describes more appropriate intervention treatments that
begin by targeting the motivations, accountability, and entitlement attitudes of
abusive men, while leaving skills development and parenting support for later in
the process.
The article draws on literature on parenting, child abuse, promoting change, and
treating batterers in order to construct principles to guide intervention with
maltreating fathers. These include:
*Given that maltreating fathers tend to be characterized by a sense of
entitlement, self-centeredness, and need for control, initial intervention
should focus on changing those attitudes, rather than on providing child
management skills that may actually enhance the father's sense of control.
*Abusive fathers often have little motivation to change; thus, treatment
needs to focus on acceptance of this need.
*Men's violent or hostile treatment of their children's mothers should be a
significant component in treatment.
*The damaged emotional security of abused children must be taken into account
as (formerly) abusive fathers attempt to rebuild relationships.
The overarching theme of this approach is to focus on changing attitudes before
attempting to enhance skills, and on transforming a self-centered perspective
into a child-centered perspective. Implications for providing these types of
intervention services are discussed. To date, two treatment programs for
maltreating fathers, including the Emerge program in Boston (see
), have been developed around these principles.
To view the abstract of this article or purchase the full text, visit the
"Clinical Psychology" website at
.
"Related Items"
The same issue of "Clinical Psychology" carries two additional articles on
maltreating fathers:
*"Finding Ways to Reduce the Prevalence of Child Maltreatment Among Fathers:
A Comment on the Alternative Approaches"
() suggests that
long-term benefits would be greater if at-risk males were targeted for
prevention programs.
*"Advancing Change with Maltreating Fathers"
() examines barriers
to intervention with fathers and suggests that a paradigm shift is necessary in
the treatment community in order to overcome these barriers and provide
appropriate services.
......................
Issue Date: May 2004
Section: Promising Practices
URL:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
---Shared Family Care---
Shared Family Care (SFC) is a child welfare service that places an entire family
in the home of a community mentor for approximately 6 months. The mentor
provides day-to-day modeling of appropriate parenting and home management
skills, and, in essence, "reparents" the parent(s). Through a combination of
both in-home and out-of-home care, SFC helps families develop positive networks
of community resources and supports without separating children from their
parents. A recent article in the "Journal of Family Social Work" describes SFC
programs, summarizes an evaluation of two demonstration projects, and describes
challenges and helpful tips for those interested in developing an SFC program in
their community.
SFC programs exist across the country and are administered by both private and
public child welfare agencies. Although the programs vary somewhat, they share a
number of key elements:
*Mentors. Mentors are carefully screened and receive initial and ongoing
training.
*Matching mentors to clients. Prospective mentors and families meet several
times in order to allow both parties to learn more about each other and
determine if the match is appropriate.
*A rights and responsibilities agreement. All members of both families
develop and sign a written contract delineating rights and responsibilities of
both families, as well as general house rules.
*Family support team and wraparound services. Families involved in SFC often
have multiple needs. A Family Support Team helps the client identify goals,
develop service plans, and review progress. Case managers visit families
weekly.
*Aftercare. Due to the relatively short duration of the program, aftercare is
critical to provide the family ongoing support and services.
An evaluation of SFC demonstration projects in Colorado and California showed
promising results in reducing re-entry into foster care, increasing average
monthly income, and increasing independent housing for program graduates.
Additionally, although an SFC program can be expensive to develop and maintain,
SFC can be more cost-effective than some other types of out-of-home care.
The authors also offer some general tips for developing an SFC program,
including assessing community needs, assessing agency capacity, and exploring
funding sources.
A copy of this article, "Shared Family Care: Fostering the Whole Family to
Promote Safety and Stability" ("Journal of Family Social Work", Volume 7(2)) can
be obtained online for a fee from the Haworth Press at
store/ArticleAbstract.asp?sid=&ID=38652.
"Related Item"
The National Abandoned Infants Resource Center offers program, policy, and
evaluation resources on SFC on its website
().
......................
Issue Date: May 2004
Section: Promising Practices
URL:
|From : |[pic] |
|First Community Credit Union || |
| |[pic] |
|Sent : || |
|Wednesday, March 24, 2004 10:19 AM |[pic] |
| || |
|To : |Sent Messages |
|"Sophina Aryvz" || |
| |Inbox |
|Subject : | |
|Re: 2 accounts STILL open | |
| | |
|[pic] | |
| | |
| | |
| |
|[pic]Sophina, |
| |
|You may close an account by calling our Member Service Center at 1-800-767-8880. Our representatives are available Monday |
|through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST. They will also be able to transfer any |
|money in the account you are closing into the account you would like to revive. |
| |
|We will be happy to change your address; however, we need a signed request on file to change an address on an account. You will |
|need to send a notarized letter containing the following information: date, your name, account number, indicate old address, |
|indicate new address, indicate old phone number, indicate new phone number and sign the letter with your legal signature. You may|
|send the letter to: First Community Credit Union; Attn: Financial Service Consultant; 15715 Manchester Road; Ellisville, MO |
|63011. As soon as we are able to verify your signature, we will make the changes. |
|Please call our Member Service Center for complete assistance with your requests. |
|Thank you, |
|First Community Credit Union |
|----- Original Message ----- |
|From: Sophina Aryvz |
|To: info@ |
|Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2004 9:58 PM |
|Subject: 2 accounts STILL open |
| |
|Subject: 2 accounts , one joint and one alone. Credit Union membership offered to me when I was working for the Sporting News in|
|NYC. |
|Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 |
|To: FCCU in MO info@ |
|Dear FCCU: I left NYC and did not inform you that I have 2 accounts open but they have only the $25 to keep them open. This is |
|to ask that you put in a change of address for them and to send me info on closing one (the joint acct with Luis Gonzalez) with |
|whom I do not have contact with) and reviving the other (the one in my name alone). I will not be using checks, just ATM so |
|please send current rules and rates. |
|My previous addresses were: 37-07 30th Ave Astoria (aka L.I.C.) NY 11103-4341 |
|and 84-32 57th Road, Elmhurst, NY 11373 and I may have given this further change of address: 391 East 149th St. #210, Bronx, NY|
|10455 |
|Kindly, send all mail to Sophina Aryvz 1019 Porter St., Richmond, VA 23224 |
|I will be calling your 800 number in a few days to see if you have received my request. Thank you kindly for your time and |
|attention to the above. |
| |
| |
|[pic] Sophina Aryvz |
| |
|From : |[pic] |
|Sophina Aryvz || |
| |[pic] |
|Sent : || |
|Tuesday, March 23, 2004 12:16 PM |[pic] |
| || |
|To : |Sent Messages |
|waynescomputerworld@, sophway1@ || |
| |Inbox |
|Subject : | |
|FOOD Benefits pending verification. | |
| | |
|[pic] | |
| | |
| | |
| |
|[pic] |
|Dear Mr. Butler: . Mr. or Ms. Northington has not replied to me and WORSE, has apparently not sent the form Ms. Baylor needs for her files in |
|order to get me FEBRUARY's access to FOOD. Yet you can understand, that I cannot keep calling and e-mailing Northington. |
|Now my food stamps have been erased because of Northington/AmeriCorp's failure to provide documentation, I have nothing more to do with that |
|other than to be truthful. I am being punished for having no control over AmeriCorps. Thus, perhaps you should forward this to the Commissioner |
|of the Dept of Social Services and set the record straight: |
|That my food stamps were withheld from me because AmeriCorps, also under the D of Social Svcs, did not feel like returning the 'employment |
|verification form' back to Ms. Baylor. I have called and sent notes to Ms. Baylor so she knows how I have been monitoring Northington's lack of |
|cooperation. |
|By the way, my doctor did want to fill out the General Relief form on my behalf but the diagnose was changed and the corresponding medication was |
|not going to be given to me due to lack of blood test as I fully explained to Ms. Brown when we spoke in January '04. |
|There is nothing more I can do but AmeriCorps is overseen by your same dept., so why not forward this matter to the Commissioner????????????? |
|Below is message I sent you and I had pasted Northington/AmeriCorps' reply to me that, yes, he knew about why I had not gotten paid. Northington,|
|however, after that e-mail to me NEVER AGAIN contacted me in any way. |
|Mr. Glenn Butler From: "Sophina Aryvz" To: butlerg@ci.richmond.va.us Subject: Booklet, GR, etc. not gotten from Hull St. Date: Mon, 16 Feb |
|2004 14:06:25 -0500 |
|900 E. Marshall Street, Room 330 |
|Richmond, Virginia 23219 |
|Telephone: 804-646-7430 |
|Fax: 804-646-7018 |
|e-mail: butlerg@ci.richmond.va.us |
|Top of Form |
| |
|Bottom of Form |
| |
| |
| |
|Mr. Butler, Your Staff's reply to my inquiry is much appreciated. Ms. Florence Brown was quite helpful and concerned. Unfortunately, because I |
|mentioned that AmeriCorps had not paid me, the form that Ms. Baylor needs for her file has not been returned by |
| |
| |
|From: "B.J. Northigton" To: "'Sophina Aryvz'" CC: "'John Moody'" Subject: RE: AmeriCorps Manager VA Commn on Nat & Cmmty Svc Date: Wed, 28 Jan |
|2004 10:45:54 -0500 Dear Ms. Aryvz, Tom Harmon is the State Director of the Corporation for National Service. His office has oversight of |
|AmeriCorps VISTA and Senior Corps programs in the state. The office you contacted this morning is the Virginia Commission on National and |
|Community Service. I am the Executive Director of the Commission. We provide oversight to state AmeriCorps programs. The program that you were |
|involved with, Richmond ACES AmeriCorps Program, comes under the purview of this office. Although you did not contact this office from the onset |
|of your allegations, I am somewhat familiar with your case. However, I am not aware of any "on-going so-called investigation involving the |
|grantee." If you have any issues that you would like to share with us, please send the information to my attention either by e-mail or official |
|letter. Thank you. BJ Northington Executive Director Virginia Commission on National and Community Service -----Original |
|Message----- From: Sophina Aryvz [mailto:sophway1@] Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 10:02 AM To: bjn2@email1.dss.state.va.us Subject:|
|RE: AmeriCorps Manager VA Commn on Nat & Cmmty Svc I am besides myself with your prompt reply. Is this the office where Tom Harden is or have you |
|replaced him? (The site says you are 'manager' but I note your title in this reply.) If so, are you not informed of the on-going so-called |
|investigation involving the Grantee? Sophina Aryvz From: "B.J. Northigton" To: "'Sophina Aryvz'" CC: "'John Moody'" Subject: RE: AmeriCorps |
|Manager VA Commn on Nat & Cmmty Svc Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2004 09:29:16 -0500 Please direct all correspondence to the Commission's new address: 7 |
|North 8th Street, Fifth Floor Richmond, Virginia 23219 BJ Northington Executive Director Virginia Commission on National and Community Service |
| ----- |
|Sophina Aryvz |
| |
Although auto accidents are more prevalent in the winter months, what you need to do after an accident never changes. Obviously it is hard to think clearly after an accident so it is important to know before you get into an accident what to do first and what questions may need answered. This checklist will help you know what to do after an auto accident. It is best to review it now and then print it out and keep a copy with you in your car.
• Determine the Extent of Damage or Injuries
Try to stay calm. Panic can make others panic and the situation worse. There needs to be a calm person to determine the extent of damage and to determine if there are any injuries that need immediate medical attention.
• File an Accident Report with the Police
Even in a minor accident it is important to make sure there is a legal accident report. Do not leave the scene until the police file a full report.
• Discuss the Accident Only with the Police
With everyone all shook up it can be hard not to talk about what just happened, but that can also lead to you not thinking clearly and accurately about what happened. It is important to limit your discussion of the accident and not to admit any fault or liability. You should talk about the accident with the police and your insurance agent only.
• Get the Facts
This is the part most people know to do, but often forget to after the accident for one reason or another. It is important to get names, address, and phone numbers of everyone involved in the accident. A description of the car and license plate number can also be helpful, but make sure you also get their insurance company and the vehicle identification number of their car. Don't just think the license plate number will do because most insurance companies only record the type of car and the vehicle identification number, not the license plate number.
• Call you Insurance Agent
Call your agent or insurance company's 800# immediately, even at the scene with the police if possible. Sometimes the police officer can give your insurance company more accurate information rather than information you may not be recording properly because of your being upset by the accident. This can save you a lot of time later waiting for your claim to be processed.
What is a state sponsored insurance? A state sponsored plan for individuals who are not able to obtain insurance under private companies. This coverage is usually very expensive and will have very limited coverage's.
Tina has had 3 at-fault accidents in the past month. Since she is considered such a high risk, she has not been able to find an insurance company that will accept her. Finally she contacted her state commissioner and was able to get enough coverage to drive again.
Does everyone have to have insurance? Yes. automobile liability insurance, or proof of financial responsibility is required in all fifty states. Although each state sets their own limits on how much insurance is needed, these are only minimum limits and in most cases additional coverage is needed if you don't want to have to pay additional expenses out of pocket. If you have a lease or loan on your car you are usually required by the lender to have comprehensive and collision coverage in addition to the state required liability coverage.
What issues are considered? Insurance companies evaluate the risks associated with each policyholder to determine if you are a "good risk" or if your policy should be canceled or not renewed. Insurance companies, among other factors, will primarily review your claims, driving, and credit history. It is most favorable that your policy will not be canceled if you don't have a history of filing frequent claims, have maintained a clean driving record and your credit history is good with no bankruptcy's.
What is a called a misquote. Determining your premium depends on many factors, including where you live, the kind of car your drive, how much you drive, how much coverage you want, your driving record, and your age.
If an error is made in reporting any of these facts, your rates won't be quoted correctly. Misquotes can also happen if your agent makes a mistake in applying the company's rating system. Auto insurance misquotes can happen when your application information differs from your actual driving record.
Companies ask states' motor-vehicle divisions to verify the records of drivers they insure. If you told your insurance agent you have a perfect driving record, and you don't, your insurance company will charge higher premiums than your agent quotes.
To avoid misquotes, provide accurate information about your driving record and any other facts affecting the cost of insurance, such as the make of your car or how far you commute to work. Verify all information before signing the application.
Creating a corporate conscience
Foundation says doing good is good business
Carolyn Said, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
©2004 San Francisco Chronicle | Feedback | FAQ
URL: cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/03/30/BUGHJ5T3EL1.DTL
Dell Inc. next month will become the first major PC-maker to commit to specific goals for recycling computers and the toxics they contain. The Gap developed a system to rate labor standards at its overseas contractors and this spring will begin releasing reports on factory working conditions in some countries. Home Depot has stopped selling old-growth and tropical lumber.
These changes started with shareholder resolutions or discussions with management initiated by the As You Sow Foundation in San Francisco, in conjunction with large shareholder groups.
From a Financial District office decorated with posters on progressive issues and full-page newspaper ads the small organization has run, As You Sow assists shareholders, such as foundations and socially responsible investment funds, that want to nudge corporations toward better treatment of workers and the environment.
As You Sow helps form shareholder coalitions, solicit support from major investors, write shareholder resolutions and get the ear of management. Its big selling point: It analyzes the business benefits to companies of going green or changing their labor practices, rather than playing the holier-than- thou card.
"We don't say do this because we're do-gooders," said Conrad MacKerron, director of the corporate social responsibility program at As You Sow. "We know that doesn't wash on Wall Street. We go in and say not only is it the right thing to do, but here's the business/economic case for it because we want this to be a profitable company."
Further, he said, it is difficult for companies to ignore their largest investors. "They can't dismiss you or marginalize you as some extreme interest group. We talk about long-term value. In the age of globalization, the most valuable thing these companies have is their brand name. We stress over and over that getting these controversies behind them will help maintain long-term value."
As You Sow provides "cross-cultural communication" between the idealism of grassroots groups and the bottom-line focus of major corporations, said Michael Passoff, associate director of the corporate social responsibility program.
Despite its name, the group is more a consulting firm than a foundation. It has no endowment and is funded through consulting fees and grants. It charges between $25,000 and $50,000 to run a campaign
Pat Nathan, sustainable-business director at Dell, said she appreciates As You Sow's approach. Nathan said As You Sow spoke to Dell in a "constructive, supportive manner, not asking for the moon" and suggested that the company would benefit financially from recycling. The group pointed out that Dell's direct sales approach gives it "a great line of sight to customers; if anyone could figure out the reverse logistics to get (computers) back (for recycling), it would be Dell," she said.
As You Sow initiates that kind of campaign as part of its mission to stay on the cutting edge of problems that resonate with the public and have cost- effective solutions, MacKerron said. In this case, it lined up the Calvert Funds as a co-sponsor, and found other major shareholders who agreed that increasing recycling of computers, which contain a variety of hazardous compounds, is an important issue.
Now, Dell is developing what MacKerron called an aggressive but achievable goal for how many PCs it will take back for recycling. The company lets consumers send in old PCs for recycling for $5 and offers regular recycling days in major cities. Dell also responded to As You Sow's suggestion that it include information about recycling on its catalog cover, Nathan said.
As You Sow's successes, most of them incremental rather than revolutionary, come at a time when shareholder activism is increasing. Almost 300 shareholder resolutions on social issues were filed last year; about the same number are expected this year, according to Meg Voorhes, director of social issues at the Investor Responsibility Research Center in Washington. (By contrast, more than 600 resolutions were filed on corporate governance issues in the wake of the accounting scandals morass.)
Shareholder resolutions on social issues are breaking new ground, although they've been around for more than three decades and were a major tool for anti-apartheid activists in the 1970s and 1980s.
"Shareholder advocacy is broadening in terms of the institutions involved, " Voorhes said. "Ten or 15 years ago, religious investors were filing the majority of shareholder proposals on social issues. They are still the single most important group, but now public pension funds, labor unions, socially responsible investment firms, and groups like Amnesty International, Friends of the Earth and the Sierra Club are all becoming active."
The other big change: Companies are listening and responding more.
Campaigns by As You Sow and shareholders led to Coca-Cola and Pepsi agreeing to use some recycled plastic in their bottles; Staples and Office Depot increasing the amount of recycled content in the paper they sell; and McDonald's and Walt Disney Co. increasing internal monitoring of labor practices at overseas vendors.
As You Sow is talking with companies such as Starbucks, Du Pont and Heinz about another big issue: genetically engineered foods. Computer recycling remains a hot topic, and the group is hoping that Dell's example will inspire other computer-makers such as Apple, Hewlett-Packard and IBM to set their own goals.
"It's a cart-horse thing," said Patrick McGurn, vice president of Institutional Shareholders Service, which advises large investors on proxy votes. "Resolutions have been better written and better targeted in recent years by some of these new-age activists (and so) are getting higher voting support."
Many issues don't become resolutions. The very specter of a resolution usually inspires corporations to come to the negotiating table rather than hashing out sensitive issues in the public forum of an annual meeting.
And social-change resolutions almost never win. Last year, social-issue proposals drew an average of 12 percent of shareholder support, according to the Investor Responsibility Research Center. Voorhes said that is a significant increase from an average of 7 or 8 percent in prior years.
But shareholder proposals and dialogue clearly light a fire under companies.
"It's hard work to try to change big companies, like hitting your head against a brick wall," said Tim Smith, a senior vice president at Walden Asset Management and president of the Social Investment Forum, the trade group for socially responsible investors.
"As You Sow has been a long-distance runner keeping pressure on companies for a very long time. Their powers of dialogue and persuasion have helped turn around some companies such as Disney with sweatshop issues. They're not Don Quixote tilting at windmills."
As You Sow Chairman Thomas Van Dyck, 46, founded the group in 1994 to hold corporations accountable for complying with Proposition 65, California's toxic labeling law.
The Prop 65 side of the organization, led by Executive Director Larry Fahn, who also is president of the Sierra Club, sues companies that violate the toxics law and disburses the lawsuit settlements as grants to California environmental groups.
During the past decade, As You Sow has given out about $2 million in grants. The Prop. 65 suits have led to more disclosure about mercury levels in fish, the elimination of formaldehyde and benzene in construction of portable classrooms, and the removal of toluene from nail enamel, the group said.
In his day job, Van Dyck, a co-founder of Progressive Asset Management, consults on socially responsible investing at Piper Jaffray & Co. in San Francisco. As You Sow branched into corporate social responsibility in 1997.
Van Dyck sees pursuing change at the corporate level as a natural dynamic.
"The capital markets can create social change much more quickly than legislation or litigation because that profit incentive is in place," he said.
"The best management incorporates environmental and employee practices that are more sustainable long term. You can make as much money by doing what's right as (by doing) what's exploitative; and in the long run, you'll do better. It's only in the short run that exploitative practices do better because you're cheating the system."
E-mail Carolyn Said at csaid@.
I've learned all about the Wright brothers. It's a fascinating story with lessons for all of us -- lessons that we can apply right now in our workplaces.
Wilbur and Orville were average guys from Dayton, Ohio. They owned a bicycle business, but they found themselves thinking more about wings than wheels. (Lesson #1 -- Have a vision.) So in 1899, they wrote to the Smithsonian Institution and gathered everything they could find about early efforts to fly. (Lesson #2 -- Do your front-end homework.)
They combed through every detail, searching for proven practices that would help their invention get off the ground. Other inventors had already demonstrated the aerodynamic wisdom of gliding, as opposed to flapping, and the Wrights followed their lead. In fact, they worked all sorts of earlier discoveries into their designs. (Lesson #3 -- Make the most of existing best practices.)
In other cases, facts and data convinced the brothers that they'd have to develop an entirely new approach -- as in the case of lateral control. The prevailing method required the pilot to shift his body left or right to attempt rolling and banking. Orville and Wilbur knew they'd have to find a better way. (Lesson #4 -- If the facts tell you to go against the grain, do it.)
Then the real work began. They analyzed what it would take to get airborne, and in the process, they pinpointed four problems that had to be solved: lift, control, power, and learning how to fly. (Lesson #5 -- Divide big challenges into smaller challenges, and take them on one at a time.)
They built model after model, starting with kite-like gliders so they could test their ideas on lift and control. (Lesson #6 -- Experiment, experiment, experiment.) These gliders kept getting bigger as they fine-tuned their invention, and before long, they needed more space. We all know where they went: Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, where the Outer Banks offered perfect flying conditions.
Imagine telling your colleagues and family that you're going to haul your big kite to a windy beach so you can work out the kinks. Oh, and by the way, the beach is 500 miles from home. (Lesson #7 -- Do whatever it takes to achieve your vision. Ignore the naysayers.)
Each test flight provided a wealth of information, and the brothers methodically made improvements to their design. (Lesson #8 -- Great creations result from many small creations.) And in July 1901, the tethered glider was big enough and safe enough for a brave rider. Wilbur held on, everyone else pulled, and the glider soared across the sand. (Lesson #9 -- Sometimes it just takes guts.)
Plenty of work still needed to be done -- not the least of which was this little problem of power. There was none. Gasoline engines at that time were too heavy to carry the plane and a person. So the Wright brothers turned to Charles Taylor, a mechanic extraordinaire who worked in the bicycle shop. Taylor led the effort to build a light-enough gas engine. (Lesson #10 -- Capitalize on all that nearby know-how.)
On September 23, 1903, Wilbur and Orville left Dayton and headed once again for the Outer Banks -- bringing along their precious cargo, the ìwhopper flying machine,î as Wilbur called it. They spent that autumn using the glider version to sharpen their flying skills. (Lesson #11 -- Take the time to be prepared.)
Then winter came, and they felt the time was right for their maiden flight. They tried on December 14, but weak winds and an overeager tug on the elevator caused the ìWright Flyerî to hit the sand. Weather conditions prevented attempts the next two days, but December 17 seemed acceptable. Just four years after writing to the Smithsonian, Orville climbed onto the bottom wing, eased himself into position, and pulled the release wire. The rest is history.
The famous photo of that first flight is a story in itself. Orville and Wilbur felt so prepared, so optimistic, that they had a camera ready and waiting. (Lesson #12 -- At the moment of truth, throttle up your optimism.) An assistant had instructions to release the shutter just as the Flyer slipped the bonds of its launch track.
Tom Terez is the founder of , author of "22 Keys to Creating a Meaningful Workplace," and president of Tom Terez Workplace Solutions Inc. He's on the road all the time doing keynotes and workshops on workplace improvement and performance excellence. He's known for his humor, stories, and straight talk -- and for providing ideas and tools that people can put to work right away.
Tom's presentations and projects have been with LensCrafters, SouthTrust Bank, the U.S. Postal Service, the Social Security Administration, the Pinellas County (FL) Schools, AOL/CompuServe, Columbus Children's Hospital, ADRA Mongolia, Lambton Hospitals of Canada, Head Start, Novozymes, the Jamaica Office of Utilities Regulation, and many others.
is a favorite resource for people who are working to increase employee morale and job satisfaction. The site is full of free online tools. Tom also publishes the free biweekly "Better Workplace Now" e-letter. For a free subscription, write to subscribe@. Contact Tom directly at Tom@.
Above article came from At , we are committed to helping you make smart HR decisions, fast. We provide you with easy access to the information, resources, products and services you need to successfully manage the people side of business. And, membership at is FREE.
On our home page, you'll find daily news to keep you in the loop, as well as weekly columns to increase your business savvy, keep learning, and stay on top of issues affecting your job. From there, you can access any or all of our eight HR communities that represent the main specialties within HR. These communities appear in colored tabs near the top of the page and they include:
• Compensation and Benefits
• HR Information Systems
• HR Management
• Labor Relations
• Legal
• Organizational Development
• Staffing
• Training & Development
Within each community,you'll find options for taking action including finding articles, purchasing a book, contacting a consultant, connecting with a peer or asking a burning question. At the Training Center, you have access to over 120,000 training products and programs that you can purchase on-line.
We are working hard each day to add information, services and enhancements to build the best possible human resource resource. We invite your comments, questions and suggestions.
An explanation of the speculative practice of shorting stock
Arbitragers, speculators and many individual investors engage in a practice known as shorting stock. These "shorts" make money when the price of the stock they are shorting goes down.
The Basics of Shorting Stock
I own 10 shares of company ABC at $50 per share. [pic]
You believe the stock price of ABC is grossly overvalued and is going to crash sometime soon. You are so convinced that the stock will crash, you come to me, and ask to borrow my ten shares of ABC and sell them at the current market price for $50. I agree to lend you my shares as long as you pay me back ten shares of ABC at some point in the future. You take the ten borrowed shares, sell them for $500 and pocket the money (10 shares x $50 per share = $500).
The following week, the price of ABC stock falls to $20 per share. You call your broker and tell him to buy 10 shares of ABC stock, at the new price of $20 per share. You pay him the $200 (10 shares x $20 per share = $200). A few days later, you pick up the shares of ABC and bring them by my office. "Here are the ten shares I borrowed," you say as you put them on my desk.
Do you see what happened? You borrowed my shares of ABC, sold them for $500. The following week, when ABC fell to $20 per share, you repurchased those ten shares for $200 and gave them back to me. In the mean time, you pocketed the difference of $300.
The Speculative Nature of Shorting Stock
What if the price of ABC stock had risen? The person shorting stock would have had to buy back the shares at the new, higher price, and absorb the loss personally. Unlike regular investing where your losses are limited to the amount of capital you invest (i.e., if you invest $100, you cannot lose more than the $100), shorting stock has no limit to the price you might ultimately lose. Famed investor Ben Graham told us there is nothing stopping an overpriced stock from becoming more overpriced. In the unlikely event the stock had shot up to $1,000 (which actually happened to shares of Northern Pacific during a short squeeze in 1902), you would have had to purchase ten shares at $1,000 a share for $10,000. Taking into account the $500 you received from selling the shares earlier, you would have lost $9,500 on a $500 investment.
Some investors practice shorting stock as a hedge to protect their portfolio. In most cases, this is not required nor recommended for individual or institutional investors. If you have selected a company you believe has excellent prospects for the next decade, you should view a declining market as an opportunity to purchase more of a good thing, not something to be dreaded.
Shorting Stock in Your Personal Portfolio
In order to begin shorting stock, you must open a margin account with your brokerage firm. You will be charged interest on the borrowed funds as well as subject to several rules and regulations that govern shorting stock (for instance, you cannot short a penny stock, and before you can begin shorting a stock, the last trade must be an uptick or zero-plus tick.) After taking these factors into consideration, you will, hopefully, realize shorting stock is not a financially fattening activity in most cases.
Investing on margin can lead to fast profits of financial ruin
Whether or not you know what the financial term margin means, you may never reach the point where you can decisively say if it is good or bad. Even those whom have invested for years are heavily divided on the issue - to onlookers, the raging debate of its virtue may resemble more of a theological disagreement about God or some equally important matter as opposed to what it really is.
Defined, margin is essentially investing with borrowed money. [pic]
|Any eligible investor may purchase securities on margin by borrowing money from their broker at a fixed interest rate (for |
|example, 9.5%) on the condition that fifty percent of the amount invested is the investor's equity. To restate that, if you |
|wanted to purchase $10,000 worth of stock on margin, you would have to provide at least $5,000 of the cash. The broker will loan|
|you the difference. |
|This can be great - when the market is going up. Using this leverage, you can make twice as much money on a successful stock |
|investment as you could otherwise. As enticing as this may seem, the drawbacks are equally as impressive. |
|The most important point to realize is that you will be charged interest for borrowing the money. This means that if you make |
|13% on your investment in a year's time and have to pay out 9% in interest, you have cut your profit down substantially. It is |
|more desirable for the margin investor to pick short-term plays so that they "hold" the money for a very short amount of time, |
|and have to pay little interest on it. Short-term estimates on market performance are virtually impossible to correctly |
|anticipate, and hence risky. |
|The second drawback (which is the main reason for the hatred among some investors for margin) is that the securities in your |
|account can and will be sold if the price of the stock falls far enough. For instance, since you are required to keep a certain |
|amount of equity in your account, if the value of your stock falls, your broker may make a margin call. This means that you will|
|be required to put additional capital / cash into your account or the broker will sell as much stock as necessary to force |
|repayment of the money they lent you. This means you will be forced to sell at precisely the time it is most damaging to do so. |
|In some extreme cases, margin caused serious economic troubles. In the Great Depression era, it was only required that customers|
|put up 10% of the amount of the margin loan. If an investor wanted to purchase $10,000 worth of stock, they would only be |
|required to deposit $1,000 upfront. This wasn't a problem until the market crashed, causing stock prices to fall. When brokers |
|made their margin calls, they found that no one could repay them since most of their wealth was in the stock market - thus, the |
|brokers sold the stock to pay back the margin loans. This created a cycle until eventually prices were battered down and the |
|entire market demolished. |
|Knowing all of this, is it wise to use margin? In short, only if you are fairly confident about the short-term moves of the |
|market, which is fairly impossible to predict. |
| |
Definition: A margin account lets a person borow money from a broker to purchase securities. The difference between the amount of the loan, and the price of the securities, is called the margin.
Definition: When the price of securities purchased on margin suddenly drop in price and lose value, a margin call requires the investor to put more money in their account immediately or face liqudiation of the securities to pay the loan to the broker back.
Rsch Reuters:
ESL ARCS (The Adult Reading Components Study): offers an online mini-course in reading at the following NIFL site: .
The ARCS was conducted by researchers at the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL). Nearly 1000 adult learners participated in the study, taking a variety of reading and language tests. Using cluster analysis, ten different reading profiles were identified from the results of these tests.
Components of this self-directed course include:
Print Skills (Alphabetics)
• Phonemics
• Word Recognition
• Sight Words
• Word Analysis
• Spelling
• Reading Rate & Fluency
• Meaning Skills
• Word Meaning (Vocabulary)
• Background Knowledge
• Silent Reading Comprehension
Assessment Drives Instruction - This section will use the page listed below to show how assessment is linked to instruction.
• Comparison of three different reading profiles found in one ABE classroom
• Browse All ARCS Comparison Profiles - This section features all of the ARCS Comparison Profile descriptions as well as the comparisons of profiles in the same silent reading group.
Using a Learner Questionnaire - This section explains the usefulness of learner questionnaires and provides an example that you can download and use in your program.
• As an adjunct to skills assessment
• Downloadable learner questionnaire
Using Assessments - This section describes some common adult education assessments and provides a list of tests that can be used in adult education programs.
• Types of assessments and some test concepts
• Test Bank listing many assessments that can be used with
• adult learners
ARCS (The Adult Reading Components Study) - This section describes the research study that forms the foundation of this website.
• ARCS Overview
• ARCS ABE and Spanish Assessment Batteries
• The 10 ARCS Research Profiles
• An explanation of how the ARCS relates to this website
References - This section contains all the references given on this site.
A complete list of citations
Resources - This section contains downloadable resources that can be used with adult learners and web addresses of adult education and research sites.
Downloads:
Word lists (Basic Words, Instant Words, Signal Words)
The Word Meaning Test (WMT)
Sylvia Greene's Informal Word Analysis Inventory
Web addresses of adult education and research sites
Research
indicates that children need skills in recognizing words and comprehending
meaning to master reading and English literacy. For that to happen,
teachers need to deliver intense, explicit and supportive reading
instruction developed through targeted and continuing methods. AERA's
Research Points offers policymakers suggestions to address needs of the
increasing number of children who enter schools in America with limited or
no English.
Costa Rica Subject to "Oil Extortion," Say Activists
Costa Rican President Abel Pacheco delighted environmentalists two years ago when he announced a moratorium on oil exploration and open-pit mining in the country. But Harken Energy, a Texas-based oil company, wasn't so fond of the idea. The company says Costa Rica owes it reparations for refusing to let it proceed with offshore oil drilling; through a World Bank body, Harken demanded (gulp) $57 billion. Costa Rica said fat chance. But the passage of the Central American Free Trade Agreement could make it harder for small nations to stand up to corporations and protect their environments -- and easier for extractive industries to get what they want. Mark Engler and Nadia Martinez report on the Costa Rica case -- only on the Grist Magazine website.
only in Grist: CAFTA may leave Central American countries vulnerable to energy giants -- by Mark Engler and Nadia Martinez
In answering Grist's questions earlier this week, InterActivist and environmental educator Lily Fessenden casually mentioned YIIMBY (Yes! It's in my back yard!), a project her household instituted whereby every bit of waste they produce -- and they mean "every" -- is kept on their property. Readers were fascinated and wrote in with all kinds of questions. Read Fessenden's answers to learn about doing your business in a pickle bucket, composting old clothes, spreading the Deep Ecology gospel, and more -- only on the Grist Magazine website.
only in Grist: InterActivist Lily Fessenden answers reader questions
Short story authors challenge readers to write the ending
By Matt Born
(Filed: 26/03/2004)
Aspiring authors are to get the chance to write the ending to one of eight short stories begun by leading novelists, including Ian Rankin, Fay Weldon and Sue Townsend, in a BBC competition launched yesterday.
[pic][pic]The best-selling writers have each produced the first three quarters of eight original short works for End of Story, a new series for the youth-orientated digital channel BBC3.
Viewers will then have about six weeks to try to finish their chosen tale in 1,200 words.
Four judges - including the playwright and actor Kwame Kwei-Armah and author Muriel Gray - will draw up a shortlist of the best entries.
The winning eight stories, which will have been chosen by the authors themselves, may be dramatised on BBC3 in the autumn.
A number will also be broadcast on Radio 4.
As well as Townsend, creator of Adrian Mole, Rankin, best known for his Rebus detective novels, and Weldon, the other writers taking part are Joanne Harris, Ed McBain, Marian Keyes, Alexei Sayle and Shaun Hutson.
The BBC is publishing about 20,000 copies of the part-written stories.
Prospective wordsmiths will be able to pick up a copy free from libraries, coffee shops, petrol stations and other public venues. The stories will also be available over the internet.
Winners will meet the authors whose work they had completed, and may even land a publishing deal.
Stuart Murphy, the controller of BBC3, said he hoped the competition would provide a platform for potential writers to launch their careers.
He said: "This project is very exciting for anyone who has read a book and thought they could do better.
"This series could change the path of some people's lives for ever."
End of Story, which begins next month, was among the highlights of the BBC3 spring/ summer season unveiled yesterday.
The season also sees the channel launch its own medical drama, Bodies.
Although it is a genre which many feel is already over-exposed on television, Mr Murphy insisted the show was "completely different" to the likes of Holby City and Casualty.
He said the series, starring Max Beesley and Patrick Baladi, would make "uncomfortable" viewing at times.
"Bodies gives an insight into the medical world in a way that has not been done before," added Mr Murphy. "It deals with issues such as whistleblowing and the culture of secrecy."
WHISTLE BLOWING
By VICKI SMITH
The Associated Press
3/31/2004, 1:42 p.m. ET
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — A judge on Wednesday set aside $600,000 punitive damages that jurors had granted three West Virginia University police officers, saying he was wrong to let them consider that kind of award in a whistleblowing case.
Two current officers and one former officer had sued WVU, claiming the school retaliated against them for complaining that dorm-room burglaries were routinely mislabeled to avoid a federal crime-reporting law.
Clawges said he turned some of those issues over to the jury, hoping they could sort it all out.
However, he failed to include in his jury charge the language of the state whistleblower law, which spells out certain remedies juries can impose. Those include reinstatement of employment and seniority, and awarding of back pay and other actual economic damages.
"We all ignored the black and white language of the statute, and I fault myself for that," Clawges said. "There is no statutory authority for punitive damages in whistleblower cases."
CITIZEN-TIMES staff breaking the rules to help stop child abuse
Asheville Citizen Times - Asheville,NC,USA
... It will include clowns from The Health Adventure and a puppet show
by AmeriCorps volunteers, incorporating child-oriented messages about
personal safety and ...
See all stories on this topic
Tribal aid program triggers old fears
A new effort aims to identify the social problems facing the state's Indians, but some tribes are skeptical.
|[pic] |
BY MATT SABO
March 28 2004
Over the next three years, many of Virginia's eight state-recognized Indian tribes will take a small step toward independence while awaiting a decision on their efforts to gain federal recognition and funds.
In a $120,000 federally funded program administered through the state, federal workers will help the tribes identify their most pressing needs, in areas such as housing, elder healthcare and education. The program would then seek money to alleviate those problems.
In concept, the Virginia Indian Development program will unite the state's eight recognized tribes in the common goal of tapping into funds to aid their members, just as cities or counties reap money from the state and federal governments for similar purposes.
But in practice, the effort is running into some of the same problems that have prevented the tribes from gaining strength in the past - a lack of unity.
One tribe, the Pamunkey, in King William County, isn't going to participate, said its chief, who declined to elaborate. Another tribe, the Mattaponi, is not expected to participate, at least at first, said the program's director.
The very core of the program, a Census-like survey, is sure to raise hackles among some of Virginia's Indians, many of whom endured decades of institutionalized racism that included purging Indians as a distinct group from Census counts.
The Upper Mattaponi Tribe is supporting the program, but Chief Ken Adams says the survey may cause problems.
"Typically, Indians have been surveyed to death," he says. "People have come into our communities and asked us questions for years and years and years. Nobody likes somebody to come to their door and ask them personal questions. We've been asked that kind of stuff many, many times."
Adams says he still backs the program, hopeful for what it can do for his tribe.
"I think it's something that probably needs to be done to tap into the needs and the desires of the tribes," Adams says. "Where it's going to lead to, I don't know. We just have to wait and see, I guess."
Congress has been considering legislation that would give Virginia's tribes federal recognition - funding like other Indian tribes. But the measure has been stalled in committee amid fears by some that the tribes would use this authority to build casinos. Others are unwilling to commit to perpetual payments to the Virginia tribes.
Scattered across Virginia, mostly in small, rural communities, the state's eight recognized tribes are estimated at only about 5,000 people, Adams says. Yet 21,000 Virginians identified themselves as American Indians in the 2000 Census.
The Virginia Indian Development program is being conducted by Americorps, a network of national service programs.
A key component of the program is that the tribes will conduct their own census. The census is expected to serve three purposes: Identify tribes' membership and needs; develop plans to meet those needs; and find money to carry out the plans.
Unlike tribes in other parts of the country, Virginia's don't have federal reservations and do not receive federal funds earmarked for Indian programs. That's because the 17th-century treaties signed by Virginia's Indians were with England, not the United States.
Even though they are state-recognized and considered political entities, responsible for providing services to their members, tribes don't receive funding like Virginia's towns, cities and counties do, said Dante Desiderio, the program's director and a member of the Sappony tribe, which straddles the Virginia-North Carolina border but is not recognized by Virginia.
"We don't have any land, our resources are extremely limited and we're not federally recognized, so we're not able to acquire federal funds," Desiderio said. "That's the biggest reason we're doing this."
The program, he said, will put Virginia's tribes on a more equal footing with cities and counties.
"It's a baby step, and really it's also a way for us to start getting programs for our members from the state," Desiderio says.
He cites an example of an elderly tribal member who needs money for heating oil. That person would rather receive help from the tribe than from the state, he said.
Desiderio said he's undaunted by the prospect of two tribes declining to participate.
"It's nothing new, having tribes going in different ways with different goals," he said.
He and other supporters of the program point out that one of its components is designed to overcome these differences.
Tribal economic growth has been impeded by the varying objectives of the tribes, as well as a lack of money and administrative expertise, says Karenne Wood, chairwoman of the Virginia Council on Indians.
"With help from the Virginia Indian Development program, we can address different needs without forcing tribal volunteers to become experts in multiple grant programs," Wood says.
"This program also helps by making it easier on grantors to fund various projects since it will define not only the individual needs of each tribe but also the common needs of all Virginia tribes."
msabo@ | (804) 642-1748
Copyright © 2004, Daily Press
EDUCATIONAL TOURS AND TRAVEL
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Yucatan Mayan Adventure
Offers a 7night/8day trip combining Mayan ruins, beach/ activity time, 4&5 star accommodations and a "Dinner with the Locals" program.
Office Depot Announces Plan to Go Green
Office-supply giant Office Depot is teaming up with respected conservation groups in an effort to green its business practices. A new five-year, $2.2 million environmental strategy should demonstrate that the company is "about commitment, not compliance or convenience," said Office Depot President Bruce Nelson. The corporation is collaborating with three nonprofits -- Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, and NatureServe -- to create the Forest and Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, which aims to convince logging companies to adopt more responsible conservation practices. Office Depot also unveiled a new policy for buying paper from suppliers, which is intended to protect biodiversity. "We are perfectly clear on the values we want to promote and advance, the types of forests we want our suppliers to avoid, and the forest practices we will and will not accept," said Nelson. The company's shift has mollified two of its harshest critics, the enviro groups Dogwood Alliance and ForestEthics.
straight to the source: , 23 Mar 2004
straight to the source: Sun-Sentinel, Karen-Janine Cohen, 23 Mar 2004
Green Building Is Booming
Once a fringe movement, born of the 1970s energy crisis, green building is going mainstream with a vengeance. Through its four-year-old Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, the U.S. Green Building Council has certified 149 million square feet of commercial and high-rise residential space as green, up from 8 million in 2000. The economic benefits are clear: According to a recent study by the California Sustainable Building Task Force, green building raises upfront construction expenses by 2 percent, but yields tenfold savings over 20 years by reducing energy and waste costs. Even those upfront expenses are decreasing as companies like Home Depot jump into the market with more eco-friendly, sustainable materials, driving prices down. Green building techniques range from the high-tech, like installing motion sensors that turn off lights when no one's in a room, to low-tech, like situating buildings to receive maximum natural light. More and more cities require new government buildings to meet LEED standards.
straight to the source: The Mercury News, Paul Rogers, 30 Mar 2004
straight to the source: USA Today, John Ritter, 30 Mar 2004
see also, in Grist: Who's the greenest of them all? -- NRDC's new Santa Monica building may be the most eco-friendly in the U.S. -- by Amanda Griscom
How to Compute with a Clear Conscience
The personal computer you're using right now likely contains lead, brominated fire retardants, polyvinyl chloride, and the heavy metals cadmium, chromium, and mercury. These nasties threaten the workers who manufacture PCs as well as the groundwater in areas where they are landfilled -- and some 12 million are landfilled annually in the U.S. The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and other environmental groups have joined forces on the Computer TakeBack Campaign, compiling report cards that rank computer manufacturers on environmental practices and creating guidelines for eco-friendly purchasing, use, and disposal. The Green Guide has pulled together some of the most helpful tips in Earthly Possessions -- today on the Grist Magazine website.
today in Grist: Tips on greener computing -- in Earthly Possessions
The software can be used for adding a new Adult Education resource to an already existing Adult Education component or parent and child together time (PACT Time) component to an existing family literacy or family education program. A 15 user, one-year Online Language Learning Center for US English retails for $4,485.00. The application period ends May 14, 2004.
Please log on to NCFL's web site and read under announcements for more details on eligibility and how programs can apply.
WHY PARENTS NEED LIFE INSURANCE
As a parent, you know you need life insurance, but how much? What is the minimum amount your survivors would need for the monetary loss of you or your spouse? It is estimated to raise a child from birth to college can cost anywhere in the neighborhood of $700,000! Here are some quick and simple ways to get an idea of how much life insurance you may need:
• Option 1: Determining Expenses (-) Assets: Figure a rough estimate of your annual family budget. This would include your mortgage, child care, insurance, and basic living expenses. Don't forget to include expenses such as vacations, and future education plans such as private school and college. Next, estimate a figure for your assets such as savings, social security benefits, or any other income that will be there such as the income of a surviving spouse. Remember, stay-at-home spouses contribute a lot to the family income by by-passing child care, travel, cleaning, cooking, tutoring and associated costs, therefore would need to be insured also.
• Option 2: Salary Estimate: Another quick, but more general way, would be to take your current annual salary and multiply that by 7. For example, if you make 60,000/per year then I would recommend buying a minimum of $420,000($60,000 X 7= $420,000).
If your estimate is high, good, it's probably right. If you are worried about the premium cost, I would recommend choosing term life insurance. You can get a policy for the time you would need it (the amount of time your kids would depend on you) for a lower premium than other insurance options.
WHY IS DAYCARE SO EXPENSIVE?
Three main issues are of concern to both center and daycare providers : expenses, time and value. What follows are excerpts.
$ Expenses $
"...Many centers are non-profit and simply charge what they need to in order to cover expenses. Look at the expenses of childcare - food, insurance, salaries (which by the way are WAY TO LOW in comparison to today's standards in most professions... cc is barely above minimum wage in many areas), equipment, supplies, some have transportation costs (buses/vans/maintenance/gas/etc), rent of property, property taxes, to name only a few.
Many people who work in childcare end up leaving a profession they love because the salaries are so low..." RUTHJRC
"...Parents don't understand My over head- We have to pay for everything your child eats, drinks, uses and plays with. All the crafts and papers your child brings home, videos they watch, As well as quarterly income taxes, our extra insurance, Social security, gas and car maintenance, cleaning supplies, time spent "off the clock" doing paperwork or shopping for the supplies ...well just about everything - so you see we don't get to keep most of what we get paid by the parent, and we don't get workman' s compensation or Health insurance...so If one of my kids ends up in the Hospital I am in big trouble. I actually make less than 1/3 of the minimum wage if I have a house full of kids-And that Wage doesn't begin to cover the stuff my kids need let alone my Mortgage.If more parents understood the true cost of Daycare they would understand that we providers are in this line of work for love of kids-not money!..." LYSEKIDS
"... There is a fixed cost to running a child care facility whether it be home or center. Many of the "invisible" costs have already been mentioned. They include, insurance, bookkeeping, depreciation of equipment, transportation costs ( even if you don't transport children, you do drive to the store for supplies), education and training (required for license in most if not all states), curriculum materials, landscaping upkeep, cleaning supplies, facility maintenance (fixing broken doors, etc) and advertising. I may have missed some. The costs most people (non providers) notice are food, craft supplies, paper goods (napkins, etc.) and teacher salaries..". DADSKIDS
"...$115.00 IS cheap...on a 5 day week/10 h our day, that's only $2.30 per hour. Babysitters get paid MUCH more than that. On that $2.30 per hour, take out your self-employment tax; mortgage use; water, gas, electric, wear and tear on home and furnishing; food; activities; vehicle maintenance; gas;..." SUE124
$ Time $
"...We work horribly long and hard hours. Twelve a day with children in our home. Then the shopping trips we have to do because your child will need something next week. Tomorrow we will spend the day cleaning all the outdoors toys and fixing the yard and the deck so your child will be safe in our care. Sunday after some time with our kids we will go shopping for the needs that we can think of for the week. Monday night I'm sure we will again have a list of more that we need. So one other night during the week will be shopping for these..." JANR1
"...Even during nap time, I sit in the room with the children while they nap and work on the computer. Usually working on newsletters, calendars , etc., all to keep me and my parents up to date. Even coming here is for their benefit. The more informed and educated I am, the better it is for their child. So from 6:45 in the morning until 6 in the evening, I am with their children..." SLK41
"...Oh, not to mention we work those 11 hours a day (or more for some providers) with no break. Most people get two 15-minute breaks and an hour lunch where they can actually LEAVE work. Not us..." MUNCHKINS6
$ Value $
"... it seems so expensive, but really is an investment. A good childcare program is so needed by the children, but a bad one that costs a little less can do so much damage to a child just the same. It's not worth saving money to damage your child...." SLK41
"...Yes, $115/wk is a lot of money from your pocket. But, let's gain a little perspective. As said before, does the monthly amt. you pay for your child to be protected, loved, stimulated, entertained, socialized, nursed, educated, fed, changed, and on and on even begin to compare to what you might pay for your mortgage/rent, auto(s), food, medical care, clothing and utilities each month?..." MAJORMOMMY.
Contract and Policy Tips for Family Daycare
If you are a family daycare provider, you are also a small business owner and a professional. It is important to have a well written contract for services you will provide. Providers from our forum have shared some of their policies.
Hours of Operation
I tell all my parents I am open 7-5 every day, and they can bring their kids anytime during those 10 hours and it's one rate. I do charge an hourly "overtime" rate if they come before 7 or stay after 5
Ecn8
I'm open a maximum of 10 hours a day. 7am-5:00pm. If a parent needs
me to be open a little longer, they have to give me at least a weeks notice. I don't think you are being unreasonable.
Karenritter
My hours are 7 to 5, but contract states...Daycare is a 9 hour day, and this must include drop off and pickup time. My hours should be able to accommodate them to fit into their workday. If they need more than 9 hours, I will probably send them elsewhere, as I don't want overtime. If it is on a rare occasion, I am more than happy to help them out.
Grits4evr
Registration and Deposits
have never asked for a deposit, and never been stiffed by a parent. They have always given me notice at least one month ahead of time. I ask for two weeks.
Jkelly531
I require reg. fee, first week up front since Now I do pre-pay and the last 2wks termination. I tell parents if NO written termination then they still pay!! I know it's a lot up front so I do with work with them on the dep..
Kidskornerdc
1 Have parents make a deposit equal to 2 wks payment. This is your final 2 wks of payment from them. Guaranteed! I have had to do this too. I learned the hard way and it cost me big time. Work w/them on the deposit, if need be, by letting them pay you in 2 or 4 increments. Good luck!
Majormommy
I charge a $20.00 per. year non-refundable registration fee. I haven't had a parent ask what it is for. But will tell them like you said helps cover paper work and my time. I am thinking of raising it to $25.00.
Kidskornerdc
I charge a $15 registration fee to cover supplies, advertising, etc. I've never had a parent question it. I am pretty low for my area. Most charge a week's tuition. I just can't justify asking for that
Slk41
Vacations and Sick Days
I charge half rate for the first two weeks of vacation, anything over two weeks is full charge.
Rberry41
I give 5 days sick/personal per calendar year w/o notice with no pay and 2 weeks vacation that they can take no pay with 2 weeks notice. I go calendar year, otherwise it gets too complicated
Pattig2
I am off and am paid for all statutory holidays, that fall on a parents regular working day. Parents pay 1/2 fee when they are on holidays for more than 5 consecutive working days and they do not pay a fee when I am on holidays.
Ransob
I get paid for New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and close at 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve. If any of these holidays fall on the weekend I get Friday or Monday off/paid.
Shayronnie
Payment Schedules
On my contracts I let the parents decide on what day they want to pay me and whether they will pay weekly, bi-wkly or monthly but it must be in advance. I tell them to make it easy on themselves but after they fill out the contract and put down the day and frequency, they are locked into that time and amount.
Johnnies2
I have been doing an hourly rate for the last 2 years and next week I will be changing to a daily rate. I have one parent that I feel I have lost $1300 to $1500 on being shorted for hours here and there just this year. Other parents have also shorted me on hours but not to the extreme that this one parent has.
Brenda8725
You can do a daily and weekly rate, but make it a better deal to go for weekly. Say you decide to charge $90.00 per week for full time, then make it $25.00 per day. For part time (if you want to offer it) go for two thirds that amount, or $60.00 per week; $16.00 per day. Then define part time as anything up to 5 hours, 59 minutes; full time as 6 to 9 hours. Anyone leaving the child longer than 9 hours is subject to overtime fees. Contracts would also indicate if the parent was purchasing a full or part time slot and how many days per week. If they purchase full time, weekly, they pay for full time weekly regardless of actual attendance.
Dadskid
Additional Fees
In our parent contract (signed by parent), ANY child who is 15 minutes late in dropping off or 15 minutes late in picking up (according to their enrollment schedule), I charge them $5.00 for EVERY 15 minutes! If they do call to say they will be late, I ask how long and log that down, and I begin charging if they go past this time frame they gave me.
Angelwink44
If they do not arrive within half an hour of expected arrival without a call I charge $10, my contract renewal for 2002 is going to $15.
Rachelrugra
I do charge them $10 for every fifteen minutes they are late after 6:00 p.m., my closing time. I've never had a repeat offend there!
Shayronnie
Discounts
I used to give a discount but I was losing money that way. I don't provide discounted care to the second child, so why should I give a discount? :)I have found that parents who truly care about having high-quality care for their child are willing to pay for it.
Ecn8
I don't give any discounts for siblings...I figure they are filling up a slot that I could be using for another child...then I don't have any problems with other families either that come along...
Salylee
Rate Increases
I put an automatic 5% increase Jan 1st of each year in my contract. I debated doing this, but I did it one because I did not want to be in the uncomfortable position of informing parents I would be raising my rates and two there are no surprises to the parents. It is all there in black and white. When interviewing I just tell them that I do have the increase and that it is my incentive to always continue to improve my program and it is minimal out of pocket for them weekly/hourly/monthly/yearly, however they want to figure it. So far I have not had any problems or complaints with it.
Chelz3
I raise mine a little each year to keep on track with expenses. Usually about $5 / week. This year I didn't raise them and actually had a parent ask me if I had forgotten to put the notice out because they were expecting it!
Ruthjrc
Discipline
I use a form of "1-2-3", "redirecting" and "time out" as a form of discipline. Any child who is aggressive, uncontrollable and can not follow the rules, the parents will be called to come and pick their child(ren) up. If your child continues to act in a matter that is distributive to him/herself or to other children, childcare may be terminated.And I have the parent sign this form when they fill out their enrollment form. I also give the parents the option of telling me what kind of discipline they use at home that they feel works best for their child
Susie710
I stated that I cannot care for children whose behavior is unacceptable such as biting, hitting, fighting...etc. I know sometimes things happen, but if a child is always acting out or running wild and causing problems, I state that they will be asked to make other arrangements. I assure them that I do my best to make sure that their child is kept safe and sent home in the same condition in which they arrived, free of bruises, bite marks, etc.
to get idea of various earlychildcare, thou my emphasis is on ESL for Adults but if they have kids, they too, will have to be entertained while parent(s) is/are being tutored. Networking with other providers may also be an off-site solution, teacher interns may be an in-house solution.
New and Renewing memberships may be completed on-line at .
Mail Membership to: NAEYC Membersnip, P.O. Box 91756, Washington, D.C. 20090-7156.Contact HAEYC, 1806 So. King St. Ste. 30, Honolulu, Hawaii 96826. Ph: (808) 942-4708, Fax (808) 955-2739 Email: haeyc@ Website:
• In many places child care workers make less then public sanitation workers, secretaries and other jobs that require a lot less education and experience. I do get paid in smiles, hugs and recognition of appreciation from families.
• I need you to read all material and notices. I am counting on you to know the information I send to you in writing. This includes newsletters, notes and contract material.
• It is important that you communicate with me. Let me know in advance if there will be a change in your child’s schedule, or the services you will need.
• If I ask you to bring in supplies for your child, please do. And make sure supplies are replenished as needed. This may include extra clothes, art supplies, diapers etc.
• Remember your child is not the only child in my care. Although I do my best to provide individualized attention at times, I am often unable to change polices or disrupt plans to accommodate the needs of one family.
• Please do not send your child if they are ill. If they are too ill to participate in the day’s activities they are too ill to be in care. I need to protect the health of other children as well. If your child is or was ill, please notify me.
• I recognize that you are the most important person in the child’s life. I hope that we can work as a partnership for what is best for the child. Please share with me any concerns or questions about your child’s care and development. Work with me in helping your child learn, grow and develop.
|Adult/Continuing Education |[pic] |
|The Brain and Intelligence |
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|[pic]Learn about the structure and function of your brain and try some brain exercises to make the most of what you've got! |
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| | |
|"How Brains Think" | |
|About's Guide to Agnosticism/Atheism reviews William H. Calvin's book on "Evolving Intelligence, Then and Now." | |
|"The Brain: Overview" | |
|A visual explanation of the different parts of the brain, how they work and an example ESL/EFL exercise employing specific areas| |
|from About Guide Kenneth Beare. | |
"What's In A Brain?"
Examines the structure and function of the brain, learning and intelligence. Jan Stoltman's article is gorgeously presented in Journal e.
Brain Gym Exercises
Use these simple exercises to help your students concentrate better and improve their learning abilities.
This site aims to link current psychological and neurological research and practice in education. It includes several articles, a list of recommended books and a free newsletter.
Emotional Intelligence
ERIC's Bettina Lankard Brown explores the relationship between emotional intelligence and career success in this 1999 article.
How can Research on the Brain Inform Education?
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory's feature considers emotions and the mind, multiple intelligence theory, learning environments, implications for teaching and more.
Intelligence
About Guide to Psychology Shelley Wu presents this collection of links on intelligence including emotional intelligence, artificial intelligence and multiple intelligences.
Right Brain/Left Brain Thinking
Learning Theory Funhouse presents a concise summary of the roles of each side of the brain and the implications in education.
Using Colored Pens and Pencils
The use of colored pens to help the right brain remember patterns. Each time you use the pen it reinforces the learning process from About Guide Kenneth Beare.
Estás en >> > Ong > Medio ambiente @@ > The White House prints your articles for $.25 per month and the while house’s pr has apparently approves reprint of his speech but need to know who paid for it? Re: Americorps being supported by Prez Bush
The White House
The White House
Estados Unidos
Ong > Medio ambiente @@
Noticia nº: 22598
Agencia emisora:
sáb 24 Abr 2004
President Discusses Earth Day, National Volunteer Week in FL
Remarks by the President on Conservation and Volunteer Service
This week we observed Earth Day. And one way to honor the day is to honor those citizens in our country who understand the definition of stewardship; citizens who work to make sure that our environment is as clean as possible. And that's what we're here to do today.
It also happens to be National Volunteer Week. (Applause.) So, yes. And what is easy to understand is one of the reasons why the Rookery is such a place, is because of the volunteers who have come on a daily basis to make this a special place. (Applause.)
I want to thank David Eisner, who is the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Thank you for coming, David. (Applause.) I see David. Appreciate you coming. David is in charge of a lot of important programs, one of which is AmeriCorps. I'm a strong believer in AmeriCorps.
Some people need to be reminded -- one of my favorite phrases, if you own your own farm or ranch, every day is Earth Day, by the way. (Laughter.) Laura and I are doing our bit by restoring natural grasses to our ranch. She wants to become a Little Blue Stem grass seed distributor so that others will grow native grasses. It's amazing what happens when we restored our little part of heaven to native grasses. Bobwhite Quail are returning. Birds are showing up that we hadn't seen before. Its a fantastic experience. Its the same thing you are doing here, and its the same concept weve got to do to encourage others who own their land, to understand the incredible opportunity they have to make a vital contribution to the wetlands of our country and to the environmental prosperity of our country, as well.
To meet the goal of wetland expansion weve got to commit money, of course. You just cant lay out a goal unless theyre willing to support. And my administration is prepared to do so, as I said. We did a good thing in the Farm Bill, the 2002 Farm Bill, which is still in place. One of the most important aspects of the Farm Bill was the conservation title. It was a strong expansion of federal money available to encourage farmers to expand areas on their farms, like wetlands. It is an important part of meeting this national goal.
Fairfield Language Technologies was founded in 1991 with two core beliefs.
The natural way we learn native languages as children remains, for everyone,
the most successful method for learning new languages. And interactive
technology can replicate and activate that method powerfully for learners of
any age.
The software can be used for adding a new Adult Education resource to an
already existing Adult Education component or parent and child together time
(PACT Time) component to an existing family literacy or family education
program. A 15 user, one-year Online Language Learning Center for US English
retails for $4,485.00. The application period ends May 14, 2004.
Please log on to NCFL's web site and read under announcements
for more details on eligibly and how programs can apply.
Noemi Aguilar
National Center for Family Literacy
325 West Main Street, Suite 300
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: 502-584-1133 x168
Fax: 502-584-0172
Email: naguilar@
Winona LaDuke Talks About Clean Energy, Politics, and More
Readers peppered Winona LaDuke, this week's InterActivist, with questions on everything from dams to casinos to ... you knew it was coming ... Ralph Nader. She explains why casinos on Indian reservations are a mixed blessing, why solar energy is on her agenda right beside wind, why grassroots organizing is so vital, and why Gore lost (hint: it wasn't because of Nader). Read her suggestions, provocations, and explanations in InterActivist -- today on the Grist Magazine website.
today in Grist: Winona LaDuke answers reader questions -- in InterActivist
How You Can Make a Difference for the Planet
With today's environmental problems so large, abstract, and intractable -- see warming, global -- you're probably wondering what you, one individual, can do on Earth Day to help. (If you're one of the people surveyed by Gallup -- see above -- perhaps you don't care, but humor us.) It's easy to feel powerless in the face of climate change, but individual actions are making a difference. Michael Charney, for example, created the Massachusetts Climate Action Network, a group of 15 towns in his region that purchase clean energy and use it efficiently. His activism tools were simple: "I had a room with a phone and phone book," he says. "If you have a list of people to call, and time to do it, you can change the world." Seth Riney started Planetran, a "limo" company that uses hybrid Toyota Priuses to ferry people to and from Boston's Logan Airport. He's changing an industry, he says, "just by doing it -- not by arguing policy with lawmakers." You, too, can take action today, by doing everything from switching to compact fluorescent lightbulbs to reducing herbicide and pesticide use to purchasing Energy Star-certified products. After all, you don't want the U.K. to drown, do you?
straight to the source: The Christian Science Monitor, Mark Clayton, 22 Apr 2004
straight to the source: The Washington Post, Rebecca R. Kahlenberg, 22 Apr 2004
Libia Grueso Advocates for Afro-Colombians and Their Land
Speaking of taking action in the face of daunting challenges, let us tell you about Libia Grueso. A social worker and activist who lives in Colombia's Pacific Coast region, she fights tirelessly to protect the rich habitat in her area, which boasts some 10 percent of the world's bird species, and to protect the civil rights of her people, Colombia's 10.6 million Afro-Colombians, descendants of black slaves emancipated in the mid-1800s. Though she has seen wide swaths of the coast destroyed by development and scores of fellow activists assassinated, Grueso says, "our territory is filled with life, happiness, and liberty, and we make every effort in every instance to be happy, despite the things that occur." Her determined activism won her a 2004 Goldman Environmental Prize. Michelle Nijhuis chats with Grueso about the prize and her ongoing work -- today on the Grist Magazine website.
today in Grist: Roll on, Colombia -- an interview with Libia Grueso -- in Main Dish
today in Grist: Eyes on the prize -- interviews with the 2004 Goldman prizewinners -- in Main Dish
GLOSARY OF PUBLIC SECTOR TERMS
When reading public or voluntary sector documents you are often confronted with a bewildering array of acronyms, jargon and technical phrases.
To the general public and anyone new to the public sector this can be confusing. Experienced public servants may be familiar with the jargon used in their own field but terms used in different sectors might sound like a foreign language.
So if you don't know your 'Almo' from your 'Asbo' or you're baffled by 'bedblocking', haven't dared asked what 'best value' means and thought a 'ceiling' was what you find at the top of a room - our glossary is designed to help.
It provides plain English definitions to hundreds of phrases in the public and voluntary sectors with links to websites where you can find more information. Just click on the alphabet above to search for the term.
It also includes advice on how to write clear and concise public documents that will be easily understood by everyone.
If there are words or phrases we have missed and that still baffle you please contact us at editor@societyguardian.co.uk and we will find the jargon-free definition and add it to our list.
News archive
[pic]
Ethnic barrier
Jargon is preventing black and minority ethnic communities from having a say in how their neighbourhoods should be improved.
Readers' letters: junk the jargon
Jargon attack proves baffling
Sketch: Stephen Byers has made yet another statement about local government . But did anyone understand it?
Breaking the jargon barrier
Public services are increasingly taking on corporate language, but are they getting their message across? Simon Parker reports.
New course for doctors who have to break bad news
Moves aim to make the process easier for both doctors and the recipients of bad news.
Social workers' image falls to an all-time low
Four out of 10 people say social workers are bureaucratic and use jargon that ordinary people do not understand.
How to draw up a best value performance plan
Putting a best value performance plan together can be a headache. Think carefully about who you're writing it for, and you won't go far wrong, says Adrian Barker.
Prize-winning gobbledigook
Luton council joins a record number of winners in taking home a 'golden bull' award from the Plain English Campaign.
Floor to ceiling finance
Formulas for assessing council finance must be easier to understand, says Whitehall.
SocietyGuardian.co.uk © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003
BROADCASTING APPRENTICESHIP
Michael Madden
mailto:mm@
888-307-2346
[pic] The Collaborative Process: Finding Common Ground. The following collaboration workshops have been scheduled regionally, from 10 A.M. - 4 P.M. Facilitators: Jennifer Stuart, DOE Specialist, and Victoire Gerkens Sanborn, LSC Director. Registration is required. Contact Marianne Baker at mdbaker@vcu.edu or 800-237-0178.
May 11, Virginia National Bank, Charlottesville (FULL)
May 14, Spotsylvania Career and Technical Center, Fredericksburg
May 18, Peninsula READS, Hampton
[pic] Train the Trainer Workshop for tutor trainers. A two-day train-the-trainer workshop will be held in Richmond on June 11 & 12. Requirements: Participants must have a minimum of one year’s tutoring experience and be willing to volunteer as a tutor trainer for their organization. To receive lodging reimbursement, participants must attend both days of training. Travel and dinner will not be reimbursed. To register, contact Marianne Baker at mdbaker@vcu.edu or 800-237-0178
[pic] Summer Institute Dates: Look for registration forms and information about this year’s summer institutes inside the May issue of Progress. If you do not receive Progress, call 800-237-0178 for registration information or look for it on the Resource Center website at aelweb.vcu.edu/. Send us your home address to receive Progress.
[pic] Verizon Grant Supports Regional Trainings from ProLiteracy America: With support from Verizon, ProLiteracy America is partnering with local literacy organizations across the nation to sponsor trainings led by nationally recognized experts in their fields. Each training is tailored to the identified needs of the local organizations in that region. Individual registration fees for each two-day training program are $35 for ProLiteracy America affiliates and $50 for non-affiliates. Travel stipends are also available. Please see the registration form for details. Hotel arrangements must be made by the attendees. Check the schedule on the ProLiteracy Worldwide Web site at reg. Registration forms will be available online for each event. Southeast training is scheduled in Roanoke, August 6-7, at the Clarion Hotel Roanoke.
[pic] Non-Profit Good Practice Guide. On this site find program management information on accountability and evaluation; advocacy; communications and marketing; foundations and grantmaking; fundraising and financial sustainability; governance; management and leadership; staff development and organizational capacity; technology; and volunteer capacity. Go to: .
[pic] LEARN NC: The North Carolina Teacher’s Resources. Find lesson plans and web quests for students on this comprehensive resource site.
[pic] Fair Data: Find detailed online Virginia maps and charts that include voter profiles, and 2000 census data on race, ethnicity and income. ESL data can be found for each county and most major cities. Go to:
[pic] Digital Divide Network: The Benton Foundation recently launched an updated Digital Divide Network. This database, the largest of its kind on the Internet, helps individuals easily identify local libraries, community technology centers, and additional neighborhood entities that provide free or low-cost Internet access, IT training, and other community technology services. Click the “Get Connected” button to search by zip code or use advanced search options to find resources by city or state.
content/sections/index.cfm.
[pic] Election Resource Prepares Learners to Vote: The New England Literacy Resource Center (NELRC) is offering free copies of the current issue of The Change Agent. The theme of this non-partisan issue is "Voting in the 2004 Elections." The publication is available to any state or region that is interested in helping adult literacy programs prepare learners to vote in the 2004 elections and that commits to disseminating the copies to literacy providers in the state well in advance of the November elections. The recipient must pay for the shipping costs (about $20 for a box of 200). (See item #2 in this section for information on the ProLiteracy pre-conference session that will focus on this issue of The Change Agent.) This 36-page issue is written for the adult literacy audience. It covers topics such as:
- Why vote? Examples of when a handful of votes mattered greatly
- Questions to ask and steps to take in picking a candidate
- How to evaluate campaign ads and read election literature critically
- Historical perspectives on voting
- Student narratives of their experiences with voting
To view an issue, go to changeagent/index.htm. Send email requests, along with the number of copies and shipping address, to: lanell_beckers@. (From the NIFL listservs)
[pic] GED Websites, submitted by Emily Hacker, Moderator, NIFL-Technology listserv.
[pic] GED Prep at free-,
[pic] GED Preparation Materials,
[pic] GED Practice Tests, frco.k12.va.us/ged/default.htm
[pic] GED Testing Service, acenet.edu/clll/ged/index.cfm
[pic] NYSED GED Resources, emsc.workforce/ged/home.html
[pic] Steck Vaughn Free GED Practice,
Math Sites:
[pic] The Math Forum: Internet Mathematics Library.
[pic] ThinkQuest: Algebra,
[pic] Math2, index.html
[pic] The Math Archives,
FROM Literacy Support Center Website: aelweb.vcu.edu/literacy_support_center/ email: vjsanbor@vcu.edu
The Fair Data website, developed in association with the Norfolk State University Department of Political Science, offers maps and statistics for education, environment, housing, and poverty related issues. This information is based on the 2000 census. On this site you will find excellent charts and statistical information for each county.
Go to and click on a topic on the left side.
Rsch: What is Private Label?
The private label product combines the technology, skills and experience of South Africa’s premier portal operator to provide end-to-end internet solutions. This allows our clients to serve and maintain their web sites using the same systems as the portal.
At the core of the offering is the Interactive Content Manager – a modular content management system hosted on the infrastructure. The iCM provides a total content management solution incorporating design, editorial and workflow plus a host of optional web applications.
Your private label solution can either be tailor-made to your specific needs, or one of the following packaged solutions on offer:
• Corporate
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& contains this article on whistleblowing:
CAPE TOWN
Street names whistleblower looks back
Ben Maclennan
Posted Thu, 22 Apr 2004
The woman who blew the whistle on Cape Town's street names scandal three years ago says she still feels a sense of discomfort and shame over what she did.
Victoria Johnson, who at the time was a senior legal adviser for the City of Cape Town, is one of the contributors to a newly-released book, 'Whistleblowing Around the World'.
The book includes contributions from former Enron vice president Sherron Watkins, and the Chinese doctor who exposed his government's cover-up of the spread of the respiratory illness SARS.
Johnson was the official in charge of the public participation process initiated after then-mayor Pieter Marais' proposal to rename Adderley and Wale Streets Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk Avenues.
Fraud and manipulation
She exposed what she believed was fraud in the mayor's office in obtaining submissions on the plan, and manipulation of the submissions by her immediate superior Ben Kieser.
Johnson gave evidence at the inquiry that followed by advocate Willem Heath, and now works as part-time legal consultant for a Cape Town firm.
The renaming scandal led to Marais' resignation, and was one of the factors that precipitated a split in the Democratic Alliance.
Johnson says in the book that, when asked, she has no hesitation in saying she would do what she did again.
However, she feels a "deep sense of ambiguity" over her actions.
A fundamental social rule was broken
"Whatever one may say about doing the right thing, it does not change the fact that I broke a fundamental social rule by betraying someone I worked closely with and who trusted me.
"No matter which way I think about it, or try to rationalise it, that fact will never go away and so my memory of the time is always tinged with an underlying sense of discomfort and shame," she says.
She says one of the aspects of being a whistleblower which came as a surprise was that there never seemed to be an "end" to the matter.
"The after-effects still go on," she says. "Two years after the event I was given a message that the New National Party caucus (in the city council) had apparently been discussing me and 'had not forgotten' what I did.
"The message was given to a close colleague, allegedly by an NNP politician, and I can only assume it was meant to get to me.
"I have no idea whether the caucus ever did make this statement, but the fact that someone wanted me to think they did was disquieting."
Johnson helped create new standards
In their introduction, co-editors of the book Richard Calland, who is director of the Open Democracy Advice Centre (Odac) and Guy Dehn say that though the underlying issue — the renaming of two streets — was ostensibly a minor one, Johnson's principled stand and eventual vindication have helped establish new standards of accountable government in the Western Cape.
"As to her own career, it too has survived, though Johnson has had to endure criticism, painful soul-searching and anxiety."
In another chapter of the book, the whistleblowing helpline adviser at Odac, Lorraine Stober, and two Odac associates say there has been a pattern in recent whistleblowing cases in South Africa.
"The whistle gets blown and there is a witch hunt for the whistleblower," they say.
Despite the Protected Disclosures Act, one of the biggest challenges in implementing an effective whistleblowing mechanism in South Africa is how to promote a culture of whistleblowing in a society that has come to equate whistleblowing with mistrust and betrayal.
Whistleblowing, they say, has been most successful in organisations with a culture that encourages openness and accountability.
"Without this culture, the risks of blowing the whistle are sometimes too enormous to contemplate."
Sapa
5 Reasons To Launch a Business Blog
Why You Should Start a Corporate Weblog
While a website is a good idea for every business seeking the widest clientele possible, a weblog (also known as a 'blog') can even do more wonders. If you have a business and it is operating without a blog (or worse still, stuck without a web address of its own), here are some things to think about while you ponder what a blog can do for you and your business.
1) Blogs make business sites more personal. Since blogs are updated by individuals (or a group of individuals), the 'voice' of the blog author/s will often shine through. It makes a static website seem more than just a brochure or catalogue for your goods and/or services.
Let's face it, when clients call a company for information, they're often relieved to hear a real person's voice rather than a recorded message, right? Blogs give that sense of talking to a 'real person.'
Of course, 'personal' doesn't mean that you need to write about your children's latest accomplishments or how your mother spent your inheritance money. In fact, most business blogs stir clear from these topics. However, authors of business blogs can still make references to their family or friends without giving out deepest darkest secrets.
For example, business blogger Lee LeFever writes about having nasal surgery in this post. Then, he managed to relate his entry to the importance of communication (his specialty).
2) Blogs make it fast and easy to manage content. A lot of people find website building and maintenance so daunting that's why many individuals still opt not to give their businesses an online presence. The current technology available for content management in blogs removes this hurdle. Now, more than ever, it has become easier to run a site.
With the existence of 'push button publishing,' even the most HTML-challenged individual can start and maintain a blog using one of the software/platforms available.
3) Dynamic content means visitors always have a reason to keep coming back. Brick and mortar stores put up new items in display windows regularly. Retail shops are always looking for new items to add to the list of products available. Services are often reviewed and updated. Even restaurants and cafes with a regular menu come up with a 'Special of the Day' for a bit of variation.
All business owners know this: customers love seeing new things. If they know that they like the things they see in a business establishment, they would keep coming back. They like to check for what's new or what's different.
So, why should your business keep a website static?
4) Search engines like Google are 'friendly' to sites that have fresh content. Of course, when you put a site or a blog, you want people to find it. One major way that people find sites on the Internet is through search engines. Since search engines like regularly updated sites, blogs tend to rank high in search results as opposed to static websites that are hardly updated.
5) Bloggers have the tendency to promote each other. Therefore, if you create a great business blog that people find useful and relevant, you have a built-in PR staff who will help spread the word about your business.
As the word about blogs continue to spread, more and more people will find this venue an important tool in business. [pic]
This was found at
U.S. Ocean Commission Calls for Action to Save Seas
Our oceans are in trouble and we need to do something about it. This was the conclusion of the first comprehensive review of U.S. ocean policy in 35 years, released today by the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. The presidential commission spent 2.5 years studying coastal areas, the Great Lakes, and 4.4 million square miles of ocean, an area considerably larger than all 50 states combined. Among the more than 250 recommendations in the commission's nearly 500-page draft report is the creation of a $4 billion Ocean Policy Trust Fund, to be paid for by oil and gas royalties, the formation of a cabinet-level National Ocean Council, the design of a system of marine education for kids, and a doubling of funds for federal marine research. A final version of the report will be passed along to Congress and the White House later this year.
straight to the source: The Register-Guard, Winston Ross, 19 Apr 2004
straight to the source: USA Today, Associated Press, 20 Apr 2004
see also, in Grist: Cod is dead -- Elizabeth Grossman reviews Richard Ellis' "The Empty Ocean" -- in Books Unbound
'Whistleblowing' Journalist Featured at May 1 Cleveland SPJ Event 'Media Ethics: The Jury is Still Out'
Tuesday April 20, 3:34 pm ET
|Press Release |Source: Cleveland Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists |
CLEVELAND, April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- In observance of National Ethics in Journalism Week, on Saturday, May 1, the Cleveland Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will host "Media Ethics: The Jury is Still Out." The day-long event will feature Jane Akre, who spent 20 years as a network and local television reporter and anchor before becoming the first journalist ever to win a "whistleblower" lawsuit against her own employer. The program will include researchers, who will present their findings related to media ethics, and a Socratic panel discussion of challenges faced by the news media. The public, media professionals and journalism/communication students are invited to attend.
Akre and her investigative reporting partner and husband, Steve Wilson, sued Fox Television in 1998, claiming they were fired after resisting pressure from news managers who wanted them to slant a news story to appease an advertiser and potential litigant. In 2000, after a five-week trial, a jury agreed that the reports Akre was pressured to air amounted to "a false, distorted or slanted" news report. However, six years later, they are still tied up in litigation. During her SPJ Cleveland appearance, Akre will announce an important development in their court cases. Wilson may join Akre for the announcement, if he returns from a South American assignment in time.
National SPJ recognized Akre and Wilson with its Award for Ethics in 1998. At the time, it was only the fourth such ethics honor given in SPJ's 89-year history. They also received the Joe Calloway Award for Civic Courage, bestowed by a trust administered by the Ralph Nader family. For background on their case, go to Akre and Wilson's Web site at
"Media Ethics: The Jury is Still Out" will be held from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, 1111 Lakeside Ave. Event cost, including lunch, is $45 for the public, $40 for SPJ members, and $20 for students. To RSVP by April 28, call 440-333-7382, or send e-mail to tmoore56@.
The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. SPJ is dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, and based in Indianapolis, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information on SPJ, visit . For more information on the Cleveland Chapter, visit Cleveland .
PR Newswire is the official news distribution service of the Cleveland Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
[pic]
Source: Cleveland Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists
Fundraising for Adult Education
from David Tinker Biography
Seven Steps for Success
By David Tinker, Development Director,
Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council
As an employee in adult education you have no doubt been faced with the task of raising money to meet the budget. Like any nonprofit agency, fund raising can be a key component in your work. Asking people, companies, foundations, or the government for money is a vital part of being an administrator, a board member, or any employee in a nonprofit organization. This is especially true of people in adult education.
It is not an easy task. Because of this, it should be given your utmost attention and professionalism. Fund raising is not begging for money. It is not hitting up someone. It is not something to be sorry about. Rather, to paraphrase Hank Rosso’s definition of fund raising, it is the ability to help someone in the careful art of giving.
In this article I will go over some of the basic steps for a successful fund raising program. Last year in America, people donated nearly $204 Billion of which 75% came from individuals. After religion, education is the recipient of the most donations. This includes adult education programs.
Fund raising is very cyclical. Private funders operate in cycles and I’ll go through seven steps to follow for successful fund raising for your organization.
1. The first step is to have a basic understanding of marketing. As a fund raiser you are marketing your product to potential donors. You will want to identify the product to best determine how to sell it in a positive fashion.
This leads into creating and examining the case for support. A case for support is comprised of reasons why someone should give money to your organization. You will want to describe programs, evaluations, and financial reporting to your prospects. You will want to have a statement of needs, i.e. what your organization needs, and identify the level o financial support needed.
2. Second, when raising money you should look at the environment. I’m not talking about the trees outside of your window. Rather you want to take a look around to see if your region facing dramatic job losses because a plant closed down? Are you in a boomtown? Are there any regulations in place prohibiting you from asking? Do you have the appropriate personnel and accounting system in place? All of these factors shape the environment in which you will be raising money.
3. Third, you will want to involve board members or other volunteers in the fund raising process. A Board or Directors or Trustees are responsible for your organization’s well being. They are the most effective people to ask other for funds because they already understand your cause and need. They are better able to validate the needs and case to the community at large.
4. Next you will want to look at selecting programs to get funded and strategies to get them funded. Are you going to hold special events to raise your funds? Are you going to seek funding solely through grant proposal writing? You should consider what best suits your capabilities and make a plan to include several different fund raising methods.
5. Fifth, before you ask someone for money, you should know how much they have to give. How can you do that? Look at how much they’ve donated in the past to your agency. Look at whom else they give to, look at their personal assets, business assets, etc. You will be surprised to see how much information about a person is in the public domain. Some people say fund raising is 99% research and 1% ask. Knowing who to ask for how much is a key step in the fund raising process.
6. Next, you will need to write out a clear fund raising plan so that you and your volunteers know how the fund raising tasks will be accomplished. This development plan does not need to be lengthy but it does need to take into consideration everything you have done so far in fund raising.
7. Finally, you are ready to ask for the gift. Most people when surveyed say they don’t make contributions because they haven’t been asked.
There are different ways to ask, but the most effective is two on one, i.e. a development officer and volunteer with one donor or prospective donor. You will be able to cover any questions that arise this way and will allow the donor to feel a bit of belonging because others are there with them.
After you have asked for and received the gift, then you will need to begin the process to renew the gift. When are you going to ask again? For how much? This is where you begin the cycle from the beginning again.
Asking for money is typically viewed as the least favorite and most difficult task in nonprofit management and fund raising. By learning and following these steps, you, your volunteers, and other nonprofit executives will be better prepared to undertake and complete a successful fund raising campaign.
David Tinker is the Development Director at Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council (GPLC) and has been working in the fund raising field for more than 11 years. Prior to GPLC he has worked in development at Pittsburgh Vision Services, the St. Francis Healthcare Foundation in Beech Grove, Indiana, and a graduate assistant at the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy. He began his career in fund raising as an intern at Ketchum Inc., Fund Raising Counsel.
Mr. Tinker is on the President of the Western Pennsylvania chapter of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA). Mr. Tinker serves as a program committee member for the Western Pennsylvania chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
Tinker is on the Board of References at The Fund Raising School. He has also been a previous intl board member of the APRA, etc, pub’d articles in Nonprofit Management and Leadership, ’s Nonprofit Newsletter, The Fund Raising School’s Course 100 Manual, a regular nonprofit column in The Wilkinburg Update, and a sidebar in a newly released book on careers in fund raising.
He has a B.A. in chemistry and English from Muskingum College, New Concord, OH. He holds a master of public affairs with a concentration in nonprofit management from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.
David Tinker
Development Director
Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council
100 Sheridan Square, 4th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
412-661-READ
412-661-3040 FAX
gplcdev@
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Public Concern at Work (PCaW) was set up in 1993 to address whistleblowing in the UK and in 2001, established an office in Glasgow. We aim to help ensure a break with a workplace culture which fosters complacency or cover-ups. In promoting a safe alternative to silence, we want the whistleblower to speak without fear and for the employer to listen with intent.
PCaW runs a free, confidential helpline for anyone concerned about wrongdoing at work, but who is unsure whether or how to raise it. The advice is aimed at helping them raise their concern so that the issue is addressed properly and to minimise the risk that they suffer at work for doing so. It is designed to help them understand the risks and opportunities they face. Importantly, since 1999, most workers in the UK are protected from victimisation or unfair dismissal if they raise a genuine concern responsibly - either with their employer, the appropriate regulator, or in particular circumstances, more widely to the media.
In the last ten years, we have dealt with over 3,750 concerns dealing with a range of issues from financial malpractice, clinical negligence, health and safety, dangers to public safety, and ethical dilemmas.
|We also work with employers to help them understand why it is in their interests to provide safe and acceptable routes for |[|
|staff to raise concerns. |p|
| |i|
|Although many employers in England have implemented robust whistleblowing mechanisms, fewer organisations appear to be aware |c|
|of how to make whistleblowing work for them in Scotland. Audit Scotland has done the most to try to promote whistleblowing in |]|
|the public sector by designing pamphlets for all local authorities in Scotland - but whistleblowing is not just a public | |
|sector issue. | |
| | |
|There is a serious incentive to get it right; the cost of getting it wrong. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) | |
|provides whistleblowers with a safe alternative to silence. PIDA protects workers who raise concerns about a wide range of | |
|malpractice. These include possible breaches of civil, criminal, regulatory or administrative law; miscarriages of justice; | |
|dangers to health, safety or the environment; or the cover-up of any of these. | |
| | |
|The act reinforces local accountability by providing the highest - and most readily available - protection for internal | |
|disclosures. For workers in government-appointed bodies, the same tests apply to disclosures to the sponsoring department or | |
|to a member of the Scottish Executive. PIDA also protects workers who raise a concern directly with a specified regulator such| |
|as the Health and Safety Executive or Audit Scotland. It is only when a worker makes a wider disclosure (eg to the media or | |
|MPs) that the tribunal must determine whether that was reasonable in all the circumstances. | |
| | |
|Although an effective and well- promoted whistleblowing policy can reduce the risk that wider, public disclosures will be | |
|protected, the fact is that where a concern is not properly dealt with, there is always a safe alternative to silence. | |
| | |
|Where a whistleblower is victimised or dismissed in breach of PIDA, they can bring a claim to an employment tribunal for | |
|compensation. Awards are uncapped and based on the losses suffered and the early cases have served as a wake-up call for | |
|employers throughout the UK. | |
| | |
|F was finance director for a subsidiary of a United States telecoms company. In 1997, when F told his contact in the US about | |
|suspect expenses claims made by his managing director, he was told to turn a blind eye. In late 1999, when the claims had | |
|exceeded £300,000, F raised his concerns with the US board. F immediately found himself under pressure to leave and when he | |
|refused, he was disciplined and dismissed. F brought a claim under PIDA. | |
| | |
|The MD remained in post until F won his claim for interim relief. At the full hearing, the tribunal found that the complaints | |
|against F were a "smokescreen" and he had been sacked for whistleblowing. As F was 58 and unable to secure similar work, he | |
|was compensated for his losses of £293,000. | |
| | |
|PIDA aims to promote a workplace culture where it is considered normal and acceptable to raise concerns about malpractice. | |
|Importantly, it signals a change in culture. | |
| | |
|In 2001, the then Health Secretary, Alan Milburn, told the House of Commons that Dr Stephen Bolsin should be praised for | |
|blowing the whistle on the baby-deaths scandal at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. | |
| | |
|In the US, Time magazine awarded its prestigious Person of the Year award at the end of 2002 to three female whistleblowers, | |
|including Sherron Watkins of Enron. | |
| | |
|Although some are still uncomfortable with the whistleblower label, callers to our helpline are increasingly recognising the | |
|value of what they are doing. US campaigners have referred to whistleblowing as "committing the truth" - should that be so | |
|hard? | |
| | |
|• Harry Templeton is the Scottish Director of PCaW. Its helpline can be contacted on 020 7404 6609 or at helpline@pcaw.co.uk. | |
|For more information on PCaW in Scotland, call 0141 883 6761 or go to pcaw.co.uk. | |
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Native American Advocate Winona LaDuke InterActivates
Though many people are familiar with her only as the name that appeared under Ralph Nader's on the 2000 presidential ballot, Winona LaDuke has a long and distinguished history of defending the rights and interests of Native Americans and protecting the land on which they live. Her latest focus is on democratizing energy production and returning political power to Native hands by pushing for wind farms on reservations. Read about her wind-powered vision and, yes, her thoughts on running with Nader, in InterActivist. And throw a question her way by noon PDT on Wednesday, April 21 -- only on the Grist Magazine website.
only in Grist: Winona LaDuke answers Grist's questions
only in Grist: Ask LaDuke a question of your own by noon PDT on Wednesday
Native American Advocate Winona LaDuke InterActivates
Though many people are familiar with her only as the name that appeared under Ralph Nader's on the 2000 presidential ballot, Winona LaDuke has a long and distinguished history of defending the rights and interests of Native Americans and protecting the land on which they live. Her latest focus is on democratizing energy production and returning political power to Native hands by pushing for wind farms on reservations. Read about her wind-powered vision and, yes, her thoughts on running with Nader, in InterActivist. And throw a question her way by noon PDT on Wednesday, April 21 -- only on the Grist Magazine website.
only in Grist: Winona LaDuke answers Grist's questions
only in Grist: Ask LaDuke a question of your own by noon PDT on Wednesday
|Initiating and Maintaining a Hepatitis C Support Group: A How-To Program Guide |
|[pic] | |
|October 2003 | |
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| | |
|Hepatitis C Resource Centers | |
|National Hepatitis C Program Office | |
|Hepatitis C Technical Advisory Group | |
|Department of Veterans Affairs | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|I.|Objectives and Format of This Program Guide |
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|ic| |
|] | |
|This document is intended to provide the clinician with a how-to guide for |
|initiating and maintaining support groups for veterans with hepatitis C. |
|Essentially it serves as a primer for conceptualizing the structure and purpose of |
|the group and as a practical guide for organizing and executing the logistics |
|associated with starting a support group. It is based on the collected experience |
|with support groups by members of the HCRC Support Group Guide Planning Committee, |
|commissioned by the National Hepatitis C Program of VA Central Office to develop |
|this manual. |
|After discussing the benefit of support groups for patients with hepatitis C, this |
|manual will list and elaborate on the suggested steps for starting a support group.|
|These steps range from assessing the needs of your patient population to |
|implementing and modifying your group based on members' feedback. The appendixes at|
|the end of the manual include sample forms for use with your support group, as well|
|as additional sources of information regarding hepatitis C. Future versions of this|
|manual will include educational modules and materials for use in the didactic |
|component of a support group. |
|A downloadable PDF version of this document is available through the link in the |
|left navigation bar. This document is not copyrighted, and users are encouraged to |
|print and distribute as many copies as they need. |
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|II. The Veteran's Perspective -- A Letter from Gene Mask |
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|May 18, 2003 |
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|I was asked to write a short summary of why I feel our hepatitis C support group works and how, as well as why I believe support|
|groups are important. I was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1996. I had no idea what the disease was or what its treatment was all|
|about. At the time, there were no support groups and very little in the way of education for veterans; I didn't really know how |
|to take care of myself (or my liver). After a long battle to get help failed, I ended up with liver failure and had to get a |
|transplant. With better education and access to treatment and resources, I might not have needed a transplant. I feel fortunate |
|that help is more readily available now for myself and other veterans with hepatitis C. I continue to learn new things about the|
|disease and how to live with it, especially at the support group. I feel more empowered than ever; I am an advocate for |
|education on hepatitis C and am a member of the National Hepatitis C Advisory Board and the Northwest Regional Board. |
|The Hepatitis C Resource Center staff at the Portland VA Medical Center has put forth every effort to help us start our group. |
|Our first challenge was to set up a format for the group. I stress the necessity of having a veteran with hepatitis C |
|participate in forming and facilitating the group. I feel that by doing this we help the veterans open up more and look at the |
|group leaders as credible. In addition, having a staff member who can ensure that the individual needs of group members are |
|addressed is essential. I also feel that feedback from the veterans is important. The group is for them, so we sought to tailor |
|the group to match their expressed needs. Their feedback establishes the basis of the group and tells us the questions that the |
|veterans want answers to. We feel that these considerations help us offer the best education and support. |
|Even though the group is still young and changes are being made, I believe the format we have used so far (having speakers on |
|subjects chosen by the vets at some meetings and open discussions at others) has worked. We have been able to provide education |
|on topics such as treatments, diet, and exercise, as well as a safe place to discuss personal experiences and fears. I also feel|
|that by including the spouse or caregiver of the veteran, we give these individuals a chance to understand the problems the |
|veteran is having and offer a place to voice their concerns and feel supported. Finally, having our meeting in the evenings |
|makes it more available to the veteran and caregiver. |
|My thanks to those responsible for putting hepatitis C education and support high on the priority list. I feel that our efforts |
|will result in faster and better treatments for veterans and a reduction in long-term critical care. |
|Sincerely, |
|Gene P. Mask |
| |
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|[pic] |
|III. Rationale for Support Groups |
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|Veterans with hepatitis C are an important population served by the Veterans Health Administration. The VA is exploring and |
|evaluating new practices to ensure that hepatitis C--infected veterans receive the best possible health care. These patients |
|have their own unique set of needs stemming from such problems as deficits in disease-related knowledge, stress due to social |
|stigma, and medical and psychiatric comorbidity. Antiviral treatment for hepatitis C causes unpleasant side effects for many, |
|and the course of treatment could be better tolerated if patients relied on each other for mutual support. Support groups offer |
|an effective treatment modality that can be beneficial for veterans living with hepatitis C. |
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|What does a support group provide? |
| |
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|Group cohesion -- Feelings of trust and safety are primary benefits of group affiliation, as is the recognition of the |
|universality of one's problems, which decreases feelings of personal isolation. |
|Education -- Interpersonal learning is exchanged in group settings, and increased knowledge about hepatitis C infection is the |
|first step toward successful self-care and evaluation of treatment options. Many patients have misconceptions and misinformation|
|about their disease, which can be remedied by group participation. |
|Discussion -- Veterans learn as much from each other as they do from providers and staff. Creating an opportunity for dialogue |
|facilitates this exchange of information. |
|A venue for expression of needs -- Providers can learn what veterans feel they need to help them manage and cope with hepatitis |
|C infection. |
|Prevention -- Alerting veterans and caregivers to behavioral risk factors can help limit transmission of hepatitis C, while at |
|the same time assure them about what kind of contact is safe (e.g., kissing, hugging, playing with their child). |
|Opportunity for followup -- Weekly or even monthly participation in a group allows providers to continue monitoring patients |
|informally and reinforce important messages for effective self-care. |
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|IV. Steps in Support Group Development |
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|Here is a general outline of the steps involved in developing a support group. Each of these steps is expanded and elaborated on|
|in subsequent pages: |
|Conduct a needs assessment |
|Identify target population |
|Select group format |
|Identify resources |
|Attend to logistics |
|Establish your group |
|Implement a feedback function |
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|1. CONDUCT A NEEDS ASSESSMENT |
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|A formal or informal needs assessment is essential to help with decisions you will have to make about group format, meeting |
|time, group size, and so on. This needs assessment may range from a written survey of your hepatitis C patients to simply |
|engaging several individuals in a discussion about what they would find helpful. As a start, you might use a variation of the |
|support group feedback forms contained in Appendixes E and F to find out about patients' interests. Conducting focus groups with|
|patients is another way to assess the needs of your population. Focus groups can be very technical and challenging without |
|professional help, so if you do bring patients together to find out their opinions, you may want to consult someone who has done|
|this in the past. |
|Asking patients what they need is important; do not assume that you already know what they want. Collect information about both |
|the content of the group meetings (e.g., topic interests) and logistics (e.g., when and how often to meet). Veterans will have |
|differing opinions as well, so you will have to go with what appears to meet the greatest need for the greatest number of |
|patients. |
|NOTE: It is important to give yourself enough time to set up your new group. Try to allow for a 3-month lead time. It takes time|
|to contact patients, and you will want to allow an adequate time frame to get the word out and attend to the details of |
|establishing a new group. |
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|2. IDENTIFY TARGET POPULATION |
| |
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|Who are the intended participants of the group? This is the first and probably the most important decision to make. Keep in mind|
|that patients are at varying stages of their liver disease and have varying knowledge about hepatitis C virus (HCV). On the |
|basis of your needs assessment, you will have to decide who would benefit most from group participation: |
| |
|Patients on antiviral treatment? |
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|Patients not eligible for antiviral treatment or who have failed treatment? |
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|End-stage liver disease patients? |
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|Any and all patients with hepatitis C and their family members? |
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|Veterans only, or veterans and nonveteran patients? |
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|Also, how many patients do you plan to invite? Your target population and selected group format largely will determine this. |
|Don't worry if you feel that you can't address every patient's needs immediately. You may decide to start with a very specific |
|target population for your first support group, then use that experience to either expand your group or start other groups. |
| |
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|3. SELECT GROUP FORMAT |
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|There are a variety of group formats to consider. Groups can differ from each other on several different dimensions. The most |
|relevant dimensions for support groups are structure, size, and focus (i.e., process-oriented vs. didactic in focus). A |
|process-oriented group is one in which attention is focused more on individual members' concerns, thoughts, and feelings rather |
|than on topical information provided by an `expert.` The three dimensions mentioned are illustrated in the following figure: |
| |
Keep in mind that these dimensions are largely independent of each other. One could have a monthly, lecture-format type of group that is highly didactic, structured, and large. However, one also could hold a smaller group that is process-oriented but very structured in order to achieve specific goals to enhance patient coping and mastery. A skills-building group for patients on interferon is an example of this type of format.
The group format you select for your patients will depend largely on their needs and your available resources. Below are several general categories of groups. Your hepatitis C group may be a hybrid or modification of these types.
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|Support Group |
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|Objective: At a minimum, these groups provide opportunity for social interaction. |
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|May be loosely defined, although participants usually share some characteristics. |
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|Benefits: Vicarious learning, sharing of resources. |
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|Patient-led vs. provider-led? |
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|See considerations under “Co-facilitation” below. |
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|Process-oriented vs. topic-oriented? |
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|Topic could be predefined or ad hoc, based on the needs of the members. |
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|Process groups are less structured, but no less challenging to ensure effectiveness (see information under “Therapy Group” |
|below). |
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|Size of group: 8-12 members optimal for process-oriented group. |
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|May be open to family members. |
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|Example: Group for patients undergoing interferon treatment |
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|Education-Oriented Group |
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|Objective: Learning more than mutual support. |
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|Organized around a topical objective. |
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|Often a series of meetings of defined duration. |
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|Topics established in advance. |
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|Topical expert leads the presentation, although a facilitator usually is also present. |
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|Social support is a byproduct rather than a primary goal. |
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|Usually open to family members. |
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|Example: Guest lectures for hepatitis C patients and their family members |
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|Therapy Group |
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|Objective: Mental health intervention. |
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|Led and facilitated by a mental health professional. |
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|Size limited depending on nature of group. |
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|May be either ongoing or time-limited. |
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|Usually organized around common diagnosis or diagnoses among patients. |
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|Usually closed to family members or others. |
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|Example: Psychotherapy group for patients with both post-traumatic stress disorder and hepatitis C |
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|Recovery Group |
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|Objective: To promote and maintain abstinence from substance use. |
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|Focused topic and/or mutual support -- e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous, CODA (Co-Dependents Anonymous). |
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|Usually ongoing. |
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|Drop-in approach common. |
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|Example: Group for HVC patients recovering from intravenous drug use |
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|Hybrid/Combination Groups |
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|May involve a dual population. |
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|HIV/HCV co-infection |
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|HCV and addictions treatment |
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|May be a dual-purpose group or involve splitting the session to address multiple goals. |
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|Education plus support |
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|Support plus therapy |
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|4. IDENTIFY RESOURCES |
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|It may be helpful to have two facilitators for a group, with one being a VA staff person or a professional and the other, if |
|possible, a peer facilitator. |
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|Co-facilitation |
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|Using two facilitators in any group has several advantages: |
| |
|While one facilitator is taking a more active role by speaking to or facilitating the group, the other facilitator can attend to|
|the process or system issues of the group, making note of followup issues for after the group meeting and offering a crucial |
|second point-of-view. |
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|Having two facilitators offers a chance to model positive interpersonal skills: facilitators can openly disagree on subjects and|
|demonstrate constructive resolution. |
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|Practically, having two facilitators means the group can continue even on days when one facilitator is absent. |
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|Choosing a Second Facilitator |
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|We strongly encourage having at least one peer facilitator for the group. Many veterans may prefer leadership from another |
|veteran who also has HCV: such a peer facilitator models successful coping skills and offers personal knowledge and experience |
|with HCV and treatment. Some veterans see a peer as a more credible source of information than a professional. Ideal peer |
|facilitators are often patients who have already assumed some type of advocacy role regarding their health care or the care of |
|other veterans. Peer facilitators can be recruited by providers, at educational events, through local veterans service |
|organizations, and at other community venues. |
|Having a professional facilitator ensures that the interpersonal aspects of the group are therapeutic, regardless of the group's|
|type (e.g., educational vs. process). The professional facilitator should train and mentor the peer facilitator in developing |
|basic group skills just as the peer facilitator should train and mentor the professional facilitator in the personal experience |
|of having HCV. This training can be formal or informal, but the most important learning occurs with continuous feedback and |
|discussion with debriefing after group sessions. We recommend training peer facilitators in at least the following areas: |
| |
|Communication skills: e.g., “I” statements, empathy, active listening |
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|Motivational interviewing: e.g., developing discrepancy, rolling with resistance |
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|Basic group and system principles and interventions: e.g., group roles, group developmental stages, fostering cohesion |
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|Facilitation strategies and techniques: e.g., redirecting, rewarding group behavior, handling disruptive behavior, tolerating |
|awkward silences |
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|Please consult Appendix D for elaboration on these topics. |
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|Flexibility |
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|All that being said, groups can be successfully run by one or two facilitators, peer or professional. In areas with limited VA |
|resources, a group organizer may have to find creative ways to start a group using community resources. Although VA professional|
|facilitators may be unavailable to lead an HCV group, they still may have the time to mentor peer facilitators, individually or |
|as a team, in group skills. Having a well-run therapeutic group that addresses patients' needs is more important than adhering |
|to a predetermined format for which there are no local resources. |
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|Security |
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|Peer facilitators should be approved VA volunteers who have gone through appropriate orientations and safety checks to ensure |
|patients' safety, confidentiality, and well-being. |
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|Roles |
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|It is crucial that before the group begins, the facilitators agree on their roles and how they will manage the group together. |
|Facilitators may decide to be completely equal in leadership and division of labor or to divide their responsibilities |
|differently: one facilitator may be the leader while the other plays a more secondary role, or one may be in charge of the |
|group's process (e.g., the professional facilitator) while the other is in charge of the content (e.g., the peer facilitator). |
|How the responsibilities are divided is not as important as having the division clear and agreed upon by the facilitators. When |
|a volunteer or peer facilitates, the professional facilitator or other VA employee should make clear to members the boundaries |
|on the volunteer's participation. |
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|Guest Speakers |
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|Early on, start building a list of contacts to use as potential speakers at your meetings. Keep in mind that many speakers need |
|several months' lead time to commit to a specific date or time. |
|Speakers should be familiar with hepatitis C patients and possess a thorough knowledge of the topic or their specific content |
|area. Speakers whose presentations you have attended and enjoyed and those who are adept at drawing people into discussions are |
|best to invite. See Appendix G for potential content areas you may want to address. |
|You may also want to consider having physicians, nurses, social workers, or psychologists attend the group sessions from time to|
|time (or as guest speakers) to act as further resources for the group. Ideally, these individuals should have experience in the |
|area of liver disease or in treating serious illness. |
|Many hepatitis C patients have indicated particular interest in certain topics. You can find a list of these topics in Appendix |
|G. Support group planners may seek out guest speakers with specialized knowledge or expertise in these areas. (The Support Group|
|Guide Planning Committee plans to develop the suggested topics listed in Appendix G as educational modules and include |
|supplemental materials, such as lecture notes and PowerPoint slide presentations, in future versions of this Guide.) |
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|The American Liver Foundation |
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|The American Liver Foundation (ALF) is another resource for starting support groups, particularly if your group is to be based |
|in the community rather than at a VA medical facility. ALF has an expert speakers' bureau and provides many helpful suggestions |
|for structuring and conducting your support group. You may wish to contact ALF and work together once you have an idea as to the|
|purpose and target population of your group. ALF is also able to list your support group on its local Web site. You may find out|
|how to speak with the ALF representative for your area by contacting ALF via the resource information provided in Appendix H. |
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|Industry Support |
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|Corporations that develop health care products and services sometimes offer resources that can benefit your group, such as |
|informational materials on hepatitis C and patient care consultants who can serve as speakers. VA rules prohibit soliciting |
|support from industry representatives, but donated support, such as unrestricted educational grants, may often be used to |
|augment the resources available from your facility. Many VA medical centers have specific policies or procedures pertaining to |
|acceptance of support from outside sources, and you should make sure that you understand and abide by these. Representatives of |
|outside organizations that provide support should not be permitted to attend patient support groups. |
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|Community Resources |
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|One mission of this manual is to help group facilitators empower veterans with knowledge and resources that promote optimal self|
|care. To increase information access, we suggest you provide veterans with a resource list addressing their varied concerns. |
|This list could include the following: |
| |
|Contact information on agencies and Web sites that promote liver health, education, and advocacy |
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|Relevant case management and social service resources (e.g., legal aid, Social Security, housing, Americans with Disabilities |
|Act, and disability rights contacts) |
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|Recommended readings on liver health, hepatitis C, and related issues |
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|Information on current liver research |
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|Public health clinics and other locations that test for hepatitis (especially for significant others) |
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|Advocacy organizations |
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|Other hepatitis C support groups in the community |
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|Contact information on alcohol and drug recovery resources (such as treatment centers, local 12-step and Self Management and |
|Recovery Training (SMART) recovery meetings, directories and/or contact numbers or Web sites) |
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|This manual provides a directory of national resources (see Appendix H). You are encouraged to add any local resources to this |
|listing, which should be updated periodically. Hard copies of the resource list could be made available at each group meeting |
|along with educational brochures about the liver and hepatitis C. |
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|5. ATTEND TO LOGISTICS |
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|Planning |
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|The following planning points are important to address early on: |
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|When are most participants available? |
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|When is the facility available? |
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|How frequently will people be able to meet (weekly, monthly)? |
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|Is there adequate parking? |
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|Is there access to audiovisual equipment? |
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|Is the room arrangement and number of chairs sufficient for the group? |
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|Who will be responsible for opening and closing the facility? |
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|Location |
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|Once you have an idea of when and how often your group will meet (at least for the first couple of meetings) you need to secure |
|a location for the group. Ideally, you will have meeting space at your VA facility. The space should be large enough to seat |
|everyone comfortably, but if the space is too large it may feel cold and impersonal for the purpose of the support group. |
|If you have to hold your support group offsite: |
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|Some locations may require payment for use of the facility. |
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|Contact community resources (e.g., library, town hall) or community organizations (American Red Cross, Rotary Club, Lions Club, |
|YMCA/YWCA, Salvation Army). |
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|Most organizations have community relations offices as a contact point. |
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|Also consider local hospitals, health centers, a doctor's office, or the local Visiting Nurses Association. |
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|Have an idea of the total number of meetings and/or the number of months you plan to meet prior to making the initial contact |
|call (most meetings last approximately 11/2 hours, plus time for questions). |
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|Don't forget time for setup (refreshments, video, etc.) and cleanup. |
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|Let your point of contact know projected dates and times, that the meetings are free of charge, and that the group is voluntary |
|and nonprofit. |
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|Wherever you hold your group, be sure to consider safety issues (adequate lighting, in a safe area), especially for night |
|groups, to minimize the possibility of harm to or harassment of participants. Also consider confidentiality issues when creating|
|your signs for the support group. For example, `Liver Support Group` would likely be preferable to `Hepatitis C Support Group` |
|when posting signage. |
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|Establishing a Clinic in CPRS for the Hepatitis C Group |
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|One important step in developing your hepatitis C group is to set up one or more clinics in the Computerized Patient Record |
|System (CPRS), in order to capture accurately the workload data associated with the group. This should be done before the groups|
|begin but near the end of the planning process. |
|To set up a clinic in CPRS you will need the following information: |
|The length of each group session |
|The primary provider(s) associated with the group sessions |
|Other providers who will be routinely speaking to the group |
|You will need to work with your station's Decision Support Service (DSS) program manager or analyst, or other staff responsible |
|for creating clinics in CPRS. Find appropriate staff to help you identify and set up the primary and secondary stop codes within|
|that clinic as well as local codes to capture every element of the workload associated with the group. You may need only one |
|clinic to capture the workload or you may need several, depending on the providers associated with the group. Please advise the |
|person assisting with the clinic setup that veterans attending these clinics must not be charged for the visit. |
|There may be other considerations for setting up a clinic at your facility. Some facilities may require a review of patient |
|education materials. Others may have a system for reimbursement of travel costs for attending the meeting. Any requirements for |
|individual facilities should be addressed ahead of time, and the process should be in place prior to the first meeting. |
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|Referral Process |
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|How you select and bring people into the support group will vary depending on its format and objectives. Each method has |
|advantages and disadvantages, as indicated below. |
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|Referral Strategy |
|Most Appropriate Uses |
|Advantages |
|Disadvantages |
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|Invitation in person or by phone |
|For small or process-oriented groups (e.g., patients on treatment) |
|Provides a personal connection; encourages participation |
|May be time-consuming or labor intensive, especially for larger groups |
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|Mass mailing |
|For large groups (e.g., all hepatitis C patients) |
|Reaches a wide audience |
|Not very personal; provides little feedback on who or how many will attend;moderately time consuming and labor intensive |
| |
|Provider-referred |
|When group participation is recommended as part of a patient´s treatment plan |
|Encourages participation and compliance |
|Variability among providers in willingness to refer to group |
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|Flyer |
|Large groups open to all comers |
|Requires least amount of effort |
|No feedback or control over who will attend |
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|Newspapers, community bulletin boards |
|When the goal is to reach veterans not attending clinic on a regular basis |
|Increases access to underserved veterans |
|May increase clinical workload |
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|Providers can be the best referral source for potential group participants. They often know the patients' needs as well as |
|their current health status. Discuss who might benefit from group participation with physicians (especially |
|gastroenterologists, hepatologists, and infectious disease specialists), nurses (especially those who treat liver disease), |
|social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals (especially those who work with patients with a history of|
|substance abuse and/or chronic disease). |
|If you send invitations to patients by mail, our early experience with this method resulted in a 10 to 20 percent attendance |
|rate among those we invited. If you call selected patients by phone, your response rate likely will be higher, and you will |
|also have a greater sense of who will attend by what they tell you. |
|Many newspapers have a community bulletin board you can access without charge. Some States have monthly newsletters that list |
|dates, times, and activities for public service groups in the State. Take advantage of bulletin boards and public service |
|announcements from local media, making sure to clear information in accordance with local policy. |
|Some institutions may require a group to be registered or approved by a patient education coordinator or hospital education |
|committee. Be sure to check your local policies to see if this is the case at your site. |
|A flyer, either to post or to mail to potential participants, is a good visual aid to promote your group. |
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|Meeting Logistics |
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|A meeting planning tool is enclosed (see Appendix B) to help keep track of what has been done and what needs to be done for |
|each meeting, once your meetings are under way. Here are some considerations for your first group and beyond: |
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|Audiovisual -- Do you have the equipment that you or your guest speaker needs for a presentation (e.g., VCR, PowerPoint, |
|overhead projector)? |
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|Food/Refreshments -- Food helps to attract and maintain group participation. If possible, provide food that is healthy for |
|patients with liver disease (i.e., avoid high-sugar sodas and caffeinated beverages). If you serve food, remember the little |
|things everyone needs (napkins, utensils, serving spoons). |
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|Directions/Signs -- Patients will easily get frustrated if they have to walk the length of the hospital to find the meeting |
|room. |
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|Announcements -- Groups are great forums for disseminating information, especially information about upcoming meetings and |
|speakers. |
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|Handouts -- Do you have enough copies? |
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|Brochures/Flyers -- See “Community Resources” section above. |
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|Room Environment -- Check temperature, lighting, and seat arrangement in advance. You may need to obtain a key beforehand to |
|gain access to the room. |
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|Name Tags -- Do you want people to wear them or not? |
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|General Practice Note: START AND END ON TIME! |
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|6. ESTABLISH YOUR GROUP |
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|Guidelines |
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|Having some general guidelines and expectations regarding group conduct established from the beginning can make the group more comfortable for the|
|members. This will help to resolve difficult situations without appearing dictatorial. Appendix C is a list of patient rights and responsibilities|
|you may wish to incorporate. |
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|Confidentiality |
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|At the first meeting it is a good idea to establish and emphasize that every member should respect the confidentiality and anonymity of individual|
|group members. Your group may also decide if it is to be open or closed to spouses, family members, or friends. Group members should feel free to |
|express themselves without fear that their private lives will become a matter of public knowledge outside the group. |
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|Mission Statement |
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|To begin, prepare a mission statement for the first meeting (see sample in Appendix A). Ask members to suggest changes or additions. With their |
|input and feedback, you will be able to ensure that the interests and needs of the group will be met. You should review this mission statement |
|periodically to help the group stay focused on its purpose and goals. |
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|Potential Problem Areas |
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|Facilitating a group, large or small, can be tricky. The following table lists common problem areas that often arise in groups, along with some |
|suggested remedies. |
|We suggest you read Appendix D to learn more about group facilitation. Many of these tools may come in handy once the group starts. |
| |
|Problem |Solution |
|Monopolizing the conversation |Invite others to share: “Let´s hear if some other people have had a |
| |similar experience.” |
|Argumentativeness |Reflect/validate the speaker´s feelings; encourage him or her to use the|
| |group to get additional information or others´ perspective on the issue.|
|Emotionality |Acknowledge their feelings; provide comfort (and tissues). Gently shift |
| |to another group member, but come back to “check in” with the emotional |
| |member when he or she has stopped crying. If the person is very upset, |
| |perhaps a facilitator could leave the group with him or her temporarily |
| |until he or she feels better. |
|Incorrect information |Don´t directly challenge the information as false, but if there is no |
| |scientific evidence to support the information, say so. Invite the |
| |participant to discuss the issue with you later: “I have another |
| |explanation I´d like to share with you after group.” |
|Lack of participation |Invite the member to share: “I notice you have been quiet through all of|
| |this; what are your feelings about (or your experience with) the issue?”|
|Rambling |Reflect that the speaker makes a number of good points; suggest the |
| |group focus on the most relevant point. |
|Interruption of the speaker with questions |If you have an invited speaker giving a lecture, point out that there is|
| |a lot of material to cover and suggest the group hold their questions |
| |until the end. |
|Question-and-Answer Period |
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|Even if you have decided to go with an educational or lecture-style |
|format for your group, it is important to allow ample time for members to|
|ask questions or share their comments on an issue. Some educational |
|presentations are informal and allow for questions during the lecture, |
|but often it's best to hold questions until after the speaker has |
|presented all of his or her planned material. |
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|The Social Aspect of Support Groups |
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|Much of the strength of support groups is found in the patient-to-patient interactions that occur before, during, and after the |
|“official” meeting. This is when veterans share information, compare notes, and even exchange phone numbers for informal contact|
|outside of the group. While starting and ending groups on time is a good suggestion from a group management perspective, |
|encouraging this peer-to-peer networking is important to promote patient self-help and to let the group thrive. Perhaps you can |
|identify a safe, accessible place where patients can continue to talk even if your meeting room has to be locked up or released |
|to the next scheduled user. If this is a possibility, announce to group members at the beginning of the meeting when the group |
|officially ends and when and where informal discussions may continue. |
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|Special Considerations for Hepatitis C Groups in Mixed Outpatient and Domiciliary Settings |
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|Confidentiality. Try to choose a space that allows for persons to enter unnoticed by the general population. Remember that |
|hepatitis C is a disease that often carries a stigma. Domiciliary patients may choose not to attend rather than reveal their |
|hepatitis C positive status. |
|Frustration. Many veterans in a substance-use domiciliary will be frustrated if they are attempting to establish some sober time|
|or to decrease their alcohol intake before starting treatment. Encourage veterans to use the time to prepare their bodies and |
|minds for the treatment. |
|Familiarity and Group Dynamics. Domiciliary patients often spend the majority of their time in each other's company. They may |
|know each other well and have patterned ways of interacting throughout the many groups within the domiciliary program. This can |
|affect the group dynamic in several ways you may not anticipate, especially if you are not domiciliary staff. You will need to |
|establish the hepatitis C group as its own group, not just one of a number of domiciliary groups. Holding the group outside of |
|the domiciliary (e.g., in an outpatient clinic) and including nondomiciliary patients can help establish this fact. Discourage |
|participation of those who do not have hepatitis C by offering limited hepatitis C information in the other domiciliary health |
|classes. |
|Origin of Hepatitis C. Those who are newly diagnosed often question the origin of the virus or the source of their infection. Be|
|cautious not to let this discussion get too far within the support group. It can lead to divisiveness within the group between |
|those who obtained the virus from high-risk behaviors (e.g., IV drug use) and those who did not (e.g., a blood transfusion). |
|Mixed populations are particularly susceptible to this dynamic as persons in the domiciliary often are early in recovery from |
|drug or alcohol abuse and readily disclose high-risk behaviors. |
|[pic] |
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|Starting a Hepatitis C Support Group: Two Perspectives From the Field |
I am a social worker at the Anchorage VA Outpatient Clinic who was tasked with developing a hepatitis C group, although the goals and purpose of such a group initially were not well defined. First, I set out to learn what veterans and providers hoped to achieve from this group. I found that we have two groups of patients, each with very different needs. In addition to hundreds of outpatients with the disease, we also have a domiciliary unit where many veterans have hepatitis C, often newly diagnosed.
I began by learning everything I could on the topic of hepatitis C. The resources I found most helpful were the VA hepatitis C brochures and video series and the VA Web site. I also talked with the domiciliary providers and hepatitis C specialists, as well as hepatitis C+ veterans, about what they wanted in a hepatitis C group. While veterans wanted more information about the disease and support, providers wanted better-educated and more compliant patients. After more than a year of research, we put together a 6-week education series, followed by a separate ongoing support group. We offer the education series quarterly, which enables us to have guest speakers for the 6-week series, including a patient care consultant from industry, our hepatitis C treatment provider, a dietician, psychiatric nurse practitioner, and myself as the social worker. The support group is offered monthly and well attended by those on treatment and those nearing the start of treatment. Veterans share their struggles with the disease a
--Michele Richardson, MSW
I am a registered nurse working for the VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center in White City, OR, the largest freestanding domiciliary in the VA system. Most of the residents are here for substance abuse treatment. Approximately 25 percent of this clientele are also infected with hepatitis C. In 1999, I (among others) saw a need for some type of education/support group directed toward hepatitis C. There did not seem to be many resources for veterans who were trying to come to grips with recent diagnoses of hepatitis C. Also, many veterans were confused, as there are several types of viral hepatitis.
I began by inviting the few veterans I knew were infected with hepatitis C to the first few groups and modifying my format to meet the needs of the group. The group grew by word of mouth in the first year. After some time the group became consistent enough to qualify as a clinic. I now get referrals from other providers at my facility. I continually refine the education part of the group as new data are published. The process part of the group also evolves as different needs are identified. Although I have changed job positions and am now in more of a supervisory role, I still facilitate the group. I feel it is very important for the veterans here to understand what is confronting them and to be able to have a forum to voice their concerns. Both peers and veterans have commented to me that this group fills these needs.
--John Penkert, BSN, CARN
|7. IMPLEMENT A FEEDBACK FUNCTION |
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|When the Session Is Over |
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|Although a group session ends for its members, facilitators still have many important tasks to continue the group's work. |
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|Debriefing Between Facilitators |
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|Facilitators should meet immediately after the group, even if only for 10 minutes, to discuss what happened and develop plans |
|for followup. Here are some topics you may want to cover during your debriefing: |
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|Clinical issues requiring followup (e.g., a participant discussed severe depression or suicidal ideation, seemed agitated, is |
|likely to drop out prematurely) |
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|Process issues in the group (e.g., a participant who dominates the group or one who does not participate, scapegoating, |
|deflection from emotional issues) |
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|Case formulations and intervention plans: developing therapeutic plans for individual participants and the group as a whole |
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|Followup list of unanswered participant questions or requests for more information (e.g., referrals) |
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|Process issues between facilitators: mutual feedback, examining countertransference (i.e., personal reactions to group members),|
|reaching agreements on practices, handling particular situations, responding to particular requests |
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|Evaluating the Session |
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|Feedback form |
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|Using a standardized feedback form (see examples in Appendixes E and F) at the |
|close of every group offers continuous feedback from participants to shape the |
|group to their needs. Ideally, feedback should address three key aspects: |
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|Structure -- length, meeting times, formats |
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|Process -- facilitation style, issues between participants |
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|Content -- topics for guest speakers or focused discussions |
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|Data analysis |
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|Once you solicit a group's feedback, it is extremely important to use that |
|information. Let the group know at the outset that their feedback shapes the |
|group, and then show them their feedback matters by altering the group |
|accordingly. Members feel empowered when their efforts create real change. To ask|
|the group's opinions and then not act on them risks alienating members and |
|divesting them from their very own group. The group fundamentally belongs to the |
|members to address their concerns and needs: the process within the group should |
|empower members, encouraging their roles as active participants in their own |
|health both within and outside of the group. The group fosters a norm of active |
|collaboration in their health care. |
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|Planning the Next Group |
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|The first meeting will generally be organizational in nature. Each member should |
|have the opportunity to express what he or she would like to experience from the |
|group. It's important to ask, not assume, what patients will want. Not all |
|members will want to listen to a guest speaker every month. Some might prefer to |
|just vent their emotions and learn to deal with side effects of treatment. |
|Collect information about both topic interests and logistics (when, how often to |
|meet). |
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|Flexibility and Creativity |
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|Groups are not set in stone and should change with the changing composition and |
|needs of their members. Groups may change in purpose, focus, content, or |
|structure. If one group seems to have outlived its usefulness, don't be afraid to|
|end it and start a different type of group that might address patients' needs in |
|a new way. |
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|Attending to Members' Feedback |
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|Facilitators may decide to make changes directly based on member feedback, bring |
|feedback to the group for discussion, or engage the group in a more collaborative|
|planning of changes. |
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|Reminder Calls and Letters |
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|Reminders can work in a number of ways. One useful strategy is for facilitators |
|to make the initial invitation to join the group face-to-face or by phone, then |
|send members reminder letters before every group meeting. No-shows and drop-outs |
|are common occurrences in groups, so facilitators should agree on a followup plan|
|for handling them. It is especially important to follow up with members who have |
|expressed some important concerns or are having a particularly difficult time |
|with their illness. If volunteer or peer facilitators are to contact members, the|
|VA facilitator should ask members' permission first, guarantee their |
|confidentiality, and clarify the limits on volunteers' access to the members' |
|medical information. |
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| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Multidisciplinary Collaboration |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Group leaders should collaborate with other providers, such as medical, mental |
|health, and substance abuse staff. When facilitators obtain a patient's informed |
|consent to join the group, they should make this collaboration and information |
|sharing clear. A multidisciplinary staffing of participants' treatment is usually|
|the most efficient way to optimize care, but even a one-to-one collaboration |
|between providers of different professions, whether face-to-face or over the |
|phone, can considerably augment care. Group facilitators may see patients more |
|frequently and for longer periods than physicians, so they might offer |
|information on members' quality of life, support systems, coping skills, daily |
|challenges, and recent changes. Facilitators may wish to ask other providers to |
|follow up on issues raised in group; similarly, other providers may ask the |
|facilitator to follow up with issues in the group. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Longstanding Groups |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Just as your group may run its course and end naturally after fulfilling its |
|usefulness, it may also become a mainstay of your health care facility. Don't be |
|surprised if the group takes on a life of its own, with members developing their |
|own rituals and traditions. Allow for the group to have alternative functions, |
|such as holiday parties, participation in community events (e.g., local Liver |
|Walks), or even reunions for very long-standing groups. |
|As one longtime support group member advises, stick with a generic name for the |
|group. Your group may evolve over time and eventually look very different than it|
|did when you held the first meeting. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
|V. Final Thoughts |
|[pic]|[pic] |
|Running support groups can be extremely |
|rewarding, as well as frustrating. Here |
|are some parting tips on how to take care |
|of yourself and avoid burnout: |
| |
|Network with other providers. Process and |
|debrief challenges. Coordinate care with |
|other providers and use a team approach. |
|If some of your own issues emerge as a |
|result of your helping others, seek |
|counseling. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Keep yourself abreast of new information |
|by participating in ongoing education. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Follow the advice that you teach to |
|clients about physical, mental, emotional,|
|social, and spiritual self-care. Self-care|
|is the opposite of burnout. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Recharge yourself! Pay attention to your |
|personal time away from work and schedule |
|activities that make you feel better. Set |
|time aside for yourself. The more you |
|enjoy your time away from work, the more |
|you have to share at work. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Recognize resentments against clients, |
|colleagues, and work as signs that you are|
|giving too much and not attending to your |
|own needs. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Set realistic goals for yourself at work. |
|Keep reminding yourself, “It´s not my job |
|to save the world.” Instead, focus on the |
|smaller ways you can make it a better |
|place today, if only for one person at a |
|time. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Know you are making a difference. Keep a |
|file of all the thank you cards and |
|commendations that remind you of the many |
|people who appreciate what you do. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
|Acknowledgments |
|[|[pic] |
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|]| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Support Group Guide Planning Committee |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Michelle Blum, LCSW |
|Portland VA Medical Center |
|John Davison, MBA, PhD |
|VA Puget Sound Health Care System |
|David Indest, PsyD |
|Portland VA Medical Center |
|Gene Mask |
|Portland, OR |
|John Penkert, BSN, CARN |
|VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics |
|Michele Richardson, MSW |
|Alaska VA Healthcare System |
|Martha Shea, BSN, RN |
|VA Connecticut Healthcare System |
|Meaghan Splan, MPH |
|VA Puget Sound Health Care System |
|Kristy Straits-Tröster, PhD |
|VA Puget Sound Health Care System |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Other Contributors |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Jane Burgess, ACRN, MS |
|Public Health Strategic Health Care Group, Department of Veterans Affairs |
|James Halloran, RN, MSN, CRS |
|Center for Quality Management in Public Health, Department of Veterans Affairs |
|Marian Kerbleski, RN, BSN |
|San Francisco VA Medical Center |
|Connie Raab |
|Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards, Department of Veterans Affairs |
|The VA Hepatitis C Resource Center Program and National Hepatitis C Program Office, |
|Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
|Appendixes |
|Appendix A |
|[pic] |[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Hepatitis C Support Group Mission Statement (Sample) |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|A support group serves to empower the patient through increased knowledge gained from speakers and other members as well as |
|through the assurance that he/she is not going through his/her problem alone. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
|Appendix B |
|[pic] |[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Support Group Meeting Planning Grid |
| |
|Program Title | |
|Meeting Date | |
|Location of Meeting | |
|Room Reserved | |
|Expected Attendance | |
|Speaker | |
|Facilitator(s) | |
|Agenda for Meeting | |
|Handouts | |
|Audiovisual Equipment | |
|Food/Refreshments | |
|Publicity/Plans | |
|Flyers/Newsletter | |
|Directions Posted | |
|Contact Person | |
|Appendix C |
|[|[pic] |
|p| |
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|c| |
|]| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Hepatitis C Support Group Participant Rights and Responsibilities |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|We agree to participate in this program in a group setting with other |
|hepatitis C patients and their families. |
|We understand the need for complete confidentiality and trust within the |
|group. |
|We accept an individual's choice to actively participate or simply |
|listen. |
|We will begin and end meetings on time. |
|We encourage “I” statements to keep discussions in the first person. |
|We let one person speak at a time. |
|We don't let one person monopolize the discussion. |
|We recognize the importance of actively listening to the person who is |
|speaking. |
|We emphasize each individual's role in the group's success. |
|We will not be judgmental toward other members; we are here to support, |
|not criticize. |
|We accept all feelings, whether they are positive or negative. |
|We agree that each of us is responsible for our own comments and that we |
|need to consider the group setting prior to disclosing personal |
|information. We should keep in mind that some questions and comments may |
|need to be presented in an individual session. |
|We recognize and authorize that a participant's personal medical |
|information may be disclosed in the group setting in order to respond |
|appropriately to that participant's questions. |
|By my signature below, I show that I understand the purpose of this |
|document. |
|Patient Signature |
|Facilitator Signature |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
|Appendix D |
|[|[pic] |
|p| |
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|c| |
|]| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Theories and Techniques for Support Group Facilitators |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Systems Theories |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Whenever people come together, they tend to form a system of complex interactions that can be understood as an organic whole. |
|Focusing exclusively on one individual's behavior in a group ignores the context affecting that behavior: the complicated |
|interplay of give and take in human relationships, forming intertwined feedback loops of actions and reactions. Systems follow |
|certain principles: |
| |
|Homeostasis -- Systems tend to maintain their status quo. Attempts to change the system are often met with opposite, |
|counterbalancing forces to keep the system as it was. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Feedback -- The system has feedback loops of information that help it gauge itself and maintain homeostasis. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Development -- Like all organisms, systems begin, grow, change, decay, and end. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Norms -- Each group develops characteristic ways of behaving and of defining “normal” behavior. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Roles -- Individuals in a closed group tend to take on more static functions within the group, such as “leader,” “devil's |
|advocate,” “scapegoat,” and “identified patient.” |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Stages of Group Development |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Groups typically follow certain broad and overlapping stages of formation, growth, and decay (Corey & Corey, 1997; Yalom, 1995):|
| |
|Beginning -- Trust is a central issue. Participants begin to learn what it means to be a member of the group, take tentative |
|steps toward participating in the group, and observe and test others' reactions to them. The facilitator works to establish an |
|emotionally supportive environment, fosters functional group norms, and validates feelings of fear, ambivalence, and alienation.|
|Early facilitator interventions focus on acknowledging all participants' contributions and highlighting commonalities among |
|participants. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Transition -- Conflicts arise as participants see beyond their common goals to differences in styles of participating. Every |
|group has conflict, but a group becomes therapeutic by bringing this conflict to the surface and resolving it directly and |
|constructively. Conflict is a natural pathway of development and is necessary for the group to progress to cohesion. |
|Participants become aware that to make progress in the group, they'll need to risk becoming vulnerable and to attempt new |
|behaviors. Participants find their respective roles and places in the group. Facilitators' authority is often challenged. |
|Facilitators must be keenly attuned to transference and countertransference and respond with process more than content in mind. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Working -- By working through the conflicts of the transition stage, the group reaches a functional cohesiveness and trust |
|through which it achieves its central goal. Participants feel a common bond, disclose more, participate more, mutually support |
|each other, and actively facilitate the group's process. This stage is devoted to process, so educational/informational, |
|open-enrollment, and nonprocess-focused groups may never reach this stage, and may not need to, in achieving their aims. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Ending -- Participants acknowledge that the group will end and struggle with finding meaning and value in having participated |
|even though it is ending. Participants identify and consolidate gains, as well as plan how to generalize their new behaviors in |
|group to the rest of their lives. Participants may feel both happy about “graduating” and unhappy about losing the group. This |
|is a time when old dysfunctional behaviors may reemerge. Participants may deny or minimize feelings of loss by saying they will |
|keep in touch with other group members, but facilitators must help participants discuss the loss honestly. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Curative Factors in Group Therapy |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Irving Yalom (1995) identified 12 factors in groups that may facilitate positive change: |
|Interpersonal Learning, Input -- Learning how others perceive and experience you |
|Catharsis -- Learning how to express and tolerate feelings |
|Cohesiveness -- Feeling accepted, belonging |
|Self-Understanding -- Discovering and accepting parts of yourself (good and bad) |
|Interpersonal Learning, Output -- Learning how you typically distort the way you perceive and experience others |
|Existential Factors -- Facing issues of injustice, isolation, and death, and that you are ultimately responsible for your life |
|Universality -- Knowing that you are as well off (and sometimes as bad off) as others |
|Instillation of Hope -- Gaining a sense that a solution is possible |
|Altruism -- Helping others makes you feel better about yourself |
|Family Reenactment -- A chance to have a more positive interaction with the group than you did with your family |
|Guidance -- Getting specific advice and recommendations from others |
|Identification (Imitative Behavior) -- Learning from others' experience and trying their behaviors |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Facilitation Techniques |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Certain basic techniques are easily learned and quite useful in facilitating groups: |
| |
|3 Rs of Listening -- Focusing on listening rather than preparing to respond to what is being said: preparing to listen |
|(Readying), encouraging the speaker to say more (Reaching), and paraphrasing what the speaker has said (Reflecting). |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Immediacy -- Showing you're interested by making eye contact; nodding; reacting with other appropriate face, body, and vocal |
|expressions; gesturing; and maintaining an appropriately close distance from the other person. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Addressing by Name -- Calling people by their names establishes a personal connection and can help calm an agitated participant |
|or focus one who is moving off task. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|“I” Statement -- A communication format focusing on the speaker's experience of the person being addressed: “I feel [emotion] |
|when you [behavior]; I would prefer [alternate behavior] and/or [positive/negative consequences].” |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Giving Feedback -- Sharing how a participant's behavior personally affects you. The speaker should focus only on his or her |
|personal reaction, focus on behavior over character or some attribute that is more difficult to change, be very specific by |
|giving a concrete example, and use very recent examples. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Confrontation -- Pointing out how a participant's behavior affects you (or others in group) and highlighting the possible |
|consequences. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Soliciting Feedback -- Asking others for their reaction to your behavior or that of a group participant. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Paraphrasing (Reflecting) -- Restating a participant's words in a concise way. This shows people that you are listening and |
|often helps them observe their own experience. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Supporting -- Acknowledging people's experience and their right to feel however they do. This helps calm or soothe negative |
|feelings. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Labeling -- Helping a participant name a feeling he or she is experiencing. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Perception Checking -- A three-part method for verifying the accuracy of interpretations, including a description of the |
|observed behavior, at least one possible interpretation, and a request for confirmation of the interpretation. “I notice that |
|you [sensory data/behavior]; to me that means [interpretation]; is that right (request for clarification)?” |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Self-Disclosure -- Revealing personal information about yourself to the participants. When a facilitator self-discloses, he or |
|she should consider the goal in disclosing and plan on how much to disclose. Self-disclosure is a powerful tool in the early |
|stages of group to help model such behavior and establish a group norm; however, the facilitator should be careful of disclosing|
|too much, monopolizing the group, or using the group for personal reasons. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Praising (Stroking) -- Calling attention to a specific positive behavior of a participant and how it affects others. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Deflecting -- Rather than responding to a communication made directly to you (the facilitator), you open the discussion up to |
|the group as a whole or to another specific participant. This is a way of encouraging cross-talk between participants rather |
|than having each one interacting only with the facilitator. It is also a useful way of ending one participant's monopoly of |
|group time and inviting others into the conversation. For example, “Has anyone else had a similar experience?” |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Punctuating -- Summarizing or making an observation as a way of stressing the importance of what has just happened or as a means|
|of ending one train of discussion or speaker's time and starting a new one. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Broken Record -- Repeating your statement calmly to get your point across. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Using Silence -- Tolerating or fostering awkward pauses and silences in the group. This is one of the most useful group process |
|techniques and one of the easiest ones to overlook for beginning facilitators. People naturally tend to be uncomfortable with |
|silences and try to rush to fill the void with a new topic; however, the silences are often times when people are becoming aware|
|of strong or anxiety-evoking feelings or are provoked into deep thought. Allowing a prolonged silence may deepen participants' |
|experience of their feelings. By not “rescuing” the group from this discomfort, the facilitator may allow another participant to|
|come forward and deepen or add to the conversation. If no participant comes forward after a long enough pause or if one attempts|
|to move off the topic entirely, the facilitator can deepen the conversation by saying something like, “Although nobody spoke in |
|the past few minutes, I know that everybody was thinking or feeling something that they didn't say. Would you please share what |
|you were just feeling or thinking about?” You can build your tolerance for such silences by sitting with a group of friends or |
|coworkers and agreeing to be silent for the next 1, then 2, then 3 minutes. You will observe a natural tendency to end the |
|awkward silence by talking or laughing. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Motivational Interviewing |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Miller and Rollnick (1991) articulated a nonconfrontational therapeutic approach to foster behavior change. Many have applied |
|their approach to work with substance use disorders, but motivational interviewing is now proving effective with other health |
|behavior change as well. They recommended five therapeutic principles or activities for assisting people to move toward |
|behavioral change. These principles can be used in groups as well as individually. |
| |
|Express Empathy |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Listen to understand. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Accept participants as they are. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Ambivalence is a normal human experience. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Reluctance to give up something that causes problems is normal. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Joining (empathically siding) with the participant can foster change. |
| |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Develop Discrepancy |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Becoming aware of a behavior's consequence is an important step toward changing it. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Everything has good and bad consequences. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Look for consequences in participants' adaptive coping, legal, health, work, and social contexts. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Discrepancy between a behavior and important personal goals can foster change. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Explore participants' personal goals. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Participants develop the reasons for change themselves, rather than being told by the facilitator. |
| |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Avoid Argumentation |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Arguments are counterproductive. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Direct argumentation calls for a reaction from the participant. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Saying “You can't” makes people want to assert their freedom by proving they can. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Resistance signals a need to change your (the therapist's) strategy. |
| |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Roll With Resistance |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|“Psychological judo” -- Use the participant's inertia; sidestep an issue the participant is “dug in” on rather than butting |
|heads with him or her. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Perspectives can be shifted. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|The participant is an ally in solving the problem. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Invite participants to try other perspectives, but don't impose them. |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|The participant generates solutions: Ask, “What would you like to do about this?” |
| |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|Support Self-Efficacy |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Believing that someone can change motivates him or her (hope). |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Participants are actively making decisions about their lives (even when they decide not to change things). |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|Participants (not the therapist) are responsible for choosing and making changes. |
| |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|References |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Corey, M.S., and G. Corey. Group Process and Practice. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole, 1997. |
|Miller, W.R., and S. Rollnick. Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People for Change. New York: Pacific Press, 1991. |
|Rollnick, S., P. Mason, and C. Butler. Health Behavior Change: A Guide for Practitioners 11th Ed. Edinburgh: Churchill |
|Livingstone, 1999. |
|Yalom, I. The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, 4th Ed. New York: Basic Books, 1995. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
|Appendix E |
|[pic] |[|
| |p|
| |i|
| |c|
| |]|
|[pic] |
| |
|Initial Hepatitis C Support Group Feedback Form |
| |
|Today's date: |
|I am... |a veteran |a significant other|
|For significant others: |
|I am... |HCV+ |HCV- |don't know |
|When did you learn you had hepatitis C? |
|Have you been in treatment for hepatitis C before? |Yes |No |
|If yes, what was the result of treatment? |
| |a. Cleared the virus |
| |b. Did not clear the virus |
| |(treatment did not work) |
| |c. Still on treatment |
|Has any provider ever told you treatment would not be a good idea for you? |
| |a. Yes |
| |b. No |
| |c. Have not talked about treatment |
| |with a provider |
| |d. Already tried treatment |
|Please rate the following topics as to how much they interest you. |
|(1 = not interested at all, 7 = very interested) |
|Basic info about hepatitis C |
| |Speakers |
| |Videos/slide shows |
| |Group discussions |
| |Time to talk/process/vent |
| |Other: |
|Would you like to attend this group (circle one): |
| |weekly |monthly |
|The best day of the week to attend would be (circle one): |
| |
| |Morning |Afternoon |Evening |
|If you have a question or concern that was not answered today, please write it here for us to address at a future meeting: |
| |
|What did you find helpful or interesting about this group today? |
| |
|What wasn't helpful about this group today? What did you not like? |
| |
|Other suggestions? |
| |
|Appendix F |
|[pic] |[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Ongoing Support Group Evaluation Form |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
| |
|Today's date: |
|I am... |a veteran |a significant other |
|For significant others: |
|I am... |HCV+ |HCV- |don't know |
|What information provided in this group was most helpful to you in understanding hepatitis C? |
| |
|What was least helpful? |
| |
|What topics would you like to see covered more or less extensively |
| |
|What topics would you like to be added to the program? |
| |
|How did these group sessions help you in understanding and coping with a diagnosis of hepatitis |
|C? |
| |
|What other changes, comments, or suggestions do you recommend? |
| |
|Thank you for your|
|participation. |
|Your answers will |
|be used in further|
|developing the |
|hepatitis C group |
|program. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
|Appendix G |
|[|[pic] |
|p| |
|i| |
|c| |
|]| |
|[pic] |
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|Suggested Hepatitis C Educational Topics |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Many hepatitis C patients have indicated the following topics as being of particular interest to them . Support group planners |
|may seek out guest speakers with specialized knowledge or expertise in these areas. |
|Your Liver & Hepatitis C |
|Understanding Lab & Biopsy Results |
|Risk of Transmission & Intimate Relationships |
|Diet & Nutrition |
|Managing Sleep, Fatigue, and Exercise |
|Interferon-based Treatment for Hepatitis C |
|Alternative & Complementary Therapies for Hepatitis C |
|Symptom & Side-effect Management |
|Liver Transplant Issues |
|Emotional Self-Care |
|Anger Management |
|Benefits & Service Connection |
|The Support Group Guide Planning Committee to develop these 12 topics as educational modules and include educational materials |
|(i.e., lecture notes, PowerPoint slide presentations) in future versions of this Guide. |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
|Appendix H |
|[pic] |[pic] |
|[pic] |
| |
|Hepatitis C Resources |
| |
|Veterans and Providers |
|Veterans with Hepatitis C |hepatitis. |
|Patient Support |
|Adverse Event Reporting Program | |
|HCV Advocate | |
|Hep C Vets | |
|Hep Net (Canadian Hepatitis Network) | |
|Hepatitis Central | |
|HIV and Hepatitis | |
|Medscape Resource Center | |
|Melissa Palmer, MD (Liver disease & Hepatitis) | |
|Rx List | |
|Health Organization Links |
|American Association for the Study of Liver Disease | |
|American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association | |
|American Gastroenterology Association | |
|American Liver Foundation | |
|Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | |
| | |
|Hepatitis Branch | |
| | |
|[pic] | |
| | |
| | |
|Food and Drug Administration | |
|Hepatitis C Society of Canada | |
|Hepatitis Foundation International | |
|Italian Liver Foundation | |
|National Business Coalition on Health | |
|National Council on Patient Information & Education | |
|National Foundation for Depressive Illness | |
|National Institutes of Health | |
| | |
|National Center for Complementary and Alternative | |
|Medicine | |
| | |
|[pic] | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and | |
|Kidney Diseases | |
| | |
|[pic] | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|National Library of Medicine | |
| | |
|[pic] | |
| | |
| | |
|National Network for Immunization Information | |
|United European Gastroenterology Federation | |
|Viral Hepatitis Prevention Board | |
|World Health Organization | |
|General Health Information |
|Dr. C. Everett Koop's Web Site | |
|Healing Well | |
|Health Finder | |
|Health Touch Online for Better Health | |
|Life Saving Alternatives to Blood Transfusions | |
|United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) | |
|Clinical Trials |
|Center Watch | |
|Clinical Trials Registry | |
|Veritas Medicine | |
|Travel Information |
|CDC Healthy Travel Information | |
|WORLD Traveler Hepatitis Information | |
|Pharmaceutical/Pharmacy |
|Chiron Corporation | |
|Fujisawa Healthcare, Inc. | |
|Glaxo Smith Kline | |
|Home Access Health (home test kit for Hep C) | |
|Idenix Pharmaceutical | |
|Intermune | |
|Merck | |
|Priority Healthcare Corporation | |
| | |
|Priority Healthcare | |
| | |
|[pic] | |
| | |
| | |
|Rebetron Combination Therapy | |
|Roche | |
|Roche-HIV | |
|Schering | |
|Walgreens Specialty Care | |
|Mental Health |
|Center for Mental Health Services | |
|Mental Help Net | |
|Exercise and Fitness |
|Health and Fitness Tips | |
|Hepatitis Neighborhood | |
|Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | |
|Hep C Connection 1-800-522-4372 | |
|American Liver Foundation | |
|Nursing Center | |
|Hepatitis Foundation International 1-800-891-0707 | |
Organizations
|Alcoholics Anonymous World Services |
|475 Riverside Drive, 11th Floor |
|New York, NY 10115 |
|Tel 212-870-3400 |
|Contact to find a support group for alcoholics in your area. |
|American Digestive Health Foundation |
|7910 Woodmont Ave., Suite 700 |
|Bethesda, MD 20814 |
|Tel 301-654-2635 |
|Fax 301-654-1140 |
|American Gastroenterological Association |
|4930 Del Ray Ave. |
|Bethesda, MD 20814 |
|Tel 301-654-2055 |
|Fax 301-652-3890 |
|American Liver Foundation |
|75 Maiden Lane |
|Suite #603 |
|New York, NY 10038 |
|1-800-GO-LIVER (465-4837); Jackie Spencer is the VA contact at ext. 134 |
|1-888-4HEP-USA (443-7872) |
|Tel 212-668-1000 |
|Fax 212-483-8179 |
|info@ |
|Hep C Connections |
|1714 Poplar St. |
|Denver, CO 80220 |
|Tel 303-393-9395 |
|Fax 303-393-9358 |
|Hep C Foundation |
|1502 Russett Drive |
|Warminster, PA 18974 |
|Tel 215-672-2606 |
|Fax 215-672-1518 |
|Hepatitis Education Project |
|4603 Aurora Ave N. |
|Seattle, WA 98103 |
|Tel 206-732-0311 |
| |
|Hepatitis Foundation International |
|30 Sunrise Terrace |
|Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 |
|Tel 1-800-891-0707 |
|Fax 973-857-5044 |
|Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates |
|401 North Michigan Ave. |
|Chicago, IL 60611-4267 |
|Tel 1-800-245-7462 |
|Fax 312-527-6658 |
|Local Support Groups [Insert your local support groups here] |
|Suggested Reading |
|[pic] |[pic] |
|Dolan, Matthew. The Hepatitis C Handbook. Catalyst Press, 1997.Hepatitis Management and Treatment, A Practical Guide |
|for Patients, Family and Friends(magazine). |
|Everson, G. and H. Weinberg. Living with Hepatitis C: A Survivors' Guide. Hatherleigh Press, 1998. |
|Hepatitis Management & Treatment, A Practical Guide for Patients, Family and Friends (magazine). |
|Maddrey, Willis C., M.D., and Eugene R. Schiff, M.D. eds. The Hepatitis Workbook. A Guide to Living with Chronic |
|Hepatitis B and C. Schering Corporation, 2001. |
|National Family Caregivers Association, The Resourceful Caregiver. Mosby Lifeline, 1996. |
|Pollin, Irene. Taking Charge: Overcoming the Challenges of Long-Term Illness. MSW, and Susan K. Golant, Times Books, |
|1994. |
|Stolman, Marc D. A Guide to Legal Rights for People with Disabilities. Demos Publications, 1994. |
|White, Barbara J. and Edward J. Madara. The Self-Help Source Book. Northwest Covenant Medical Center, 1995. |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
|About VA Programs in Hepatitis C |
|[|[pic] |
|p| |
|i| |
|c| |
|]| |
|The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) leads the country in hepatitis C screening, testing, treatment, research, and |
|prevention. VA is the largest single provider of medical care to people with hepatitis C infection in the United States. |
|The National Hepatitis C Program works to ensure that veterans with or at risk for hepatitis C receive the highest quality |
|health care services from the VA system. Led by the VA's Public Health Strategic Health Care Group (PHSHG) and carried out by VA|
|medical facilities across the country, the hepatitis C program has a comprehensive approach to hepatitis C prevention and |
|treatment that includes screening, testing and counseling, patient and provider education, optimal clinical care, and management|
|of data to continuously improve program quality. |
|The Hepatitis C Resource Centers (HCRCs), a part of the National Hepatitis C Program, develop best practices in clinical care |
|delivery, patient education, provider education, prevention, and program evaluation that can be used by the entire VA health |
|care system and other medical care systems. They function as field-based clinical laboratories for the development, testing, |
|evaluation, and dissemination of new and innovative products and services for improving the quality of hepatitis C clinical care|
|and education in every VA medical facility. |
|VA provides extensive information on hepatitis C for health care providers, veterans and their families, and the public at |
|. |
|[pic] |
|[pic] |
|User Feedback Form |
|[pic] |[pic] |
|The Hepatitis C Resource Center would like to hear from you about this edition of Initiating and Maintaining a Hepatitis C Support Group: A “How-To”|
|Program Guide. To share your opinions, please complete this tear-out tri-fold page, fold it, and drop it in the mail. Your answers will be used to |
|inform development of future editions of this guide. Thank you! |
|1. Overall, how useful did you find this guide? |
|Very useful |Somewhat useful |Not at all useful |
|2. Did you find this guide to be: |
|a. Well organized? |Yes |No |
|If No, why not? |
| |
|b. Easy to read? |Yes |No |
|If No, why not? |
| |
|c. Up-to-date? |Yes |No |
|If No, why not? |
| |
|3. Would you recommend this guide to other health care providers? |
| |Yes |No |
|4. Which sections did you find most useful? Why? |
| |
|5. What additional information would you like to have included in the guide? |
| |
|6. What sections do you think should be left out of the guide? |
| |
|7. Were there parts you thought were inaccurate? If so, please suggest changes: |
| |
|8. How could this guide be improved? |
| |
|9. What is your occupation? |
| |
|10. Is there someone at your VA who would use this guide to start an HCV support group? |
|Yes, me |Yes, someone else |No, nobody |
|11. After reading the guide, how prepared do you feel to start your own HCV support group? |
|Very prepared |Somewhat prepared |Not at all prepared |
|12. What are the barriers to starting an HCV support group in your facility? |
|No staff |No time |Hard to identify patients/get referrals |
|Other: |
|13. If there were someone at the HCRC to consult with on starting or running an HCV support group, would you contact him/her? |
|Yes |No | |
|Thank you for your time! |
|You may keep your responses anonymous, but if you would not mind |
|being contacted by the HCRC for followup, would you please provide|
|the following? |
|Name: |
|Phone: |
|Email: |
|Northwest Hepatitis C Resource Center |
|VA Puget Sound Health Care System |
|1660 S. Columbian Way (S-152-HCRC) |
|Seattle, WA 98018 |
| |
|[pic] |
| |
|[pic]above is found |
| |
Cont rsch
From board café: What do nps think X the ED titles
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR? CEO? PRESIDENT?
In the last issue of the Board Cafe-the special issue for
staff executives-we asked for comments on the title of the
#1 staff person. Dozens of responses later, we can safely
conclude that there's no consensus. Some folks felt that
President or CEO is "more corporate," and conveys more
authority: "I had my Board change my title from Executive
Director to President/CEO . . . it's important to be on
the same level as other executives" (Steve Weisberg,
Miami). Herman Orcutt agreed: "In organizations where I
am a board member, we believe President or CEO gives our
executive director more credibility."
Others agreed that President or CEO is more corporate-
sounding, but didn't like the connotation: Claire
O'Connor (Hamline Midway Coalition) commented: "CEO has a
business connotation . . . I believe we should be proud of
being a different sector . . . Our ways of doing things
and talking about them are as important and we should be
careful to keep them separate. Several writers noted that
"President" confuses the top staff position with the head
of the volunteer board of directors.
Finally, several Board Cafe readers attacked pretentious
"title inflation" (Chuck Gleaves of the Kingwood Center in
Ohio). "I find the more down-to-earth the title is, the
better," wrote Helga Cook of Grove Cemetery. "I am
perfectly content with the position of Manager." And
Phyllis Haynes, Executive Director of the Arkansas
Foodbank Network, commented, "I find President and CEO
et.al. to be pretentious. I prefer Head Duck." As for me
at CompassPoint, I prefer Executive Director for myself .
. . it's nonprofit-like, understandable, and in line with
the most common practice.
LOOK UP YOUR ORGANIZATION
If you haven't already done so, take a look at
and find your organization's
mission and financial information, and make sure it's
accurate. You can also take a look at other similar
organizations in your area to find out their budget, top
salaries, names of board members, and program
accomplishments.
The last Board Cafe was our first special issue for
executive directors, and this issue we're back for board
members with a commentary on Sarbanes Oxley and its
applicability to nonprofits. I have to admit it's hard
not to resent the increased scrutiny of nonprofits when
there is more evidence of abuse-and with higher stakes-in
for-profit corporations and in government. Attorney Tom
Silk takes a wise stance below.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR? CEO? PRESIDENT?
In the last issue of the Board Cafe-the special issue for
staff executives-we asked for comments on the title of the
#1 staff person. Dozens of responses later, we can safely
conclude that there's no consensus. Some folks felt that
President or CEO is "more corporate," and conveys more
authority: "I had my Board change my title from Executive
Director to President/CEO . . . it's important to be on
the same level as other executives" (Steve Weisberg,
Miami). Herman Orcutt agreed: "In organizations where I
am a board member, we believe President or CEO gives our
executive director more credibility."
Others agreed that President or CEO is more corporate-
sounding, but didn't like the connotation: Claire
O'Connor (Hamline Midway Coalition) commented: "CEO has a
business connotation . . . I believe we should be proud of
being a different sector . . . Our ways of doing things
and talking about them are as important and we should be
careful to keep them separate. Several writers noted that
"President" confuses the top staff position with the head
of the volunteer board of directors.
Finally, several Board Cafe readers attacked pretentious
"title inflation" (Chuck Gleaves of the Kingwood Center in
Ohio). "I find the more down-to-earth the title is, the
better," wrote Helga Cook of Grove Cemetery. "I am
perfectly content with the position of Manager." And
Phyllis Haynes, Executive Director of the Arkansas
Foodbank Network, commented, "I find President and CEO
et.al. to be pretentious. I prefer Head Duck." As for me
at CompassPoint, I prefer Executive Director for myself .
. . it's nonprofit-like, understandable, and in line with
the most common practice.
LOOK UP YOUR ORGANIZATION
If you haven't already done so, take a look at
and find your organization's
mission and financial information, and make sure it's
accurate. You can also take a look at other similar
organizations in your area to find out their budget, top
salaries, names of board members, and program
accomplishments.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
This month's Main Course article is from attorney Tom
Silk, of Silk, Adler & Colvin in San Francisco.
Does Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX for short) apply to nonprofits?
SOX was passed in 2002 by Congress to apply to publicly
traded companies, in response to corporate scandals.
Since nonprofits are not publicly traded, SOX has not been
applied to nonprofits. In fact, many of the efforts to
reform for-profit corporate boards include provisions that
are already nearly universal in the nonprofit sector, such
as having a majority of board members who are not on
staff, or a finance committee with a majority of non-staff
members.
SARBANES OXLEY AND NONPROFITS
By THOMAS SILK
This article is in digest form; the full text and other
articles can be found at .
In response to the corporate scandals at Enron, Arthur
Andersen, Global Crossing, and other major corporations,
Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Corporate
watchdog organizations and professional associations of
business and law have advocated and adopted more rigorous
best practice codes of corporate governance(1). Meanwhile,
the press has reported on scandals within the nonprofit
sector as well. So far nonprofit organizations have not
been the target of reform legislation by Congress. States
have been the first to act. New York's Attorney General
was first to propose legislation patterned after Sarbanes-
Oxley,(2) and in California SB 1262 has been introduced
(3).
My intent is not to hazard a prediction about the
likelihood of federal or state legislation or regulations
but to recognize and reflect the emergence of a
fundamental shift. Whether or not additional legislation
is enacted, community customs and practices are changing.
Moreover, a higher level of public expectation may prompt
increased media scrutiny of nonprofit sector
organizations.
The ten principles of governance are derived primarily
from four sources: the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and three
corporate governance codes published after the Act became
effective - the Report of the Task Force on Corporate
Responsibility of the American Bar Association; the
Findings and Recommendations of the Commission on Public
Trust and Private Enterprise of The Conference Board, and
Principles of Corporate Governance of The Business
Roundtable(4).
1. The board of directors of a nonprofit corporation must
engage in active, independent, and informed oversight of
the activities of the corporation, particularly those of
senior management.
2. Directors with information and analysis relevant to the
board's decision-making and oversight responsibilities are
obligated to disclose that information and analysis to the
board and not sit passively. Senior management
should recognize and fulfill an obligation to disclose -
to a supervising officer, to a committee of the board, or
to the board of directors - information and analysis
relevant to such person's decision making and oversight
responsibilities.
3. Every nonprofit corporation should have a
nominating/governance committee composed entirely of
directors who are not part of the (staff) management team.
The committee is responsible for nominating qualified
candidates to the board, monitoring all matters involving
corporate governance, overseeing compliance with ethical
standards, and making recommendations to the full board
for action in governance matters.
4. Every nonprofit corporation with substantial assets or
annual revenues should develop and implement a three-
tier annual board evaluation process whereby the
performance of the board as a whole, each board committee,
and each board member are evaluated annually. The board
should also develop and implement a process for
review and evaluation of the chief executive officer on an
annual basis.
5. Each board of directors is responsible for overseeing
corporate ethics, and consider the following actions: a)
communicate to all personnel a strong, ethical tone from
the top, b) adopt a Conflicts of Interest policy; c)
include ethics-related criteria in employee qualification
standards and in employees' annual performance reviews.
6. Every nonprofit corporation with substantial assets or
annual revenue should be audited annually by an
independent auditing firm.
7. The chief executive officer and the chief financial
officer of every nonprofit corporation should review Form
990 or Form 990-PF and other annual information returns
filed with federal and state agencies.
8. Any attorney providing legal services to a nonprofit
corporation who learns of evidence that indicates a
material breach of fiduciary duty or similar violation
shall report that evidence to the chief executive officer
of the nonprofit corporation and, if warranted by the
seriousness of the matter, to the board of directors.
9. Every nonprofit corporation should adopt a written
policy setting forth standards for document integrity,
retention, and destruction. Section 1102 of the Sarbanes-
Oxley Act provides that whoever alters or destroys any
document with the intent to obstruct the investigation or
proper administration of any matter within the
jurisdiction of any federal agency or department is guilty
of a felony. This provision applies to individuals within
nonprofit corporations as well as business corporations.
10. Every nonprofit corporation should adopt a written
policy to permit and encourage employees to alert
management and the board to ethical issues and potential
violations of law without fear of retribution. This is
based on Section 1107 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act which
treats as a felony any discharge, demotion, or
harassment of any employee who provides to a law
enforcement official true information about the potential
commission of a federal offense. This provision also
applies to individuals within nonprofit corporations as
well as business corporations.
Editor's note: This article can help boards in three ways:
by reassuring them that Sarbanes-Oxley is not directly
applicable to nonprofits (except for principles 9 and 10),
by alerting us to principles that are likely to apply in
the future, and by making clear that however much the
precise governance provisions may vary from nonprofit to
nonprofit depending on the mission and size of the
charitable organization, there is one overarching
principle that does apply to every charity -- to ensure
that the conduct of its directors, officers, and employees
satisfies the highest ethical standard. This article and
others can be found at .
(1) "Findings and Recommendations: Part 2 Corporate
Governance," Commission on Public Trust and Private
Enterprise (The Conference Board, 2003); "Principles of
Corporate Governance," (The Business Roundtable, 2002);
"Corporate Governance Practices," adopted by the American
Bar Association (2003).
(2) The Sarbanes Oxley Act, enacted on July 30, 2002,
imposes on publicly traded companies and their accountants
and lawyers new requirements designed to improve corporate
governance and thereby rebuild public trust in the
corporate sector.
(3) In January 2003, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer of New
York announced the introduction of legislation on
nonprofits similar to those enacted by Sarbanes-Oxley.
Attorney General's Legislative Program Bill # 02-03. In
California, Attorney General Lockyer's staff developed a
legislative proposal which emerged as SB 1262, introduced
by Senator Sher on February 13, 2004.
(4) The four documents are available at the following
websites - ; ;
; and .
Related articles in previous Board Cafe issues, available
in The Best of the Board Cafe
() or free online at
:
Sample Conflict of Interest Policy, January 2000
Self-Assessment Survey for the Board, May 2000
Board-Staff Contract for Financial Accountability,
November 2000
Governance Committees, March 2003
Next month in the Board Cafe: Sample Code of Ethics and
Sample Conflict of Interest Policy
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
You are reading the BOARD CAFE, published monthly by
CompassPoint Nonprofit Services: 706 Mission Street, 5th
Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103; (phone) 415-541-9000;
(fax) 415-541-7708; Silicon Valley office: 1922 The
Alameda, San Jose, CA 95126; (phone) 408-248-9505; (e-
mail) boardcafe@, (website)
. We welcome your
comments and contributions to the BOARD CAFE. If you would
like to have the BOARD CAFE delivered to you free via
electronic mail, simply send a blank e-mail message to
BoardCafe-subscribe@. To unsubscribe to
the BOARD CAFE, send a blank email to
BoardCafe-unsubscribe@.
CompassPoint Nonprofit Services does not rent, exchange or
give away contact information from its Board Cafe mailing
list. We keep this information confidential.
If you value the material in the Board Cafe, please
consider making a donation to help keep it growing and
free-you can donate at
.
If you are interested in joining a board, or if the board
you are on is interested in recruiting new members, see
BoardNetUSA, a partner of the Board Cafe, at
.
(c) 2004 CompassPoint Nonprofit Services
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
NEW FEATURE: The Board Cafe Emporium
Different items each issue . . . and many are free
Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations, a
Practical Guide and Workbook. Bestseller by
CompassPoint's Mike Allison and Jude Kaye. $39.95 +
shipping and handling at
or
.
: this national, on-line service is now
open to Board Cafe subscribers. If you're looking for a
new board to join, you can "shop" here for nonprofits in
your area seeking board members. And if your board is
looking for new members, you can "advertise" here for
candidates.
Nonprofit Genie: A free, excellent series of Frequently
Asked Questions and answers about fundraising, written by
the legendary fundraiser Kim Klein. ,
then click on "FAQs" then on "Fundraising."
NetworkForGood: Quick and free way to make it possible for
people to make donations to you via the web. This site's
corporate sponsors make this service free. Don't expect
to get lots of money just by having this capacity, but if
you already have a website, you should add this feature.
QuickBooks for Not-For-Profit Organizations, by Christine
Manor and the Sleeter Group. $49 + shipping and handling.
Water Troubles Cause Mexico City to Sink
Mexico City is sinking -- in some areas, by as much as a foot a year, and altogether by about 30 feet over the past century. The sprawling, smoggy metropolis -- more than double the size of greater London -- has been depleting the aquifer on which it was built, and that aquifer is now collapsing. To meet current demand for 10.5 million gallons of water a day, the city pumps water from two nearby river basins at a cost of some $50,000 a day for water rights alone. The sinking city also puts massive stress on the network of water distribution and drainage systems that spiderweb beneath it, which routinely crack, leading to a loss of around 40 percent of potable water. The city must also now pump its sewage uphill before it can be drained into the Gulf of Mexico. The smog-shrouded city's water troubles are a sign of things to come for the world's metastasizing megacities. According to UNESCO, 7 billion people from 60 countries could face water shortages by 2050.
straight to the source: The Independent, Tim Gaynor, 30 Apr 2004
Michael L. Edwards
> Virginia Municipal League
> P.O. Box 12164
> Richmond, Virginia 23241
> 804/649-8471
> 804/343-3758 (F)
> 804/400-1191 (C)
> medwards@
>
Feds to Consider Hatchery Salmon Along with Wild in Protection Plans
When considering what measures to take to protect threatened Pacific salmon under the Endangered Species Act, the federal government will, in a sharp break from years of policy, take into account the number of hatchery salmon in the West's rivers. The decision, contained in a draft document and confirmed by federal officials, is expected to inform policy as early as this summer. The controversy over whether hatchery salmon are a legitimate substitute for wild salmon, sparked by a 2001 court ruling that the Bush administration failed to appeal, draws an unusually sharp line between science and politics. On the science side: Six leading experts on salmon ecology wrote an article last month in the journal Science arguing that hatchery fish should not be counted, and contending that their recommendations had been suppressed by federal officials. On the politics side: Some groups that have supported the Bush administration -- including utilities, timber companies, agriculture interests, and developers -- don't much like strict salmon-protection rules.
straight to the source: The Washington Post, Blaine Harden, 29 Apr 2004
straight to the source: The Oregonian, Michael Milstein and Joe Rojas-Burke, 29 Apr 2004
A capital idea -- how to make capitalism lean, green, and nice -- by Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins, and L. Hunter Lovins
scotlandonsunday. offers:
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EVERYTHING YOU WANT FROM A SUNDAY NEWSPAPER - The Sunday Herald was rated the main newspaper people would prefer to read if they were looking for a paper that "gives you everything you want from a Sunday paper".
BEST READ QUALITY IN STRATHCLYDE - We have 130,000 readers in Strathclyde - twice as many as Scotland on Sunday (54,000) and the Sunday Times (70,000).
YOUNGEST SUNDAY AUDIENCE - 40% of our readers are under 35, and 55% are under 40 - higher than any UK Sunday newspaper.
NUMBER 1 IN THE CENTRAL BELT - Across the Central Belt of Scotland (where 66% of Scots live and include Edinburgh and Glasgow), the Sunday Herald is THE paper of choice. We reach 172,000 readers in this area - the SoS reaches just 151,000 and the Sunday Times just 116,000.
AFFLUENT - our readers have an average household income of £26,244 - the Scottish average is £18,894.
AVID SHOPPERS - Our readers spend £81 a week on shopping - more than any other Sunday newspaper in the UK.
A RECEPTIVE AUDIENCE - our readers are more likely to be tempted to buy products they see advertised than Scotland on Sunday and Sunday Times readers.
MORE READERS - In Scotland, we deliver more readers planning to move home, change job and buy a new car in the next six months than the Scotland on Sunday and the Sunday Times.
UNIQUE AUDIENCE - 135,000 (65%) of Sunday Herald readers do not read another Sunday broadsheet - we are their first and only choice when looking for a quality read on a Sunday.
Sources : ABC July - December 02; NRS Apr '02 - Mar '03/Apr '01 - Mar '02; TGI April '00 - March '02; NFO Europe Sept 02; * The Drum Newspaper of the Year Awards May 2003
1900 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20415-1000 | (202) 606-1800
PCFO and LFCC Contact Information
The Office of Personnel Management maintains an up to date data base of CFC's. To help keep the information on the data base current please forward via fax (202/606-5056) or e-mail (cfc@) any and all changes to the PCFO or LFCC contact information. It is imperative that OPM maintains an up to date data base of all CFC's. Do not wait to be contacted by OPM. As soon as you have any changes forward them to OPM immediately. Thank you for your attention to this request.
Note: All campaign expansions and mergers must be approved by OPM in writing.
Introduction to CFC
The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is the annual fund-raising drive conducted by Federal employees in their workplace each fall. Each year Federal employees and military personnel raise millions of dollars through the CFC that benefits thousands of non-profit charities. This page has been developed to assist charitable organizations and other interested parties who seek information about or who have questions regarding the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).
The Office of CFC Operations at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is responsible for oversight of the CFC. The Office of CFC Operations is located at 1900 "E" Street, NW, Room 5450, Washington, DC 20415. 202/606-2564, Fax 202/606-5056.
Office of CFC Operations Mission Statement
To promote and support philanthropy through a program that is employee focused, cost-efficient, and effective in providing all federal employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for all.
Vision Statement
A government that encourages and enables active employee participation in community and that fosters collaboration with business and the nonprofit sector to achieve this goal.
CFC Message
The information here is provided by the Office of CFC Operations at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) which is responsible for oversight of the CFC.
The CFC Story
With a tradition of commitment to the community through the selfless efforts of Federal employees, the CFC has its roots in the many charitable campaigns of the early 1960's. Seeing a need to bring the diversity of fundraising efforts under one umbrella, Federal employees created the CFC--one campaign, once a year. By allowing employees to select the organizations of their choice from a single brochure and to make their contributions through payroll deductions, the CFC opened wide the door to more opportunities for generous giving to literally hundreds of worthy causes. An Executive Order made the CFC a reality, and turned an innovative idea into a uniquely effective way for Federal employees to help those in need across our community and throughout the world. The CFC is the only authorized solicitation of employees in the Federal workplace on behalf of charitable organizations. It continues to be the largest and most successful workplace fundraising model in the world.
Visit the CFC Homepage
For information about the CFC, visit the CFC Home Page at cfc .
Fair Housing--it's Your Right
HUD has played a lead role in administering the Fair Housing Act since its adoption in 1968. The 1988 amendments, however, have greatly increased the Department's enforcement role. First, the newly protected classes have proven significant sources of new complaints. Second, HUD's expanded enforcement role took the Department beyond investigation and conciliation into the area of mandatory enforcement.
Complaints filed with HUD are investigated by the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). If the complaint is not successfully conciliated, FHEO determines whether reasonable cause exists to believe that a discriminatory housing practice has occurred. Where reasonable cause is found , the parties to the complaint are notified by HUD's issuance of a Determination, as well as a Charge of Discrimination, and a hearing is scheduled before a HUD administrative law judge. Either party - complainant or respondent - may cause the HUD-scheduled administrative proceeding to be terminated by electing instead to have the matter litigated in Federal court. Whenever a party has so elected, the Department of Justice takes over HUD's role as counsel seeking resolution of the charge on behalf of aggrieved persons, and the matter proceeds as a civil action. Either form of action - the ALJ proceeding or the civil action in Federal court - is subject to review in the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Significant Recent Changes
1. The Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 (HOPA) makes several changes to the 55 and older exemption. Since the 1988 Amendments, the Fair Housing Act has exempted from its familial status provisions properties that satisfy the Act's 55 and older housing condition.
First, it eliminates the requirement that 55 and older housing have "significant facilities and services" designed for the elderly. Second, HOPA establishes a "good faith reliance" immunity from damages for persons who in good faith believe that the 55 and older exemption applies to a particular property, if they do not actually know that the property is not eligible for the exemption and if the property has formally stated in writing that it qualifies for the exemption.
HOPA retains the requirement that senior housing must have one person who is 55 years of age or older living in at least 80 percent of its occupied units. It also still requires that senior housing publish and follow policies and procedures that demonstrate an intent to be housing for persons 55 and older.
An exempt property will not violate the Fair Housing Act if it includes families with children, but it does not have to do so. Of course, the property must meet the Act's requirements that at least 80 percent of its occupied units have at least one occupant who is 55 or older, and that it publish and follow policies and procedures that demonstrate an intent to be 55 and older housing.
A Department of Housing and Urban Development rule published in the April 2, 1999, Federal Register implements the Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995, and explains in detail those provisions of the Fair Housing Act that pertain to senior housing.
2. Changes were made to enhance law enforcement, including making amendments to criminal penalties in section 901 of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 for violating the Fair Housing Act.
3. Changes were made to provide incentives for self-testing by lenders for discrimination under the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. See Title II, subtitle D of the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 1997, P.L. 104 - 208 (9/30/96).
Basic Facts About the Fair Housing Act
What Housing Is Covered?
The Fair Housing Act covers most housing. In some circumstances, the Act exempts owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units, single-family housing sold or rented without the use of a broker, and housing operated by organizations and private clubs that limit occupancy to members.
What Is Prohibited?
In the Sale and Rental of Housing: No one may take any of the following actions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap:
• Refuse to rent or sell housing
• Refuse to negotiate for housing
• Make housing unavailable
• Deny a dwelling
• Set different terms, conditions or privileges for sale or rental of a dwelling
• Provide different housing services or facilities
• Falsely deny that housing is available for inspection, sale, or rental
• For profit, persuade owners to sell or rent (blockbusting) or
• Deny anyone access to or membership in a facility or service (such as a multiple listing service) related to the sale or rental of housing.
In Mortgage Lending: No one may take any of the following actions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap (disability):
• Refuse to make a mortgage loan
• Refuse to provide information regarding loans
• Impose different terms or conditions on a loan, such as different interest rates, points, or fees
• Discriminate in appraising property
• Refuse to purchase a loan or
• Set different terms or conditions for purchasing a loan.
In Addition: It is illegal for anyone to:
• Threaten, coerce, intimidate or interfere with anyone exercising a fair housing right or assisting others who exercise that right
• Advertise or make any statement that indicates a limitation or preference based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or handicap. This prohibition against discriminatory advertising applies to single-family and owner-occupied housing that is otherwise exempt from the Fair Housing Act.
Additional Protection if You Have a Disability
If you or someone associated with you:
• Have a physical or mental disability (including hearing, mobility and visual impairments, chronic alcoholism, chronic mental illness, AIDS, AIDS Related Complex and mental retardation) that substantially limits one or more major life activities
• Have a record of such a disability or
• Are regarded as having such a disability
your landlord may not:
• Refuse to let you make reasonable modifications to your dwelling or common use areas, at your expense, if necessary for the disabled person to use the housing. (Where reasonable, the landlord may permit changes only if you agree to restore the property to its original condition when you move.)
• Refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services if necessary for the disabled person to use the housing.
Example: A building with a "no pets" policy must allow a visually impaired tenant to keep a guide dog.
Example: An apartment complex that offers tenants ample, unassigned parking must honor a request from a mobility-impaired tenant for a reserved space near her apartment if necessary to assure that she can have access to her apartment.
However, housing need not be made available to a person who is a direct threat to the health or safety of others or who currently uses illegal drugs.
Requirements for New Buildings
In buildings that are ready for first occupancy after March 13, 1991, and have an elevator and four or more units:
• Public and common areas must be accessible to persons with disabilities
• Doors and hallways must be wide enough for wheelchairs
• All units must have:
o An accessible route into and through the unit
o Accessible light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats and other environmental controls
o Reinforced bathroom walls to allow later installation of grab bars and
o Kitchens and bathrooms that can be used by people in wheelchairs.
If a building with four or more units has no elevator and will be ready for first occupancy after March 13, 1991, these standards apply to ground floor units.
These requirements for new buildings do not replace any more stringent standards in State or local law.
Housing Opportunities for Families
Unless a building or community qualifies as housing for older persons, it may not discriminate based on familial status. That is, it may not discriminate against families in which one or more children under 18 live with:
• A parent
• A person who has legal custody of the child or children or
• The designee of the parent or legal custodian, with the parent or custodian's written permission.
Familial status protection also applies to pregnant women and anyone securing legal custody of a child under 18.
Exemption: Housing for older persons is exempt from the prohibition against familial status discrimination if:
• The HUD Secretary has determined that it is specifically designed for and occupied by elderly persons under a Federal, State or local government program or
• It is occupied solely by persons who are 62 or older or
• It houses at least one person who is 55 or older in at least 80 percent of the occupied units, and adheres to a policy that demonstrates an intent to house persons who are 55 or older.
A transition period permits residents on or before September 13, 1988, to continue living in the housing, regardless of their age, without interfering with the exemption.
If You Think Your Rights Have Been Violated
HUD is ready to help with any problem of housing discrimination. If you think your rights have been violated, the Housing Discrimination Complaint Form is available for you to download, complete and return, or complete online and submit, or you may write HUD a letter, or telephone the HUD Office nearest you. You have one year after an alleged violation to file a complaint with HUD, but you should file it as soon as possible.
What to Tell HUD:
• Your name and address
• The name and address of the person your complaint is against (the respondent)
• The address or other identification to the housing involved
• A short description to the alleged violation (the event that caused you to believe your rights were violated)
• The date(s) to the alleged violation
Where to Write or Call:
Send the Housing Discrimination Complaint Form or a letter to the HUD Office nearest you or you may call that office directly.
If You Are Disabled:
HUD also provides:
• A toll-free TTY phone for the hearing impaired: 1-800-927-9275.
• Interpreters
• Tapes and braille materials
• Assistance in reading and completing forms
What Happens when You File a Complaint?
HUD will notify you when it receives your complaint. Normally, HUD also will:
• Notify the alleged violator of your complaint and permit that person to submit an answer
• Investigate your complaint and determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe the Fair Housing Act has been violated
• Notify you if it cannot complete an investigation within 100 days of receiving your complaint
Conciliation
HUD will try to reach an agreement with the person your complaint is against (the respondent). A conciliation agreement must protect both you and the public interest. If an agreement is signed, HUD will take no further action on your complaint. However, if HUD has reasonable cause to believe that a conciliation agreement is breached, HUD will recommend that the Attorney General file suit.
Complaint Referrals
If HUD has determined that your State or local agency has the same fair housing powers as HUD, HUD will refer your complaint to that agency for investigation and notify you of the referral. That agency must begin work on your complaint within 30 days or HUD may take it back.
What if You Need Help Quickly?
If you need immediate help to stop a serious problem that is being caused by a Fair Housing Act violation, HUD may be able to assist you as soon as you file a complaint. HUD may authorize the Attorney General to go to court to seek temporary or preliminary relief, pending the outcome of your complaint, if:
• Irreparable harm is likely to occur without HUD's intervention
• There is substantial evidence that a violation of the Fair Housing Act occurred
Example: A builder agrees to sell a house but, after learning the buyer is black, fails to keep the agreement. The buyer files a complaint with HUD. HUD may authorize the Attorney General to go to court to prevent a sale to any other buyer until HUD investigates the complaint.
What Happens after a Complaint Investigation?
If, after investigating your complaint, HUD finds reasonable cause to believe that discrimination occurred, it will inform you. Your case will be heard in an administrative hearing within 120 days, unless you or the respondent want the case to be heard in Federal district court. Either way, there is no cost to you.
The Administrative Hearing:
If your case goes to an administrative hearing HUD attorneys will litigate the case on your behalf. You may intervene in the case and be represented by your own attorney if you wish. An Administrative Law Judge (ALA) will consider evidence from you and the respondent. If the ALA decides that discrimination occurred, the respondent can be ordered:
• To compensate you for actual damages, including humiliation, pain and suffering.
• To provide injunctive or other equitable relief, for example, to make the housing available to you.
• To pay the Federal Government a civil penalty to vindicate the public interest. The maximum penalties are $10,000 for a first violation and $50,000 for a third violation within seven years.
• To pay reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
Federal District Court
If you or the respondent choose to have your case decided in Federal District Court, the Attorney General will file a suit and litigate it on your behalf. Like the ALA, the District Court can order relief, and award actual damages, attorney's fees and costs. In addition, the court can award punitive damages.
In Addition
You May File Suit: You may file suit, at your expense, in Federal District Court or State Court within two years of an alleged violation. If you cannot afford an attorney, the Court may appoint one for you. You may bring suit even after filing a complaint, if you have not signed a conciliation agreement and an Administrative Law Judge has not started a hearing. A court may award actual and punitive damages and attorney's fees and costs.
Other Tools to Combat Housing Discrimination:
If there is noncompliance with the order of an Administrative Law Judge, HUD may seek temporary relief, enforcement of the order or a restraining order in a United States Court of Appeals.
The Attorney General may file a suit in a Federal District Court if there is reasonable cause to believe a pattern or practice of housing discrimination is occurring.
GRIST Mag’s May fundraising effort
Haiku Hullabaloo is a greentastic way to exercise your creativity and donate to Grist at the same time. And now through May 17, as part of our spring fundraiser, we have a generous matching grant of $40,000 on the table, so every gift counts twice.
With the high-stakes November election approaching, it's never been more important to draw attention to the environmental challenges facing our country and the world -- and Grist has been gearing up for the task.
In the last year we've:
• ramped up our political reporting, launching our Muckraker column so that no Beltway eco-development flies under the radar;
• produced a special edition on the upcoming presidential election;
• interviewed everyone from John Kerry to Robert Redford to Bush administration officials; and
• all the while, continued our tireless daily and weekly email coverage of the world's breaking environmental news.
In coming months, we'll be putting on the afterburners. But we need your help.
Here's how the Haiku Hullabaloo works:
1. You make a tax-deductible donation to Grist, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
2. You get the chance to compose a haiku on the subject of your choice -- we suggest Grist- or earth-related themes -- and submit it with your donation. (If donating online gives you the creeps, you can mail a check and a poem to: Grist Magazine, 811 First Ave., Suite 466, Seattle, WA 98104.)
3. We publish the best haikus and you, dear readers, vote on your favorite.
4. The winner is immortalized on ... wait for it ... the very first Official Grist T-shirt! You know the hippest kids on your block are going to want one.
5. Of course, if you simply want to donate and aren't inspired to compose a poem, that's fine by us. But who doesn't want to write haiku? It's a hullabaloo, for Pete's sake!
For those hazy on the haiku form, we quote: "an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin having three lines containing five, seven, and five syllables respectively." Like so:
"Environmental"
takes five of our syllables;
none left to beg funds.
Our fundraising drives don't drag on and on like some we could mention. This one will be over on May 17. So please make a gift, have your donation doubled, and get those creative juices flowing.
With gratitude,
The Grist staff
bren@.my is PLAIN TALK: Whistle-blower culture will encourage flow of
Brendan Pereira
May 02: BURIED in the bowels of the National Integrity Plan is a real gem of an idea
If nurtured, protected and allowed to grow, it will be more effective in keeping Malaysians on the straight and narrow than any number of Anti-Corruption Agency officers could.
The plan to create a whistle-blower culture among civil servants could not have come at a better time.
It will encourage the flow of good, honest feedback which is critical to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's vision of a clean Malaysia.
In theory, whistle-blowers feel dutybound to report any reasonable suspicion of abuse of power, acts of corruption or other shenanigans to the authorities, no matter how low they are on the food chain.
That is why former New York Police Department detective Jeff Baird had come forward in the 1990s to inform a special commission about cover-ups within the internal affairs division, where he worked.
Using a codename, he produced documents and witnesses to show that the division hid cases that might embarrass the police force.
This is also why Sherron Watkins alerted then Enron chairman Kenneth Lay and others that the company was mired in dubious accounting activities.
She hand-delivered her six-page warning to Lay on Aug 22, 2001. In it, she questioned the use of outside partnerships, run by Enron executives, to keep hundreds of millions of dollars in debt off the mother company's books.
There is no such culture here.
Why? Because traditionally Malaysians are cowed by authority and position, and possibly, because many feel that the whistle-blower is more likely to be branded a rat and exterminated by those higher up in the chain of command.
But there is a fighting chance for the culture to take root today.
Kota Baru MP Datuk Zaid Ibrahim says: "People want to have a say in how government is run. I believe there are more people willing to be politically incorrect. And that is good." The Prime Minister's desire to hear the truth should also encourage the whistleblowing culture, he adds.
Still, much more is needed before Malaysians become the eyes and ears of the system. Whistle-blowers must feel admired, not detested.
For a start, there must be a legal framework to protect employees.
They must be protected from retaliation for reporting illegal acts of their employers. This protection applies as long as the civil servant reasonably believes that the higher-up had committed an illegal act.
Also, for the culture of speaking out to flourish, Malaysians need to drop their love affair of shooting the messenger rather than addressing the issue.
Some Opposition politicians have been guilty of this just after the general election. When it was suggested that their poor showing at the polls was the result of rejection by voters, rather than the alleged shenanigans of the Election Commission, the comeback was a shower of vitriol on the messenger.
There was no willingness to put the alternative views through the wash, dry and tumble cycle of examination.
Even harder to fathom is the reaction of some ruling coalition politicians and government officials.
They own one of the strongest mandates in Asia. Let us just examine some of the numbers: 198 out of 219 parliamentary seats and 452 of the 505 state seats, translating to nearly 65 per cent of the popular vote.
In short, they are secure.
Yet, instead of finding out whether there is validity in the criticism of a policy or allegation of wrongdoing, the natural tendency is to question the motive of the person who raised the red flag.
Maybe it is the easier path to take.
But this culture of shooting the messenger first is debilitating. It prevents vigorous examination of policies and allows those with much to hide to get away.
In the longer term, it will scare off more people from being whistle-blowers.
There is only one loser if this happens: Malaysia.
THE NEW STRAITS TIMES
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Join the Travelers Aid Network
We invite you to join Travelers Aid International. If you are a community social service organization that deals with individuals and families in crisis; particularly if you provide transportation assistance - TAI is the network for you. If you are an airport that provides information, directions and helpful assistance to travelers that are disconnected from their support systems, TAI is the network for you.
Membership benefits include:
• 25% discount on bus travel - in partnership with Greyhound Lines
• Pre-paid telephone calling cards - in partnership with AT&T
• Discount for Annual Leadership Conference
• Member Updates on issues of interest
• Listserv to share professional issues/concerns with colleagues
• Annual competition for $1000 NOD grant
• Technical Assistance and referral services
• Participation in a professional network
• Agency information on the TAI Web Site
• Web "home page" created and hosted for your Travelers Aid program
• Listing in Travelers Aid Directory of Programs and Services
• Use of Travelers Aid service mark
If you are with a non-profit organization in a community that needs a Travelers Aid program, we have a helpful guide to developing a Travelers Aid Transportation Assistance program. We would be happy to share it with you.
Travelers Aid International is the NETWORK for member agencies and programs, and does not provide direct client assistance. Please check the DIRECTORY link to find a Travelers Aid program near you. If you are in a community that does not have a Travelers Aid program, you might want to check with a governmental social service agency (local, county, or state government) or consult a list of non-profit human service providers in your community that might be able to help you.
If you would like to contact Travelers Aid International for information, please send e-mail to: info@. Most inquiries will be answered within 48 hours. Be sure to include information regarding where you are located, as that will be helpful in making a referral.
the Distance Education Resource
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The U.S. News E-Course Finder is One of the Best
The U.S. News & World Report Magazine has single handedly created the college ranking industry. Did you know that they also offer an E-learning course and degree finder for distance learning courses, certificates and degrees? Enter either an institution name or use the Advanced Search option to get a customized list of schools that match your particular needs. Copyright © 2004 U.S. News & World Report, L.P.
Instructional delivery modes
|[pic]Audio |[pic]Open broadcast |
|[pic]CD-ROM |[pic]Satellite (Analog or Digital) |
|[pic]Compressed video |[pic]Videotape |
|[pic]Computer-aided instruction |[pic]Voice mail |
|[pic]E-mail |[pic]WWW/Internet |
About the E-learning directory
The number of institutions offering courses and degrees taught via E-learning technologies grows rapidly every month. To help you navigate this expanding universe, we've created a searchable directory of E-learning providers–institutions that offer courses, certificates, and degrees via Internet, video, CD-ROM, and other distance-education technologies.
Method of data collection
In the summer and fall of 2003, U.S. News surveyed over 2,000 traditional colleges in addition to several online entities ("virtual universities"). Institutions reported their credit-granting E-learning offerings for the 2002-2003 academic year. All institutions that we surveyed have at least two characteristics in common: They are all regionally accredited and offer E-learning courses for credit. Some of the instutitions, particularly those that offer online graduate degrees, are also professionally accredited by an appropriate association (depending on the discipline).
Each institution that responded to our survey has a page in the directory. In addition, we have created separate pages for online graduate degree programs in five disciplines: business, engineering, education, public health, and library science. These online graduate degree program profiles are also accessible from the main E-learning directory.
In the main directory, we've included schools that responded to our survey even though they did not offer any credit-granting E-learning offerings in 2002-2003, as some may find this information helpful.
To learn about how we use such terms as "distance education," "online education," and "E-learning," please consult our glossary.
Links to several : May 03, 2004
Google IPO Case Study
A great way to learn about IPOs is to follow the developments of a company going public. The Google IPO is a timely story, so it is an opportunity for you to see an IPO in action. You can treat the Google IPO as a fun case study -- remember those from your school days? One site that you can use for a launch point is Google IPO Central. You can find out the latest news and see what steps the company is taking to go public.
Rsc
Arild Trent (E-mail)" , "Beverly Britt (E-mail)" , "Bill Brittow (E-mail)" , "Chandra Smith (E-mail)" , "Charles H. Garrette (E-mail)" , "Charlotte Edwards (E-mail)" , "David Sacks (E-mail)" , "David Sacks (E-mail)" , "Dwight Hilton (E-mail)" , "Ed Parks (E-mail)" , "Elaine Wittel (E-mail)" , "Gail Lipscomb (E-mail)" , "Greg Tucker (E-mail)" , "Harris B. Wheeler (E-mail)" , "Hilda Braswell (E-mail)" , "HRRAPP (E-mail)" , "Irene Jennings (E-mail)" , "John Burgess (E-mail)" , "John Butcher (E-mail 2)" , "John Butcher (E-mail)" , "Johnson, W. Randolph - City Council" , "Kimberly Tucker (E-mail)" , "Lynch, Charles E. - DCD" , "Magdalene Mitchell (E-mail)" , "Meg Lawrence (E-mail)" , "Myrtle Armstrong (E-mail)" , "Neil Turnage (E-mail)" , "Norma Murdoch-Kitt (E-mail)" , "Pat Hudgins (E-mail)" , "Ralph Cheatham (E-mail)" , "Raymond Turner (E-mail)" , "Roberta Kyle West (E-mail)" , "Roberts, Patrick G. - CMO" , "Robinson, Norvell - Council Liaison" , "Tariq Waajid (E-mail)" , "Theresa Jefferson (E-mail)" , "Thomas James (E-mail)" , "Tim Pfohl (E-mail)" , "Vanessa Johnson (E-mail)" , "Wilbert H. Ware Sr. (E-mail)" , "Carolyn Worssam (E-mail)" , "Deborah Earley (E-mail)" , "Denise Wise (E-mail)" , "Dianna Herndon (E-mail)" , "Dunlap, Douglas C. - EDI" , "Ellen Robertson (E-mail)" , "Floyd Johnson (E-mail)" , "Hope Harris (E-mail)" , "McQuinn, Delores - Vice Mayor" , "Patterson, Samuel - Council Liaison" , "Sandra Coles (E-mail)" , "Torey Edmonds (E-mail)" , "Armentrout, Kevin L. - Rec/Park" , "Barbour, Malcolm D. - Rec/Park" , "Betsy Gardner (E-mail)" , "Bonny Hamrick (E-mail)" , "Claire Shaffner (E-mail)" , "Connie Miller (E-mail)" , "David Ballard (E-mail)" , "David Martin (E-mail)" , "Debbie Byrd (E-mail)" , Dennis Donahue , "Dennis Gallagher (E-mail)" , "Donna Knicely (E-mail)" , "Douglas Wacker (E-mail)" , Eleanor Leahy , "Eliza Leitch (E-mail)" , "Greg Lukanowski (E-mail)" , "Greg Muzik (E-mail)" , "Gross, Linda D. - Council Liaison" , "Hampton Ford (E-mail)" , "Inge Horowitz (E-mail)" , "January, Patti M. - RecPark" , "Jeannie Welliver (E-mail)" , "Juanita Buster (E-mail)" , "Kim Bridges (E-mail)" , "Larry Hedgepeth (E-mail)" , "Lee Mumford (E-mail)" , Lee Williams , "Manoli Loupassi (E-mail)" , "Marie Swider (E-mail)" , "Mark Pounders (E-mail)" , "Martin, William W. -DCD-" , "Mary Lois Mitchum (E-mail)" , "Parnell, Ellen G. - Lib" , "Robert Creecy (E-mail)" , "Ron Wisniewski (E-mail)" , "Rothert, Allen N. - CMO" , "Roy Carter (E-mail)" , "Sarah Mumford (E-mail)" , "Tom Gay (E-mail)" , "Tom Waller (E-mail)" , "Tom Yeaman (E-mail)" , "Vanloan Nguyen (E-mail)" , "Will MacDougall (E-mail)" , "Wyndham Price (E-mail)" , "Alan Schinteus (E-mail)" , "Alice Massie (E-mail)" , "Allen Townsend (E-mail)" , "Arlen Bolstad (E-mail)" , "Barbara Abernathy (E-mail)" , "Beverly Burton (E-mail)" , "Bill Pantele (E-mail 2)" , "Bill Pantele (E-mail)" , "Bill Patten (E-mail)" , "Caroline Cox (E-mail)" , "Carytown South Civic Assoc. (E-mail)" , "Charles Byles (E-mail)" , "Charles Nance (E-mail)" , "Christopher Maxwell (E-mail)" , "Connie Bawcum (E-mail)" , "Daphne Bryant (E-mail)" , "David Smith (E-mail)" , "Debora Johnson-Seabrook (E-mail)" , "Don Gehring (E-mail)" , "Duront Walton (E-mail)" , "Edward Kassab (E-mail)" , "Edwin Amerson (E-mail)" , "Elaine Dunn (E-mail)" , "Flanary, Mark E. - DCD" , "Gail Zwirner (E-mail)" , "Georgianne Stinnett (E-mail)" , "Grace Silverstein (E-mail)" , "Greg LeHew (E-mail)" , "Harry Kollatz (E-mail 2)" , "Harry Kollatz (E-mail)" , "Heather Laird (E-mail)" , "Isaac Regelson (E-mail)" , "Janie Walker (E-mail)" , "Jeff Williams (E-mail)" , "Jeneen White (E-mail)" , "Jim Edge (E-mail)" , "Jim Leadbetter (E-mail)" , "Joe Guthrie (E-mail)" , "Joe Stankus (E-mail)" , "Joyce Jackson (E-mail)" , Judy Vido , "Kathleen O'Keefe (E-mail)" , "Kathy Colwell (E-mail)" , "Kelley Lane (E-mail)" , "Ken Powell (E-mail)" , "Kevin Daley (E-mail)" , "Kim Adams (E-mail)" , "Lauraine Davis (E-mail)" , "Leighton Powell (E-mail)" , "Marie Moore (E-mail)" , "Mark Brandon (E-mail)" , "Mary Lou Carr (E-mail)" , "Maura Meinhardt (E-mail)" , "Midge Liggan (E-mail)" , "Nat Dance (E-mail)" , "Nita Parry (E-mail)" , "Norman, Linwood P. - CMO" , "Pam Brewster (E-mail)" , "Pat Daniels (E-mail)" , "Raul Cantu (E-mail)" , "Rita Davis (E-mail)" , "Roy Burgess (E-mail)" , "Rudolph McCollum (E-mail)" , "Stacey Ahyoung (E-mail)" , "Steve Johnson (E-mail 2)" , "Steve Nuckolls (E-mail)" , "Tirado, Jorge - DCD" , "Todd Woodson (E-mail)" , "Tracy Hundley (E-mail)" , "Turk Sties (E-mail)" , "Virginia Edmunds (E-mail)" , "Walker, Eddie A. - RecPark" , "William Johnson (E-mail)" , "Zoe Anne Green (E-mail)" , "Bill Thomas (E-mail)" , "Carmen Garrison (E-mail)" , "Curt Carter (E-mail)" , "Doug Smith (E-mail)" , "Douglas D'Urso (E-mail)" , "Gwen Hedgepeth (E-mail)" , "Helen Brunson (E-mail)" , "Jackie Jackson (E-mail)" , "James \"Bo\" Middleton (E-mail)" , "Karen Feagin (E-mail)" , "Lillian Peters (E-mail)" , "Matt Bates (E-mail)" , "Monica Rumsey (E-mail)" , "Mutter, Kurt B - Police" , "Naomi Chambers-Taylor (E-mail)" , "Penny Anderson (E-mail)" , "Robert C Hill (E-mail)" , "Robert Kelly (E-mail)" , "Robin Ruth (E-mail)" , "Sandra Starkey (E-mail)" , "Sarah Grier Barber (E-mail)" , "Sherri Johnson (E-mail)" , "Sophina Aryvz (E-mail)" , "Steve Johnson (E-mail)" , "Theresa Young (E-mail)" , "Tina Tidwell (E-mail)" , "Tonya Scott (E-mail)" , "Yvone Spain (E-mail)" , "A. Chandler Battaile Jr. (E-mail)" , "Armbruster, Benjamin F. - EcoDev" , "Beverly Coleman (E-mail)" , "Bill Martin (E-mail)" , "Butler, Johnnie E. - DPW" , "Coone, Marie F. - RecPark" , "David Bass (E-mail)" , "David Campbell (E-mail)" , "Don Charles (E-mail)" , "Eric Anderson (E-mail)" , "Erika Gay (E-mail)" , "Glenn, Andrew B. - DPW" , "Gray Wyatt (E-mail)" , "Hughes, Fred E. - DPW" , "Jack Berry (E-mail)" , "James J. McCarthy (E-mail)" , "Johnson, Yvonne T. - DSS" , "Julius Richardson (E-mail)" , "Katie Taylor (E-mail)" , "Laura Bezdan (E-mail)" , "Lucy Meade (E-mail)" , "Michael Vandergrift (E-mail)" , "Mike Laing (E-mail)" , "Nancy Burford (E-mail)" , "Nelson, Keith B. - DPW" , "Pantele, William J.- City Council" , "Phillip Whiteway (E-mail)" , "Robyn Krassas (E-mail)" , "Ron Faulconer (E-mail)" , "Sandi Stovall (E-mail)" , "Sgt. Steve Drew (E-mail)" , "Smith, Kenneth - Health" , "Surnease Drew (E-mail)" , "Ted Cox (E-mail)" , "White, Jeneen Patrice - Council Liaison" , "William \"Chuck\" Henley (E-mail)" , "William Daniels Jr. (E-mail)" , /o=The City of Richmond/ou=Richmond/cn=Recipients/cn=MeaseHW , /o=The City of Richmond/ou=Richmond/cn=Recipients/cn=PeanorME , /o=The City of Richmond/ou=Richmond/cn=Recipients/cn=RamireLM , /o=The City of Richmond/ou=Richmond/cn=Recipients/cn=SimmonDK , "Catherine Welsh (E-mail)" , "Cooper, Claude G. - DCD" , "David Hamm (E-mail)" , "Dixon, John I - Police Capt." , "El-Amin, Sa'ad - Clerk's Office" , "Elois Southerland (E-mail)" , "Eric Hunter Sr. (E-mail)" , "Evans, Michael A. - DSS" , "Evette Wilson (E-mail)" , "H. E. Harrison (E-mail)" , "Harrell, William E. - CMO" , "Harriet Hill (E-mail)" , "Horton, Don - Fire" , "Jean Lewis (E-mail)" , Larry Tunstall , "McCoy, David M - Police Major" , "Nelson-Davis, Michelle - EcoDev" , "Sandra Jones (E-mail)" , "Sharon Logan (E-mail)" , "Strickler, Mark - DCD" , "Watkins, Tina - Fire" , "Yvonne Pilgrim (E-mail)" , "Zatcoff, Alicia R - Police Legal" , "Ann Gray (E-mail)" , "Anthony Scott (E-mail)" , "B. J. Jackson" , Barbara Bodeman , Bill Sonnett , Bob Millman , "Brian Jackson (E-mail)" , "Bruce Hulcher (E-mail)" , "Cary Brown (E-mail)" , "Charles Pierce (E-mail)" , "Charles Plum (E-mail)" , "Charlie Frith (E-mail)" , "Chris Spencer (E-mail)" , "Colin Osborne (E-mail)" , "Edward Ward (E-mail)" , Ele Bigger , "Fran Green (E-mail)" , Gloria Bacile , "Grimm, Peter R. - City Council" , "J. J. Loehr (E-mail)" , "James Pickral (E-mail)" , "Jeff Willis (E-mail)" , "Jeremy Seftor (E-mail)" , "Jerry Miller (E-mail)" , "Jewett, Edward - Circuit Court" , "Joann Charlesworth (E-mail)" , "Jock Wheeler (E-mail)" , John Girardi , "John Hay (E-mail)" , "Jonathan Young (E-mail)" , "K. C. Funk (E-mail)" , "Kelly Harris (E-mail)" , "Lois Hastings (E-mail)" , "Marcia Lawton (E-mail)" , "Mary Francis Kastleberg (E-mail)" , Pamela Harding , Pat Angevine , "Paul Sims (E-mail)" , Perry Jones , "Pete Grimm (E-mail)" , "Ralph Rhudy (E-mail)" , "Robert Gray (E-mail)" , "Steve Barnett (E-mail)" , Steve McCarthy , "Thomas Beatty (E-mail)" , "Urchie Ellis (E-mail)" , "Wendy Inge (E-mail)" , "Wendy Smith (E-mail)"
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notices about events with requests to publicize them in EntreNews or to send a special email to the distribution list. For everyone’s benefit, here are a few simple guidelines:
1) The event or content must pertain to entrepreneurs and executives growing companies in Virginia. Information on seminars, speakers, conferences, venture fairs, and regular meetings of organizations with entrepreneurs involved is welcome. Notices of programs on specific technical topics that will appeal to the “techies” but not necessarily to those who own or manage the company is not likely to be included.
2) The deadline to submit events is noon each Thursday. The newsletter is written on Fridays for publication nearly every Monday. It’s helpful to have 2-3 weeks notice ahead of an event so that it can be included at least twice. Please provide the date, event title, speaker(s), location,and a web link for more information.
EntreNews is unable to accommodate special requests for separate email notices for specific events at other times of the week.
Pacific-Island Dwellers Suffer from Global Warming
Now is not a good time to live on a small Pacific island. Thanks to global warming, many researchers say, species on such islands face a variety of perils. The living coral that surrounds the islands reacts to warmer ocean temperatures by bleaching, or as the vernacular has it, dying. Warmer temperatures allow disease-carrying mosquitoes to travel higher into the hills to munch on species that haven't developed resistance. And homo sapiens residing on the low-lying islands say climate-change-generated cyclones threaten to make their homelands completely uninhabitable, turning residents into "environmental refugees." (A group of activists recently called on Australia, the region's biggest producer of greenhouse gases -- which has refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol -- to create formal policies accepting such refugees.) Oh, and one other threat to island species: Thanks to melting polar ice caps and rising sea levels, some islands, like northwest Hawaiian Whale Skate Island, are disappearing entirely, which is troublesome for all non-fish, non-mermaid species.
straight to the source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Associated Press, Jaymes Song, 03 May 2004
straight to the source: The Courier-Mail, Agence France Presse, 03 May 2004
From: Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia mailto: DLOV@ Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2004 9:09 PM
To: pdlov
Subject: Mid Atlantic Conference to be Hosted by DNC
Dear Members and Friends of the Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia:
Nelson Reyneri, Senior Advisor to Chairman Terry McAuliffe and Director of Hispanic Outreach and the Democratic National Committee will host the Mid Atlantic Democratic Latino Conference. The conference will be on Cinco de Mayo, 2004 at the Democratic National Committee Headquarters, 430 S. Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC 20003. (Two blocks south of Capitol South Metro Station-Orange and Blue lines.)
Local Committee: ________Senate Dist: ___House Dist: ____ Cong Dist: _____
Join DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe in bringing together Hispanic and Latino Democrats from across the region to launch the most successful political year of all time. Come hear your local elected Latino representatives as well as National Hispanic Leaders.
Join DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe, Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC Latino Democrats as well as other State and National Democratic Leaders for a productive day of organization and information on Latino/Hispanic Voter participation for this important election year.
The conference is easily reached by Metro on the Orange and Blue line with the DNC being 2 blocks south of the Capitol South Metro Station.
For more information contact Nelson Reyneri, Senior Advisor to the Chairman and Director of Hispanic Outreach, Democratic National Committee, 202/ 863-8054, reynerin@
Register below, or go to or see Send registration to: Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia, 4710 S. 31st, Arlington, VA 22206
Philip D. Vasquez
State Chair
Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia
philip.vasquez@
6355 Lakeview Dr.
Falls Church, VA 22041
703.731.4396 (c)
703.333.2757 (h)
fress newletter to same as of India (newpaper
|Published on Friday, March 7, 2003 by |
|What About Three-Strikes-and-You're-Out for Corporate Criminals? |
|by Lee Drutman |
While the FBI doesn't track white-collar crime, American University Professor Jeffrey Reiman, using conservative estimates from the Chamber of Commerce, estimated that white-collar crime cost $338 billion in 1997 - almost 100 times the FBI's $3.8 billion estimate for street crime costs. Of course, most people are more frightened of getting mugged outside the grocery store than paying too much inside the grocery store because of illegal price-fixing. But odds are you'll lose more money to illegal price-fixing and other white-collar predatory schemes.
California State Senator Gloria Romero recently introduced a bill that would hold California's law-breaking corporations to the same standard to which the state holds its law-breaking citizens. Three strikes and you're out. If a corporation commits three major violations that result in a fine of at least $1 million or a death, the California Attorney General will revoke the corporation's charter. For companies incorporated in other states, three strikes means that they will lose their right to transact business in California.
Passing the Corporate Three Strikes law would demonstrate that California is willing to get tough on crime in the suites, not just crime in the streets. It would create a climate where law-abiding companies thrive and give the public a means of cracking down on recidivist corporate criminals for marketing defective products, exposing their employees to life-threatening occupational hazards, ripping off utility customers, or dumping toxic waste down the drain after midnight. If California's elected officials are truly serious about helping the victims of crime, and applying a consistent standard of justice to recidivist criminals, they will pass the Corporate Three Strikes law.
Lee Drutman is the Communications Director for Citizen Works, a DC-based nonprofit.
For more information see or
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|pro.gres.sive |
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|Moving forward; advancing. |
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|increments: progressive |
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It's been said that dreams are our roadmaps to the future. If so, where are we headed? Common Dreams is a national non-profit citizens' organization working to bring progressive Americans together to promote progressive visions for America's future. Founded in 1997, we are committed to being on the cutting-edge of using the internet as a political organizing tool - and creating new models for internet activism.
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Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community.
An eclectic mix of politics, issues and breaking news with an emphasis on progressive perspectives that are increasingly hard to find with our corporate-dominated media.
NewsCenter's roots go back to the early 90's when Common Dreams Editor Craig Brown (bio) was the chief-of-staff to former Congressman Tom Andrews. With access to an incredible supply of daily newspapers, magazines, journals and briefing papers, members of Congress are deluged with information but have very little time to scan through it - much less read it. Brown created a daily 'newsclips' operation for the congressman and the staff. Early every morning interns and staff would scan dozens of designated publications looking for new articles or opeds from a list of issues that were of greatest interest to the congressman and staff. By 9 am, all staff had a photocopied/collated copy of the 'Daily Clips' to carry with them all day and read in between the chaos.
The magic of the internet has made it possible to create a 'Daily Clips' for you - but even better, our NewsCenter is updated constantly -- 365-days a year. And provides you with easy access to the 'rest of the media'.
Progressive NewsWire
Every day activists are making news and speaking out on the issues of our time. But far too often the filter of the corporate-media ignores those voices. Progressive NewsWire brings you the press releases and the statements from America's progressive community directly to you - no filters, no editing. And we do it in 'real time'.
Progressive NewsWire started in June of 1998 and has archived news releases since then.
The Need for a Good Government Watchdog
ashington, DC, the nation's capital, has a city government that is inefficient, poorly managed, and fiscally irresponsible, and that is characterized by widespread waste, fraud, corruption, and abuse.
The structural problems facing Washington, DC, are not unique. They typify the problems facing the inner cities of many metropolitan areas. These problems include crime, drugs, a deteriorating infrastructure, a failing public school system, poorly maintained and managed public housing, high taxes, and a general breakdown in the delivery of government services. What makes Washington unique is the fact that, even with massive budgets and federal aid, these problems are compounded by large budget deficits and recurring fiscal crises, the mismanagement of programs and departments, and fraud and corruption scandals.
The creation by Congress of the DC Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority (the Control Board) in 1995 began to alleviate some of the city's financial problems. However, the Authority's board and staff were unfamiliar with the inner workings of the city's government, and they failed to address effectively the serious management problems plaguing the District. The DCFRMAA’s board was dissolved at the end of 2000, and control was returned to the locally elected city government
Currently, several governmental bodies in the District of Columbia are charged with investigating government waste, fraud, corruption, and abuse. Among these offices and agencies are the Inspector General, the Auditor, the Corporation Counsel, the Ethics Ombudsman, the Internal Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Office of Campaign Finance. However, these offices have proven to be ineffective, inefficient, or powerless.
Moreover, in Washington, DC, the local media tend to concentrate on national issues and give scant coverage to local governmental issues. The media seldom devote adequate time or resources to an in-depth analysis of the problems and inner workings of the District government.
Before DCWatch, no other citizen organization functioned primarily as a watchdog on corruption and as an independent voice seeking to reform the District government. The lack of such an organization has allowed governmental waste and mismanagement to remain largely unchecked. This situation has proven to be destructive of the fiscal order of the District, of the public's confidence in government, and of the District's relationship with the federal government.
DCWatch
DCWatch has been modeled after the Citizens Union in New York City, the Committee of Seventy in Philadelphia, and the Better Government Association of Chicago. The BGA of Chicago, for example, was established in 1923 to promote voter registration and to make candidate endorsements. Its principal focus for the past several decades, however, has been to eradicate government waste and corruption through thorough, independent investigations.
In Washington, DCWatch's major official project is this web site, which attempts to inform the public about fundamental public policy issues, the District government, and its officials; to serve as an outlet for opinion, and to provide informational resources for citizens.
Our hope is that DCWatch will be an aggressive, effective, non-partisan watchdog on the city's government.
The executive director of DCWatch is Dorothy Brizill, who has been active for several years as a community activist and civic reformer. She is political scientist who was educated at Queens College (CUNY) and Columbia University and who has worked at the Brookings Institution and the State Department. Her independent investigations of government corruption and mismanagement have led to the complete reorganization of the housing inspection unit of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, to federal charges of misuse of office and campaign finance violations against high-ranking officials of the city government, and to necessary reforms in the homeless shelter program, as well as to numerous exposés in the media. In addition, as the former president of the Columbia Heights Neighborhood Coalition in the 14th Street corridor, she has organized her community to fight drugs and crime; implement community policing; force the District to clean, maintain, and manage scattered-site public housing and District-owned properties; limit the concentration of emergency shelters; revamp the Alcohol Beverage Control Board; and improve the delivery of basic city services.
|Gary Imhoff, who is married to Dorothy Brizill, is also the vice-president and webmaster of DCWatch. He is a Washington writer |
|whose published books are Learning in Two Languages: From Conflict and Controversy to Cooperative Reorganization of Schools |
|(Transaction Press, 1990) and The Immigration Time Bomb: The Fragmenting of America (E.P. Dutton & Company, 1985), and whose |
|articles have been published in the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, USA Today, The Humanist, The |
|Washington Post, and English Today. |
Get in Touch
DCWatch, 1327 Girard Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009-4915, telephone and fax 202-234-6982, E-mail webmaster@
About the Urban Institute
|Read more about the history of|
|the Urban Institute. |
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The Urban Institute measures effects, compares options, shows which stakeholders get the most and least, tests conventional wisdom, reveals trends, and makes costs, benefits, and risks explicit.
Our research is guided by seven tenets:
Pick the right issues. We concentrate on issues important to the country and carry out research suited to our particular strengths. We seek a balance between short-term and long-term studies, national and local issues, and applied and theoretical work.
Choose or create the right methodologies. Half the challenge of research is finding, adapting, or creating the best tools for the job—those that best account for the evidence and explain it clearly and compellingly. Quantitative modeling is a core competency of the Urban Institute. Another is revamping research methodologies to broaden their application. Survey design, case studies, and statistical analysis are other basic strengths. Often, we combine methods, bringing multiple perspectives to such complex issues as poverty, educational achievement, or community building.
Assemble the right team. Economists, public policy analysts, lawyers, statisticians, urban planners, demographers, sociologists, political scientists, communications experts, and other specialists make up Urban Institute's staff. With such diverse expertise, we can breach academic boundaries as needed and blend qualitative and quantitative analyses. Equally important, at the Institute teams often complete many projects together, building institutional depth. We also collaborate with outside researchers and other institutions and work in partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies.
Follow the facts wherever they lead. The Institute analyzes and interprets facts and numbers without an ideological agenda. We look beyond obvious explanations, but don't ignore them. We make informed judgments about our research findings but take pains to quarantine our personal beliefs when we design and carry out studies.
Find the right words. We publicize results that validate widespread expectations as well as those that prove surprising. We speak the language of experts with experts but put research findings into the context of everyday life for the public.
Subject our findings to outside review. Our methods, factual accuracy, and interpretations are all subject to outside review. The Institute's largest projects have technical advisory boards. Smaller ones follow standard academic peer-review procedures. Books published by the Urban Institute Press are reviewed anonymously outside the Institute.
Reach the right audiences. We direct our research findings to multiple audiences: policymakers, program administrators, other researchers and university students, the media, nonprofit advocacy organizations, stakeholders in the private sector, and that important segment of the public that follows policy debates through the daily news.
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Group Petitions for Protection of Hundreds of Imperiled U.S. Species
A coalition of enviro groups, scientists, and artists petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service yesterday to add 225 species to the official federal list of endangered and threatened species. The 225 are now on a candidate list that affords them no protection. It was, by a wide margin, the largest listing petition filed since such citizen requests were authorized under the Endangered Species Act in 1982 (the act itself passed in 1973). The move was designed in part to draw attention to the dysfunctional listing process that has plagued the agency for years, but has grown more acute, critics say, under the Bush administration. The species have been on the candidate list for an average of 17 years. FWS officials estimate it would cost $153 million to list all the species. "You can't just go to Congress and ask for $153 million to clear up the backlog," said the agency's Betsy Lordan. "You'd get laughed at." The coalition included the Center for Biological Diversity and science luminaries Jane Goodall, E. O. Wilson, and Paul Ehrlich.
straight to the source: The Oregonian, Joe Rojas-Burke, 05 May 2004
straight to the source: Statesman Journal, Beth Casper, 05 May 2004
straight to the source: San Francisco Chronicle, Associated Press, Arthur H. Rotstein, 05 May 2004
see also, in Grist: An interview with the Bush admin. official in charge of endangered species -- by Amanda Griscom
Rschg “la Agencia EFE” presidente y director general de EFE, Miguel Angel Gozalo.
"La formación académica de los periodistas ha sido siempre esencial y mucho más ahora cuando las nuevas tecnologías nos obligan a reforzar los fundamentos del buen periodismo y manejar con destreza las nuevas tecnologías de la información", agregó Gozalo en declaraciones efectuadas en Madrid
colaboración del Maestría de Periodismo de la Fundación EFE impartida en la Universidad Rey Juan Carlos de Madrid y la facultad de Periodismo de FIU.
La Agencia EFE facilitará, también, que los alumnos de la maestría de periodismo de FIU puedan hacer prácticas de periodismo en su oficina de Miami.
Para más información, diríjase a:
Por teléfono: 305-919-5940
Por correo electrónico: sjmc@fiu.edu
Por correo ordinario:
Saul Sztam, Assistant Dean
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Florida International University
3000 NE 151st Street, ACII-335
North Miami, FL 33181
Contact Mag en espagnol contenido Latinos en los EEUU
Rsch ibero-journalism: Comisiones de la Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Española
La Academia Norteamericana colabora, de forma continua, y a través de sus diversas comisiones --y subcomisiones--, con la Comisión Permanente de la Asociación de Academias --que dirige D. Humberto López Morales--, con sede en la Real Academia Española (Madrid).
Las comisiones que trabajan en el seno de la Academia Norteamericana son las siguientes:
La Comisión de Estudios del Español en los Estados Unidos, presidida por D. Theodore S. Beardsley, quien es, a su vez, bibliotecario de la corporación. Los fondos de la biblioteca de la Academia Norteamericana se encuentran en la Hispanic Society of America, en Nueva York.
La Comisión de Lexicografía, presidida por D. Roberto A. Galván, colabora con la Comisión de Lexicografía de la Real Academia Española en consultas léxicas para el DRAE y para el Gran Diccionario de Americanismos, entre otros proyectos de la RAE.
La Comisión de Gramática, presidida por D. Carlos Alberto Solé, colabora con la Comisión de Lexicografia con artículos y notas sobre temas gramaticales de interés.
La Comisión de Educación (de reciente creación), presidida por D. Gerardo Piña Rosales, colabora con la Real Academia Española en la relación de libros en español publicados en los últimos 25 años en EE.UU., para el Corpus de referencia del español actual.
La Comisión de Traducciones Técnicas y Científicas, presidida por D. Joaquín Segura, colabora con la Comisión de Vocabulario Técnico y Científico de la Real Academia Española, con la Comisión de Diccionarios de la RAE, con la Comisión Permanente de la Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española y con la Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, de Madrid. Esta comisión ha colaborado de modo eficaz con el Gobierno Federal norteamericano en la elaboración del Glosario de Términos Hipotecarios y con la Sección de Impuestos sobre la Renta en su English-Spanish Glossary of Words and Phrases Used in Publications by the Internal Revenue Service. La Comisión de Traducciones Técnicas y Científicas inició en junio de 1994 un proyecto cuyo éxito ha sido rotundo: la publicación de Glosas. Esta revista--dirigida por D. Joaquín Segura y en la que colaboran los demás vocales de la comisión--, cuenta ya con cientos de suscriptores y llega a lugares tan distantes y dispares como Guinea Ecuatorial y Mongolia. En Glosas (que va ya por el número 8, en su segundo volumen) se publican comentarios sobre temas gramaticales y lexicográficos, términos de interés recogidos del DRAE con sus equivalentes en inglés norteamericano, neologismos del inglés y equivalentes que sugiere la Academia Norteamericana, falsos cognados, reseñas de libros de carácter lingüístico, etc. Glosas se envía a varias agencias de noticias como EFE, Reuters, Prensa Asociada y a la Sección de Terminología y Referencias de la División de Traducción y Edición del Departamento de Asuntos de la Asamblea General y de Servicios de Conferencias de las Naciones Unidas, a la Biblioteca del Congreso y a algunas universidades y multinacionales.
La Comisión de Estudios Medievales (que acaba de crearse), presidida por D. Nicolás Toscano Liria, tiene entre sus proyectos el de publicar un estudio historiográfico sobre la presencia española en Norteamérica.
La Comisión de Informática, presidida por Da. Estelle Irizarry, se encarga, entre otros trabajos, de mantener una página electrónica de la Academia en la red mundial. La Academia Norteamericana fue la primera academia de las 21 del mundo hispánico en disponer de una página electrónica en la Internet. En dicha página, actualizada periódicamente, se recoge información sobre las actividades y proyectos en marcha de la Academia. Las dirección es: .
La Comisión de Vocabulario Médico, presidida por D. Antonio Culebras, colabora con la Academia Española de Neurología en los Estados Unidos y con la Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, de Madrid.
Boletín de la Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Española.
En el Boletín --dirigido por D. Eugenio Chang-Rodríguez-- se publican artículos, reseñas, discursos de los miembros de la corporación así como información sobre sus actividades. En este mes de noviembre aparecerán los núms. IX-X.
Gabinete de Información
El Gabinete de Información --dirigido por D. Emilio Bernal Labrada-- despliega una incesante actividad en todos los medios informativos, dando a conocer las actividades de la Academia Norteamericana. El Gabinete de Información ha venido publicando últimamente en periódicos y revistas de Estados Unidos una serie de notas biobibliográficas de miembros de la Academia Norteamericana.
Secretaría
La Secretaría de la Academia Norteamericana --de cuya administración se encarga, de modo accidental, D. Gerardo Piña Rosales-- cumple con las funciones que le son pertinentes: la de levantar actas de las reuniones de trabajo, la de informar a la Secretaría de la Real Academia Española y la Comisión Permanente de la Asociación de Academias del ingreso de nuevos miembros y la de mantener la correspondencia de la corporación.
La Secretaría publicará próximamente el núm. 2 de la Hoja Informativa.
La idea de la fundación se venía gestando desde hacía cien años.
* Tomás Navarro Tomás, miembro de la Real Academia Española, exiliado en Nueva York, inició el proyecto para la creación de la Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Española en Estados Unidos con la colaboración del chileno Carlos McHale, el español Odón Betanzos Palacios, el ecuatoriano Gumersindo Yépes, el puertorriqueño Juan Avilés y el español Jaime Santamaría para integrar el Comité Gestor el año 1966.
• Integran la Academia Norteamericana creadores, lingüístas, lexicógrafos, ensayistas, investigadores científicos y literarios, historiadores de la lengua y traductores de todas las nacionalidades del mundo hispánico. Se da entrada a ella, también, a hispanistas residentes en Estados Unidos y a sefardíes.
• * La Academia publica un Boletín con artículos sobre la lengua española en Estados Unidos y en ‚l se recogen tambi‚n las labores de los miembros de la Academia y de las academias hermanas. Publica, también, Glosas, que, entre otras cosas, presenta propuestas a la Comisión de Traducciones Técnicas y Científicas.
Suscripciones a Glosas: US$19 al año (cuatro números), con el cheque o giro postal a nombre de la Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Española, Tesorería, G.P.O. Box 349, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Dos colecciones de Glosas: Vol. 1, Nos. 1 a 10; Vol. 2, Nos. 1-10. Precio por columen, US$29.00, con el cheque o giro postal a nombre de la Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Española, Tesorería, G.P.O. Box 349, New York, NY 10016, USA.
• Read mopre:
• * La función básica de la Academia Norteamericana es la unidad y defensa del español.
• * Los fines de la Academia Norteamericana son científicos y literarios y se excluye la política en su seno pero sin limitar ideas y pensamientos de sus integrantes.
• Su dirección es: G.P.O. Box 349, New York, NY 10116.
Telefax: 202 941-5793 y 718 761-0556
Further websearch by keying Comision de Gramatica de la RAE”
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Marketing concept of “Member Appreciation:
Web search word “Merchandiser” and Merchandising needs further research
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enables individuals and companies to sell a wide variety of products online with zero upfront costs. How do we accomplish this? We provide all the necessary tools and services for you to design your own products and online shop without investing in any inventory or software!
They also so posters: Disclaimer
All content used in connection with the Service has been provided by users and does not reflect the opinions of . Unauthorized use is prohibited by law.
The following general guidelines are written to help you better understand Intellectual Property laws as they relate to your use of . The laws regarding Intellectual Property can be confusing, so it is no wonder why beginners often make mistakes. The information contained on this page is for informative purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For specific advice regarding your use of , please consult an attorney.
What is a Copyright? A copyright protects original work of authorship such as a picture, drawing, graphics, software program, written work, sculpture, song, or photograph. Copyright law prevents you from copying another's copyrighted work for any purpose, making things based on the copyrighted work, distributing copies of the copyrighted work, publicly performing the copyrighted work, displaying the copyrighted work, and in the case of sound recordings, transmitting the recording over the internet or in another media. In a nutshell, copyright law protects the expression of one's idea.
What is a Trademark? A trademark is a word, name, symbol or other device that identifies the goods or services of a given person or company and distinguishes them from the goods or services of other persons or companies. Trademark law prevents you from using another's trademark (such as the name of a musical group or artist) on your merchandise, because such use will cause consumers to believe that the trademark owner has made, approved of, or endorsed your merchandise. In short, a trademark is someone's brand.
What is Right of Publicity? The Right of Publicity makes it unlawful to use another's identity for commercial advantage without permission. A person's "identity" includes, for example, his look, voice, name, nickname, professional name, and other distinctive characteristics. For example, the Right of Publicity prohibits you using the picture of a celebrity without authorization on your merchandise.
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Examples of Prohibited Content
Because of intellectual property laws, has certain rules regarding the types of merchandise that you can make and sell through its service. For example:
• NO UNOFFICIAL MERCHANDISE
• NO use of names, logos, pictures or other intellectual property of musical groups or musical artists. For example, you cannot make Britney Spears merchandise simply because you run a fan-based Britney Spears website or just because you downloaded her image from an internet website. You also cannot modify the name or other intellectual property of a musical group and avoid infringement, (e.g., using Metalika instead of Metallica).
• NO use of names, logos, pictures, or other intellectual property of sports teams, colleges/universities, clubs, or organizations such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Harvard University, or The Boy Scouts. Again, modifications do not avoid infringement.
• NO photos, logos, caricatures, or other artwork depicting celebrities, such as Michael Jackson or Madonna, or other third parties. Just because you take a photograph of a celebrity does not give you the right to use that photograph on merchandise, even if you digitally manipulate the photograph.
• NO use of trademarks, names, or logos of companies. For example, you cannot use the name of a company such as Nike®, a company logo such as the Nike "swoosh" trademark, or brand name such as Coca Cola®, or a modified version of a trademark, (e.g., "Just Did It").
• NO pictures or photographs of products (such as automobiles or toys). Even if you own a product, trademark laws still prohibit you from selling merchandise featuring pictures of it. For example, you cannot take a picture of your car and then sell t-shirts or mugs with that picture.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If it does not have a copyright notice, it is ok to use.
NOT REALLY. Almost all works are protected by copyright, even if they do not have a copyright notice. Therefore, you should assume that you need to obtain permission to use any material that you did not create.
If I do not mark up the selling price of my products, it will not be an infringement.
FALSE. If a product is not marked up from its base price, that sale is still considered an infringement, even if you are selling the product to yourself. Even if you post an image in your store and make no sales or earn no profits, you can still be held liable for the use of the image.
It's on the internet, so it is ok to use it.
FALSE. Simply because an image is found on the Net does not mean that it is in the public domain. Unless the author of the work has explicitly stated that his work is "public domain" or that the copyright has expired because the work is very old, then you must assume it is not. Further, a person who posts an image on the Net and claims that you are free to use may not have had the right to post the image in the first place. Thus, your use of the image may violate the rights of the actual copyright owner.
It is Fair Use.
PROBABLY NOT. Fair use of a work for the purposes of merchandise sale is treated very differently than for informative purposes or for commentary. In general, a claim of fair use of a work when it is used on merchandise will not hold up in court, especially if the merchandise is sold for profit.
I took the photo, so I can use it however I want.
NOT EXACTLY. Simply taking a photo of a person, company, band, logo or the like does not afford you the right to sell merchandise featuring that photograph. There are two distinct intellectual property rights in a photograph: (1) the rights in the photograph itself and (2) the rights in the subject of the picture, such as the product or person shown in it. For example, if you take a photo of a car or celebrity, you only own the rights to the photo, but not the right to use the photo of the car or celebrity for merchandise sale. In order to sell merchandise with the image, you will need to obtain explicit permission from the car company or celebrity.
I based my artwork on the artwork of a third party, so that is ok.
FALSE. Works that are derived from a previous work of another violate the rights of the owner of the previous work. Therefore, if you are creating an image that is based on the work of someone else, you need to obtain permission from the original creator prior to your use of your work. For example, Weird Al Yankovic obtains permission from Michael Jackson prior to recording a song based on one of Michael Jackson's songs.
It's parody, so it is ok.
FALSE. Parody used for informative purposes is treated very differently from parody used for the sale of merchandise. Parody as a defense to infringement claims based on merchandise sale will not hold up in court.
I am using Clip Art, so it is ok.
NOT REALLY. Most clip art, photo collections, or graphic programs contain a license agreement. The license agreement sets forth the specific uses for the clip art. In most instances the license does not grant you the right to use the clip art for the sale of merchandise. You should consult the license agreement and your attorney to determine whether you can use the clip art images on .
The First Amendment protects my freedom of speech, so I can use whatever images I want.
FALSE. Freedom of speech is a constitutional protection that guarantees that the government will not oppress your right to self-expression. It does not give you the right to use intellectual property of another to sell or distribute merchandise.
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Sources for Information
For additional information on Copyrights, please visit the United States Copyright Office Library of Congress at . For additional information on Trademarks, please visit the United States Patent and Trademark Office at . For general questions about Intellectual Property Rights (copyrights/trademarks), please visit the Nolo Law Center at .
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Report Copyright/Trademark Infringement
We encourage intellectual property rights owners to contact us if they believe that their rights have been infringed by a user. We also encourage our users to contact us if they suspect that another user is infringing the rights of a third party. Please visit our Intellectual Property Rights Policy for information regarding the procedure to notify us of any alleged infringement by a user of our service.
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if you could reduce the amount of electricity drawn by an appliance, and still enable it to do its job properly, you’d open up an immense marketing opportunity that could potentially generate huge profits for your business.
Powerboss is a remarkable energy saving invention from England that reduces the electricity drawn by most industrial motor driven equipment ensuring efficient energy management in order to reduce electricity costs.
Applications of our Powerboss Intelligent Motor Controllers include these and other areas:
|[pic]air conditioning |[pic]conveyors |
|[pic]escalators |[pic]pumps |
|[pic]die cast machines |[pic]crushers |
|[pic]presses |[pic]travelators |
|[pic]mixers |[pic]industrial saws |
|[pic]Injection moulding machines |[pic]grinders |
|[pic]screw compressors |[pic]reciprocating compressors |
In fact, most electrical equipment.
How does Powerboss work
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If you decide to distribute our Powerboss motor conrollers you’d be making industry more energy efficient whilst helping with the planet’s energy conservation effort.
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The 'Movie and Game Rental Industry' is changing! Automated vending machines will revolutionize where and how people rent and buy their home entertainment. AED will be on the cutting edge of this transformation. We have developed a system that enables customers to rent or purchase DVD's, VHS's, and Video Games right where they live, work, shop, and play! No more long lines, sold- out rentals, late fees, and parking hassles at the mega-video store. American Entertainment Distributors, Inc. Inventory control and restocking will be provided by AED or you can do it yourself. Our management software keeps this process simple and time efficient. Various marketing analysis and trends will be provided by this software enabling you to optimize your profits. All your customers have to do is swipe their credit or member card and follow a friendly touch-screen menu to select their DVD or VHS. Returns are just as easy. Just press one button on the touch-screen and slip the DVD/VHS into the designated slot. 'Box Office Express' automatically restocks the item so it can be rented by the next customer. If customers forget to return their items on time the machine automatically adds late fees to their transaction.
Rsch Distributors” may ‘affiliate’ as web partners as they haveno outlets nor distributors in all states.
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SYSTRAN is the leading provider of the world's most scalable and modular translation architecture. Its core technology powers revolutionary translation solutions for the Internet, PCs and network infrastructures that facilitate communication in 36 language pairs and in 20 specialized domains.
SYSTRAN's Machine Translation (MT) technology integrates multilingual functionalities in information processing and exchanges, for applications such as eCommerce, CRM, Content Management, databases, corporate Intranets, email, Instant Messaging, SMS, WAP, and more. MT enables the creation of dynamic business content at a fraction of the cost of professional human translation services.
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Rsch
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Resch Political parties in
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Rsch Help to mental health providers:
The Division of Quality Health Care seeks an individual to act as a public health outreach worker. This individual will ensure timely implementation of grant-funded community health programs. Current funding supports work with clients for eligibility and health navigation purposes. The incumbent will educate clients about the importance of health insurance and regular health care, specifically the availability of health care programs (e.g., FAMIS). Interview and assist clients with applications for public health programs, sliding fee health services, charity care at area health systems and affordable medicines, using on-line eligibility tool. Help clients navigate the health care system, including making specialty appointments and referrals to community resources. Recognize client health and social needs, and refer appropriately by applying knowledge of health programs and services provided by community-based health centers and other resources. Inform health, social and community service providers of cultural issues that might impact the community's health practices, and the acceptance and use of health and community resources by clients. Maintain accurate client records and files. Use MORE Access or other relevant software for patient tracking. Collect and assemble evaluation data for timely completion of regular and special reports. This is a grant funded position.
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If your case involves misdiagnosis of cancer, please click here and answer four additional questions that will help us to expedite your case inquiry.
you should not delay attempting to secure an attorney through alternate means. The statute of limitations, which is the time limit by which you must file your case, is a strict requirement in potential medical malpractice cases and varies from state to state.
We also encourage all victims of medical negligence to contact your state representative or your US Senator to prevent the door to civil justice to be closed by unfair limits on your right to access to the civil justice system. Click here to voice your opinion to your Representatives and Senators.
Authorization to Release Medical Information Form
Name _________________
Date of treatment ____________________
This is a request and authorizes all physicians, hospitals and medical attendants to furnish my complete and entire medical record of my treatment, diagnosis and tests including but not limited to: all medical reports and records, nurses notes, x-rays, laboratory data, and all other information to me at the address provided below. This request and authority includes examination of originals of hospital records, admission and discharge records, X-rays, slides, and all other data, information and materials related to my treatment, including medical reports and opinions, and all lab data, with no exceptions. Pease include a copy of each and every page of the medical record including but not limited to all notes written and dictated by physicians, consultants, nurses, and other health care providers. All previous authorizations are cancelled, except those which permit release of information to facilitate payment of outstanding bills by any health insurance carrier. Please do not permit anyone else to inspect my records.
Dated:_______________
Name________________
Signature______________
Address________________
City, State_________________
has “state by state Board directories, Pub called “Psychiatric Times”, is called Continuing Medical Education, Inc and says about itself: CME, Inc., a division of CMP Healthcare Media, offers the latest information and educational resources for healthcare professionals. CME, Inc. produces a variety of educational opportunities, including annual congresses, conferences, multimedia home-study products, Web sites and more. In addition to these resources, CME, Inc. publishes Geriatric Times and Psychiatric Times, the #1 publication in psychiatry for the past eleven years.1
CME, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Psychiatric Congress is well-established as the 2nd largest psychiatric trade show in the United States, providing you strong penetration into the market of practicing clinicians. Conveniently located within one facility, this dynamic event focuses on improving the treatment of mental health disorders and covers key topics, such as schizophrenia, depression, psychopharmacology and more.
Target Audience: psychiatrists, primary care physicians, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, pharmacists, social workers and counselors
Has link to which has q&a’s from physicians/psychiatrist/oer mental health care providers
Q. Please explain positive response to anti-inflammatory drugs in depressed patients.
A. It is unclear why patients with depression would have positive responses to anti-inflammatory drugs. One reason could be the very high prevalence of physical pain complaints. Many patients complain of back or joint pain or headache that are associated with the severity and persistence of their depression (Ohayon and Schatzberg, 2003). In those patients who report some relief with anti-inflammatory medications, it is possible that relief of pain complaints is a factor. Antidepressants also help relieve pain symptoms. Mixed reuptake inhibitors such as duloxetine and higher-dose venlafaxine (Effexor) appear to have significant benefit in the treatment of the painful physical symptoms associated with depression (Goldstein et al., 2004; Stewart, 2003). Treatment of these physical symptoms may reduce the duration of depressive episodes and the risk of depressive relapse.
References
Goldstein DJ, Lu Y, Detke MJ et al. (2004), Effects of duloxetine on painful physical symptoms associated with depression. Psychosomatics 45(1):17-28.
Ohayon MM, Schatzberg AF (2003), Using chronic pain to predict depressive morbidity in the general population. Arch Gen Psychiatry 60(1):39-47.
Stewart DE (2003), Physical symptoms of depression: unmet needs in special populations. J Clin Psychiatry 64(Suppl 7):12-16.
But has some very important ans to questions that should be common knowledge: Q. In assessing a patient for depression, what physical and emotional symptoms are commonly encountered?
A. I think that it depends on where the patient is presenting. As I previously pointed out, patients presenting in mental health care settings tend to focus more on the emotional symptoms (the sadness, tearfulness and guilt that they may be experiencing), whereas patients presenting in primary care settings may very well focus on the physical symptoms (the lethargy, fatigue, irritability, lack of motivation, sleeplessness that they may be experiencing and so forth) (Sharp and Lipsky, 2002). I think it is incumbent upon all professionals to adequately assess both domains of the syndrome. We can't be satisfied with only focusing our assessment and treatment efforts on those symptoms that the patient brings to us as part of their chief complaint. We need to document and assess the entire syndrome.
This is where I believe screening instruments can be very helpful. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) as well as the Zung Depression Scale can be very useful in documenting the entire syndromic condition (Montgomery and Asberg, 1979).
References
Montgomery SA, Asberg M (1979), A new depression scale designed to be sensitive to change. Br J Psychiatry 134:382-389.
Sharp LK, Lipsky MS (2002), Screening for depression across the lifespan: a review of measures for use in primary care settings. Am Fam Physician 66(6):1001-1008.
Dr. Lewis is professor in the department of psychiatry in the college of osteopathic medicine at Nova Southeastern University. Additionally, Dr. Lewis is deputy director and investigator for CNS Clinical Research.
Other facts on syndromes: It is unclear why patients with depression would have positive responses to anti-inflammatory drugs. One reason could be the very high prevalence of physical pain complaints. Many patients complain of back or joint pain or headache that are associated with the severity and persistence of their depression.
The SSRIs have generally been thought not to cause acute weight gain, although some data suggest that their effect on weight may vary over time, with long-term treatment resulting in higher-than-baseline weight in certain patients (Sussman and Ginsberg, 1998). Conversely, nefazodone (Serzone), bupropion (Wellbutrin) and venlafaxine tend to be weight-neutral (Ackerman and Nolan, 1998). When choosing an antidepressant, the physician should take into consideration many factors, such as the likelihood of associated weight gain. This is particularly relevant in obese patients or those for whom it is important not to return to baseline overweight status. Weight gain in antidepressant treatment is commonly expected because most patients with depression have lost weight during their illness. Increases beyond baseline body weight are of significant concern. When assessing middle-aged women with depression, it is important to ask about premenstrual mood changes and somatic changes (e.g., hot flashes, cold sweats, interrupted sleep, changes in libido and dyspareunia). The workup should always include a TSH level, because women are at increased risk for thyroid dysfunction--particularly with increasing age--and thyroid dysfunction may present with mood changes.
In those patients who report some relief with anti-inflammatory medications, it is possible that relief of pain complaints is a factor. Antidepressants also help relieve pain symptoms. Mixed reuptake inhibitors such as duloxetine and higher-dose venlafaxine (Effexor) appear to have significant benefit in the treatment of the painful physical symptoms associated with depression (Goldstein et al., 2004; Stewart, 2003). Treatment of these physical symptoms may reduce the duration of depressive episodes and the risk of depressive relapse.
References
Goldstein DJ, Lu Y, Detke MJ et al. (2004), Effects of duloxetine on painful physical symptoms associated with depression. Psychosomatics 45(1):17-28.
Ohayon MM, Schatzberg AF (2003), Using chronic pain to predict depressive morbidity in the general population. Arch Gen Psychiatry 60(1):39-47.
Stewart DE (2003), Physical symptoms of depression: unmet needs in special populations. J Clin Psychiatry 64(Suppl 7):12-16.
Rsch
Virginia Board of Medicine
6606 W. Broad St., 4th Floor
Richmond, VA 23230-1717
(804) 662-9908
dhp.state.va.us
Medical Negligence
Medical malpractice can occur in and a variety of ways. When a doctor or hospital deviates from the standard of acceptable medical care and acts negligently, the resulting injuries could be the basis for a medical malpractice negligence claim.
medical negligence can include:
- failure to diagnose an illness
- failure to prevent surgical infection
- leaving a medical device implanted after surgery
- surgery without informed consent
- certain birth injuries and cerebral palsy
- failure to diagnose breast cancer
- late diagnosis: diminished chance of survival
- misdiagnosis
New York State Board for Medicine (Licensure)
Cultural Education Center, Room 3023
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12230
(518) 474-3841
op.
A medication error is "any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the health care professional, patient, or consumer," according to the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention.
Serious Medication Errors occur over One Million times each year. Twenty per cent are life threatening. Each prescription mistake adds $2,000 to the cost of hospitalization according to one study, resulting in 2 billion dollars annual increase in hospital costs. Administering the wrong dosage or improper combinations can cause interactions or contraindications with fatal results. 1.3 Million patients are victims of medicine injuries.
Examples of drug name confusion reported to the FDA include:
Serzone (nefazodone) for depression and Seroquel (quetiapine) for schizophrenia
Lamictal (lamotrigine) for epilepsy, Lamisil (terbinafine) for nail infections, Ludiomil (maprotiline) for depression, and Lomotil (diphenoxylate) for diarrhea
Taxotere (docetaxel) and Taxol (paclitaxel), both for chemotherapy
Zantac (ranitidine) for heartburn, Zyrtec (cetirizine) for allergies, and Zyprexa (olanzapine) for mental conditions
Celebrex (celecoxib) for arthritis and Celexa (citalopram) for depression.
Most-Common Medication Mistakes:
The American Hospital Association lists these as some common types of prescription or medication errors:
incomplete patient information (not knowing about patients' allergies, other medicines they are taking, previous diagnoses, and lab results, for example);
unavailable drug information (such as lack of up-to-date warnings);
miscommunication of drug orders, which can involve poor handwriting, confusion between drugs with similar names, misuse of zeroes and decimal points, confusion of metric and other dosing units, and inappropriate abbreviations;
lack of appropriate drug labeling as a drug is prepared and repackaged into smaller units;
environmental factors, such as lighting, heat, noise, and interruptions, that can distract health professionals from their medical tasks.
The Coalition for the Prevention of Massachusetts Medical Errors has developed a consumer guide that encourages patients to become "part of the health care team" along with their physicians, nurses, and pharmacists, to prevent medication mistakes. See their Guide for the prevention of medication errors here.
Who Tracks Medication Errors?
The Food and Drug Administration
Accepts reports from consumers and health professionals about products regulated by the FDA, including drugs and medical devices, through MedWatch, the FDA's safety information and adverse event reporting program.
1-800-332-1088
medwatch/how.htm
Institute for Safe Medication Practices
Accepts reports from consumers and health professionals related to medication. Publishes Safe Medicine, a consumer newsletter on medication errors.
1800 Byberry Rd., Suite 810 Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006-3520
215-947-7797
Pages/Consumer.html
U.S. Pharmacopeia
MedMARX is an anonymous medication error reporting program used by hospitals.
12601 Twinbrook Parkway Rockville, MD 20852
1-800-822-8772
|Government Suicide Warning for Antidepressants | |
|Article Source AOL | |
|Doctors who prescribe some popular antidepressants should monitor their patients closely for warning signs of suicide, | |
|especially when they first start the pills or change a dose, the government warned Monday, March 22, 2004. | |
|The Food and Drug Administration asked makers of 10 drugs to add or strengthen suicide-related warnings on their labels. | |
|The agency insists it's not yet clear whether the drugs actually spur suicide on occasion - or whether the underlying mental | |
|illness is to blame. But FDA bowed to pressure from anguished families who, at an emotional meeting last month, blamed the | |
|pills for their loved ones' suicides and pleaded for better warnings. | |
|It's a difficult issue to sort out because depression itself can lead to suicide, and studies clearly show that | |
|antidepressants have helped many people recover from depression. | |
|Still, until the question is settled, FDA's own scientific advisers had urged stronger warnings that certain antidepressants | |
|may cause agitation, anxiety and hostility in a subset of patients who may be unusually prone to rare side effects. | |
|Monday, FDA followed that recommendation, stressing that the most vulnerable time is when a patient starts therapy or changes| |
|the dose. | |
|``We think this is good advice whether the drugs increase the risk or not,'' said FDA medical policy chief Dr. Robert Temple.| |
|``There's a reason people are put on therapy - their depression is worse or somebody's worried about it. Maybe that's what | |
|drives it (reports of suicides) or maybe it's the drugs. In either case, you really need to pay attention in the early | |
|days.'' | |
|While FDA's investigation into the possible suicide link initially focused on children and teenagers, Monday's warning | |
|includes adults, too. The FDA had investigated reports of suicide among adult antidepressant users in the early 1990s and | |
|concluded there was no link - but on Monday revealed that it is reanalyzing that question. | |
|The drugs of concern are newer generation antidepressants: Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor, Celexa, Lexapro, Luvox, which are | |
|called SSRIs or SSRI-like drugs, and Remeron, Serzone and Wellbutrin, which operate differently. | |
|Manufacturers didn't immediately say if they'd comply. | |
|British health authorities sounded the alarm last year, saying long-suppressed research suggests serotonin-affecting | |
|antidepressants might sometimes increase the risk of suicidal behavior in children and teenagers. Excepting only one drug, | |
|Prozac, that has been proven to alleviate pediatric depression, Britain declared the other six SSRIs or SSRI-like drugs | |
|unsuitable for depressed youth. Britain didn't mention the other three drugs listed in the U.S. notice. | |
|FDA issued a caution on pediatric use last year but says it doesn't yet have proof the drugs are to blame. Among 25 studies | |
|of the suspect medications involving 4,000 children and teens, there were no completed suicides. Some 109 patients | |
|experienced one or more possibly suicide-related behaviors or attempts - but the studies varied dramatically in what was | |
|considered suicidal behavior. For example, among 19 patients classified as cutting themselves, almost all were superficial, | |
|with little bleeding. | |
|But critics flooded an FDA meeting last month demanding stronger action - and days later, the issue again made headlines when| |
|a 19-year-old woman taking part in a study of Eli Lilly & Co.'s experimental new antidepressant duloxetine hanged herself in | |
|a company-run facility. | |
|Most antidepressant labels already contain some fine-print statement about suicide, usually that the possibility is inherent | |
|with depression. | |
|FDA asked Monday for explicit explanations of worrisome behavior changes to be placed in bold print under the prominent | |
|``warnings'' section of those labels: agitation, anxiety, irritability and recklessness. Doctors spotting those traits should| |
|consider prescribing a lower dose or stopping the drug, FDA said. | |
|The drugs are used for many conditions other than depression; the warning applies regardless of the reason for use. | |
|Critics welcomed the change but said suicide complaints first were raised many years ago. | |
|``I'm just very sorry that it so long for them to act on this issue, because there's been so much tragedy that occurred,'' | |
|added Jennifer Tierney of Kernersville, N.C., who describes her daughter Jame as turning from a sweet, popular honor student | |
|into a raging loner after taking Effexor for migraines at age 14. | |
|But psychiatrists caution that suicides have dropped as SSRI use has increased round the world. | |
|``We do a disservice to a population of people who could benefit from these medications'' by overreacting, said Dr. Bela | |
|Sood, chair of pediatric psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University. | |
|Still, FDA's warning does alert doctors ``who in a very lackadaisical way decide to put these kids on medications'' to do a | |
|more thorough exam - and to tell parents what risks to watch for, Sood said. | |
|Children in particular aren't good candidates for SSRIs if they're highly impulsive, angry or aggressive, she said. There | |
|also is a window period of risk just after pill use begins, before depression is really alleviated but when some patients | |
|experience more energy. | |
|Editor's Note: The full article can be accessed here: | |
|See the report - | |
| | |
Drug Side Effects ignored by Doctors
Side effects from prescription medicines plague one in four patients, and when they surface, most doctors fail to act, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.
The findings, from a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, sound an alarm to the millions of Americans who take prescription drugs each year. Some 3.34 billion prescriptions were dispensed in the United States in 2002, according to IMS Health, a provider of pharmaceutical and health care data.
"It's a problem that is common, in many cases the impact could be prevented or reduced, and it has a large impact on patients," said Tejal Gandhi, an internist at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston and the chief author of the study.
Previous estimates have suggested that nearly 5 percent of hospital admissions -- over 1 million per year -- are as a result of drug side effects. But most of the cases are not documented.
The findings of the Gandhi team are based on prescriptions given to 1,202 adults in four outpatient clinics in Boston.
"They found that adverse drug events were fairly frequent and usually mild, although potentially serious, and preventable events were more frequent than any patient or clinician would like (or should be willing to accept)," William Tierney of the Indiana University School of Medicine said in an editorial.
Among the side effects, 13 percent were serious, such as low blood pressure or internal bleeding, and 39 percent were preventable or potentially treatable, such as cases where a drug was given to a patient known to be allergic to it.
In preventable cases, patients were given the wrong drug 45 percent of the time, the wrong dose was prescribed in 10 percent of the cases, and patients were told to take it too frequently 10 percent of the time.
"A lot of problems were going on a long time that weren't being fixed, either because the patients didn't tell the doctor or the physicians didn't change the medication. That was what surprised us," Gandhi told Reuters.
In nearly two-thirds of the cases, the side effects persisted because the doctor failed to heed the warning signs. Patients who suffered in the remaining cases did so because they never told the doctor about their symptoms.
Gandhi said the problem is important, in part, because side effects may discourage patients from taking vital medicines, potentially worsening their health.
Tierney said the medical community needs to use a variety of techniques to reduce side effects, such as computer programs that check doses or a system where patients are routinely interviewed about possible drug-related symptoms while they wait for their appointment.
"With these 10-minute appointments, it's hard for the doctor to get into whether the symptoms are bothering the patients," Gandhi said.
"In the absences of such efforts ... given the increasing number of powerful drugs available to care for the aging population, the problem will only get worse," Tierney said.
The drugs that posed the greatest risk of side effects were the serotonin-reuptake inhibitor class of antidepressants, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs often given for joint pain, and calcium-channel blockers used to treat high blood pressure.
Source: Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited.
Just 5 percent of U.S. doctors are responsible for 54 percent of all malpractice. Source: National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB). According to a recently released NPDB report, there are about 5,000 physicians who have paid four or more medical malpractice judgments or settlements since 1990.
By the time a physician has paid four awards, he or she stands only a 15 percent chance of being sanctioned.
Even physicians who have paid ten or more settlements are disciplined at only a 40 percent rate.
The Medicare and Medicaid programs sanctioned fewer than one percent of doctors who've made malpractice payments from receiving federal dollars.
The annual costs to society for medical errors in hospitals at $17 billion to $29 billion.
Only one in eight preventable medical errors committed in New York hospitals results in a malpractice claim according to a 1990 Harvard Study.
From 1996 through 1999, Florida hospitals reported 19,885 incidents but only 3,177 medical malpractice claims. In other words, for every 6 medical errors only 1 claim is filed.
The number of new medical malpractice claims declined by about four percent between 1995 and 2000. There were 90,212 claims filed in 1995 and 86,480 claims filed in 2000. (National Association of Insurance Commissioners).
Punitive Damages are awarded in less than 1 percent of medical malpractice cases. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1996.)
Malpractice insurance costs amount to only 3.2 percent of the average physician's revenues.
While medical costs have increased by 113 percent since 1987, the total amount spent on medical malpractice insurance has increased by just 52 percent over that time, less than half of medical services inflation.
The size of damage awards has been steady since 1991. The mean payout was $135,941 in 2001, up 8.7 percent from $125,000 in 2000.
Over ten years, malpractice payouts have grown an average of 6.2 percent per year. That's almost exactly the rate of medical inflation: an average of 6.7 percent between 1990 and 2001.
In 2001, only 895 out of 16,676 payouts, or about 5 percent, topped $1 million. (National Practitioner Data Bank, as quoted in Business Week, March 3, 2003.)
Only 5 percent of doctors (1 out of 20) are responsible for 54 percent of malpractice payouts. (National Practitioner Data Bank, Sept. 1, 1990 - Sept. 30, 2002.)
Only 8 percent of doctors (1 out of 12) with 2 or more malpractice payouts have been disciplined by their state medical board. (National Practitioner Data Bank, Sept. 1, 1990 - Sept. 30, 2002.)
Only 17 percent of doctors (1 out of 6) who have made 5 or more malpractice payouts have been disciplined by their state medical board. (National Practitioner Data Bank, Sept. 1, 1990 - Sept. 30, 2002.)
From 1997 to 2000 median medical malpractice payment rose an average of 8.5 percent a year, the average premium for single health insurance coverage increased over that time period 9.5 percent a year.
New insurance industry data and analysis, released 11-15-03, shows that the average medical malpractice insurance payout, or closed claim, has been only $28,524 over the last decade. Payouts in 2001 follow the same low pattern. This figure includes all jury verdicts, settlements and other costs used by insurers to fight claims in court.
Medical malpractice insurers are paying nothing in 77 percent of all claims filed; in the 23 percent of cases where insurers pay anything, the average claim is only $107,587.
According to the Harvard Medical Practice Study, only one in eight malpractice victims ever files a claim for compensation.
Average payouts have stayed virtually flat for the last decade. The average payout is approximately $30,000. ("average" payouts are calculated differently than "mean" payments).
Medical malpractice costs as a percentage of national health care expenditures are 0.55% an all-time low.
Only one in eight injured victims ever files a malpractice claim. Only one in 16 ever receives any compensation. Only one in 32 win a jury verdict.
Only 895 out of 16,676 medical malpractice payouts, or about 5%, in 2001 topped $1 million, up from 506 in 1996, according to government data.
There has been no change in the volume of medical malpractice cases in the last five years. Injured malpractice plaintiffs win before juries in only 23% of cases.
Only 1.1% of medical malpractice plaintiffs who prevail at trial are awarded punitive damages.
Nov. 2003 GAO report: from 1996 through 2000 into the average per capita payments were $10 for states with noneconomic damage caps compared to $17 for states with limited reforms.
Nevada, which adopted a $350,000 cap in 2002, discovered that only two doctors were to blame for $14 million of the $22 million in claims awarded in one recent year. Both are still practicing.
In Florida medical malpractice claims rose just 3.7% from 1997 to 2000, according to the National Center for State Courts.
"Medical malpractice reform is bad medicine…Yet despite this epidemic of [medical] errors, fewer than 2% of the victims of medical malpractice ever sue their doctors … verdicts of $1 million occur in only 4% of medical malpractice cases, and they are usually reduced to a median of $235,000 upon final judgment."
--, Joanne Wojcik, Senior Editor, Commentary, 2/24/03
Selected Statistical Resources:
death by medicine
Malpractice insurance costs amount to only 3.2 percent of the average physician's revenues according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC)
Independent MedPAC economists also reported that premiums rose in the aggregate in 2002 by just 4.4 percent.
2 million hospital patients acquire infections that result in 90,000 deaths each year. One CDC expert says that "many hospital personnel fail to follow basic infection control, such as hand washing between patient contacts." Source: Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Dr.s brainwashing their own patients the way Nancy Wallace tried to to with me: Frank Clemente, director of consumer advocate Public Citizen's Congress Watch in Washington, D.C., said he's worried patients might not be getting the whole story from physicians.
"I guess my concern is, it's a bit of a brainwashing going on. It's a one-sided view that's being shared with their patients," Clemente said.
New York State Board for Professional Medical Conduct
New York State Dept. of Health
Office of Professional Medical Conduct
433 River St., Suite 303
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 402-0855
health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/opmc/main.htm
Rsch Tort reform on med malpractice and negligence
offers : 10 Things You Should Know About …
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
1. Insurance companies are paying victims of medical negligence on average approximately
$30,000. Average payouts have stayed virtually flat for the last decade.1
2. Medical malpractice costs, as a percentage of national health care expenditures, are at an all time
low, 0.55 percent.2
3. According to the National Academy of Sciences, up to 98,000 people are killed each year by
medical errors in hospitals – far more than die from car accidents, breast cancer or AIDS.3
4. Total national costs (lost income, lost household production, disability and health care costs) of
negligence in hospitals are estimated to be between $17 billion and $29 billion each year.4
5. Eight times as many patients are injured by medical malpractice as ever file a claim; 16 times as
many suffer injuries as receive any compensation.5
6. According to the National Center for State Courts, between 1992 and 2001, medical malpractice
filings per 100,000 population have only fluctuated minimally, with an overall 1 percent decrease in
per capita filings.6
7. Injured medical malpractice patients win before juries in only 23 percent of cases7; in 1992, the
rate was 7.5 percent higher at 30.5 percent.8 Only 1.1 percent of medical malpractice plaintiffs who
prevail at trial are awarded punitive damages.9
8. According to studies in several states, there is no correlation between where physicians decide to
practice and state liability laws or insurance rates.10
9. Tort law limits do not lower insurance rates; states with little or no tort law restrictions have
experienced approximately the same changes in insurance rates as those states that have enacted
severe restrictions on victims’ rights.11
10. Numerous hospital and medical procedures have been made safer as a result of lawsuits,
including anesthesia procedures, catheter placements, drug prescriptions, hospital staffing levels,
infection control, nursing home care and trauma care.12
Center for Justice & Democracy
80 Broad St., 17th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Tel: 212.267.2801
Fax: 212.764.4298
centerjd@
NOTES
1 “New Study Shows Average Medical Malpractice Payout Over Last Decade Only $28,524; New Data
Reveals Same Trends in 2001,” Americans for Insurance Reform, News Release, January 23, 2003.
2 Ibid.
3 Kohn, Corrigan, Donaldson, Eds., To Err is Human; Building a Safer Health System, Institute of Medicine,
National Academy Press: Washington, DC (1999).
4 Ibid.
5 Harvard Medical Practice Study, Patients, Doctors and Lawyers: Medical Injury, Malpractice Litigation,
and Patient Compensation in New York (1990).
6 Examining the Work of State Courts, 2002; A National Perspective from the Court Statistics Project
(2003), p. 28. This finding is based on medical malpractice data from 17 states.
7 Examining the Work of State Courts, 2001; A National Perspective from the Court Statistics Project (2001),
p. 94.
8 “Tort Trials and Verdicts in Large Counties, 1996,” U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice
Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, NCJ-179769 (August 2000), p. 9.
9 Ibid at 7.
10 Wlazelek, Ann, “Doctors’ ad campaign baseless; They’re not fleeing Pa., but malpractice straits create
‘hostile’ climate,” Morning Call, March 24, 2002; “Doctors not leaving Pittsburgh despite costly insurance,”
Associated Press, November 12, 2001; Goldstein, Josh, “Recent Census of Doctors Show No Flight from
Pennsylvania,” Philadelphia Inquirer, October 2, 2001; Leonard, Martha, “State has seen sharp increase in
number of doctors,” Sunday Gazette Mail, February 25, 2001; Kinney and Gronfein, “Indiana’s Malpractice
System: No-Fault by Accident,” 54 Law & Contemp. Probs. 169, 188 (1991), cited in Galanter, Marc, “Real
World Torts,” 55 Maryland L. Rev. 1093, 1152-1153 (1996); Kinney, “Malpractice Reform in the 1990s,
Past Disappointment, Future Success?” 20 J. Health Pol. Pol’y & L. 99, 120 (1996), cited in Galanter, Marc,
“Real World Torts,” 55 Maryland L. Rev. 1093, 1152 (1996).
11 Martin D. Weiss, Melissa Gannon and Stephanie Eakins, Medical Malpractice Caps: The Impact of Non-
Economic Damage Caps on Physician Premiums, Claim Payout Levels, and Availability of Coverage, Weiss
Ratings, Inc. (2003); J. Robert Hunter and Joanne Doroshow, Premium Deceit: The Failure of “Tort
Reform” to Cut Insurance Prices, Center for Justice & Democracy (1999).
12 Meghan Mulligan and Emily Gottlieb, Lifesavers: CJ&D’s Guide to Lawsuits that Protect Us All, Center
for Justice & Democracy (2002).
THE SEVEN MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW
ABOUT MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
1. Insurance industry profits are going through the roof and not a single doctors’ group
has demanded any accountability from, or reforms of, the insurance industry for its
excessive price-gouging of doctors.
,
2. It has been proven repeatedly that “caps” and other “tort reforms” do not work.
States that have enacted so-called “tort reform” have only seen their insurance rates
continue to shoot up after passing severe liability limits. In fact, doctors from at least
three of the nine states represented at the national news conference scheduled for
February 10 - Ohio, Missouri and Texas - and two out of seven states being targeted for
media campaigns - Nevada and Florida - all have severe caps and in each case, insurers
have continued to increase insurance rates.
;
;
3. Lawsuits are not limiting access to health care. The U.S. General Accounting Office
found, after an extensive investigation, that doctors’ groups have misled, fabricated
evidence, or, at the very least, wildly overstated their case about how malpractice
insurance problems have limited access to health care. The only health care access
problems that GAO could confirm were isolated and the result of factors having nothing
at all to do with the legal system.
;
4. Medical malpractice costs are a tiny percentage of overall health care expenditures.
Medical malpractice insurance and claims costs represent, at most, only 2 percent of
overall health care spending in this country, according to both the Congressional Budget
Office and the General Accounting Office.
; .
org/pr/AIRhealthcosts.pdf. See also,
5. Medical malpractice lawsuit filings, payouts and jury verdicts are all dropping.
According to the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), “the 1992 to 2001 trend in
Center for Justice & Democracy
80 Broad St., 17th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Tel: 212.267.2801
Fax: 212.764.4298
centerjd@
medical malpractice filings per 100,000 population has only fluctuated minimally, with
an overall 1 percent decrease in per capita filings.”
? Total medical malpractice payouts dropped 6.9 percent from 2001 to 2002
according to a National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) analysis by Public Citizen.
? Jury verdicts in medical malpractice cases are stagnant, even according to Jury
Verdict Research data, which tends to over-inflate award trends.
6. Most malpractice is caused by a small number of doctors who are never sanctioned.
Nothing is being done to crack down on the 5 percent of doctors (1 out of 20) that are
responsible for 54 percent of malpractice payouts.
;
7. Medical malpractice is continuing at epidemic proportions in this country. In 1999,
the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences, found that medical
errors cause between 44,000 and 98,000 deaths in hospitals each year. Even when using
the lower estimate, deaths due to medical errors exceed the number attributable to the 8th
leading cause of death. More die in a given year as a result of medical errors than from
motor vehicle accidents (43,458), breast cancer (42,297) or AIDS (16,516).
###
The Degree and Cost of Medical Malpractice
Key Findings of the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine
In 1999, the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine released a powerful new study
entitled To Err is Human; Building a Safer Health System, (Kohn, Corrigan, Donaldson, Editors;
Institute of Medicine, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1999. ) Among its most
important findings are the following:.
? DEATHS IN HOSPITALS DUE TO MEDICAL ERRORS. The report’s findings are
based on two large studies, one conducted in Colorado and Utah, which recently
corroborated an earlier study in New York.1 When the findings of these studies are
“extrapolated to the over 33.6 million admissions to U.S. hospitals in 1997, the results of the
study in Colorado and Utah imply that at least 44,000 Americans die each year as a result of
medical errors. The results of the New York study suggest the number may be as high as
98,000. Even when using the lower estimate, deaths due to medical errors exceed the
number attributable to the 8th leading cause of death. More die in a given year as a result of
medical errors than from motor vehicle accidents (43,458), breast cancer (42,297) or AIDS
(16,516).” Pages 1, 22, 25-26.
? COSTS OF PREVENTABLE MEDICAL ERRORS THAT RESULT IN INJURY.
“Total national costs (lost income, lost household production, disability and health care costs)
of preventable adverse events … are estimated to be between $17 billion and $29 billion, of
which health care costs represent over one-half.”2 Page 1, 22, 34. “In 1992, the direct and
indirect costs of adverse events were slightly higher than the direct and indirect costs of
caring for people with HIV and AIDS.” Pages 22-23, 35.
- more -
1 Brennan, Troyen A.; Leape, Lucian L.; Laird, Nan M.; et al, Incidence of adverse events and negligence in
hospitalized patients. Results of the Harvard Medical Practice Study, N Engl J Med 324:370-376, 1991. Thomas,
Eric J.; Studdert, David M.; Burstin, Helen R.; et al. Incidence and Types of Adverse Events and Negligent Care in
Utah and Colorado. Med Care forthcoming Spring 2000.
2 Thomas, Eric J.; Studdert, David M.; Newhouse, Joseph P.; et al. Costs of Medical Injuries in Utah and Colorado,
Inquiry 36:255-264, 1999. See also, Johnson, W.G.; Brennan, Troyen A.; Newhouse, Joseph P.; et al. The
Economic Consequence of Medical Injuries, JAMA 267:2487-2492, 1992.
Doctor Negligence
Medical malpractice can occur in and a variety of ways. But a doctor's negligence is the common thread in all of them. When a doctor or hospital deviates from the standard of acceptable medical care and acts negligently or with gross negligence, the resulting injuries could be the basis for a medical malpractice negligence claim. Of course causation must be proven: that is it must be shown that the actions or failure to act on the part of the medical provider was the actual cause of the harm.
Examples of doctors negligence can include:
- failure to diagnose an illness
- failure to prevent surgical infection
- leaving a medical device implanted after surgery
- surgery without informed consent
- certain birth injuries and cerebral palsy
- failure to diagnose breast cancer
- late diagnosis: diminished chance of survival
- misdiagnosis
These high rates of medical errors resulting in deaths, permanent disability, and suffering are unacceptable in our American medical system.
If your physician or health care provider has committed any of these acts, .
What to do Now?
First: Get your medical Records immediately!
If you have been injured, the burden of proof is upon you to prove a doctor's negligence. This is best accomplished by obtaining medical records as early as possible in the process. Most times medical records will form the basis upon which a lawsuit was filed.
Second: Talk to an attorney
Counsel should be secured at the earliest suspicion of doctor error. These cases are won or lost on the records. Most do not realize that important medical records can be lost, altered, or destroyed unless protective measures to secure them are taken early.
Most importantly: Submit your case evaluation
If you are your loved ones have been injured by the negligence of a doctor or medical care facility we may be able to help you. Submit your case for a free consultation. Our network of attorneys will help determine whether medical malpractice has occurred and if you have a viable case.
Med POA
Center for Justice & Democracy
80 Broad St., 17th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Tel: 212.267.2801
Fax: 212.764.4298
centerjd@
MYTHBUSTER The Degree and Cost of Medical Malpractice
Key Findings of the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine
In 1999, the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine released a powerful new study
entitled To Err is Human; Building a Safer Health System, (Kohn, Corrigan, Donaldson, Editors;
Institute of Medicine, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1999. ) Among its most
important findings are the following:.
? DEATHS IN HOSPITALS DUE TO MEDICAL ERRORS. The report’s findings are
based on two large studies, one conducted in Colorado and Utah, which recently
corroborated an earlier study in New York.1 When the findings of these studies are
“extrapolated to the over 33.6 million admissions to U.S. hospitals in 1997, the results of the
study in Colorado and Utah imply that at least 44,000 Americans die each year as a result of
medical errors. The results of the New York study suggest the number may be as high as
98,000. Even when using the lower estimate, deaths due to medical errors exceed the
number attributable to the 8th leading cause of death. More die in a given year as a result of
medical errors than from motor vehicle accidents (43,458), breast cancer (42,297) or AIDS
(16,516).” Pages 1, 22, 25-26.
? COSTS OF PREVENTABLE MEDICAL ERRORS THAT RESULT IN INJURY.
“Total national costs (lost income, lost household production, disability and health care costs)
of preventable adverse events … are estimated to be between $17 billion and $29 billion, of
which health care costs represent over one-half.”2 Page 1, 22, 34. “In 1992, the direct and
indirect costs of adverse events were slightly higher than the direct and indirect costs of
caring for people with HIV and AIDS.” Pages 22-23, 35.
? UNDERESTIMATION OF FIGURES. “These figures offer only a very modest estimate
of the magnitude of the problem since hospital patients represent only a small percentage of
the total population at risk, and direct hospital costs are only a fraction of the total costs.”
Page 2, 26. (“More is known about errors that occur in hospitals than in other health care
delivery systems.” Page 23.) Not included in these studies are medical errors resulting from
care provided in ambulatory settings, outpatient surgical centers, physician offices and
clinics, home care, retail pharmacies and nursing homes. Page 2.
? MEDICATION ERRORS. “Medication errors alone (accidental poisoning by drugs,
medicaments and biologicals, occurring either in or out of the hospital), are estimated to
account for over 7,000 deaths annually, compared with less than 3,000 people in 1983,
almost a 3-fold increase.”3 Generalizing the results of a prior study,4 “the increased hospital
costs alone of preventable adverse drug events affecting inpatients are about $2 billion for the
nation as a whole.” Page 1-2, 27-28. Moreover, these estimated are low because “many
errors go undocumented and unreported.” Page 29. “It has been estimated that for every
dollar spent on ambulatory medications, another dollar is spent to treat new health problems
caused by medications.”5 And “for every dollar spent on drugs in nursing facilities, $1.33 is
consumed in the treatment of drug-related morbidity and mortality, amounting to $7.6 billion
for the nation as a whole, of which $3.6 billion as been estimated to be avoidable.”6 Page 35.
? TYPES OF ADVERSE EVENTS. “Patient safety problems of many kinds occur during the
course of providing health care. They include transfusion errors and adverse drug events;
wrong-side surgery and surgical injuries; preventable suicides; restraint-related injuries or
death; hospital-acquired or other treatment-related infections; and falls, burns, pressure
ulcers, and mistaken identity.” Page 30.
? INATTENTION TO SAFETY. “Health care is a decade or more behind other high-risk
industries [like aviation] in its attention to ensure basic safety.” Page 4. “The likelihood of
dying per domestic jet flight is estimated to be one in eight million. Statistically, the average
passenger would have to fly around the clock for more than 438 years before being involved
in a fatal crash.7 …Some believe that public concern about airline safety, in response to the
impact of news stories, has played an important role in the dramatic improvement in safety in
the airline industry.” By comparison, “Americans have a very limited understanding of
health care safety issues.” Page 36.
1 Brennan, Troyen A.; Leape, Lucian L.; Laird, Nan M.; et al, Incidence of adverse events and negligence in
hospitalized patients. Results of the Harvard Medical Practice Study, N Engl J Med 324:370-376, 1991. Thomas,
Eric J.; Studdert, David M.; Burstin, Helen R.; et al. Incidence and Types of Adverse Events and Negligent Care in
Utah and Colorado. Med Care forthcoming Spring 2000.
2 Thomas, Eric J.; Studdert, David M.; Newhouse, Joseph P.; et al. Costs of Medical Injuries in Utah and Colorado,
Inquiry 36:255-264, 1999. See also, Johnson, W.G.; Brennan, Troyen A.; Newhouse, Joseph P.; et al. The
Economic Consequence of Medical Injuries, JAMA 267:2487-2492, 1992.
3 Phillips, David P.; Christenfeld, Nicholas; and Glynn, Laura M; Increase in US Medication-Error Deaths between
1983 and 1993, The Lancet, 351:643-44, 1998.
4 Bates, David W.; Spell, Nathan; Cullen, David J.; et al., The Costs of Adverse Drug Events in Hospitalized
Patients, JAMA 277:307-311, 1997.
5 Alliance for Aging Research, When Medicine Hurts Instead of Helps, Washington DC: The Alliance for Aging
Research; 1998.
6 Bootman, J. Lyle; Harrison, LTC Donald L., and Cox, Emily, The Health Care Cost of Drug-Related Morbidity
and Mortality in Nursing Facilities, Arch Intern Med. 157(18):2089-2096, 1997.
7 Federal Aviation Administration, Office of System Safety. Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) Database
[Web Page] 1999. Available at: .
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
THERE ARE OTHER EXCEPTIONS AND TIME PERIODS THAT APPLY TO MOST CASES. In addition, special rules and exceptions exist in many states for medical malpractice cases. For example, minors can have the statute "tolled" or stopped until they reach the age of majority in many states. Many states toll the medical malpractice statute for incapacity. Often language exists in the statute that does not start the time limit running until the victim knew or "should have known" about the malpractice. Special rules can exist for medical malpractice involving hidden surgical instruments or "foreign object" cases, in which malpractice is difficult to find in a timely manner. In addition, where there is a death from medical malpractice, many states have "wrongful death" statutes that govern the time limit for bringing an action. Stautes of repose can also place absolute time limits on these exceptions. These rules and exceptions exist in almost all states so you should not merely rely on the general rule, but should seek legal counsel as to the specific rules and exceptions in your state governing medical malpractice Statutes of Limitations. NY - 2 1/2 years statute of limitations. N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214a. VA - 2 years statute of limitations. Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-243.
Rsch: Center for Justice and Democracy
80 Broad St.
17th Floor
New York, NY 10004
centerjd@
212.267.2801
Fax: 212.764.4298
There is only one way to solve this insurance problem: reforming the business and
accounting practices of the insurance industry.
Americans for Insurance Reform, a coalition of more than 100 consumer groups including
the National Women’s Health Network, says that the only way to solve the problem of
skyrocketing insurance rates for doctors is to reform the insurance industry. One
important step is to repeal the industry’s exemption from anti-trust laws at both the state
and federal (McCarran-Ferguson Act) levels. These laws allow insurance companies to
price-fix, something that is illegal for other industries. Another important step is to lower
claim frequency by weeding bad doctors out of the system through enforcement of
better doctor discipline. Only 5 percent of doctors are responsible for over half the
medical malpractice in this country but few are sanctioned by state disciplinary boards.
States should enact measures contained in California’s insurance law, Proposition 103,
which required a 20 percent rate rollback and prior approval of prices by the state
insurance commissioner under rigorous standards and allows consumer groups to
intervene in rate hearings. States should also require insurers, as a condition of their
license, to undertake risk management and the insurance commissioner should monitor
this effort.
1-pg Glossary of , here abridged by me
"Tort reforms" (or tort "deforms") are cruel laws that reduce the protections and rights our country provides to those who are injured by defective products, toxic chemicals, medical malpractice, and other wrongdoing. "Tort reforms," which often change centuries-old common law, directly interfere with the independence of our nation's civil justice system, tying the hands of judges and juries who hear the evidence in a case, and undermining our country's uniquely individualized system of justice. They make it more difficult or impossible for injured consumers to hold wrongdoers accountable. Adding to the already existing barriers to court that exist for injured consumers, "tort reforms" present a peril to both family safety and democracy in our country.
Physician Profile detailed information such as Medical Malpractice, Hospital Discipline and Criminal Convictions. If enforcement (or disciplinary) action has been taken against a physician's license, the public documents related to the action are available to the public. These documents may include:
Accusation: the public document stating the charges the Board has filed against a physician.
Decision: the public document describing the legal findings of the charges in an Accusation and identifying the penalties imposed on the physician.
Stipulated Agreement: a form of plea bargain negotiated and settled prior to a hearing.
Temporary Restraining Order or Interim Suspension Order: issued by either a Superior Court Judge or Administrative Law Judge to halt a physician's practice immediately.
Public Letter of Reprimand: a lesser form of discipline that can be negotiated for minor violations before filing formal charges or an accusation.
Citation and Fine: an alternative method by which the Board can impose a sanction and take action against a physician for a technical violation of the law. (Note: Citations are not considered disciplinary action.)
Other Information includes:
Disciplinary Actions by the Medical Board and pending disciplinary proceedings in which formal charges have been filed by the Board.
Felony Criminal Convictions.
Hospital Disciplinary Actions resulting in termination or revocation of hospital staff privileges for medical disciplinary reasons going back to January 1, 1995.
Amounts Paid as a result of Malpractice Judgments and Arbitration Awards. The actual dollar amount of the award is provided along with the court and docket number. info on:
- the practitioner's education and training, including other health related - degrees, professional and post graduate training specialty
- the practitioner's current practice and mailing addresses
- the practitioner's staff privileges and faculty appointments
- the practitioner's reported financial responsibility
- legal actions taken against the practitioner
- board final disciplinary action taken against the practitioner
- any liability claims filed against the practitioner which exceed $5,000
the following material on physicians:
-Whether the Physician is certified in a Specialty by a Specialty Board..
-Education and Training.
-Paid Malpractice Claims within the last 10 years. The number of payments made as a result of a Settlement of a Malpractice Claim or a Judgment against the physician in a malpractice lawsuit or an arbitration award is provided.
-Criminal Convictions within the past 10 years.
-Hospital disciplinary actions within the past 10 years.
-Final Disciplinary actions taken by the Board during the past 10 years. - Disciplinary Actions within 10 years;
- Criminal Convictions for felonies;
- Hospital Disciplinary Actions
- Medical malpractice court judgments and settlements.
- Government report refutes
Here is a glossary of the most common "tort reforms:"
Collateral Source Rule - The collateral source rule prevents a wrongdoer from reducing its financial responsibility for the injuries it causes by the amount an injured party receives (or could later receive) from outside sources. Payments from outside sources are those unrelated to the wrongdoer, like health or disability insurance, for which the injured party has already paid premiums or taxes. The rule also prevents juries from learning about such collateral payments, so as not to unfairly influence with verdict. States that have modified this rule have either completely repealed it, mandating that payments received from health insurance, social security or other sources be used to reduce the wrongdoer's liability. Or, they allow juries to hear during trial about collateral payments.
Caps (on Damages) - A damages cap is an arbitrary ceiling on the amount an injured party can receive in compensation by a judge or jury, irrespective of what the evidence presented at a trial proves compensation should be. A cap is usually defined in a statute by a dollar figure ($100,000, $500,000, etc.) or by tying the cap to another type of damages (e.g. two times compensatory damages). Caps usurp the authority of judges and juries, who listen to the evidence in a case, to decide compensation based on each specific fact situation. Several states have declared caps unconstitutional.
Caps on Non-economic Damages - Non-economic damages compensate injured consumers for intangible but real injuries, like infertility, permanent disability, disfigurement, pain and suffering, loss of a limb or other physical impairment. Caps or limits on non-economic damages have a disproportionate effect on plaintiffs who do not have high wages - like women who work inside the home, children, seniors or the poor, who are thus more likely to receive a greater percentage of their compensation in the form of non-economic damages if they are injured.
Caps on Punitive Damages - Punitive damages, also known as "exemplary damages," are assessed against defendants by judges or juries to punish particularly outrageous, deliberate or harmful misconduct, and to deter the defendant and others from engaging in similar misconduct in the future. It is well recognized that the prospect of having to pay punitive damages in a lawsuit by an injured consumer causes corporations to build safer products and operate more safely. Many dangerous and defective products -- including the Ford Pinto, asbestos, and the Dalkon Shield IUD -- were removed from the market because of punitive damages. Companies often weigh the potential costs of liability to determine whether a defective product should be redesigned or removed from the market, or an unsafe practice should be stopped. Capping or limiting punitive damages allows companies to treat liability as a cost of doing business, weakening their deterrent impact.
Contingency Fee Limits -- Under a contingency fee arrangement, a lawyer agrees to take a case on behalf of an injured client without obtaining any money up front from the client. This is a risk, because if the case is lost, the lawyer is paid nothing. In return, the lawyer is entitled to a percentage of the amount of money collected -- usually one-third -- if the case is successful. This system provides injured consumers who could not otherwise afford legal representation with access to the courts. Typically, states limit contingency fees by capping them sometimes way below one-third, sometimes along a sliding scale so fee percentages decrease, sometimes drastically, as judgments increases. The principal impact of contingency fee limits is to make it less likely attorneys can afford to risk bringing many cases, particularly the more costly and complex ones, providing practical immunity for many wrongdoers
Joint and Several Liability Limits - The doctrine of joint and several liability is a fairness rule, developed over centuries to protect injured consumers. It applies when more than one defendant is found fully or substantially responsible for causing an injury (not 1% or 10% responsible, as is commonly misstated). If one wrongdoer is insolvent or cannot pay their share, the other fully-responsible wrongdoers must pick up the tab, to make sure the innocent victim is fully compensated. For example, suppose three toxic polluters recklessly contaminate drinking water, causing leukemia in neighborhood children. The actions of any one of them alone would be sufficient to cause leukemia. But because three companies are involved, each one's relative share becomes only one-third. This fortuitous circumstance allows them to split the total compensation each one owes the victims. But if one of those three companies becomes insolvent and cannot pay any compensation, who should cover it? Joint and several liability says that the other companies must cover the insolvent company's share. When joint and several liability is limited or abolished, however, these other wrongdoers are not required to cover the insolvent company's share. The wrongdoers are off the hook and the innocent victim receives far less compensation for injuries than the judge or jury determined they deserve.
Loser Pays - The English "loser pays" rule, which mandates that a losing party pay the winners' costs, is an unfair and dangerous rule. There are good reasons why it does not exist in America. Its chief effect is discouraging important and legitimate cases. For example, imagine you are injured by a negligent or reckless corporation and believe you have a strong legal case. The economic devastation you might face upon losing your case, having to reimburse a large company for its inflated, hourly legal bills, would surely chill your right to file suit and attempt to hold that company accountable in court. That is why even in Britain, where loser pays exists, "legal expense" insurance is available, providing at least those who can afford it with the means to protect themselves against payment of an opponent's legal costs.
Prejudgment Interest - Prejudgment interest is the amount of interest that accrues on the value of an injured consumer's claim between the time he or she files a case and the final judgment. Some states penalize victims by prohibiting pre-judgment interest or by imposing very low limits on pre-judgment interest rates. Laws that limit prejudgment interest can delay timely settlements or judgments in civil cases by reducing the monetary incentive that defendants have to resolve cases expeditiously.
Suicide and Drugs
On March 22, 2004 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked manufacturers of ten antidepressant drugs to include in their labeling a Warning statement that recommends close observation of patients treated with these agents for emergence of suicidality.
Points for me to remember HCV I a public concern, abandonment by psychiatrist in mental and professional manner, not in physical terms, however, D. Orhan never knew I was not seeing her, Nancy Wallace used intimidation, Dr. Lahkani’s un useable handwriting in my records will make no contribution to my health nor assistance to future mental healthcare providers. Local entities do not want to ruffle VCU feathers, p[robably because of the intermingling on boards and local political offices, This can easily be investigated. Also was Drs Orhan and Lahkani billing for intensive treatment and or consultations with me that were in reality non-existent. Denial of access to DP’s blood exam and not recognizing the indications of already consequences in the already existent blood results which indicated toxins released. Assaging me with, “you must be one of those people with elevated blood chemistries”
Product Liability Defenses - The doctrine of "strict liability" has long applied in suits involving defective products. Strict liability ensures that one who is responsible for bringing a dangerously defective product into the marketplace or workplace compensates those injured by the product. However, some states have enacted new defenses for those who manufacturer or sell defective products. For example, some laws establish a presumption that an injury-causing product, drug or medical device is not defective or unreasonably dangerous if the product complies with government standards. This benefits manufacturers that profit from weak and long out-of-date health and safety standards, like manufacturers of cars, trains, factory equipment and school buses. Other provisions require an injured consumer to prove the existence of an "alternative design" for a defective product, which would have prevented the harm but would not have hurt the product's marketability. This forces plaintiffs, who are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to knowledge about technical design alternatives, to prove the existence of such alternatives when this defense is raised. Other laws immunize manufacturers that produce products with design defects if the products have "obvious risks," like tobacco, or are considered "unavoidably unsafe," like guns -- even if a defective gun accidentally discharges and kills someone.
Statute of Repose - A statute of repose for products completely cuts off liability of the manufacturer or seller of a defective product after an arbitrarily-established number of years, such as 10 years or 15 years. (A few states have adopted statutes of repose to cut off doctors' and hospitals' liability for medical malpractice, as well.) Statutes of repose apply no matter how serious the injuries, how many injuries have been caused over the years by these products or services, or how reckless the actions of the wrongdoer were. They cover products with expected lives much longer than typical cut-off dates in the statute of repose, products like nuclear power plant components, medical devices such as pacemakers, elevators, airplanes, home appliances, playground equipment, farm equipment, freight trains, trucks, and other industrial machinery.
Structured Settlements - Also called "periodic payments," structured settlement laws either mandate, allow defendants to request, or allow courts to require that some or all payments awarded by a judge or jury be made to the injured consumer over a long period of time. In other words, the injured consumer is prohibited from receiving payments in a lump sum. These provisions increase the hardships of the most seriously injured consumers who are hit soon after an injury with large medical costs and must make adjustments in transportation and housing. Often, the law allows insurance companies to pocket the money upon the plaintiff's death, instead of paying it to a dependent spouse or child.
Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
© 2003 The TLPJ Foundation
National Headquarters
1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
ph: 202-797-8600
fax: 202-232-7203
West Coast Office
One Kaiser Plaza
Suite 275
Oakland, CA 94612
ph: 510-622-8150
fax: 510-622-8155
Below was found on:
|Hispanic Nat'l. Bar Assoc. |Phone:703-610-9038 |
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|8201 Greensboro Dr., Ste. 300 |FAX:703-610-9005 |
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|McLean, VA 22102 |Email:info@ |
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| |Web: |
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|Inst. of Law, Psychiatry & Public Policy |
|Univ. of VA, Blue Ridge Hosp. |
|Box 100 |
|Charlottesville, VA 22901 |
|Phone:804-924-5435 |
|FAX:804-924-5788 |
|Email:mrax@hobbes.itc.virginia.edu |
|Web:ilppp.virginia.edu/ilppp |
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|Nat'l Org. for Women |Web: |
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|P.O. Box 25831 | |
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|Richmond, VA 23260 | |
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|Univ. of Richmond - Williams Sch. of Law |Web:law.richmond.edu/default.htm |
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|Juris Publici | |
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|28 W. Hampton Way | |
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|Univ. of Richmond, VA 23173 | |
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|Univ. of Virginia Sch. of Law |Web:law.virginia.edu |
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|Public Interest Law Assoc. | |
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|Charlottesville, VA 22903 | |
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|Virginia Poverty Law Cntr. |Phone:804-782-9430 |
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|201 W. Broad St., Ste. 302 |FAX:804-649-3746 |
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|Richmond, VA 23220 |Web: |
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|Virginia Trial Lawyers Assoc. |Phone:804-343-1143 |
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|700 East Main St., Ste. 1510 |FAX:804-343-7124 |
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|Richmond, VA 23219 |Email:vtla@ |
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| |Web: |
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|Washington and Lee Univ. Sch. of Law |Web:law.wlu.edu |
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|Public Interest Law Students Assoc. | |
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|Lewis Hall | |
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|Lexington, VA 24450 | |
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|William & Mary Univ. - Marshall-Wythe Sch. |Web:wm.edu/law |
|of Law | |
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|Amicus Curiae | |
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|P.O. Box 8795 | |
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|Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795 | |
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|Feminist Majority Found. |Phone:703-522-2214 |
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|1600 Wilson Blvd., Ste. 801 |FAX:703-522-2219 |
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|Arlington, VA 22209 |Email:femmaj@ |
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| |Web: |
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|Council of Better Business Bureaus |Phone:703-276-0100 |
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|4200 Wilson Blvd. |FAX:703-525-8277 |
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|Ste. 800 |Web: |
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|Arlington, VA 22203-1838 | |
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|Cntr. for Health, Environment, and Justice |Phone:703-237-2249 |
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|P.O. Box 6806 |FAX:chej@ |
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|Falls Church, VA 22040 |Web: |
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|American Civil Liberties Union - Virginia |Phone:804-644-8022 |
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|6 N. 6th St., Ste. 400 |Web:members.acluva/ |
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|Richmond, VA 23219 | |
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|American Assoc. for Affirmative Action |Phone:800-252-8952 |
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|12100 Sunset Hills Rd. |FAX:703-435-4390 |
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|Suite 130 |Email:execoffice@ |
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|Reston, VA 20190 |Web: |
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|American Soc. of Newspaper Editors |Phone:703-453-1122 |
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|11690 B Sunrise Valley Dr. |FAX:703-453-1133 |
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|Reston, VA 20191 |Email:cbranson@ |
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Rscj Tort Reform Links:
Business week - refutes need for tort reform
Medical Malpractice - Victims stories
Texas Patient Safety Foundation - An excellent med mal resource
Civil Justice Facts - Civil Justice Fact-sheets
Trial Lawyers for Public Justice - Consumer Advocacy Lawers
Tort_reform_news.html
GAO Govermant Malpractice Report - see report
Bush Malpractice Campaign
find You can contact the Division for Legal Services by e-mail at abalegalsvcs@.
• Buy legal insurance...
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The Directory of Lawyer Disciplinary Agencies lists disciplinary agencies responsible for handling complaints against lawyers.
• Facts About The Judicial System
• Frequently Asked Questions
one of the goals of the American Bar Association has been to apply the knowledge and experience of the legal profession to promotion of the public good. This is the overriding mission of the ABA's Division for Public Services, an Association program division providing staff support and expertise for attorney-sponsored programs and activities that lend focus, voice and visibility to the Association's public services role.
Ten membership groups carry out the work of this Division:
• Special Committee on Bioethics and the Law
• Standing Committee on Substance Abuse
• Standing Committee on Election Law
• Standing Committee on Environmental Law
• Commission on Homelessness and Poverty
• Commission on Immigration Policy, Practice and Pro Bono
• Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress
• Standing Committee on Law and National Security
• Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law
Selected Statistical Resources:
death by medicine
Through their programs, the Association studies important legal issues affecting society and formulates remedial responses ranging from policy positions to demonstration projects, model legislation, technical assistance, videotapes, clearinghouses, public education initiatives, working conferences and numerous publications. These activities are advanced with an annual budget of over $3 million, much of which is derived from gifts and grants to the Association's Fund for Justice and Education. The members who direct these endeavors are primarily, but not exclusively, lawyer members of the ABA. They include distinguished legal scholars, legislators, judges, lawyers in the public interest community, private firm practitioners, corporate and government analysts, health and social work professionals, scientists, and economists.
Since 1973, the ABA's Commission on Mental and Physical Disability has been the primary entity within the ABA that focuses on the law-related concerns of persons with mental and physical disabilities. Its mission is "to promote the ABA's commitment to justice and the rule of law for persons with mental, physical, and sensory disabilities and their full and equal participation in the legal profession." The Commission's members include lawyers and other professionals, many of whom have disabilities.
USING THE DIRECTORY
Neither the American Bar Association nor the Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law endorses any of the lawyers or legal service providers found in this Directory. The Directory is intended only as a research tool. Please note that individuals and organizations included in this Directory vary widely and users should question listed attorneys about important issues before agreeing to be represented or assisted.
Among organizations listed are the government supported protection and advocacy systems, which use the following abbreviations to designate the scope of their disability law programs. Client Assistance Program (CAP); Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAMI); and Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights (PAIR).
NOTE: This directory is currently under renovation. Some information may be no longer valid. We apologize for the inconvenience. For assistance, please email cmpdl@ or call (202) 662-1571.
Contact each of these lawyers on
Let VA Trial Lawyers Assn know that I can’t call up VTLA is active in a variety of public service and education projects, is a leader in continuing legal education seminars, publishes a number of award-winning, valuable publications, and promotes improvements to the administration of justice in Virginia through legislative representation at the Virginia General Assembly and before other appropriate bodies. VTLA is active in the Virginia General Assembly promoting improvements to the administration of justice intended to enrich the quality of life in Virginia. Initiatives have included an increase in Virginia’s medical malpractice cap, truck safety labeling, improved divorce and property division procedures, more equitable workers' compensation statutes, and support of insurance reforms. Members are kept informed of the activities of the General Assembly through the LAWFLASH, published weekly during the session. VTLA and its members are committed to improving public understanding of the legal system and of the role of trial lawyers within that system. "The Road to Virginia Justice" has been shown to thousands of Virginia middle and high school students. The film and teaching materials feature a drunk driving case and use that case as the vehicle for explaining the legal rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
VTLA also works closely with Virginia law schools, sponsoring trial advocacy and moot court competitions and law school student chapters. Additionally, VTLA sponsors the "Excellence in Journalism" award, identifying and rewarding media efforts to expose and correct societal conditions damaging to consumers.
|Mail |[pic] |
|Virginia Trial Lawyers| |
|Association | |
|700 East Main Street, | |
|Suite 1510 | |
|Richmond, Virginia | |
|23219 | |
| | |
|By Phone | |
|(804) 343-1143 | |
| | |
|By Fax | |
|(804) 343-7124 | |
| | |
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|vtla@ | |
|Jack Harris, Executive Director jharris@ |
|Click here to read the VTLA Pro Bono Resolution (PDF). |
| |
Need to read about ABA’s Goal X
Need to reach and study each lead on
Physican’s insurance
Medical Malpractice Links and Resources:
20 Tips to prevent Medical Errors This fact sheet tells what you can do to avoid medical error
questions to ask your doctor before surgery
Report on Medical Errors to the President
New England Journal of Medicine: The nations premier medical journal.
Medical anatomy and terms: Easy explanations of medical terms.
Human Anatomy Online: Helpful anatomy drawings
Med League Support Services - Med League Support Services, Inc.
A Legal Nurse Consulting Firm Since 1989
Facts about Lasik Surgery: Government warning and info site about this common but sometime unsuccessful proceedure.
Pharmacy Information: Info on common Prescription drugs.
FDA site for info on drugs and medical devices: Gov site giving info on regulated and recalled drugs as well as defective medical devices like the Sulzer hip.
Emedicine medical info - Medical Articles and research.
Online Medical Dictionary - including cancer topics.
National Library of Medicine - The World's largest medical Library.
Cancer CancerNet - the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) many sources of cancer information including CANCERLIT
Drug and Prescription Guide - A guide to more than 9,000 prescription and over-the-counter medications.
Illustrated Medical Encyclopedia - 4000 Medical Topics with information, illustrations, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.
MEDLINEplus - Find answers to your health questions. Anatomical Topics and illustrations.
Health News - Recent Medical news by topic and date.
Illustrations of spinal cord anatomy
Spinal cord injury association web
United Brachial Plexis network
United Cerebral Palsy web page
Mammography Page - Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992 (MQSA) Mammograms information
Surgical Eyes - site for eye surgery
Medical Legal News Source for medical legal articles.
Texas Patient Safety Foundation - An excellent med mal resource
Medical Errors - A Federal Report on Medical Errors to the President.
A goverment resource on acceptible treartment guidelines
Medical Errors - - Government agency for quality health care
- Medication errors: The Institute For Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)
Medical Errors Articles - Med League Quick Updates on Medical Error
medical malpractice.blog
Best Hospitals Ranked by specialty
circumcision in law
Legal links
State Bar Associations - A list of State Trial Associations.
Civil Justice Facts - Civil Justice Fact-sheets
Verdict Search: Recent Personal Injury Jury Verdicts.
American Legal Research - Your online resource for Legal Research
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- Association of State Attorney Generals
Trial Lawyers for Public Justice - Consumer Advocacy Lawers
Recommended Links
Personal Injury : Nationwide resource to find Personal Injury Attorneys.
Medical Malpractice Lawyer - Tort
Personal Injury find Personal Injury Lawyers.
Car Accidents Nationwide resource to find Car Accident Attorneys.
Legal Malpractice Nationwide resource to find Legal Malpractice Attorneys.
Wrongful Death Nationwide resource to find Wrongful Death Attorneys.
Breast Cancer Nationwide resource to find Breast Cancer Malpractice Attorneys.
Motorcycle Accidents Nationwide resource to find Motorcycle Crash Attorneys.
Medical-malpractice Nationwide resource to find medical malpractice Attorneys.
Massachusetts Personal Injury - Masachusetts Injury Attorney Referrals
Massachusetts Attorney Massachusetts Lawyer practicing in all Courts
Massachussetts Lawyer Massachusetts Attorney Referrals for Probate , Business and personal injury
Medical Malpractice Info - Info site legal
- Lawyer Listings
- A comprehensive directory of expert witnesses with additional free services for experts, attorneys and the public.
77 Investigations Legal Investigations in all 50 States.
Continue Rsch on search page Item 11 Joel Bieber’s law firm
I believe I have received improper care and treatment by two (2) MCV psychiatrist during a 2 year span. I was being treated by theser medical professionals at The Daily Planet, a non-profit. When I began monthly visits with them, I brought results of a recent blood test which showed in black and white indications of Liver disease. These two MCV doctors did not research and failed to tell me that a follow up blood test, more sensitive to what detect what the elevated blood chemistry was indicating, was indeed available right there at The Daily Planet. I complained about repetitive 'crashes' but they made excuses and never once considered that I was very ill bodily, as if once on anti-depressants you can never get ill. Thus these 2 doctors dispensed the wrong medication and at the wrong dosage when they should have alarmed as their collegues at the Nelson Clinic's Pshychiatry Dept. were;
Thus for w years I have had the wrong diagnosis of a life-threatening condition;
These doctors' superficiality treatment did nothing to spare me from preventable suicide;
Thru the Virginia Coordinated Care health program I am now diagnosed with High Blood pressure, and am awaiting test results of my 3rd or 4th blood test. I believe that it is now impossible to completely restore myself from the damage and loss in this situation as my liver condition has caused toxins to be released when I could have been treated back 2 years ago.
If you feel interested in this case on contingency, please let me know at either aryvz@ or sophway1@ . Thank you kindly for the courtesy of your reply.
[Federal Register: April 17, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 74)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 18895-18906]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.]
[DOCID:fr17ap03-15]
[[Page 18895]]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary
45 CFR Part 160
[CMS-0010-IFC]
RIN 0938-AM63
Civil Money Penalties: Procedures for Investigations, Imposition
of Penalties, and Hearings
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.
ACTION: Interim final rule; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This interim final rule establishes rules of procedure for the
imposition, by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, of civil
money penalties on entities that violate standards adopted by the
Secretary under the Administrative Simplification provisions of the
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
(``HIPAA''). We intend that this be the first installment of a rule
that we term the ``Enforcement Rule.'' The Enforcement Rule, when
issued in complete form, will set forth procedural and substantive
requirements for imposition of civil money penalties. In the interim,
we are issuing these rules of procedure to inform regulated entities of
our approach to enforcement and to advise regulated entities of certain
procedures that will be followed as we enforce the Administrative
Simplification provisions of HIPAA.
DATES: Effective Date: This interim final rule is effective May 19,
2003.
Comment Date: Comments on the interim final rule must be received
by June 16, 2003.
Expiration Date: This interim final rule will cease to be in effect
on September 16, 2003.
ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer to file code CMS-0010-IFC.
Because of staff and resource limitations, we cannot accept comments by
facsimile (``FAX'') transmission. Mail written comments (one original
and three copies) to the following address only: Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention:
CMS-0010-IFC, P.O. Box 8010, Baltimore, MD 21244-8010.
Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be timely
received in the event of delivery delays.
If you prefer, you may deliver (by hand or courier) your written
comments (one original and three copies) to one of the following
addresses: Room 445-G, Hubert H. Humphrey (``HHH'') Building, 200
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201, or Room C5-14-03, 7500
Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
(Because access to the interior of the HHH Building is not readily
available to persons without Federal Government identification,
commenters are encouraged to leave their comments in the CMS drop slots
located in the main lobby of the building. A stamp-in clock is
available for commenters wishing to retain a proof of filing by
stamping in and retaining an extra copy of the comments being filed.)
Comments mailed to the addresses indicated as appropriate for hand
or courier delivery may be delayed and could be considered late.
Comments may also be submitted electronically to the following e-
mail address: ments@. For e-mail procedures, see the
beginning of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
For further information on viewing public comments, see the
beginning of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Shaw, (202) 690-7711.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Inspection of Public Comments
Comments received timely will be available for public inspection as
they are received, generally beginning approximately 3 weeks after
publication of this document, at the headquarters of the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore,
Maryland 21244, Monday through Friday of each week from 8:30 a.m. to 4
p.m. To schedule an appointment to view public comments, call Sharon
Jones at (410) 786-9994.
Electronic Comments
We will consider all electronic comments that include the full
name, postal address, and affiliation (if applicable) of the sender and
are submitted to the electronic address identified in the ADDRESSES
section of this preamble. All comments must be incorporated in the e-
mail message because we may not be able to access attachments. Copies
of electronically submitted comments will be available for public
inspection as soon as practicable at the address provided, and subject
to the same process described, in the preceding paragraph.
Copies
To order copies of the Federal Register containing this document,
send your request to: New Orders, Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box
371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. Specify the date of the issue
requested and enclose a check or money order payable to the
Superintendent of Documents, or enclose your Visa or Master Card number
and expiration date. Credit card orders can also be placed by calling
the order desk at (202) 512-1800 (or toll-free at 1-866-512-1800) or by
faxing to (202) 512-2250. The cost for each copy is $10. As an
alternative, you may view and photocopy the Federal Register document
at most libraries designated as Federal Depository Libraries and at
many other public and academic libraries throughout the country that
receive the Federal Register.
This Federal Register document is also available from the Federal
Register online database through GPO Access, a service of the U.S.
Government Printing Office. The web site address is:
.
Electronic Access
This document is available electronically at the following web
sites of the Department of Health and Human Services (``HHS'' or the
``Department''): and .
Printing Office at .
I. Background
This interim final rule establishes rules of procedure for the
imposition, by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, of civil
money penalties on entities that violate the Administrative
Simplification regulations (``HIPAA rules'') adopted by the Secretary
under subtitle F of Title II of HIPAA (``HIPAA provisions''). We intend
this interim final rule to be the first installment of a rule termed
the ``Enforcement Rule.'' The Enforcement Rule, when issued in complete
form, will set forth procedural and substantive requirements for
imposition of civil money penalties. In the interim, we are issuing
these rules of procedure to inform regulated entities of our approach
to enforcement and to advise regulated entities of certain procedures
that will be followed with regard to enforcement. We intend to revise
the procedural rule by the expiration date provided above.
We set out below the statutory and regulatory background of the
rule, describe our approach to enforcement of the HIPAA provisions and
rules in general and this rule in particular, and then discuss each
section of the interim final rule. We also set out our analyses of
impact and other issues under applicable law.
[[Page 18896]]
Statutory Background
HIPAA became law in 1996 (Public Law 104-191). Subtitle F of Title
II of HIPAA, entitled ``Administrative Simplification,'' requires the
Secretary of HHS to adopt national standards for certain information-
related activities of the health care industry. The purpose of subtitle
F is to improve the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social
Security Act (``Act''), the Medicaid program under title XIX of the
Act, and the efficiency and effectiveness of the health care system, by
mandating the development of standards and requirements to enable the
electronic exchange of certain health information. Section 262 of
subtitle F added a new Part C to Title XI of the Act. Part C (42 U.S.C.
1320d-1320d-8) requires the Secretary to adopt national standards for
certain financial and administrative transactions and various data
elements to be used in those transactions, such as code sets and
certain unique health identifiers. Recognizing that the industry trend
toward computerizing health information, which HIPAA encourages, may
increase the access to that information, the statute also requires
national standards to protect the security and privacy of the
information.
The HIPAA provisions, by statute, apply only to the following
persons:
(1) A health plan.
(2) A health care clearinghouse.
(3) A health care provider who transmits any health information in
electronic form in connection with a transaction referred to in section
1320d-2(a)(1) of this title.
42 U.S.C. 1320d-1(a)
Collectively, these entities are known as ``covered entities.'' The
statute requires certain consultations with industry as a predicate to
the issuance of standards and gives most covered entities 2 years
(small health plans have 3 years) to come into compliance with the
standards, once adopted. 42 U.S.C. 1320d-1(c), 42 U.S.C. 1320d-4(b).
The statute establishes civil money penalties and criminal penalties
for violations. 42 U.S.C. 1320d-5, 42 U.S.C. 1320d-6. HHS will enforce
the civil money penalties, while the U.S. Department of Justice will
enforce the criminal penalties.
HIPAA's civil money penalty (``CMP'') provision authorizes the
Secretary to impose CMPs, as follows:
(1) In general. Except as provided in subsection (b), the
Secretary shall impose on any person who violates a provision of
this part [42 U.S.C. 1320d et seq.] a penalty of not more than $100
for each such violation, except that the total amount imposed on the
person for all violations of an identical requirement or prohibition
during a calendar year may not exceed $25,000.
(2) Procedures. The provisions of section 1128A [42 U.S.C.
1320a-7a] (other than subsections (a) and (b) and the second
sentence of subsection (f)) shall apply to the imposition of a civil
money penalty under this subsection in the same manner as such
provisions apply to the imposition of a penalty under such section
1128A.
42 U.S.C. 1320d-5(a)
Subsection (b) of section 1320d-5 sets out a number of substantive
limitations on the Secretary's authority to impose CMPs. First, a CMP
may not be imposed with respect to an act that ``constitutes an offense
punishable'' under the criminal penalty provision. 42 U.S.C. 1320d-
5(b)(1). Second, a CMP may not be imposed ``if it is established to the
satisfaction of the Secretary that the person liable for the penalty
did not know, and by exercising reasonable diligence would not have
known, that such person violated the provision.'' 42 U.S.C. 1320d-
5(b)(2). Third, a CMP may not be imposed if the failure to comply was
due ``to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect'' and is corrected
within a certain time. 42 U.S.C. 1320d-5(b)(3). Finally, a CMP may be
reduced, if not waived entirely, ``to the extent that the payment of
such penalty would be excessive relative to the compliance failure
involved.'' 42 U.S.C. 1320d-5(b)(4).
As noted above, HIPAA incorporates by reference certain provisions
of section 1128A of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a). Those provisions, as
relevant here, provide a number of procedural requirements with respect
to the imposition of CMPs. The Secretary may not initiate a CMP action
``later than six years after the date'' of the occurrence that forms
the basis for the CMP. The Secretary may initiate a CMP action by
serving notice ``in any manner authorized by Rule 4 of the Federal
Rules of Civil Procedure.'' 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a(c)(1). A person upon
whom the Secretary seeks to impose a CMP must be given written notice
and an opportunity for a determination to be made ``on the record after
a hearing at which the person is entitled to be represented by counsel,
to present witnesses, and to cross-examine witnesses against the
person.'' 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a(c)(2). There are provisions authorizing
the sanctions the hearing officer may impose for misconduct in
connection with the CMP proceeding, judicial review of the Secretary's
determination in the United States Court of Appeals for the circuit in
which the person resides, and the issuance of subpoenas by the
Secretary and the enforcement of those subpoenas. 42 U.S.C. 1320a-
7a(c)(4), (e), (j). These provisions are discussed more fully below.
Regulatory Background
As noted above, HIPAA requires the Secretary of HHS to adopt a
number of national standards to facilitate the exchange of certain
health information. The Secretary has already issued a number of these
HIPAA standards by regulation. We summarize these HIPAA Administrative
Simplification rules below.
[sbull] Regulations implementing the statutory requirement for the
adoption of standards for transactions and code sets (``Transactions
Rule'') were published on August 17, 2000 (65 FR 50312), and were
recently modified (68 FR 8381, February 20, 2003). The Transactions
Rule became effective on October 16, 2000, with an initial compliance
date of October 16, 2002 for covered entities other than small health
plans. The passage of the Administrative Simplification Compliance Act,
Pub. L. 107-105, in 2001 enabled covered entities to obtain an
extension of the compliance date to October 16, 2003 by filing a
compliance plan by October 15, 2002. If a covered entity (other than a
small health plan) did not file such a plan, it was required to comply
with the Transactions Rule by October 16, 2002. All covered entities
must be in compliance with the Transactions Rule, as modified, by
October 16, 2003.
[sbull] Regulations implementing the statutory requirement for the
adoption of privacy standards were published on December 28, 2000 (65
FR 82462) (``Privacy Rule''). The Privacy Rule became effective on
April 14, 2001, with an initial compliance date of April 14, 2003 for
covered entities other than small health plans. Modifications to the
Privacy Rule were published on August 14, 2002 (67 FR 53182), and
compliance with the modified privacy standards is required by the
initial compliance date, April 14, 2003, for those covered entities
that must comply by that date.
[sbull] Regulations implementing the statutory requirement for the
adoption of an employer identifier standard were published on May 31,
2002 (67 FR 38009) and became effective on July 30, 2002. The initial
compliance date is July 30, 2004 for most covered entities; small
health plans have until July 30, 2005 to come into compliance.
[sbull] Regulations implementing the statutory requirement for the
adoption of security standards were published on February 20, 2003 (68
FR 8334). They
[[Page 18897]]
are effective on April 21, 2003, and the initial compliance date for
covered entities other than small health plans is April 20, 2005; small
health plans have until April 20, 2006 to comply.
The authority for administering and enforcing compliance with the
Privacy Rule has been delegated to the Office for Civil Rights
(``OCR'') of HHS.\1\ Responsibility for administering and enforcing the
remaining HIPAA rules has been assigned to the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (``CMS'').\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ On December 28, 2000, the Secretary delegated to the
Director of OCR authority to enforce, administer, interpret, and
implement the Privacy Rule. 65 FR 82381.
\2\ HHS press release of October 15, 2002.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
II. General Approach
As the discussion above makes clear, the duty to comply with
certain of the HIPAA rules is now a reality for many, if not most,
covered entities. The immediacy of the compliance obligation brings
with it the issue of how these rules will be enforced. Accordingly, we
lay out below our general approach to enforcement. We then discuss how
the rules below will fit in with the projected Enforcement Rule in its
entirety and the basic approach of the interim final rule.
HHS's General Approach to Enforcement
The Department intends to seek and promote voluntary compliance
with the rules promulgated to carry out the HIPAA provisions. With
respect to the Privacy Rule, OCR has developed and is continuing to
produce guidance and a wide array of other technical assistance
materials to help covered entities effectively implement the Privacy
Rule. These materials are available on the OCR Privacy web site at
. These efforts will continue after the
April 14, 2003 compliance date, as OCR learns from its compliance
activities and from those who are implementing the Privacy Rule where
additional guidance and assistance are needed. Other components of the
Department are also developing guidance and technical assistance on the
Privacy Rule for their partners.
This approach reflects the requirements in 45 CFR part 160, subpart
C, that, to the extent practicable, OCR will seek the cooperation of
covered entities in obtaining compliance with the Privacy Rule, and may
provide technical assistance to help covered entities voluntarily
comply with the Rule. See 45 CFR 160.304. As further provided in 45 CFR
160.312(a)(2), OCR will seek to resolve matters by informal means
before issuing findings of non-compliance, under its authority to
investigate and resolve complaints, and to engage in compliance
reviews.
With respect to enforcement of the remainder of the HIPAA rules,
the enforcement approach of CMS is similar. ``Enforcement activities
will focus on obtaining voluntary compliance through technical
assistance. The process will be primarily complaint driven and will
consist of progressive steps that will provide opportunities to
demonstrate compliance or submit a corrective action plan.'' HHS press
release of October 15, 2002, announcing assignment of enforcement
responsibility to CMS. CMS provides a wide variety of technical
assistance and informational materials on its Web site, at
.
HHS's Approach to the Enforcement Rule
As noted above, HHS intends to issue an Enforcement Rule in
furtherance of its implementation of 42 U.S.C. 1320d-5. The Enforcement
Rule, in its entirety, will address a number of substantive issues
relating to the imposition of CMPs under section 1320d-5, such as the
Department's policies for determining violations and calculating CMPs.
In addition, the Enforcement Rule will establish various procedures for
the imposition of CMPs, including the procedures for providing notice
and a hearing on the Secretary's determination to impose a CMP. This
interim final rule implements this latter aspect of the Enforcement
Rule.
Administrative Procedure Act
We recognize that under the Administrative Procedure Act (``APA'')
most of the above-described provisions of the Enforcement Rule must be
promulgated through notice-and-comment rulemaking. We intend to do so.
However, to allow covered entities and the public to be informed as
soon as possible of procedural requirements that will apply as
compliance proceeds, we are expediting the publication of these
procedural rules in final form. These rules set out the procedures for
provision by the agency of the statutorily required notice and hearing
and procedures for issuing administrative subpoenas. Such provisions
are exempted from the requirement for notice-and-comment rulemaking
under the ``rules of agency * * * procedure, or practice'' exemption at
5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(A). Even though notice-and-comment rulemaking is,
therefore, not required with respect to the procedural rules adopted
below, HHS is interested in input from the public, and thus is
requesting public comment on them. We expect to augment these
procedural rules with provisions that, while related to procedure, are
substantive in nature. We anticipate including those provisions in the
notice-and-comment rulemaking that we plan for the remainder of the
Enforcement Rule. In any event, we plan to revise the procedural rule
by the expiration date.
Approach of the Interim Final Rule
As noted above, the provisions of 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a apply to the
imposition of a CMP under 42 U.S.C. 1320d-5 ``in the same manner as''
they apply to the imposition of CMPs under section 1320a-7a itself.
Within HHS, section 1320a-7a is implemented by the Office of Inspector
General (``OIG'') and, as pertinent here, through the OIG regulations
that are codified at 42 CFR parts 1003, 1005, and 1006. We have used
the OIG regulations as the platform for the rules below for two
reasons. First, we read the ``in the same manner as'' language of the
statute as indicating that the procedures for the imposition of CMPs
under 42 U.S.C. 1320d-5 should be, in general, similar to those used by
the OIG under 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a. Second, HHS and much of the health
care industry have operated under the OIG regulations implementing
section 1320a-7a for more than a decade. There is, thus, a significant
body of experience with, and understanding of, the OIG procedural
rules, both within HHS and in a large part of the regulated universe.
Based on this experience, we believe that the rules below will be
workable and promote the efficient resolution of cases where the
Secretary's proposed imposition of a CMP is challenged.
Accordingly, the rules below are based upon, and are in many
respects the same as, the OIG regulations at 42 CFR parts 1003, 1005,
and 1006. We have adapted, re-ordered, or combined the OIG language in
a number of places for clarity of presentation or to reflect concepts
peculiar to the HIPAA provisions or rules. To avoid confusion, we have
also employed certain language usages in order to make the usage in the
rules below consistent with that in the other HIPAA rules (for example,
for mandatory duties, ``must'' instead of ``will'' or ``shall''; for
discretionary duties, ``may'' instead of ``has the authority to''). We
do not discuss those nonsubstantive changes below. Where we have
materially changed the language of the OIG regulations, however, we
discuss our reasons for doing so.
[[Page 18898]]
We also note that the rules below, as well as the Enforcement Rule
as a whole, are not HIPAA standards, and thus the requirement for
industry consultations in 42 U.S.C. 1320d-1(c) does not apply.
Therefore, we have not engaged in such consultations with respect to
the interim final rule below. For the same reason, HIPAA's timeframes
for compliance (42 U.S.C. 1320d-4) do not apply to the interim final
rule below.
III. Provisions of the Interim Final Rule
We discuss the interim final rule on a provision-by-provision basis
below. As a general matter, we note that the provisions adopted are in
many cases the same as or similar to analogous provisions of the OIG
regulations. Where we have closely followed the OIG regulations, we
have done so because we believe that these procedures work and
satisfactorily address issues of concern addressed in prior rulemakings
by the OIG. We do not reiterate those concerns, or their resolutions,
here, but they have informed our decisionmaking on these rules.
Applicability
Section 160.500 states that the procedures established by this
subpart are applicable to investigations, imposition of penalties, and
hearings conducted as a result of a proposed imposition of civil money
penalties. We use ``applicability'' instead of the basis and purpose
statement of the OIG regulations, because we have followed a different
format in the remainder of the HIPAA rules and wish to be consistent
with that approach. Furthermore, this preamble constitutes the
requisite basis and purpose statement.
Definitions
Definitions for the terms used in this new subpart that are not set
forth elsewhere in part 160 are included in Sec. 160.502.
[sbull] ALJ means an administrative law judge, the natural person
who presides at and conducts a hearing requested by a respondent
pursuant to this subpart.
[sbull] Entity means a legal person that is not a natural person.
The term is intended to include all manner of organizations, such as
corporations, associations, partnerships, and other entities that have
a legal existence, other than a natural person. The term ``entity'' is
necessary for this subpart to distinguish such legal persons from
natural persons, because certain procedures in this rule, such as those
involving subpoenas, are different for entities than they are for
natural persons.
The term ``entity'' should not be confused with the regulatory term
``covered entity.'' The latter term, which is defined at Sec. 160.103,
denotes those entities to which the HIPAA rules apply. The term
``entity,'' as used in this interim final rule, describes a broader
class of persons. For example, subpoenas could be directed to entities
that are not covered entities under Sec. 160.504 below.
[sbull] Penalty is defined to mean the amount calculated under 42
U.S.C. 1320d-5. This section of HIPAA sets a penalty of not more than
$100 for each violation, subject to a calendar-year cap of $25,000 for
all violations of an identical requirement or prohibition. The term
includes the plural form of the word.
[sbull] Person is defined to mean a natural person or a legal
person (such as an entity described above). The term includes, but is
not limited to, covered entities. The term is broader than ``covered
entities,'' because some sections of the provisions below by their
nature apply to persons other than covered entities in certain
circumstances. For example, the provisions for subpoenas relate to
natural persons who will be called to testify, and many, if not most,
of these persons will not be covered entities. While the term
``person'' is used generically throughout the HIPAA rules, we have
provided a definition of the term ``person'' for use in this subpart to
provide a clear and efficient way of permitting these distinctions to
be drawn. This definition is not intended to define ``person'' as that
term is used in HIPAA.
[sbull] Respondent means a person (as defined herein) upon whom a
penalty has been imposed, whether proposed or final, by the Secretary.
Respondents will necessarily be covered entities. See the discussion
below of Sec. 160.506.
Investigational Subpoenas and Inquiries
Section 160.504 provides procedures for the issuance of subpoenas
to both named persons and unnamed persons associated with subpoenaed
entities. A subpoenaed entity is required to name a natural person or
persons knowledgeable about the subjects on which information is
sought. This procedure is similar to that provided for in Rule 30(b)(6)
of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Subpoenas issued under this
section may require either testimony or the production of evidence.
The procedures adopted in this section are similar to those in 42
CFR part 1006. Like Sec. 1006.4, Sec. 160.504 provides that
investigational inquiries are non-public proceedings conducted by the
Secretary. A witness is entitled to be represented by an attorney
during an investigational inquiry. However, while this section provides
for the taking of witness testimony, it does not include all of the
provisions of Sec. 1006.4 regarding claims of privilege or objections,
clarification of answers by the witness, corrections to the transcript,
or the use by the Secretary of testimony or evidence obtained in an
investigational inquiry. We anticipate addressing these issues in the
notice-and-comment rulemaking that we plan for the remainder of the
Enforcement Rule.
Basis for Penalty
Under Sec. 160.506, CMPs are imposed for violations of 42 U.S.C.
1320d-1320d-8, section 264 of Pub. L. 104-191, or the implementing
regulations at parts 160, 162 or 164 of this subchapter. CMPs may be
imposed only on covered entities. As we have stated in prior
rulemakings, it is the view of HHS that only covered entities are
subject to the HIPAA provisions and rules. Thus, only covered entities
can be liable for a CMP under 42 U.S.C. 1320d-5. See, for example, 67
FR 53252. Regulatory definition of what constitutes a violation
requiring imposition of a CMP will be addressed in the subsequent
notice-and-comment rulemaking that we plan for the remainder of the
Enforcement Rule. This section, thus, functions to clarify and
establish the linkage of the procedural rules to the criteria and
processes for the substantive determinations that are to be developed
through notice-and-comment rulemaking.
Amount of Penalty
Under Sec. 160.508, the amount of the penalty is determined in
accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1320d-5 and the provisions of this part. We
anticipate addressing how penalties will be determined in the notice-
and-comment rulemaking that we plan for the remainder of the
Enforcement Rule. This section thus functions to clarify and establish
the linkage of the procedural rules to the criteria and processes for
the substantive determinations that are still to be developed.
Authority To Settle
Section 160.510 enunciates the authority of the Secretary to settle
any issue or case or to compromise any penalty during the process
addressed in this subpart. This authority is the same
[[Page 18899]]
as that set forth in Sec. 1003.106(f)(3) of the OIG regulations and
implements statutory authority provided by the first sentence of 42
U.S.C. 1320a-7a(f). It provides for flexible resolution of cases and
issues between the Secretary and a respondent. We anticipate that
factors to be taken into account in determinations regarding the amount
of penalties, like those set forth in Sec. 1003.106(a) through Sec.
1003.106(e) of the OIG regulations, will be addressed in the notice-
and-comment rulemaking that we plan for the remainder of the
Enforcement Rule. This section, like the preceding sections, thus
serves to link substantive provisions yet to be developed into the
procedural process put in place by the rules below.
Notice of Proposed Determination
Section 160.514 sets forth the requirements for the notice to a
respondent sent when the Secretary proposes a penalty under this part.
These requirements are substantially the same as those in Sec.
1003.109 of the OIG regulations. Statistical sampling provisions,
however, are not included in this section at this time. We anticipate
addressing statistical sampling in the notice-and-comment rulemaking
that we plan for the remainder of the Enforcement Rule.
Failure To Request a Hearing
Under Sec. 160.516, when a respondent does not timely request a
hearing on a proposed penalty, the Secretary will impose the proposed
penalty or any less severe penalty permitted by 42 U.S.C. 1320d-5. The
penalty is then final, and the respondent has no right to appeal a
penalty imposed under these circumstances. This section is similar to
Sec. 1003.110 of the OIG regulations. This section simply states the
necessary consequence of a respondent's failure to exercise the right
to a hearing.
Collection of Penalty
Section 160.518 provides that once a determination to impose a
penalty has become final, the penalty must be collected by the
Secretary. The penalty may be recovered in a civil action in United
States District Court, or by deduction from any sum owed to the
respondent by the United States or a State agency. If the Secretary
seeks to recover the penalty in a civil action, the respondent is
prohibited from raising in that proceeding any matter that was raised
or could have been raised in a hearing or appeal under this subpart.
These provisions restate statutory provisions at 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a(f)
and (g).
Limitations
Section 160.522 sets forth the 6-year limitations period provided
for by 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a(c)(1). The section includes only the part of
the statutory language that is relevant to the imposition of penalties
in the context of the HIPAA rules. The statutory language concerning
the ``claim was presented'' and ``request for payment'' are not
included, because these phrases pertain to violations described in the
parts of 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a that are not incorporated by reference into
42 U.S.C. 1320d-5. Section 160.522 accordingly differs in this respect
from Sec. 1003.132 of the OIG regulations.
Hearing Before an ALJ
The requirements for a hearing request are contained in Sec.
160.526. The parties to a hearing are the party against whom the
Secretary has proposed a penalty (the respondent) and the Secretary. We
recognize that the HHS party will be OCR and/or CMS. We have not
described the party more specifically here, however, for several
reasons. First, it is not feasible to parse out which component will
actually appear for the Secretary, because the appropriate component
(if both are not) will depend on the facts of the case. Second, the
designation of the proper party component can be handled through the
normal delegation process. Third, similar issues arise in other
sections of this interim final rule (see, for example, Sec. 160.514),
and they are handled this way in those sections as well. A consistent
approach is less confusing and more manageable.
The respondent may request a hearing following receipt of a notice
of a proposed determination. The request for a hearing must be in
writing. If the respondent fails to timely request a hearing, or
thereafter withdraws or abandons the request for a hearing, or if the
hearing request fails to raise any issue that may properly be addressed
in a hearing, the administrative law judge (ALJ) is required to dismiss
the hearing request. In such a case, the penalty becomes final, with no
further appeal permitted.
Paragraph (c) of Sec. 160.526 differs slightly from the
corresponding paragraph in Sec. 1005.2. Our provision requires
specific admissions, denials or explanations in a respondent's hearing
request. The degree of specificity required generally parallels the
requirements applicable to the notice of proposed determination at
Sec. 160.514. Based on experience in prior administrative hearings, we
believe that such additional specificity will assist the parties and
the ALJ in ascertaining the findings of fact and conclusions of law
that are actually in dispute in a case. This certainty will promote
procedural regularity and permit more timely and efficient resolution
of the case between the parties or adjudication of the case by the ALJ.
Rights of Parties; Authority of the ALJ
The provisions in Sec. 160.528 and Sec. 160.530 list the rights
of the parties and the authorities of the ALJ not specifically provided
elsewhere in this part. These sections are based upon Sec. 1005.3 and
Sec. 1005.4 of the OIG regulations, but do not address attorneys' fees
under 42 U.S.C. 406 or any limitation on the ALJ's authority to review
the Secretary's exercise of discretion to impose a penalty. We
anticipate addressing such issues in the notice-and-comment rulemaking
that we plan for the remainder of the Enforcement Rule. We have
clarified in Sec. 160.530 that a summary judgment decision constitutes
a hearing on the record.
Ex-parte Contacts
The provisions of Sec. 160.532 are designed to ensure the fairness
of the hearing by prohibiting ex-parte contacts with the ALJ on matters
in issue. Routine questions about administrative procedures or the
status of the case are permitted. These requirements are generally
applicable to administrative hearings under 5 U.S.C. 554(d)(1) and are
the same as those in Sec. 1005.5 of the OIG regulations.
Prehearing Conferences
The provisions of Sec. 160.534 closely track the provisions of the
analogous OIG regulation at Sec. 1005.6. The ALJ is required to
schedule at least one prehearing conference, in order to narrow the
issues to be addressed at the hearing and thus expedite the formal
hearing process. Matters that may be discussed at a prehearing
conference are identified and include the protection of the privacy of
individually identifiable health information submitted into evidence,
if appropriate.
Settlement
The Secretary has exclusive authority to settle any issue or case
at any time and need not obtain the consent of the ALJ. This provision
in Sec. 160.536 tracks Sec. 1003.126 of the OIG regulations.
Discovery
Consistent with the approach of Sec. 1005.7 of the OIG
regulations, Sec. 160.538 provides for limited discovery in the form
of the production for
[[Page 18900]]
inspection and copying of documents that are relevant and material to
the issues before the ALJ. Like the OIG, we are specifically not
authorizing other forms of discovery, such as depositions and
interrogatories. Prehearing discovery is not provided for under the APA
and is rarely available in administrative hearings. Full-scale
discovery is inappropriate in administrative hearings, as it would
unduly delay the streamlined administrative process. These regulations
do, however, provide for exchange of relevant and material documents,
as well as the exchange of witness lists, prior witness statements, and
exhibits before the hearing, as provided in Sec. 160.540 of the rule.
Exchange of Witness Lists, Statements, and Exhibits
Section 160.540 provides for the prehearing exchange of certain
documents, including witness lists, copies of prior statements of
witnesses, and copies of hearing exhibits.
Paragraph (a) of this section differs slightly from the
corresponding paragraph in Sec. 1005.8 of the OIG regulations, in that
it provides for the exchange of witness lists, witness statements and
exhibits at least 15 days before the hearing, but also allows the ALJ
to order an earlier exchange if he or she deems it necessary.
Paragraph (b) provides that the ALJ must exclude witnesses and
documents offered by a party that did not provide those materials
before the hearing, except where there is good cause for the failure,
or where there is not substantial prejudice to the objecting party. As
with the OIG regulations, this provision is mandatory and serves to
prevent the parties from litigating by surprise and to promote the
procedural regularity of the hearing. Paragraph (b)(3) provides that
where the witnesses or exhibits are not excluded, the ALJ must recess
the hearing for a reasonable time to allow the objecting party the
opportunity to prepare and respond to them, unless the objecting party
agrees to proceed. This paragraph differs from Sec. 1005.8(b)(3) of
the OIG regulations, under which the decision to postpone the hearing
is within the ALJ's discretion. This modification is equally beneficial
to both parties to a hearing and will reduce the potential for unfair
surprise during a hearing. It is preferable to the OIG provision that
grants the ALJ discretion, because it provides clear notice to the
parties and clear direction to the ALJ in the event witnesses or
exhibits are not excluded.
Finally, any documents exchanged before the hearing would be deemed
authentic for purposes of admissibility at the hearing unless a party
objected to a particular document before the hearing.
Subpoenas for Attendance at the Hearing
Section 160.542 outlines procedures for the ALJ to issue, and for
parties and prospective witnesses to contest, subpoenas to appear at
the hearing. Subpoenas are authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a(j) and may
be issued by an ALJ pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 556(c). Either party may
request that the ALJ issue a subpoena, if the appearance of a witness
and the testimony are reasonably necessary for the party's case. The
subpoena procedures here are the same as those at Sec. 1005.9 of the
OIG regulations.
Fees
Section 160.544 provides for the payment of witness fees by the
party requesting a subpoena. This section tracks Sec. 1005.10 of the
OIG regulations.
Form, Filing, and Service of Papers; Computation of Time
Section 160.546 sets forth requirements for documents filed with
the ALJ. Section 160.548 outlines the method for computing time periods
under this part. These provisions track, respectively, Sec. 1005.11
and Sec. 1005.12 of the OIG regulations.
Motions
The provisions of Sec. 160.550 set forth requirements for the
content of motions and the time allowed for responses. This section
tracks Sec. 1005.13 of the OIG regulations.
Sanctions
Section 160.552 outlines the sanctions an ALJ may impose on parties
and their representatives for failing to comply with an order or
procedure, failing to defend an action, or other misconduct. These
sanctions are specifically provided for by the statutory provision at
42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a(c)(4). This section tracks Sec. 1005.14 of the OIG
regulations.
The Hearing
Section 160.554 provides for a public hearing on the record. It
allows for the admission of rebuttal evidence not exchanged before the
hearing.
This section is based upon Sec. 1005.15 of the OIG regulations,
which also addresses the burden of proof at the hearing, and provides
that the hearing is not limited to the items and information set forth
in the notice of proposed determination. We anticipate addressing those
issues in the notice-and-comment rulemaking that we plan for the
remainder of the Enforcement Rule.
Witnesses
Under Sec. 160.556, the ALJ may allow testimony to be admitted in
the form of a written statement or deposition so long as the opposing
party has a sufficient opportunity to subpoena the person whose
statement is being offered. This section also allows an HHS
investigator or other expert to be a witness, in addition to assisting
counsel for the Secretary at counsel table during the hearing. These
provisions closely track Sec. 1005.16 of the OIG regulations.
Evidence
With certain limited exceptions, the Federal Rules of Evidence are
not binding on the ALJ. However, the ALJ may apply the Federal Rules of
Evidence to exclude unreliable evidence. Section 160.558 is
substantially similar to Sec. 1005.17 of the OIG regulations, but does
not contain a paragraph corresponding to Sec. 1005.17(j) regarding
evidence as to the respondent's willingness and/or ability to enter
into a corrective action plan. We anticipate addressing this issue in
the notice-and-comment rulemaking that we plan for the remainder of the
Enforcement Rule.
The Record
Section 160.560 provides for recording and transcription of the
hearing, and for the record to be available for inspection and copying
by any person. For good cause, the ALJ may order appropriate redactions
made to the record. These provisions track Sec. 1005.18 of the OIG
regulations.
Post-Hearing Briefs
Section 160.562 provides that the ALJ has discretion to order post-
hearing briefs, although the parties may file post-hearing briefs in
any event if they desire. This section tracks Sec. 1005.19 of the OIG
regulations.
ALJ Decision
Section 160.564 provides that not later than 60 days after the
filing of post-hearing briefs, the ALJ shall serve on the parties a
decision making specific findings of fact and conclusions of law. The
ALJ's decision is the final decision of the Secretary.
Section 1005.20 of the OIG regulations, upon which this section is
based, provides for the ALJ to issue an ``initial decision,'' which is
then reviewable by the Departmental Appeals Board if properly appealed.
We have not provided for a second level of administrative review in
this rule, and
[[Page 18901]]
thus this section refers to the ``ALJ decision'' rather than to an
``initial decision.'' Neither section 1320a-7a nor the APA requires a
second level of administrative review, although this is generally
available in Department hearings. We anticipate addressing the issue of
further administrative review in the notice-and-comment rulemaking that
we plan for the remainder of the Enforcement Rule.
Judicial Review; Stay of ALJ Decision
Section 160.568 provides for judicial review of penalties imposed
under this part, as authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a(e). Section
160.570 provides that a respondent may request a stay of the effective
date of a penalty pending judicial review. This section tracks Sec.
1005.22(b) of the OIG regulations.
IV. Impact Statement and Other Required Analyses
Paperwork Reduction Act
We reviewed this interim final rule to determine whether it invokes
issues that would subject it to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).
While the PRA applies to agencies and collections of information
conducted or sponsored by those agencies, 5 CFR 1320.4(a) exempts
collections of information that occur ``during the conduct of . . . an
administrative action, investigation, or audit involving an agency
against specific individuals or entities,'' except for investigations
or audits ``undertaken with reference to a category of individual or
entities such as a class of licensees or an entire industry.'' The
rules adopted below come squarely within this exemption, as they deal
entirely with administrative investigations and actions against
specific individuals or entities. Therefore, we have determined that
the PRA does not apply to this rule.
Executive Order 12866; Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995; Regulatory
Flexibility Act; Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of
1996; Executive Order 13132
We have examined the impacts of this rule as required by E.O. 12866
(September 1993, Regulatory Planning and Review), the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (RFA) (September 16, 1980, Pub. L. 96-354), section
1102(b) of the Social Security Act, the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of
1995 (Pub. L. 104-4), and E.O. 13132.
E.O. 12866 (as amended by E.O. 13258, which merely reassigns
responsibility of duties) directs agencies to assess all costs and
benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is
necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic, environmental, public health and safety
effects, distributive impacts, and equity). A regulatory impact
analysis (RIA) must be prepared for major rules with economically
significant effects ($100 million or more in any 1 year). HHS has
concluded that this rule should be treated as a ``significant
regulatory action'' within the meaning of section 3(f)(4) of E.O. 12866
because the HIPAA provisions to be enforced have extremely broad
implications for the nation's health care system, and because of the
novel issues presented by, and the uncertainties surrounding,
compliance among covered entities. However, E.O. 12866 requires a full
economic impact analysis only for ``economically significant'' rules,
which are defined in section 3(f)(1) of the order as rules that may
``have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more, or
adversely affect in a material way the economy, productivity,
competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State,
local, or tribal governments or communities.'' Because this rule is
procedural in nature, it has no intrinsic significant economic impact;
therefore, no economic impact analysis has been prepared.
The RFA requires agencies to analyze options for regulatory relief
of small businesses. For purposes of the RFA, small entities include
small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.
Most hospitals and most other providers and suppliers are small
entities, either by nonprofit status or by having revenues of $6
million in any 1 year. This interim final rule is purely procedural in
nature and, as such, HHS has determined that this regulation will not
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small
entities. The regulation simply implements procedures necessitated by
enactment of HIPAA, in order to allow the Secretary to enforce subtitle
F of Title II of HIPAA.
In addition, section 1102(b) of the Act requires us to prepare a
regulatory impact analysis if a rule may have a significant impact on
the operations of a substantial number of small rural hospitals. This
analysis must conform to the provisions of section 603 (proposed
documents)/604 (final documents) of the RFA. For purposes of section
1102(b) of the Act, we define a small rural hospital as a hospital that
is located outside of a Metropolitan Statistical Area and has fewer
than 100 beds. This rule will not have a significant impact on small
rural hospitals. The rule implements procedures necessary for the
Secretary to enforce subtitle F of Title II of HIPAA.
Section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 also
requires that agencies assess anticipated costs and benefits before
issuing any rule that may result in expenditure in any 1 year by State,
local, or tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private
sector, of $100 million. Because this rule is procedural in nature, it
will not impose a burden large enough to require a section 202
statement under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1531
et seq.).
E.O. 13132 establishes certain requirements that an agency must
meet when it promulgates a proposed rule (and subsequent final rule)
that imposes substantial direct requirement costs on State and local
governments, preempts State law, or otherwise has Federalism
implications. This interim final rule does not have ``Federalism
implications.'' The rule does not have ``substantial direct effects on
the States, on the relationship between the national government and the
States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the
various levels of government'' and therefore is not subject to E.O.
13132 (Federalism).
The Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (5
U.S.C. 801 et seq.) requires that rules that will have an impact on the
economy of $100 million or more per annum be submitted for
Congressional review. Because this rule is procedural in nature, it
will not impose a burden large enough to require Congressional review
under the statute.
List of Subjects in 45 CFR Part 160
Administrative practice and procedure, Computer technology,
Healthcare, Health facilities, Health insurance, Health records,
Hospitals, Investigations, Medicaid, Medicare, Penalties, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
0
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Department of Health and
Human Services amends 45 CFR subtitle A, subchapter C, part 160 as set
forth below.
PART 160--GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS
0
1. The authority citation for part 160 is revised to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1302(a), 42 U.S.C. 1320d--1320d-8, and sec.
264 of Pub. L. 104-191, 110 Stat. 2033-2034 (42 U.S.C. 1320d-
2(note)).
[[Page 18902]]
0
2. Add a new subpart E to part 160 to read as follows:
Subpart E--Civil Money Penalties: Procedures for Investigations,
Imposition of Penalties, and Hearings
Sec.
160.500 Applicability.
160.502 Definitions.
160.504 Investigational subpoenas and inquiries.
160.506 Basis for penalty.
160.508 Amount of penalty.
160.510 Authority to settle.
160.512 [Reserved]
160.514 Notice of proposed determination.
160.516 Failure to request a hearing.
160.518 Collection of penalty.
160.520 [Reserved]
160.522 Limitations.
160.524 [Reserved]
160.526 Hearing before an ALJ.
160.528 Rights of parties.
160.530 Authority of the ALJ.
160.532 Ex parte contacts.
160.534 Prehearing conferences.
160.536 Settlement.
160.538 Discovery.
160.540 Exchange of witness lists, witness statements, and exhibits.
160.542 Subpoenas for attendance at hearing.
160.544 Fees.
160.546 Form, filing, and service of papers.
160.548 Computation of time.
160.550 Motions.
160.552 Sanctions.
160.554 The hearing.
160.556 Witnesses.
160.558 Evidence.
160.560 The record.
160.562 Post hearing briefs.
160.564 ALJ decision.
160.566 [Reserved]
160.568 Judicial review.
160.570 Stay of ALJ decision.
160.572 [Reserved]
Subpart E--Civil Money Penalties: Procedures for Investigations,
Imposition of Penalties, and Hearings
Sec. 160.500 Applicability.
This subpart applies to investigations conducted, penalties
imposed, hearings conducted, and subpoenas issued, under the authority
of 42 U.S.C. 1320d-5, relating to the imposition of civil money
penalties.
Sec. 160.502 Definitions.
For the purposes of this subpart:
ALJ means Administrative Law Judge.
Entity means a legal person.
Penalty means the amount calculated under 42 U.S.C. 1320d-5, as
determined in accordance with this part, and includes the plural of
that term.
Person means a natural or legal person.
Respondent means the person upon whom the Secretary has imposed, or
proposes to impose, a penalty.
Sec. 160.504 Investigational subpoenas and inquiries.
(a) The provisions of this paragraph govern subpoenas issued by the
Secretary in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 405(d) and (e), 1320a-7a(j), and
1320d-5 to require the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the
production of any other evidence during an investigation pursuant to
this part.
(1) A subpoena issued under this paragraph must--
(i) State the name of the person to whom the subpoena is addressed;
(ii) State the statutory authority for the subpoena;
(iii) Indicate the date, time, and place that the testimony will
take place;
(iv) Include a reasonably specific description of any documents or
items required to be produced; and
(v) If the subpoena is addressed to an entity, describe with
reasonable particularity the subject matter on which testimony is
required. In that event, the named entity must designate one or more
natural persons who will testify on its behalf, and must state as to
each person so designated that person's name and address and the
matters on which he or she will testify. The person so designated must
testify as to matters known or reasonably available to the entity.
(2) A subpoena under this section must be served by--
(i) Delivering a copy to the natural person named in the subpoena
or to the entity named in the subpoena at its last principal place of
business; or
(ii) Registered or certified mail addressed to the natural person
at his or her last known dwelling place or to the entity at its last
known principal place of business.
(3) A verified return by the natural person serving the subpoena
setting forth the manner of service or, in the case of service by
registered or certified mail, the signed return post office receipt,
constitutes proof of service.
(4) Witnesses are entitled to the same fees and mileage as
witnesses in the district courts of the United States (28 U.S.C. 1821
and 1825). Fees need not be paid at the time the subpoena is served.
(5) A subpoena under this section is enforceable through the
District Court of the United States for the district where the
subpoenaed natural person resides or is found or where the entity
transacts business.
(b) Investigational inquiries are non-public investigational
proceedings conducted by the Secretary.
(1) Testimony at investigational inquiries will be taken under oath
or affirmation.
(2) Attendance of non-witnesses is discretionary with the
Secretary, except that a witness is entitled to be accompanied,
represented, and advised by an attorney.
(3) The proceedings will be recorded and transcribed. The witness
is entitled to a copy of the transcript, upon payment of prescribed
costs, except that, for good cause, the witness may be limited to
inspection of the official transcript of his or her testimony.
Sec. 160.506 Basis for penalty.
The Secretary shall impose a penalty on a person who is a covered
entity and who the Secretary determines in accordance with this subpart
has violated a provision of--
(a) 42 U.S.C. 1320d-1320d-8, as amended;
(b) Section 264 of Pub. L. 104-191 (42 U.S.C. 1320d-2(note)); or
(c) Parts 160, 162 or 164 of this subchapter.
Sec. 160.508 Amount of penalty.
The penalty imposed under Sec. 160.506 must be in accordance with
42 U.S.C. 1320d-5 and the applicable provisions of this part.
Sec. 160.510 Authority to settle.
Nothing in this subpart limits the authority of the Secretary to
settle any issue or case or to compromise any penalty.
Sec. 160.512 [Reserved]
Sec. 160.514 Notice of proposed determination.
(a) If a penalty is proposed in accordance with this part, the
Secretary must deliver, or send by certified mail with return receipt
requested, to the respondent written notice of the Secretary's intent
to impose a penalty. This notice of proposed determination must
include--
(1) Reference to the statutory basis for the penalty;
(2) A description of the findings of fact regarding the act(s) or
omission(s) with respect to which the penalty is proposed;
(3) The reason(s) why the act(s) or omission(s) subject(s) the
respondent to a penalty;
(4) The amount of the proposed penalty;
(5) Instructions for responding to the notice, including a
statement of the respondent's right to a hearing, a statement that
failure to request a hearing within 60 days permits the imposition of
the proposed penalty without the right to a hearing under Sec. 160.554
or a right of appeal under Sec. 160.568, and the address to which the
hearing request must be sent.
(b) The respondent may request a hearing before an ALJ on the
proposed
[[Page 18903]]
penalty by filing a request therefor in accordance with Sec. 160.526
of this subpart.
Sec. 160.516 Failure to request a hearing.
If the respondent does not request a hearing within the time
prescribed by Sec. 160.526, the Secretary must impose the proposed
penalty or any less severe penalty permitted by 42 U.S.C. 1320d-5. The
Secretary must notify the respondent by certified mail, return receipt
requested, of any penalty that has been imposed and of the means by
which the respondent may satisfy the penalty. The respondent has no
right to appeal under Sec. 160.568 with respect to a penalty with
respect to which the respondent has not timely requested a hearing.
Sec. 160.518 Collection of penalty.
(a) Once a determination of the Secretary to impose a penalty has
become final, the penalty must be collected by the Secretary.
(b) The penalty may be recovered in a civil action brought in the
United States district court for the district where the respondent
resides, is found, or is located.
(c) The amount of a penalty, when finally determined, or the amount
agreed upon in compromise, may be deducted from any sum then or later
owing by the United States, or by a State agency, to the respondent.
(d) Matters that were raised or that could have been raised in a
hearing before an ALJ or in an appeal under 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a(e) may
not be raised as a defense in a civil action by the United States to
collect a penalty under this part.
Sec. 160.520 [Reserved]
Sec. 160.522 Limitations.
No action under this subpart may be entertained unless commenced by
the Secretary, in accordance with Sec. 160.514 of this subpart, within
6 years from the date on which the latest act or omission that is the
subject of the action occurred.
Sec. 160.524 [Reserved]
Sec. 160.526 Hearing before an ALJ.
(a) The respondent may request a hearing before an ALJ. The parties
to the hearing proceeding consist of--
(1) The respondent; and
(2) The Secretary.
(b) The request for a hearing must be made in writing signed by the
respondent or by the respondent's attorney and sent by certified mail,
return receipt requested, to the address specified in the notice of
proposed determination. The request for a hearing must be mailed within
60 days after notice of the proposed determination is received by the
respondent. For purposes of this section, the respondent's date of
receipt of the notice of proposed determination is presumed to be 5
days after the date of the notice unless the respondent makes a
reasonable showing to the contrary to the ALJ.
(c) The request for a hearing must clearly and directly admit,
deny, or explain each of the findings of fact contained in the notice
of proposed determination with regard to which the respondent has any
knowledge. If the respondent has no knowledge of a particular finding
of fact and so states, the finding shall be deemed denied. The request
for a hearing must also state the circumstances or arguments that the
respondent alleges constitute the grounds for any defense and the
factual and legal basis for opposing the penalty.
(d) The ALJ must dismiss a hearing request where--
(1) The respondent's hearing request is not filed as required by
paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section;
(2) The respondent withdraws the request for a hearing;
(3) The respondent abandons the request for a hearing; or
(4) The respondent's hearing request fails to raise any issue that
may properly be addressed in a hearing.
Sec. 160.528 Rights of parties.
(a) Except as otherwise limited by this part, each party may--
(1) Be accompanied, represented, and advised by an attorney;
(2) Participate in any conference held by the ALJ;
(3) Conduct discovery of documents as permitted by this subpart;
(4) Agree to stipulations of fact or law that will be made part of
the record;
(5) Present evidence relevant to the issues at the hearing;
(6) Present and cross-examine witnesses;
(7) Present oral arguments at the hearing as permitted by the ALJ;
and
(8) Submit written briefs and proposed findings of fact and
conclusions of law after the hearing.
(b) A party may appear in person or by a representative. Natural
persons who appear as an attorney or other representative must conform
to the standards of conduct and ethics required of practitioners before
the courts of the United States.
Sec. 160.530 Authority of the ALJ.
(a) The ALJ must conduct a fair and impartial hearing, avoid delay,
maintain order, and ensure that a record of the proceeding is made.
(b) The ALJ may--
(1) Set and change the date, time and place of the hearing upon
reasonable notice to the parties;
(2) Continue or recess the hearing in whole or in part for a
reasonable period of time;
(3) Hold conferences to identify or simplify the issues, or to
consider other matters that may aid in the expeditious disposition of
the proceeding;
(4) Administer oaths and affirmations;
(5) Issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses at
hearings and the production of documents at or in relation to hearings;
(6) Rule on motions and other procedural matters;
(7) Regulate the scope and timing of documentary discovery as
permitted by this subpart;
(8) Regulate the course of the hearing and the conduct of
representatives, parties, and witnesses;
(9) Examine witnesses;
(10) Receive, rule on, exclude, or limit evidence;
(11) Upon motion of a party, take official notice of facts;
(12) Conduct any conference, argument or hearing in person or, upon
agreement of the parties, by telephone; and
(13) Upon motion of a party, decide cases, in whole or in part, by
summary judgment where there is no disputed issue of material fact. A
summary judgment decision constitutes a hearing on the record for the
purposes of this subpart.
(c) The ALJ may not--
(1) Find invalid or refuse to follow Federal statutes or
regulations or delegations of authority by the Secretary;
(2) Enter an order in the nature of a directed verdict;
(3) Compel settlement negotiations; or
(4) Enjoin any act of the Secretary.
Sec. 160.532 Ex parte contacts.
No party or person (except employees of the ALJ's office) may
communicate in any way with the ALJ on any matter at issue in a case,
unless on notice and opportunity for both parties to participate. This
provision does not prohibit a party or person from inquiring about the
status of a case or asking routine questions concerning administrative
functions or procedures.
Sec. 160.534 Prehearing conferences.
(a) The ALJ must schedule at least one prehearing conference, and
may schedule additional prehearing conferences as appropriate, upon
reasonable notice to the parties.
(b) The ALJ may use prehearing conferences to discuss the
following--
[[Page 18904]]
(1) Simplification of the issues;
(2) The necessity or desirability of amendments to the pleadings,
including the need for a more definite statement;
(3) Stipulations and admissions of fact or as to the contents and
authenticity of documents;
(4) Whether the parties can agree to submission of the case on a
stipulated record;
(5) Whether a party chooses to waive appearance at an oral hearing
and to submit only documentary evidence (subject to the objection of
the other party) and written argument;
(6) Limitation of the number of witnesses;
(7) Scheduling dates for the exchange of witness lists and of
proposed exhibits;
(8) Discovery of documents as permitted by this subpart;
(9) The time and place for the hearing;
(10) The potential for the settlement of the case by the parties;
and
(11) Other matters as may tend to encourage the fair, just and
expeditious disposition of the proceedings, including the protection of
privacy of individually identifiable health information that may be
submitted into evidence, if appropriate.
(c) The ALJ must issue an order containing the matters agreed upon
by the parties or ordered by the ALJ at a prehearing conference.
Sec. 160.536 Settlement.
The Secretary has exclusive authority to settle any issue or case
without the consent of the ALJ.
Sec. 160.538 Discovery.
(a) A party may make a request to another party for production of
documents for inspection and copying that are relevant and material to
the issues before the ALJ.
(b) For the purpose of this section, the term ``documents''
includes information, reports, answers, records, accounts, papers and
other data and documentary evidence. Nothing contained in this section
may be interpreted to require the creation of a document, except that
requested data stored in an electronic data storage system must be
produced in a form accessible to the requesting party.
(c) Requests for documents, requests for admissions, written
interrogatories, depositions and any forms of discovery, other than
those permitted under paragraph (a) of this section, are not
authorized.
(d) This section may not be construed to require the disclosure of
interview reports or statements obtained by any party, or on behalf of
any party, of persons who will not be called as witnesses by that
party, or analyses and summaries prepared in conjunction with the
investigation or litigation of the case, or any otherwise privileged
documents.
(e)(1) When a request for production of documents has been
received, within 30 days the party receiving that request must either
fully respond to the request, or state that the request is being
objected to and the reasons for that objection. If objection is made to
part of an item or category, the part must be specified. Upon receiving
any objections, the party seeking production may then, within 30 days
or any other time frame set by the ALJ, file a motion for an order
compelling discovery. The party receiving a request for production may
also file a motion for protective order any time before the date the
production is due.
(2) The ALJ may grant a motion for protective order or deny a
motion for an order compelling discovery if the ALJ finds that the
discovery sought--
(i) Is irrelevant;
(ii) Is unduly costly or burdensome;
(iii) Will unduly delay the proceeding; or
(iv) Seeks privileged information.
(3) The ALJ may extend any of the time frames set forth in
paragraph (e)(1) of this section.
(4) The burden of showing that discovery should be allowed is on
the party seeking discovery.
Sec. 160.540 Exchange of witness lists, witness statements, and
exhibits.
(a) The parties must exchange witness lists, copies of prior
written statements of proposed witnesses, and copies of proposed
hearing exhibits, including copies of any written statements that the
party intends to offer in lieu of live testimony in accordance with
Sec. 160.556, at least 15 days before the hearing, unless the ALJ
orders an earlier exchange.
(b) (1) If at any time a party objects to the proposed admission of
evidence not exchanged in accordance with paragraph (a) of this
section, the ALJ must determine whether the failure to comply with
paragraph (a) of this section should result in the exclusion of that
evidence.
(2) Unless the ALJ finds that extraordinary circumstances justified
the failure timely to exchange the information listed under paragraph
(a) of this section, the ALJ must exclude from the party's case-in-
chief--
(i) The testimony of any witness whose name does not appear on the
witness list; and
(ii) Any exhibit not provided to the opposing party as specified in
paragraph (a) of this section.
(3) If the ALJ finds that extraordinary circumstances existed, the
ALJ must then determine whether the admission of that evidence would
cause substantial prejudice to the objecting party. If the ALJ finds
that there is no substantial prejudice, the evidence may be admitted.
If the ALJ finds that there is substantial prejudice, the ALJ may
exclude the evidence, or, if he or she does not exclude the evidence,
must postpone the hearing for such time as is necessary for the
objecting party to prepare and respond to the evidence, unless the
objecting party waives postponement.
(c) Unless the other party objects within a reasonable period of
time before the hearing, documents exchanged in accordance with
paragraph (a) of this section will be deemed to be authentic for the
purpose of admissibility at the hearing.
Sec. 160.542 Subpoenas for attendance at hearing.
(a) A party wishing to procure the appearance and testimony of any
person at the hearing may make a motion requesting the ALJ to issue a
subpoena if the appearance and testimony are reasonably necessary for
the presentation of a party's case.
(b) A subpoena requiring the attendance of a person in accordance
with paragraph (a) of this section may also require the person (whether
or not the person is a party) to produce relevant and material evidence
at or before the hearing.
(c) When a subpoena is served by a respondent on a particular
employee or official or particular office of HHS, the Secretary may
comply by designating any HHS representative to appear and testify.
(d) A party seeking a subpoena must file a written motion not less
than 30 days before the date fixed for the hearing, unless otherwise
allowed by the ALJ for good cause shown. That motion must--
(1) Specify any evidence to be produced;
(2) Designate the witnesses; and
(3) Describe the address and location with sufficient particularity
to permit those witnesses to be found.
(e) The subpoena must specify the time and place at which the
witness is to appear and any evidence the witness is to produce.
(f) Within 15 days after the written motion requesting issuance of
a subpoena is served, any party may file an opposition or other
response.
[[Page 18905]]
(g) If the motion requesting issuance of a subpoena is granted, the
party seeking the subpoena must serve it by delivery to the person
named, or by certified mail addressed to that person at the person's
last dwelling place or principal place of business.
(h) The person to whom the subpoena is directed may file with the
ALJ a motion to quash the subpoena within 10 days after service.
(i) The exclusive remedy for contumacy by, or refusal to obey a
subpoena duly served upon, any person is specified in 42 U.S.C. 405(e).
Sec. 160.544 Fees.
The party requesting a subpoena must pay the cost of the fees and
mileage of any witness subpoenaed in the amounts that would be payable
to a witness in a proceeding in United States District Court. A check
for witness fees and mileage must accompany the subpoena when served,
except that when a subpoena is issued on behalf of the Secretary, a
check for witness fees and mileage need not accompany the subpoena.
Sec. 160.546 Form, filing, and service of papers.
(a) Forms. (1) Unless the ALJ directs the parties to do otherwise,
documents filed with the ALJ must include an original and two copies.
(2) Every pleading and paper filed in the proceeding must contain a
caption setting forth the title of the action, the case number, and a
designation of the paper, such as motion to quash subpoena.
(3) Every pleading and paper must be signed by and must contain the
address and telephone number of the party or the person on whose behalf
the paper was filed, or his or her representative.
(4) Papers are considered filed when they are mailed.
(b) Service. A party filing a document with the ALJ or the
Secretary must, at the time of filing, serve a copy of the document on
the other party. Service upon any party of any document must be made by
delivering a copy, or placing a copy of the document in the United
States mail, postage prepaid and addressed, or with a private delivery
service, to the party's last known address. When a party is represented
by an attorney, service must be made upon the attorney in lieu of the
party.
(c) Proof of service. A certificate of the natural person serving
the document by personal delivery or by mail, setting forth the manner
of service, constitutes proof of service.
Sec. 160.548 Computation of time.
(a) In computing any period of time under this part or in an order
issued thereunder, the time begins with the day following the act,
event or default, and includes the last day of the period unless it is
a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday observed by the Federal
Government, in which event it includes the next business day.
(b) When the period of time allowed is less than 7 days,
intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays observed by the
Federal Government must be excluded from the computation.
(c) Where a document has been served or issued by placing it in the
mail, an additional 5 days must be added to the time permitted for any
response. This paragraph does not apply to requests for hearing under
Sec. 160.526.
Sec. 160.550 Motions.
(a) An application to the ALJ for an order or ruling must be by
motion. Motions must state the relief sought, the authority relied upon
and the facts alleged, and must be filed with the ALJ and served on all
other parties.
(b) Except for motions made during a prehearing conference or at
the hearing, all motions must be in writing. The ALJ may require that
oral motions be reduced to writing.
(c) Within 10 days after a written motion is served, or such other
time as may be fixed by the ALJ, any party may file a response to the
motion.
(d) The ALJ may not grant a written motion before the time for
filing responses has expired, except upon consent of the parties or
following a hearing on the motion, but may overrule or deny the motion
without awaiting a response.
(e) The ALJ must make a reasonable effort to dispose of all
outstanding motions before the beginning of the hearing.
Sec. 160.552 Sanctions.
The ALJ may sanction a person, including any party or attorney, for
failing to comply with an order or procedure, for failing to defend an
action or for other misconduct that interferes with the speedy, orderly
or fair conduct of the hearing. The sanctions must reasonably relate to
the severity and nature of the failure or misconduct. The sanctions may
include--
(a) In the case of refusal to provide or permit discovery under the
terms of this part, drawing negative factual inferences or treating the
refusal as an admission by deeming the matter, or certain facts, to be
established;
(b) Prohibiting a party from introducing certain evidence or
otherwise supporting a particular claim or defense;
(c) Striking pleadings, in whole or in part;
(d) Staying the proceedings;
(e) Dismissal of the action;
(f) Entering a decision by default;
(g) Ordering the party or attorney to pay the attorney's fees and
other costs caused by the failure or misconduct; and
(h) Refusing to consider any motion or other action that is not
filed in a timely manner.
Sec. 160.554 The hearing.
(a) The ALJ must conduct a hearing on the record in order to
determine whether the respondent should be found liable under this
part.
(b) The hearing must be open to the public unless otherwise ordered
by the ALJ for good cause shown.
(c) After both parties have presented their cases, evidence may be
admitted in rebuttal even if not previously exchanged in accordance
with Sec. 160.540.
Sec. 160.556 Witnesses.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, testimony
at the hearing must be given orally by witnesses under oath or
affirmation.
(b) At the discretion of the ALJ, testimony of witnesses other than
the testimony of expert witnesses may be admitted in the form of a
written statement. Any such written statement must be provided to all
other parties along with the last known address of the witness, in a
manner that allows sufficient time for the other party to subpoena the
witness for cross-examination at the hearing. Prior written statements
of witnesses proposed to testify at the hearing must be exchanged as
provided in Sec. 160.540. The ALJ may, at his or her discretion, admit
prior sworn testimony of experts that has been subject to adverse
examination, such as a deposition or trial testimony.
(c) The ALJ must exercise reasonable control over the mode and
order of interrogating witnesses and presenting evidence so as to:
(1) Make the interrogation and presentation effective for the
ascertainment of the truth;
(2) Avoid repetition or needless consumption of time; and
(3) Protect witnesses from harassment or undue embarrassment.
(d) The ALJ must permit the parties to conduct cross-examination of
witnesses as may be required for a full and true disclosure of the
facts.
[[Page 18906]]
(e) The ALJ may order witnesses excluded so that they cannot hear
the testimony of other witnesses. This provision does not authorize the
exclusion of--
(1) A party who is a natural person;
(2) In the case of a party that is an entity, the officer or
employee of the party appearing for the entity pro se or designated as
the party's representative; or
(3) A natural person whose presence is shown by a party to be
essential to the presentation of its case, including a person engaged
in assisting the attorney for the Secretary.
Sec. 160.558 Evidence.
(a) The ALJ must determine the admissibility of evidence.
(b) Except as provided in this subpart, the ALJ is not bound by the
Federal Rules of Evidence. However, the ALJ may apply the Federal Rules
of Evidence where appropriate, for example, to exclude unreliable
evidence.
(c) The ALJ must exclude irrelevant or immaterial evidence.
(d) Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative
value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice,
confusion of the issues, or by considerations of undue delay or
needless presentation of cumulative evidence.
(e) Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if it is privileged
under Federal law.
(f) Evidence concerning offers of compromise or settlement shall be
inadmissible to the extent provided in Rule 408 of the Federal Rules of
Evidence.
(g) Evidence of crimes, wrongs, or acts other than those at issue
in the instant case is admissible in order to show motive, opportunity,
intent, knowledge, preparation, identity, lack of mistake, or existence
of a scheme. This evidence is admissible regardless of whether the
crimes, wrongs, or acts occurred during the statute of limitations
period applicable to the acts or omissions that constitute the basis
for liability in the case and regardless of whether they were
referenced in the Secretary's notice of proposed determination sent in
accordance with Sec. 160.514.
(h) The ALJ must permit the parties to introduce rebuttal witnesses
and evidence.
(i) All documents and other evidence offered or taken for the
record must be open to examination by both parties, unless otherwise
ordered by the ALJ for good cause shown.
Sec. 160.560 The record.
(a) The hearing must be recorded and transcribed. Transcripts may
be obtained following the hearing from the ALJ.
(b) The transcript of the testimony, exhibits, and other evidence
admitted at the hearing, and all papers and requests filed in the
proceeding constitute the record for decision by the ALJ and the
Secretary.
(c) The record may be inspected and copied (upon payment of a
reasonable fee) by any person, unless otherwise ordered by the ALJ for
good cause shown.
(d) For good cause, the ALJ may order appropriate redactions made
to the record.
Sec. 160.562 Post hearing briefs.
The ALJ may require the parties to file post-hearing briefs. In any
event, any party may file a post-hearing brief. The ALJ must fix the
time for filing the briefs. The time for filing may not exceed 60 days
from the date the parties receive the transcript of the hearing or, if
applicable, the stipulated record. The briefs may be accompanied by
proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. The ALJ may permit
the parties to file reply briefs.
Sec. 160.564 ALJ decision.
(a) The ALJ must issue a decision, based only on the record, which
must contain findings of fact and conclusions of law.
(b) The ALJ may affirm, increase, or reduce the penalties imposed
by the Secretary.
(c) The ALJ must issue the decision to both parties within 60 days
after the time for submission of post-hearing briefs and reply briefs,
if permitted, has expired. If the ALJ fails to meet the deadline
contained in this paragraph, he or she must notify the parties of the
reason for the delay and set a new deadline.
(d) The ALJ's decision is the final decision of the Secretary.
Sec. 160.566 [Reserved]
Sec. 160.568 Judicial review.
Judicial review of a penalty that has become final is authorized by
42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a(e).
Sec. 160.570 Stay of ALJ decision.
(a) Pending judicial review, the respondent may file a request for
stay of the effective date of any penalty with the ALJ. The request
must be accompanied by a copy of the notice of appeal filed with the
Federal court. The filing of the request automatically stays the
effective date of the penalty until such time as the ALJ rules upon the
request.
(b) The ALJ may not grant a respondent's request for stay of any
penalty unless the respondent posts a bond or provides other adequate
security.
(c) The ALJ must rule upon a respondent's request for stay within
10 days of receipt.
Sec. 160.572 [Reserved]
Dated: April 11, 2003.
Tommy G. Thompson,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-9497 Filed 4-14-03; 3:54 pm]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P
Region II - NJ, NY, PR, VI
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
26 Federal Plaza - Suite 3313
New York, NY 10278
(212) 264-3313; (212) 264-2355 (TDD)
(212) 264-3039 FAX
Region IX - AZ, CA, HI, NV, AS, GU, The U.S. Affiliated Pacific Island Jurisdictions
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
50 United Nations Plaza - Room 322
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 437-8310; (415) 437-8311 (TDD)
(415) 437-8329 FAX
Region III - DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
150 S. Independence Mall West - Suite 372
Philadelphia, PA 19106-3499
(215) 861-4441; (215) 861-4440 (TDD)
(215) 861-4431 FAX
Factsheet U.S. Department of Health and Human Services • Office for Civil Rights
HOW TO FILE A DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT WITH
THE OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces certain Federal civil rights laws that protect the rights of all persons in the United States to receive health and human services without discrimination based on race, color, national origin, disability, age, and in some cases, sex and religion.
If you believe that you have been discriminated against because of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex or religion by a health care or human services provider (such as a hospital, nursing home, social service agency, etc.) or by a State or local government health or human services agency, you may file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Complaints alleging discrimination based on disability by programs directly operated by HHS may also be filed with OCR. You may file a complaint for yourself or for someone else.
Be sure to include the following information in your written complaint: If you have questions about this form, call OCR (toll-free) at: 1-800-368-1019 Complt form at
Filing a complaint with OCR is voluntary. However, without the information requested above, OCR may be unable to proceed with your complaint. We collect this information under authority of the Privacy Rule issued pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. We will use the information you provide to determine if we have jurisdiction and, if so, how we will process your complaint. Information submitted on this form is treated confidentially and is protected under the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974. Names or other identifying information about individuals are disclosed when it is necessary for investigation of possible health information privacy violations, for internal systems operations, or for routine uses, which include disclosure of information outside the Department for purposes associated with health information privacy compliance and as permitted by law. It is illegal for a covered entity to intimidate, threaten, coerce, discriminate or retaliate against you for filing this complaint or for taking any other action to enforce your rights under the Privacy Rule. You are not required to use this form. You also may write a letter or submit a complaint electronically with the same information. To submit an electronic complaint, go to our web site at:
ocr/privacyhowtofile.html . To mail a complaint see reverse page for OCR Regional addresses.
Your name, full address, home and work telephone numbers, email address.
If you are filing a complaint on someone's behalf, also provide the name of the person on whose behalf you are filing.
Name, full address and phone of the person, agency or organization you believe violated your (or someone else's) health information privacy rights or committed another violation of the Privacy Rule.
1. The name and address of the organization or person you believe discriminated against you.
2. How, why and when you believe you (or the person on whose behalf you are filing the complaint) were discriminated against.
3. Any other information that would help OCR understand your complaint
Briefly describe what happened. How, why, and when do believe your (or someone else's) health information privacy rights were violated, or the Privacy Rule otherwise was violated?
Any other relevant information.
Please sign your name and date your letter.
The following information is optional:
Do you need special accommodations for us to communicate with you about this complaint?
If we cannot reach you directly, is there someone else we can contact to help us reach you?
Have you filed your complaint somewhere else?
SHOW ‘GOOD CAUSE” You must file your complaint within 180 days of the date when the discrimination happened. OCR may extend the 180-day period if you can show "good cause."
You can file your complaint by email at OCRcomplaint@, or you can mail or fax your complaint to the OCR Regional Office that is responsible for the state in which you allege the discrimination took place.
(a) print the completed form and mail or fax it to the appropriate OCR Regional Office; or (b) email the form to OCR at OCRComplaint@.
If you have any questions, or need help to file your complaint, call OCR (toll-free) at 1-800-368-1019 (voice) or 1-800-537-7697 (TDD). You may also send an email to OCRMail@.
Website:
Paul Cushing, Regional Manager
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
150 S. Independence Mall West
Suite 372, Public Ledger Building
Philadelphia, PA 19106-9111
Main Line (215)861-4441
Hotline (800) 368-1019
FAX (215)861-4431
Severe Allergy History to speak to Dr. About
Patient Instructions and side effects of EpiPen
Enmergency Information Card:
Read Aditional Resources and Support:
visit ? Following this link will take you to information on how to request an appeal of an administrative law judge (ALJ) decision, please visit the Departmental Appeals Board Web site.
Genl Glossary of terms and definitions:
Medical Acronyms found
|Acronym |Term | |
|A&AS |Advisory & Assistance Service | |
|A&G |Acquisitions & Grants | |
|A&G |Administrative & General | |
|A&R |Audit & Reimbursement | |
|A-PT |ActionPhase Topic | |
|A/P |Accounts Payable | |
|A/R |Applicant and/or Recipient | |
|A109 |OMB Circular "Major Systems Acquisitions (ADP)" | |
|A121 |OMB Circular "Charge Back for ADP Services Provided to Multiple Users" | |
|A130 |OMB Circular "Management of Federal Information Resources" | |
|A2HA |American Association of Hospital Accountants | |
|A76 |OMB Circular "Policies for Acquiring Commercial or Industrial Products or Services | |
|AA |Associate Administrator | |
|AAA |Agricultural Adjustment Administration | |
|AAA |American Automobile Association | |
|AABB |American Association of Blood Banks | |
|AABH |Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare | |
|AACN |American Association of Colleges of Nursing | |
|AACR |American Association for Cancer Research | |
|AADA |Abbreviated Antibiotic Drug Application | |
|AAF |Aplastic Anemia Foundation | |
|AAFES |Army & Air Force Exchange Services | |
|AAFP |American Academy of Family Physicians | |
|AAGEG |Administrative Analysis Grade Evaluation Guide | |
|AAHA |American Association of Homes for the Aging | |
|AAHP |American Association of Health Plans | |
|AAHSA |American Association of Homes & Services for the Aging | |
|AAI |Applications Alarms Infrastructure (GTE/MTS) | |
|AAKP |American Association of Kidney Patients | |
|AAMC |Association of American Medical Colleges | |
|AAO |American Academy of Ophthalmology | |
|AAP |American Academy of Pediatrics | |
|AAPC |American Association of Professional Coders | |
|AAPCC |Adjusted Average Per Capita Cost | |
|AAPD |American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry | |
|AAPHR |American Association of Physicians for Human Rights | |
|AAPP |Affirmative Action Program Planning | |
|AARG |Average Annual Rate of Growth | |
|AARP |American Association of Retired Persons | |
|AARR |Approval, Adjustment & Reject Response | |
|AB |(BC/BSA's) Administrative Bulletin | |
|ABA |American Banking Association | |
|ABA |American Bar Association | |
|ABD |Aged, Blind & Disabled | |
|ABEND |Abnormal Ending | |
|ABENDAID |ABEND Analysis Software | |
|ABG |Arterial Blood Gases | |
|ABH |Association of Behavioral Healthcare | |
|ABN |Advanced Beneficiary Notice | |
|ABR |American Board of Radiology | |
|ABS |Annual Beneficiary Summary | |
|AC |Actual Charge | |
|AC |Allowable Cost | |
|ACA |Amputee Coalition of America | |
|ACC |American College of Cardiology | |
|ACC |Automated Change Control | |
|ACCT |Action Plan by Electronic Claims Transaction Institute | |
|ACD |Audit Clearance Document | |
|ACD |Automatic Cancellation Date | |
|ACE |(Carrier) Automated Claims Examination | |
|ACEI |Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors | |
|ACEP |American College of Emergency Physicians | |
|ACERS |Annual Contractor Evaluation Reporting System | |
|ACF |Administration for Children & Families | |
|ACGIH |American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists | |
|ACH |Automated Clearing House | |
|ACHE |American College of Healthcare Executives | |
|ACIP |PHS Immunization Practice Advisory Committee | |
|ACL |Access Control Lists | |
|ACLI |American Council of Life Insurance | |
|ACLU |American Civil Liberties Union | |
|ACM |Association of Computing Machinery | |
|ACMP |Audit/Civil Monetary Penalties | |
|ACMS |Advanced Cost Management Systems | |
|ACO |Administrative Contracting Officer | |
|ACOG |American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists | |
|ACP |American College of Physicians | |
|ACPS |Advanced Claims Processing System | |
|ACPV |Average Cost per Visit | |
|ACR |Adjusted Community (Contract) Rate | |
|ACR |American College of Radiology | |
|ACRG |Annual Compound Rate of Growth | |
|ACRP |Adjusted Community Rate Proposal | |
|ACRS |Accelerated Cost Recovery System | |
|ACS |Accredited Standards Committee | |
|ACS |American Cancer Society | |
|ACS |American College of Surgeons | |
|ACS |Automated Cartridge System | |
|ACSC |Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions | |
|ACSI |American Customer Satisfaction Index | |
|ACSS |Advisory Council on Social Security | |
|ACT |Access Control Table | |
|ACTG |AIDS Clinical Trials Group | |
|ACTS |Automated Case Tracking System | |
|ACU |Automatic Calling Unit | |
|ACV |Arithmetic Coefficient of Variation | |
|ACYF |Administration on Children, Youth & Families | |
|AD |Admitting Diagnosis | |
|ADA |American Dental Association | |
|ADA |American Dietetic Association | |
|ADA |Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 | |
|ADAD |After Date of Award Document | |
|ADAMHA |Alcohol, Drug Abuse & Mental Health Administration | |
|ADAPSO |Association of Data Processing Services Organization | |
|ADARS |Automated DASD Archival Restoration System | |
|ADC |Adult Day Care | |
|ADG |Ambulatory Diagnostic Group | |
|ADG-HOSDOM |Ambulatory Diagnostic Group Hospital Dominant | |
|ADHA |American Dental & Hygienists Association | |
|ADJ |Adjusted Claim | |
|ADL |Activities of Daily Living | |
|ADMC |Advance Determination of Medicare Coverage | |
|ADMS |Administrative Message | |
|ADMS |Alcohol, Drug Abuse & Mental Health Services | |
|ADOBI |Advanced DOB Information (System) (SSA) | |
|ADP |(Medicaid) Alternative Disposition Plan | |
|ADP |Advance Planning Document | |
|ADP |Automated Data Processing | |
|ADR |Alternative Dispute Resolution (EEO) | |
|ADR |Automated Date Review | |
|ADR |Automated Desk Review | |
|ADS |Alternative Delivery System | |
|ADS |Amount, Duration & Scope | |
|ADS |Automated Data System | |
|ADS |Automated Development System | |
|ADSB |Application Development System Batch | |
|ADSO |Application Development System Online | |
|ADT |Admission/Discharge Transfer | |
|ADWOH |Average Day's Work On Hand | |
|AE |Administrative Enhancement | |
|AEP |Appropriateness Evaluation Period | |
|AERO |Automatic Earnings Recomputation Operation (MBR) | |
|AF |Administrative Function | |
|AFA |Alternative Form of Annuity | |
|AFCEA |Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association | |
|AFDC |Aid to Families with Dependant Children (Title IV of the SS Act) | |
|AFDS |Alternative Financing & Delivery System | |
|AFEHCT |American Federation of Electronic Health Care Transactions | |
|AFEHCT |Association for Electronic Health Care Transactions | |
|AFFIRM |Association of Federal Information Resources Management | |
|AFHHA |American Federation of Home Health Agencies | |
|AFIPS |American Federation of Information Resources Societies | |
|AFN |Accumulation File Number | |
|AFPS |Accounting for Pay System | |
|AFSCME |American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees | |
|AG |Affiliated Group | |
|AGA |Association of Government Accounts | |
|AGPAM |American Guild of Patient Account Managers | |
|AHA |American Heart Association | |
|AHA |American Hospital Association | |
|AHCA |American Health Care Association | |
|AHES |Average Hourly Earnings | |
|AHFSA |Association of Health Facility Survey Agencies | |
|AHIMA |American Health Information Management Association | |
|AHP |Accountable Health Partnership | |
|AHP |Accountable Health Plan | |
|AHP |Alternative Health Plan | |
|AHP |Average Historical Payment | |
|AHPA |American Health Planning Association | |
|AHPB |Adjusted Historical Payment Basis | |
|AHRQ |Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality | |
|AHSEA |Adjusted Hourly Salary Equivalency Amount | |
|AHSS |Adhoc Sampling Survey | |
|AI |Audit Intermediary | |
|AICC |Anti-Inhibitor Coagulant Complex | |
|AICPA |American Institute of Certified Public Accountants | |
|AICR |Alternative Internal Control Review | |
|AID |Agency for Informational Development | |
|AID |Agency for International Development | |
|AIF |Applications Interface Facility | |
|AIIM |Association for Information & Image Management (trade association) | |
|AIM |Automated Insertion Machine | |
|AIMS |Audit Information Management System | |
|AINS |Advanced Information Network System | |
|AKF |American Kidney Fund | |
|ALBN |Amount of Last Billing Notice | |
|ALC |Active License Counter | |
|ALC |Active Location Counter | |
|ALC |Alternate Level of Care | |
|ALE |Annual Loss Expectancy | |
|ALFA |Assisted Living Federation of America | |
|ALJ |Administrative Law Judge | |
|ALNF |Auto Liability NoFault | |
|ALOS |Average Length of Stay | |
|ALS |Advanced Life Support | |
|ALS |Advanced Logistics System | |
|ALSO |Automatic Lump Sum Operation (MBR) | |
|ALT |Average Length of Treatment | |
|AM |Adjustment Module | |
|AM |Amplitude Modulation | |
|AMA |American Medical Association | |
|AMASDS |Asset Management & Automated Software Distribution System | |
|AMCRA |American Medical Care & Review Association | |
|AMCS |Automated Medical Coding System | |
|AMHPS |Association of Minority Health Professional Schools | |
|AMI |acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) | |
|AMIA |American Medical Informatics Association | |
|AMIS |American Management Information System | |
|AML |Arithmetic Mean of the Logarithm | |
|AMOC |Automated Manual Ordering Cycle | |
|AMP |Average Manufacturer's Price | |
|AMR |Acquisition Management Review | |
|AMRA |American Medical Records Association | |
|AMS |Activities Management System | |
|AMW |Average Monthly Wage | |
|AN |Account Number (also A/N) | |
|ANA |Administration for Native Americans | |
|ANA |American Nurses Association | |
|ANCHR |Access to the NCH Repository (online query to 5% sample) | |
|ANDA |Abbreviated New Drug Applications | |
|ANNA |American Nephrology Nurses Association | |
|ANSCII |American National Standard Code for Information Interchange | |
|ANSI |American National Standards Institute | |
|ANSI X12 837 |American National Standards Institute Health Data Committee X12 file format 837 | |
|AOA |Administration on Aging | |
|AOA |American Optometric Association | |
|AOA |American Osteopathic Association | |
|AOLS |All Other Local Screens | |
|AONE |American Organization of Nurse Executives | |
|AOPA |American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association | |
|AOR |After Outliers Removed | |
|AOR |Application Owning Region | |
|AP |Award Processing | |
|APA |American Pharmaceutical Association | |
|APA |American Psychiatric Association | |
|APACHE |Acute Physiology & Chronic Health Evaluation | |
|APC |Ambulatory Payment Class | |
|APC |Average Per Capita | |
|APC |Average Projected Costs | |
|APCSS |Automated Production Control & Scheduling System (at HDC) | |
|APD |Advanced Planning Documents | |
|APDA |Accretion Premium Due Amount | |
|APDSR |Average Per Diem State Rate | |
|APF |Authorized Program Facility | |
|APG |Ambulatory Patient Group | |
|APG |Ambulatory Payment Group | |
|APHA |American Public Health Association | |
|APHP |Acute Partial Hospitalization Program | |
|APHP |Applied as Hospital Insurance Premiums | |
|APHSA |American Public Human Services Association | |
|API |Application Programming Interface | |
|APM |Admission Pattern Monitoring | |
|APM |Audit Priority Matrix | |
|APMA |American Podiatric Medical Association | |
|APME |Advisory Panel on Medicare Education | |
|APO |Awards Processing Operation | |
|APP |Application Portability Profile | |
|APPC |Advanced ProgramtoProgram Communication | |
|APPS |(GHP) Automated Plan Payment System | |
|APR |Acquisition Procurement Request | |
|APR |Agency Procurement Request | |
|APR |Average Payment Rate | |
|APR - DRG |all payer refined - diagnosis related groups | |
|APS |Acquisition Planning Schedule | |
|APS |Acute Physiology Score | |
|APS |Adjudication Payment System | |
|APS |Annual Person Summary System | |
|APS |Application Productivity System | |
|APSA |American Political Science Association | |
|APT |Automated Production Turnover | |
|APTD |Aid to the Permanently & Totally Disabled | |
|APWA |American Public Welfare Association (changed to APHSA) | |
|AQI |Audit Quality Initiative | |
|AQL |Acceptable Quality Level | |
|AQRP |Audit Quality Review Program | |
|AR |Accounts Receivable | |
|AR |Alpha Representation | |
|ARA |Assistant Regional Administrator | |
|ARA |Associate Regional Administrator | |
|ARC |AIDS Related Complex | |
|ARC |American Red Cross | |
|ARC |Association for Retarded Citizens | |
|ARCS |Accounts Receivable & Collection System | |
|ARF |Actuarial Reduction Factor Program (MBR) | |
|ARF |Area Resource File | |
|ARIMA |Arithmetic Moving Average | |
|ARK |Arkansas Part B System | |
|ARMIS |Ad Hoc Reports Management Information System | |
|ARMS |Adhoc Reports Management System | |
|ARMS |Automated Resource Management System | |
|ARO |Annualized Rate of Occurence | |
|ARP |Admission Review Program | |
|ARS |Active Record Status | |
|ARS |Advanced Record System (GSA) | |
|ARS |Advanced Retrieval System | |
|ARS |Age/Race/Sex | |
|ARS |Agricultural Research Service | |
|ARS |Altanthus Response System | |
|ARSTOP |ARS Telephone Communications Operating Procedures | |
|ARTEMIS |(mainframe project management software testing tool) | |
|ARTS |Automated Reporting & Tracking System | |
|ARU |Audio Response Unit | |
|ARU |Automated Response Unit (Phone system with automated routing) | |
|AS |Administrative Simplification | |
|AS |Advanced System (AJS) | |
|AS |American Samoa | |
|AS |Application System | |
|ASAP |Automated Standard Application for Payments | |
|ASBCA |Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals | |
|ASBCA |Armed Services Board of Contract/State Assessments | |
|ASC |Accredited Standards Committee (ANSI) | |
|ASC |Ambulatory Surgical/Surgery Center | |
|ASCA |Administrative Simplification Compliance Act | |
|ASCII |American Standard Code for Information Interchange (see ANSCII) | |
|ASCM |Application Software Configuration Management | |
|ASCO |American Society of Clinical Oncology | |
|ASCP |American Society of Consultant Pharmacists | |
|ASCPT |American Society of Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics | |
|ASCT |American Society of Cytotechnology | |
|ASCW |Audit Selection Criteria Worksheet | |
|ASER/SA |Annual State Evaluation Report/State Assessments | |
|ASF |Automatic System Facility | |
|ASH |Assistant Secretary for Health | |
|ASHP |American Society of Hospital Pharmacists | |
|ASHRM |American Society of Healthcare Risk Management | |
|ASI |Alert Screen Initiative | |
|ASIC |Application Specific Integrated Circuit | |
|ASIM |American Society of Internal Medicine | |
|ASIS |Association Society of Industrial Security | |
|ASM |Annuity & Survivors Master (OPM file) | |
|ASMB |Assistant Secretary for Management & Budget | |
|ASMH |Assembler H Software | |
|ASMT |American Society for Medical Technologists | |
|ASO |Administrative Services Only | |
|ASP |Acquisition Strategy Plan | |
|ASPA |American Society of Public Administrators | |
|ASPE |Assistant Secretary for Planning & Evaluation | |
|ASPEN |Automated Survey Processing Environment | |
|ASPER |Assistant Secretary for Personnel | |
|ASTER |Automated System for Transaction Exception Resolution | |
|ASTHO |Association of State & Territorial Health Offices | |
|ASTM |American Society for Testing & Materials | |
|ASTME31 |ASTM Committee 31 | |
|ASTS |American Society of Transplant Surgeons | |
|ATARS |Audits Tracking & Reporting System | |
|ATB |All Trunks Busy | |
|ATBCB |Architectural & Transportation Barriers Compliance Board | |
|ATLA |Association of Trial Lawyers of America | |
|ATM |Aschronous Transfer Mode | |
|ATP |Advanced Technology Projects (GTE) | |
|ATRA |American Therapeutic Recreation Association | |
|ATSDR |Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (EPA) | |
|AUF |Automatic Update Facility | |
|AUSA |Assistant United States Attorney | |
|AUSCT |Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation | |
|AUSU |Assistant U S Attorney | |
|AUTO3480 |HDC LMS Robotic Processing software | |
|AVERT |AntiVirus Emergency Response Team (McAfee) | |
|AVGS |Ambulatory Visit Groups | |
|AVP |Assistant Vice President | |
|AVT |Automated Voice Technology | |
|AWAS |Automated Work Administration System | |
|AWP |Actual Wholesale Price | |
|AWP |Average Wholesale Price (Drugs) | |
|AZT |Azidothymidine (AIDS drug therapy) | |
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|Acronym |Term |Audiences |
|B&P |Bid & Proposal |General |
|BA |Basic Agreement |General |
|BA |Budget Administration |General |
|BA |Budget Authority |General |
|BA |Business Associate |Health Care |
|BAAADS |Budget Apportionment Allotment Allowance & Database System |General |
|BAC |Beneficiary Advisory Committee |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|BAC |Billing Action Code |General |
|BACOM |Beneficiary Annotation & Communication Operation |General, Health Care |
|BAR |Beneficiary Adjustment Report |General, Health Care |
|BARS |Bid Analysis & Reporting System |General |
|BATF |Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms |General, Health Care |
|BBA |Balanced Budget Act of 1997 |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|BBRA |Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 (PL 106113) |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|BC/BS |Blue Cross/Blue Shield |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|BCA |Board of Contract Appeals |General, Health Care |
|BCB |Beneficiary Confidentiality Board |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|BCBSA |Blue Cross/Blue Shield Association |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|BCC |Billing Cycle Code |General |
|BCC |Block Check Character |General |
|BCCE |Baltimore Computer Conference & Exposition |General |
|BCCP |Business Continuity & Contingency Plan |General |
|BCD |Binary Coded Decimal |General |
|BCF |Benefit Correction Form |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|BCN |Batch Clearance Notice |General |
|BD |Budget Distribution |General |
|BDAM |Basic Data Access Method |General |
|BDF |Bulk Data Facility |General |
|BDOD |Beneficiary Date of Death |General, Health Care |
|BDP |Beneficiary Database Prototype |General, Health Care |
|BDPC |Breakthrough Drug Pricing Committee |General, Health Care |
|BDPP |Beneficiary Database Prototype Project |General, Health Care |
|BDTS |Batched Data Transmission System |General |
|BEA |Budget Expense Account |General |
|BEA |Bureau of Economic Affairs |General |
|BEA |Bureau of Economic Analysis |General |
|BEA |Business Enterprise Area |General |
|BEAM |Brain Electrical Activity Mapping |General, Health Care |
|BEAU |Budget Expense Account Unit |General |
|BEER |Beneficiary Earnings Exchange Record |General, Health Care |
|BEI |Budget Estimating Initiative |General |
|BENDEX |Beneficiary & Earnings Data Exchange System |General, Health Care |
|BENDEX |Beneficiary Data Exchange |General, Health Care |
|BERT |(EDB) Beneficiary Enrollment Retrieval System |General, Health Care |
|BESS |Part B Extract & Summary System (nee BMAD) |General, Health Care |
|BEST |Beneficiary Eligibility State Tape (EDB Bene Alpha File) |General, Health Care |
|BEST |Beneficiary State Totals (from SPACE System) |General, Health Care |
|BETOS |Berenson Eggers Type of Service |General |
|BF |Beneficiary File |General, Health Care |
|BGN |Beneficiary Given Name |General, Health Care |
|BHO |Behavioral Health Organization |General, Health Care |
|BHS |Business Health Services |General |
|BI |Background Investigation |General |
|BI |Benefits Integrity |General, Health Care |
|BI |Buy In |General |
|BIA |Business Impact Analysis |General |
|BIC |Beneficiary Identification Code |General, Health Care |
|BICEQN |BIC Equate Number |General |
|BIEC |BuyIn Eligibility Code |General |
|BIER |Billing Information Exchange Record |General |
|BIF |Beneficiary Insurance File |General, Health Care |
|BIF |Benefit Information Form |General, Health Care |
|BIMF |Beneficiary Inactive Master File |General, Health Care |
|BIPA |Benefits, Improvements & Protection Act of 2000 |General, Health Care |
|BISC |Benefit Integrity support Center |General, Health Care |
|BISYNC |Binary Synchronous Communication (IBM data communications protocol) |General |
|BIT |Beneficiary Inquiries Taskforce |General, Health Care |
|BITF |Beneficiary Implementation Task Force |General, Health Care |
|BITS |Beneficiary Information Tracking System |General, Health Care |
|BITS |Beneficiary Inquiry Tracking System |General, Health Care |
|BITSMIS |BITS Management Information System |General |
|BIW |Beneficiary Inquiries Workgroup |General, Health Care |
|BL |Black Lung |General, Health Care |
|BLASER |Black Lung Automated Search & Edit Routine |General, Health Care |
|BLM |Bureau of Land Management |General |
|BLP |Bypass Label Processing |General |
|BLS |Basic Life Support |General, Health Care |
|BLS |Bureau of Labor Statistics (DOL) |General |
|BLUC |Bottom Line Unit Cost |General |
|BLUES |Blue Cross/Blue Shield associations |General, Health Care |
|BMA |BioMedical Applications |General, Health Care |
|BMACS |Part B Medicare Automated Claims Systems |General, Health Care |
|BMCHRD |Bureau of Maternal & Child Health & Resources Development |General, Health Care |
|BOA |Basic Ordering Agreement |General |
|BOAN |Beneficiary's Own Account Number (SSN) |General, Health Care |
|BOCMIS |Beneficiary Overpayment Control & Management Information System |General, Health Care |
|BOD |Bid Opening Date |General |
|BOIS |Beneficiary Online Inquiry System (HI/SMI online in HCFA) |General, Health Care |
|BOM |Bill of Materials |General |
|BOMA |Building Owners & Managers Association |General |
|BOME |Bureau of Medical Examiners |General, Health Care |
|BOR |Before Outliers Removed |General |
|BOSS |Best on Open Systems Solutions |General |
|BOSSN |Beneficiary's Own SSN |General, Health Care |
|BP |Benefit Period |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|BP |Best Price |General |
|BP |Business Partner |Health Care |
|BPA |Blanket Purchase Arrangement (or Agreement) |General |
|BPC |Base Period Charge |General, Health Care |
|BPO |Bargain Purchase Option |General |
|BPR |Budget & Performance Requirements |General |
|BPR |Business Process Reengineering |General |
|BPS |Budget Preparation System |General |
|BPST |Bill Processing System Test |General |
|BQAS |Part B Quality Assurance System |General, Health Care |
|BR |Budget Request |General |
|BRA |Business Resumption Assessment |General |
|BRC |Base Rate Calculation |General |
|BRDPI |Biomedical Research & Development Price Index |General, Health Care |
|BRDS |Bill Review Documentation Summary form |General |
|BRI |Basic Rate Interface |General |
|BRI |Benefit Rate Increase |General, Health Care |
|BRRR |Bills Received & Returned Report |General |
|BRS |Bibliographic Retrieval Service |General |
|BRT |Business Roundtable |General |
|BSA |Business Software Alliance |General |
|BSC |Binary Synchronous Communication |General |
|BSF |Benefit Stabilization Fund |General |
|BSP |Business Systems Planning |General |
|BSR |(Part B) Bill Summary Records |General, Health Care |
|BSRS |Benefit Savings Reporting System |General, Health Care |
|BSS |Beneficiary Satisfaction Survey |General, Health Care |
|BSS |Benefit Summary Statistics |General, Health Care |
|BTW |Bill Type Weight |General |
|BUCS |Budget Under Control System |General |
|BUR |Billing Update Record |General |
|BUTE |Beneficiary Database Update Transaction System (HDBUTE) |General, Health Care |
|BVR |Budget Variance Report |General |
|BVS |Bureau of Vital Statistics |General |
|BY |Budget Year |General |
| | |
|Acronym |Term |Audiences |
|C&P |Compensation & Pension (DVA) |General |
|C/BR |Cost/Benefit Ratio |General |
|C/BR |Cost/Burden Reduction |General |
|C/O |Center or Office |General |
|C/S |Client/Server |General |
|C/SPS |Cost/Scheduling Performance System |General |
|C2IW |CAFM II Implementation Workgroup |General |
|CA |Certification Authority |General |
|CA |Change Administration |General |
|CA |Claims Analyst |General |
|CA |Competitive Advocate |General |
|CAAS |Certificate for Advisory & Assistance Services |General |
|CAAS |Contracted Advisory & Assistance Services |General |
|CABBS |Carrier Bulletin Board System |General, Health Care |
|CABG |coronary artery bypass graft |Health Care |
|CABLE |Combined A/B Local Eligibility |General, Health Care |
|CABS |Carrier Access Billing System |General, Health Care |
|CABS |Contractor Administrative Budget & Cost Reporting System |General |
|CABWF |Combined A/B Working File (also see CWF) |General, Health Care |
|CAC |Carrier Advisory Committee |General, Health Care |
|CAC |Categorical Assistance Code |General |
|CAC |Contractor Advisory Committee |General |
|CACO |Corporate Administrative Contracting Officer |General |
|CAFM |Contractor Administrative, Budget & Financial Management |General |
|CAGE |Contractor & Government Entity Code (formerly FSCM) |General |
|CAH |Critical Access Hospital |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|CAHHS |California Association of Hospitals & Health Systems |General, Health Care |
|CAHPS |Consumer Assessments of Health Plans Survey |General, Health Care, Medicare |
| | |Beneficiary |
|CAHSA |California Association of Home Services for the Aged |General, Health Care |
|CALPERS |California Public Employees Retirement System |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|CALSO |(Death Termination System (SSA)) |General, Health Care |
|CAMP |Carrier Accountability Monitoring Project |General, Health Care |
|CAMS |Customer Account Management System |General |
|CAN |Claim Account Number |General, Health Care |
|CAN |Common Accounting (or Account) Number |General |
|CANDA |Computer Assisted New Drug Applications |General, Health Care |
|CAP |Change Acceleration Process |General |
|CAP |community acquired pneumonia |Health Care |
|CAP |Corrective Action Plan |General |
|CAP-REL |Capital Related |General |
|CAPI |Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (software) |General |
|CAPS |Capitated Ambulatory Plan |General, Health Care |
|CAPS |Claims Automated Processing System (SSA MBR) |General, Health Care |
|CAR |Corrective Action Review |General, Health Care |
|CAR |Cost Accounting Report |General |
|CARE |Center for Analytical Review & Education |General, Health Care |
|CARES |Contractors Analysis & Reporting System |General |
|CARF |Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities |General, Health Care |
|CARRPR |Carrier Payment Record |General, Health Care |
|CAS |Cost Accounting Standards |General |
|CASB |Cost Accounting Standards Board |General |
|CASE |Committee on Academic Science & Engineering Report |General |
|CASE |Computer Aided (or Assisted) Software Engineering |General |
|CASE |Computer Assisted Systems Engineering |General, Health Care |
|CASF |Carrier Alphabetic State File |General, Health Care |
|CASL |Competition Advocate Shopping List |General |
|CASO |(HI) Combine & Sort Operation |General |
|CASPER |Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reporting |General, Medicare Beneficiary, State |
|CASPRO |Clinical Area Support PRO |General, Health Care |
|CASR |Contractor Audit & Settlement Report (System) |General |
|CAST |Carrier Alpha State Microfilm/Microfiche System |General, Health Care |
|CAST |Carrier Alpha State Tape |General, Health Care |
|CAST |Contractor Assessment Security Tool |General |
|CASU |Cooperative Administrative Support Program |General |
|CAT |Computerized Axial Tomography |General |
|CAWR |Combined Annual Wage Reporting |General |
|CB |Consolidated Billing |General, Health Care |
|CB |Cost Benefit |General, Health Care |
|CBA |Cost/Benefit Analysis |General, Health Care |
|CBC |Cipher Block Chaining |General |
|CBO |Congressional Budget Office |General |
|CBR |CASE Based Reasoning |General |
|CBR |Cost Based Reimbursement |General, Health Care |
|CBS |Current Beneficiary Survey (by OACT) |General, Health Care |
|CBSR |Cost Benefit Savings Report |General, Health Care |
|CBSS |Customer Billing Services System |General, Health Care |
|CBT |Computer Based Training |General, IT Organization |
|CC |Ceiling Cost |General |
|CC |Claims Control |General, Health Care |
|CC |Complication or Comorbidity |General |
|CC |Condition Code |General, Health Care |
|CC |Configuration Control |General |
|CCA |Catastrophic Coverage Act |General, Health Care |
|CCA |Child Care Association |General, Health Care |
|CCC |Change Control Coordination |General |
|CCC |Civilian Conservation Corps |General |
|CCC |Comprehensive Care Center |General |
|CCDR |Contract Cost Data Report |General |
|CCDRS |Contract Cost Data Reporting System |General |
|CCHCC |Coordinating Center for Home & Community Care |General, Health Care |
|CCI |Correct Coding Initiative |General |
|CCITT |Consultative Committee on International Telephone & Telegraph |General, IT Organization |
|CCLR |Claims Collection Litigation Report |General, Health Care |
|CCM |Common Cap Module |General |
|CCN |Carrier Control Number |General, Health Care |
|CCN |Claim Control Number |General, Health Care |
|CCN |Correspondence Control Number |General, Health Care |
|CCO |Claims Collection Officer |General, Health Care |
|CCP |Change Control Planning |General |
|CCP |Comprehensive Care Provider |General, Health Care |
|CCP |Coordinated Care Plans |General, Health Care |
|CCPR |Coordinated Comprehensive Provider Review |General |
|CCR |Cost to Charge Ratio |General |
|CCR |Coverage Compliance Reviews |General |
|CCRC |Continuing Care Retirement Community |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|CCRC |Continuum of Care Residential Center |General, Health Care |
|CCS |Community Care Setting |General, Health Care |
|CCS |Contract Control System |General |
|CCU |(Carrier) Cost Containment Unit |General, Health Care |
|CCUITT |Consultive Committee on International Telegraphy & Telephony |General |
|CD |Civil Defense |General |
|CD-RISC |Clinically Detailed Risk Information System for Costs |General |
|CDB |(Carrier) Correspondence Database System |General, Health Care |
|CDC |Center for Disease Control |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|CDC |Corporate Data Center |General |
|CDE |Core Data Element |General |
|CDF |Children's Defense Fund |General |
|CDI |Catastrophic Drug Insurance (Trust Fund) |General, Health Care |
|CDM |(Hospital) Charge Description Master (Files) |General, Health Care |
|CDOC |Covered Days of Care |General, Health Care |
|CDP |Computerized Decision Procedures |General |
|CDR |Continuing Disability Review |General, Health Care |
|CDR |Critical Design Review |General |
|CDRG |Children's Diagnosis Related Groups |General, Health Care |
|CDRL |Contract Data Requirements List |General |
|CDRTS |COMDISCO Disaster Recovery Services |General |
|CDS |Central Distribution System |General |
|CDS |Chain Directory System |General |
|CDT |Current Dental Terminology |Health Care |
|CDW |Collision Damage Waiver |General |
|CDWOH |Calendar Days Work on Hand |General |
|CE |Covered Entity |Health Care |
|CEA |Cost Effectiveness Analysis |General |
|CEA |Council of Economic Advisors |General |
|CEB |Contractor Efficiency Benchmark |General |
|CEB |Cost Efficiency Benchmark |General |
|CEBMA |Computer & Business Equipment Manufacturers Association |General |
|CED |Committee for Employees with Disabilities |General, Health Care |
|CELIP |Claim Expansion & Line Item Processing |General, Health Care |
|CEMS |CostEffectiveness Measurement System |General |
|CER |Capital Expenditure Review |General |
|CER |Combined Exchange Record (from the MBR) (nee URIC) |General |
|CER |Comprehensive Evaluation Report |General |
|CER |Cost Estimating Relationship |General |
|CERT |Comprehensive Error Rate Testing |General |
|CES |Cost Estimating System |General |
|CES |Credential Evaluation Service |General, Health Care |
|CF |Case Folder Control System |General |
|CF |Conversion Factor |General |
|CFB |Cipher Feedback |General |
|CFE |Contractor Furnished Equipment |General |
|CFO |Chief Financial Officer |General |
|CFOA |Chief Financial Officer's Act of 1990 |General |
|CFPP |Contracting for Prepaid Plans |General |
|CFR |Code of Federal Regulations |General |
|CFSR |Contract Funds Status Report |General |
|CGMP |Current Good Manufacturing Practice |General |
|CHA |Catholic Health Association |General, Health Care |
|CHA |County Health Authorities |General |
|CHAFF |Change of Address System (MBR) |General |
|CHAIN |Chain Provider Director System |General, Health Care |
|CHAMPUS |Civilian Health & Medical Programs of the Uniformed Services (Now |General, Health Care |
| |TRI-CARE) | |
|CHAMPVA |Civilian Health & Medical Program of the Veterans Administration |General, Health Care |
|CHAP |Child Health Assurance Program |General, Health Care |
|CHAP |Community Health Accreditation Program |General, Health Care |
|CHAPS |Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey |General, Health Care |
|CHBI |Commission on Health Benefits & Integration |General, Health Care |
|CHC |Community Health Center |General, Health Care |
|CHC |Comprehensive Health Center |General, Health Care |
|CHC |Continuous Home Care |General, Health Care |
|CHCC |Center for Hospital & Community Care |General, Health Care |
|CHCL |Center for Health Care Law |General, Health Care |
|CHDR |Center for Health Dispute Resolution |General, Health Care |
|CHDS |(National) Charge Distribution System |General |
|CHER |Center of Health Economics Research (aka HERI) |General, Health Care |
|CHHA |Certified Home Health Agency |General, Health Care |
|CHHC |Continuous Home Health Care |General, Health Care |
|CHI |Catastrophic Health Insurance |General, Health Care |
|CHICN |HI Enrollment Cards Operation (HECHICN) |General, Health Care |
|CHICO |Combined Health Insurance & Checkwriting Operations |General, Health Care |
|CHIM |Center for Healthcare Information Management |General, Health Care |
|CHIME |College of Healthcare Information Management Executives |Health Care |
|CHIP |Catastrophic Health Care Program |General, Health Care |
|CHIP |Child Health Insurance Program |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|CHMSA |Critical Health Manpower Shortage Area |General, Health Care |
|CHN |Community Health Network |General, Health Care |
|CHO |Community Health Organization |General, Health Care |
|CI |Catastrophic Indicator |General, Health Care |
|CI |Configuration Identification |General |
|CI |Configuration Item |General |
|CI |Control Interval |General |
|CIA |Commercial Industrial Activity (also GCIA) |General |
|CIADV |Carrier/Intermediary Advance Notice |General, Health Care |
|CICA |Competition in Contracting Act (1984) |General |
|CICG |Critical Infrastructure Coordination Group |General |
|CICO |Commercial Industrial Control Officer |General |
|CICS |Customer Information Control System (replaces SSADARS) |General |
|CID |Commercial Item Description |General |
|CIEP |Contractor Inspection & Evaluation Program |General |
|CIM |Corporate Information Management |General |
|CIM |Coverage Issues Manual |General, Health Care |
|CIMS |Case Investigation Management System |General |
|CIN |Common Identification Number |General |
|CIO |Chief Information Officer |General |
|CIP |Claims In Process |General, Health Care |
|CIP |Competitive Incentive Program |General |
|CIP |Continuous Improvement Process Program |General |
|CIP |Customer Initiated Payments |General |
|CIPS |(FRC) Center Information Processing System |General |
|CISC |Complex Instruction Set Computing |General |
|CISTR |Correspondence Image Storage, Transmission & Retrieval |General |
|CITIC |Consolidated Information Technology Infrastructure Contract |General |
|CKD |Count Key Data |General |
|CKM |Constructive Key Management |General |
|CLAIM |Community Leaders Assisting the ICA (Insurance Counseling |General |
| |Assistance) in Missouri | |
|CLCCP |Comprehensive Limiting Charge Compliance Program |General |
|CLFS |Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule |General, Health Care |
|CLIA |Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (of 1965) (Amendments 1988) |General, Health Care |
|CLIA |Clinical Laboratory Interstate Act (or Amendments) |General, Health Care |
|CLM |Current Logical Model |General |
|CLMA |Clinical Laboratory Management Association |General, Health Care |
|CLOE |(Carrier) Claims Only Entry System |General, Health Care |
|CLT |Certified Lab Technician |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|CLUW |Coalition of Labor Union Women |General |
|CM |Complexity Metrics |General |
|CM |Configuration Management |General |
|CM |Configuration Manual |General |
|CMA |Contract Management Action |General |
|CMA |Current Month Accrual |General |
|CMD |Carrier Medical Director |General, Health Care |
|CMD |Contractor Medical Directors |General, Health Care |
|CMFMRA |Consolidated Master File of Military Retirees & Annuitants |General |
|CMG |Case Mix Group |General |
|CMG |Computer Measurement Group |General |
|CMG |Contractor Management Group |General |
|CMHC |Community Mental Health Center (or Clinic) |General, Health Care |
|CMHS |Continuous Medical (or Medicare) History Sample (or Study) |General, Health Care |
|CMI |Case Mix Index |General |
|CMIS |Communications Management Information System |General |
|CMM |Capability Maturity Model |General, Health Care |
|CMN |Certified Medical Necessity |General, Health Care |
|CMP |Capacity Management Program |General |
|CMP |Career Management Program |General |
|CMP |Change Management Process |General |
|CMP |Civil Monetary Penalty |General |
|CMP |Competitive Medical Plan (under TEFRA) |General, Health Care |
|CMP |Comprehensive Medical Plan |General, Health Care |
|CMP |Configuration Management Plan |General |
|CMP-EIS |CMP Executive Information System |General |
|CMPL |Civil Monetary Penalty Law |General |
|CMPL |Civil Monetary Penalty Liability |General |
|CMPTS |Civil Monitory Penalty Tracking System |General |
|CMR |Comprehensive Medical Review |General, Health Care |
|CMRI |California Medical Review, Inc. |General, Health Care |
|CMS |Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (HCFA prior to July 1, |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
| |2001) | |
|CMSA |Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area |General |
|CMSS |Council of Medical Specialty Societies |General, Health Care |
|CMTI |Customized Claims System Identifier |General |
|CN |Claim Number (also C/N) |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|CNACO |Community Nursing & Ambulatory Care Organization |General, Health Care |
|CNBC |Congress of National Black Churches |General |
|CNH |Community Nursing Home |General, Health Care |
|CNPB |Clean NonPIP Bills |General, Health Care |
|CNV |Conversion Phase |General |
|CO |Central Office |General, Health Care |
|CO |Change Order |General |
|CO |Coinsurance |General, Health Care |
|CO |Contract Officer |General, Health Care |
|CO |Control Officer |General |
|COA |Change of Address |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|COB |Close of Business |General, Health Care |
|COB |Coordination of Benefits |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|COBA |Coordination of Benefits Agreement |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|COBC |Coordination of Benefits Contractor |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|COBRA |Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (of 1985) |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|COC |Certificate of Competency |General |
|COCA |Clearinghouse on Computer Accommodation |General, IT Organization |
|COF |Carrier Option File |General, Health Care |
|COFFE |Council of Former Federal Employees |General |
|COG |Continuity of Government |General |
|COGME |Council On Graduate Medical Education |General |
|COI |Certificate of Indebtedness |General |
|COI |Change of Intermediaries |General, Health Care |
|COM |Centralized Office Minicomputer |General |
|COM |Computer Output Microfilm |General |
|COM |Current Operating Month |General |
|COMPAS |COMDISCO Plan Automation System |General |
|COMSEC |Communication Security |General |
|CON |Certificate of Need |General |
|CONOPS |Concept of Operations |General |
|CONUS |Continual U.S. (48 Contiguous states & DC, aka: CONTERMINOUS U.S.) |General |
|COO |Chief of Operations |General |
|COO |Chief Operating Officer |General |
|COOP |Continuity of Operation Plan |General |
|COP |Concept of Operations Papers |General |
|COP |Conditions of Participation |General, Health Care |
|COP |Continuation of Pay |General |
|COPC |Community Oriented Primary Care |General, Health Care |
|COPD |Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease |General, Health Care |
|COPES |Community Options Program Entry System |General |
|CORC |Carrier of Record Control |General, Health Care |
|CORF |Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility |General, Health Care |
|CORTS |Calculation of Overpayment Recovery Timeliness System |General, Health Care |
|COT |Chain of Trust |Health Care |
|COTF |Chain Organization Task Force |General |
|COTR |Contract Officer's Technical Representative |General, Health Care |
|COWAPS |Council on Wage & Price Stability |General |
|CP |Claims Processing |General, Health Care |
|CP |Contractor Profiles |General |
|CP/M |Control Program for Microprocessors |General |
|CPA |Cost Plus Award |General, Health Care |
|CPAF |Cost Plus Award Fee |General, Health Care |
|CPAP |Common Provider Audit Program |General, Health Care |
|CPAP |Continuous positive airway pressure |General, Health Care, Medicare |
| | |Beneficiary |
|CPAS |Claims Processing Assessment System |General, Health Care |
|CPCM |Certified Professional Contract Manager |General |
|CPD |Competitive Pricing Demonstration |Health Care, Medicare Beneficiary |
|CPD |Cost Per Discharge |General, Health Care |
|CPDA |Current Premium Due Amount |General, Health Care |
|CPDAH |CPDA Hospital Insurance |General, Health Care |
|CPE |Certified Public Expenditures |General |
|CPE |Contractor Performance Evaluation |General |
|CPEP |Contractor Performance Evaluation Program (or Profile) |General |
|CPFA |Cost Plus Fee Award |General, Health Care |
|CPFF |Cost Plus Fixed Fee |General, Health Care |
|CPHA |Commission on Professional Hospital Activities |General, Health Care |
|CPI |Consumer Price Index |General |
|CPI |Coverage Period Indicator |General |
|CPI-U |Consumer Price Index for Urban Areas |General |
|CPIC |Certification Package for Internal Controls |General |
|CPIF |Cost Plus Incentive Fee |General |
|CPM |Claims Processing Manual |General, Health Care |
|CPM |Clinical Performance Measure |General, Health Care |
|CPM |Contractor Performance Management (Module) |General, Health Care |
|CPM |Critical Path Method |General |
|CPM/EIS |Contractor Performance Management / Enterprise Information System |General, Health Care |
|CPMD |Continuous Passive Motion Device |General |
|CPO |Care Plan Oversight |General, Health Care |
|CPO |Chief of Purchasing Office |General |
|CPPC |Cost Plus Percentage of Cost |General, Health Care |
|CPQC |Claims Processing Quality Control |General, Health Care |
|CPR |Comparative Performance Report |General |
|CPR |Computerized Patient Record |General, Health Care |
|CPR |Contractor Performance Report |General |
|CPR |Cost Performance Report |General |
|CPR |Customary, Prevailing & Reasonable (Charge) |General |
|CPRI |Computer-based Patient Record Institute |Health Care |
|CPRS |Contractor Performance Reporting System |General |
|CPS |Center for Policy Studies |General |
|CPS |Classified Position System |General |
|CPS |Critical Payment System |General, Health Care |
|CPSC |Consumer Products Safety Commission |General, Health Care |
|CPSR |Contractor Purchasing (or Procurement) System Review |General |
|CPT |Claims Processing Timeliness |General, Health Care |
|CPT |Common Procedural Terminology |General, Health Care |
|CPT |Cost Per Treatment |General, Health Care |
|CPT |Current Procedural Terminology |General, Health Care |
|CPT-4 |Current Procedural Terminology, Version 4 |General, Health Care |
|CPU |Central Processing Unit |General |
|CPV |Cost Per Visit |General, Health Care |
|CQAS |Carrier Quality Assurance System (now Part B QAS) |General, Health Care |
|CQI |Continuous Quality Improvement |General, Health Care |
|CQMR |Carrier Quarterly Medical Review |General, Health Care |
|CR |Change Request |General |
|CR |Continuing Resolution |General, Health Care |
|CR |Cost Report |General |
|CR |Cross Reference |General |
|CRAG |Contractor Risk Assessment Guide |General |
|CRAH |Change Request Approval History |General |
|CRAM |Cross Region Access Method |General |
|CRB |Change Review Board |General, Health Care |
|CRC |Capital Related Costs |General |
|CRC |Career Resource Center |General |
|CRC |Cyclic Redundancy Check |General |
|CRCC |Compensation Related Customary Charges |General |
|CRD |Chronic Renal Disease (aka: ESRD (preferred)) |General, Health Care |
|CREP |Cost Report Evaluation Program |General |
|CRESUS |Cost Report Evaluation System subsystem |General |
|CRF |Change Request Form |General |
|CRG |Carrier Representative Group |General, Health Care |
|CRI |Client Record Index |General |
|CRI |Controlled Rate of Increase |General |
|CRIPA |Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act |General |
|CRLE |Cost Reimbursement Level of Effort |General, Health Care |
|CROWD |Contractor Reporting of Operational & Workload Data |General |
|CRP |Common Rules Processor |General |
|CRP |Consolidated Review Program |General |
|CRS |Congressional Reporting System |General |
|CRS |Congressional Research Service |General |
|CRSL |Cost Report Settlement Log |General |
|CRTS |Cuff Records Tracking System |General |
|CRVR |Catastrophic Repeal Validation Review |General |
|CRVS |California Relative Value Study |General |
|CRWH |Change Request Work History |General |
|CS |Claims Services |General, Health Care |
|CS |Covered Services |General, Health Care |
|CSA |Computer Security Act of 1987 |General, IT Organization |
|CSA |Cross Service Agreement |General |
|CSAMS |Customer Service Assessment & Management System |General |
|CSAP |Center for Substance Abuse Prevention |General, Health Care |
|CSAT |Computer Security Awareness Training |General, IT Organization |
|CSC |Customer Service Center |General |
|CSCC |Customer Service Call Center (nee SPOC, now CSC Customer Service |General |
| |Center) | |
|CSD |Customer Service Desk |General |
|CSF |Critical Success Factor |General |
|CSI |Computer Security Institute |General, IT Organization |
|CSIRC |Computer Security Incident Response Capability |General, IT Organization |
|CSMI |Corporate Storage Management Initiative |General |
|CSO |Community Service Offices |General |
|CSO |Customer Service Order |General |
|CSOT |Customer Service Outstation Team (also OCST) |General |
|CSP |Certified Systems Professional |General, IT Organization |
|CSP |Customer Service Plan |General |
|CSP |Customer Service Program |General |
|CSR |Core Security Requirements |General, IT Organization |
|CSR |Customer Service Record |General |
|CSR |Customer Service Representative |General |
|CSR |Customer Service Request |General |
|CSRA |Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 |General |
|CSRS |Civil Service Retirement System |General |
|CSSP |Computer Systems Security Plan |General, IT Organization |
|CSSR |Communications System Segment Replacement |General, IT Organization |
|CSSR |Cost Schedule Status Report |General |
|CST |Consumer Service Team |General |
|CSTE |Council of State & Territorial Epidemiologists |General, Health Care |
|CSTP |Carrier System Testing Project (or Program) |General, Health Care |
|CTC |Certified Transplant Center |General, Health Care |
|CTMP |Contractor Task Management Plan |General |
|CTR |Contingency Plan Report |General |
|CTS |Clear To Send |General |
|CTS |Contracts Tracking System |General |
|CUI |Customer User Interface |General, IT Organization |
|CVA |Current View Area |General |
|CVE |Common Vulnerabilities & Exposures |General |
|CVF |Current Value of Funds |General |
|CWF |Common Working File (see NCHS) |General, Health Care |
|CWF/MSP |Common Working File / Medicare Secondary Payer |General, Health Care |
|CWFA |Common Working File Part A |General, Health Care |
|CWFB |Common Working File Part B |General, Health Care |
|CWFDOCO |Common Working File Documentation File |General, Health Care |
|CWFHPEP |Common Working File Host Performance Evaluation Program |General, Health Care |
|CWFINFOBASE |Common Working File Information Database |General, Health Care |
|CWFM |Common Working File Maintenance |General, Health Care |
|CWFM/IV&V |Common Working File Maintenance / Independent Verification & |General, Health Care |
| |Validation | |
|CWFMC |Common Working File Maintenance Contractor |General, Health Care |
|CWFMQA |CWF Medicare Quality Assurance System |General, Health Care |
|CWFQAS |Common Working File Quality Assurance System |General, Health Care |
|CWRS |Contractor Workload Reporting System |General |
|CWS |Compressed Work Schedule |General |
|CWS |Contractor Workload System |General |
|CY |Calendar Year |General |
|CY |Critical Year | |
-----------------------
[pic]
Memo from the Literacy Support Center
May 2004
Mark Your Calendars!
[pic] What implications does the Reading Project have for my program? Find out at the Radford Institute!
[pic] Will my students be able to effectively use the Inquiry Process in studying for the GED? Find out at the Christopher Newport Institute!
Program Resources
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