CP Newsletter: Police Officers Brief Congress on Law Enforcement and Mental Health Collaboration

November 2011 e-newsletter

Police Officers Brief Congress on Law Enforcement and Mental Health Collaboration

From left to right: Lieutenant Kristen Roman, Congressman Dave Reichert (R-WA), Officer Rebecca Skillern, and Officer Ron Bruno

Washington D.C. -- The Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Council of State Governments Justice Center have identified police departments in six cities as national models leading the way in identifying safe and effective responses to people with mental illnesses. In November, representatives from these law enforcement/mental health "learning sites" in the Houston (TX), Salt Lake City (UT), and Madison (WI) police departments visited Capitol Hill to brief key congressional leaders on the progress they have made.

The six law enforcement/mental health learning sites collectively reflect the range of strategies a law enforcement agency might consider when developing a collaborative initiative to address the needs of individuals with mental illnesses in their community. As centers of peer-to-peer learning and support, learning site personnel are committed to providing guidance to agencies in other jurisdictions that are interested in creating or expanding their own specialized policing responses. To learn more about the learning sites program, click here.

Officer Ron Bruno from the Salt Lake City Police Department, Officer Rebecca Skillern from the Houston Police Department, and Lieutenant Kristen Roman from the Madison Police Department discussed with legislators the critical role that law enforcement officers play in responding to people with mental illnesses. As first responders, officers are the first point of contact for people with mental illnesses who come into contact with the criminal justice system.

The six national learning sites are made possible by the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA). Signed into law in 2004 with overwhelming bipartisan support, MIOTCRA created the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) , which supports states and counties that are designing and implementing collaborative efforts between criminal justice and mental health systems. The program was created to address the overrepresentation of serious mental illnesses among jail and prison populations, which can range as high as 14.5 percent for men and 31 percent for women. State and local governments use JMHCP grants to design criminal justice systems better able to respond to people with a mental illness.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congress Provides $9 Million for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act

On Monday, November 17, 2011, Congress passed the "minibus" appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2012, which included $9 million in funding for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA).

Signed into law in 2004, MIOTCRA created the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP), which provides resources to help law enforcement, courts, and corrections agencies, as well as mental health providers, better address the needs of people with mental illnesses who come into contact with the criminal justice system. To date, 220 grants have been awarded to state and local jurisdictions. To learn more about the JMHCP, click here.

The minibus, a consolidated appropriations bill for several agencies including the Department of Justice, provides $2.2 billion for state and local criminal justice programs, including:

• $9 million for MIOTCRA grant programs;
• $63 million for Second Chance Act grant programs;
• $470 million for Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants;
• $6 million for comprehensive criminal justice reform and recidivism reduction efforts by states, also known as "justice reinvestment;"
• $35 million for drug courts;
• $10 million for residential substance abuse treatment programs;
• $20 million for Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act grant programs; and
• $12.5 million for prison rape prevention and prosecution and other programs.

In addition, the package contains a continuing resolution that funds other federal operations until December 16, 2011 -- or until Congress completes the remaining nine FY 2012 appropriations bills.

To read the bill text approved by Congress, click here.

To read the conference report, click here.

BJA Announces It Will Fund 2012 JMHCP Grantees out of 2011 Applicant Pool

In FY 2011, BJA received 279 applications for funding under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP), only 40 of which were awarded due to limited funding. In FY 2012, JMHCP faces further reductions to its appropriation. The peer review process in FY 2011 yielded a high number of qualified and competitive applications, many of which remain unfunded. The peer review process, while serving a valuable function in assisting BJA staff in making funding decisions, is also costly and is funded with JMHCP program funds. By relying on the peer review results of FY 2011 and forgoing a new competitive application process including peer review in FY 2012, BJA is able to maximize the number of awards made to the field. Therefore, BJA will not be issuing a FY 2012 JMHCP solicitation and instead will recommend FY 2012 JMHCP awards from the long list of unfunded, qualified, and highly competitive FY 2011 applications.

National CIT Curriculum in Development; Provide Your Feedback Now!

NAMI, the University of Memphis, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and CIT International are partnering to develop a model crisis intervention team (CIT) curriculum. The curriculum-development project, which is funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, will consist of a national survey of local CIT programs and includes representatives from diverse stakeholder groups. According to the project's coordinators, the model curriculum "will not be a rigid and detailed prescription, but rather a summary of the national consensus among thousands of CIT programs about the topics that should appear in the training, the time dedicated to them, and the objectives of each topic."

The groups are currently collecting existing curricula and surveying officers who have received CIT training. To take a survey and participate in this effort, click here.

NAMI Releases New Report on State Mental Health Spending

In NAMI's State Mental Health Cuts: The Continuing Crisis, the authors found that states have cut more than $1.6 billion in general funds from their state mental health agency budgets for mental health services since FY2009, a period during which demand for such services increased significantly. These cuts led to significant reductions in both hospital and community services for vulnerable individuals with serious mental illnesses. The report provides an update on NAMI's March 2011 report on the same subject. To read the recent report (and for access to the original report), click here.

CORRECTIONS

In an article in the October issue of the Consensus Project e-newsletter about the SAMHSA's GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation, we erroneously referred to Policy Research Associates (which oversees the center) as "Public Research Associates." The mistake has been corrected on our website, and we apologize for any confusion it may have caused.

CJ/MH IN THE NEWS

Articles from newspapers around the country covering issues at the intersection of mental health and criminal justice can be found on the Consensus Project website. Some recent headlines are posted below.

Detroit Free Press Columnist (MI) — After closing psychiatric hospitals, Michigan incarcerates mentally ill

11/27/11 — "Over the last two decades, changes in state policy and big cuts in funding for community mental health care have pushed hundreds of thousands of mentally ill people into county jails and state prisons."

Ohio.com (OH) — Mission for justice

11/25/11 — "The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections reckons that 18 percent of inmates in the state suffer from a mental illness. They track in and out of courtrooms, jails and prisons, racking up time and costs. In some cases, the illnesses may have gone undiagnosed or untreated. In others, the offenders may have gone off their medications. Whatever the reason, the illnesses trigger decisions and behaviors that entwine the offenders in a criminal justice system not set up to handle mental-health issues."

Houston Chronicle (Texas) — Mental health facility? The county jail

11/15/11 — To this day, Sheriff Adrian Garcia says his encounter with Jerome as that rookie in law enforcement still haunts him. Had he and his fellow officers been trained in approaching psychotic individuals, would things have turned out differently for Jerome?

Associated Press (NC) — Report: NC inmates with mental illness neglected

11/13/11 — "An internal review of conditions inside North Carolina's Central Prison found that inmates with serious mental illnesses were neglected by staff and locked away in fetid cells."

Plattsburgh Press-Republican (NY) — Change possible through court programs

11/13/11 — "Mike Bayer's life was spinning out of control. Struggling with bipolar disorder, he had fallen into a severe drug habit as he followed a trail that led him into trouble with the law."

WKSU (OH) — Justice Stratton: Ohio vets courts recognize what society has demanded

11/11/11 — "Twelve veterans whose service spanned from Vietnam to Iraq received their graduation certificates from Mansfield Municipal Judge Jerry Ault last month. They were graduating from one of Ohio's first veterans courts. WKSU's M. L. Schultze has more on the efforts to recognize that – as with many aspects of life – vets have needs that don't always fit with the traditional justice system."

Florida Today (FL) — Mentally ill suspects: Treatment or jail time?

11/11/11 — "Police officers often are called to scenes without knowing what they will encounter. Their lives can depend on how well they communicate and relate to people experiencing a crisis."

Correctional News (NY) — Committee researches NYC's mentally ill inmate population

11/10/11 — "Mayor Mike Bloomberg launched a steering committee in September to research the mentally ill inmates incarcerated in New York City jails and establish the most effective and efficient practices, policies, and treatment options for this population across the criminal justice and mental health continuum."

Republican Herald (PA) — Symposium focuses on authorities coping with people who have mental illness

11/10/11 — "More than 90 people - including authorities from Schuylkill and Berks counties - learned more about serious mental illness Wednesday during a symposium at Penn State Schuylkill campus."

Cody Enterprise (WY) — Gaps in mental health?

11/9/11 — "The mechanisms for dealing with mental health crises in Park County are lacking, according to experts, advocates and local officials."

Detroit Free Press Columnist (MI) — After closing psychiatric hospitals, Michigan incarcerates mentally ill

11/27/11 — "Over the last two decades, changes in state policy and big cuts in funding for community mental health care have pushed hundreds of thousands of mentally ill people into county jails and state prisons."

Ohio.com (OH) — Mission for justice

11/25/11 — "The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections reckons that 18 percent of inmates in the state suffer from a mental illness. They track in and out of courtrooms, jails and prisons, racking up time and costs. In some cases, the illnesses may have gone undiagnosed or untreated. In others, the offenders may have gone off their medications. Whatever the reason, the illnesses trigger decisions and behaviors that entwine the offenders in a criminal justice system not set up to handle mental-health issues."

Houston Chronicle (Texas) — Mental health facility? The county jail

11/15/11 — To this day, Sheriff Adrian Garcia says his encounter with Jerome as that rookie in law enforcement still haunts him. Had he and his fellow officers been trained in approaching psychotic individuals, would things have turned out differently for Jerome?

Associated Press (NC) — Report: NC inmates with mental illness neglected

11/13/11 — "An internal review of conditions inside North Carolina's Central Prison found that inmates with serious mental illnesses were neglected by staff and locked away in fetid cells."

Plattsburgh Press-Republican (NY) — Change possible through court programs

11/13/11 — "Mike Bayer's life was spinning out of control. Struggling with bipolar disorder, he had fallen into a severe drug habit as he followed a trail that led him into trouble with the law."

WKSU (OH) — Justice Stratton: Ohio vets courts recognize what society has demanded

11/11/11 — "Twelve veterans whose service spanned from Vietnam to Iraq received their graduation certificates from Mansfield Municipal Judge Jerry Ault last month. They were graduating from one of Ohio's first veterans courts. WKSU's M. L. Schultze has more on the efforts to recognize that – as with many aspects of life – vets have needs that don't always fit with the traditional justice system."

Florida Today (FL) — Mentally ill suspects: Treatment or jail time?

11/11/11 — "Police officers often are called to scenes without knowing what they will encounter. Their lives can depend on how well they communicate and relate to people experiencing a crisis."

Correctional News (NY) — Committee researches NYC's mentally ill inmate population

11/10/11 — "Mayor Mike Bloomberg launched a steering committee in September to research the mentally ill inmates incarcerated in New York City jails and establish the most effective and efficient practices, policies, and treatment options for this population across the criminal justice and mental health continuum."

Republican Herald (PA) — Symposium focuses on authorities coping with people who have mental illness

11/10/11 — "More than 90 people - including authorities from Schuylkill and Berks counties - learned more about serious mental illness Wednesday during a symposium at Penn State Schuylkill campus."

Cody Enterprise (WY) — Gaps in mental health?

11/9/11 — "The mechanisms for dealing with mental health crises in Park County are lacking, according to experts, advocates and local officials."

BJA Announcement Regarding Funding of 2012 JMHCP Grantees

In FY 2011, BJA received 279 applications for funding under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP), only 40 of which were awarded due to limited funding. In FY 2012, JMHCP faces further reductions to its appropriation. The peer review process in FY 2011 yielded a high number of qualified and competitive applications, many of which remain unfunded. The peer review process, while serving a valuable function in assisting BJA staff in making funding decisions, is also costly and is funded with JMHCP program funds. By relying on the peer review results of FY 2011 and forgoing a new competitive application process including peer review in FY 2012, BJA is able to maximize the number of awards made to the field. Therefore, BJA will not be issuing a FY 2012 JMHCP solicitation and instead will recommend FY 2012 JMHCP awards from the long list of unfunded, qualified, and highly competitive FY 2011 applications.

National CIT Curriculum in Development; Provide Your Feedback Now!

NAMI, the University of Memphis, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and CIT International are partnering to develop a model crisis intervention team (CIT) curriculum. The curriculum-development project, which is funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, will consist of a national survey of local CIT programs and includes representatives from diverse stakeholder groups. According to the project's coordinators, the model curriculum "will not be a rigid and detailed prescription, but rather a summary of the national consensus among thousands of CIT programs about the topics that should appear in the training, the time dedicated to them, and the objectives of each topic."

The groups are currently collecting existing curricula and surveying officers who have received CIT training. To take a survey and participate in this effort, click here.

NAMI Releases New Report on State Mental Health Spending

In NAMI's State Mental Health Cuts: The Continuing Crisis, the authors found that states have cut more than $1.6 billion in general funds from their state mental health agency budgets for mental health services since FY2009, a period during which demand for such services increased significantly. These cuts led to significant reductions in both hospital and community services for vulnerable individuals with serious mental illnesses. The report provides an update on NAMI's March 2011 report on the same subject. To read the recent report (and for access to the original report), click here.

Congress Provides $9 Million for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act

On Monday, November 17, 2011, Congress passed the "minibus" appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2012, which included $9 million in funding for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA).

Signed into law in 2004, MIOTCRA created the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP), which provides resources to help law enforcement, courts, and corrections agencies, as well as mental health providers, better address the needs of people with mental illnesses who come into contact with the criminal justice system. To date, 220 grants have been awarded to state and local jurisdictions. To learn more about the JMHCP, click here.

The minibus, a consolidated appropriations bill for several agencies including the Department of Justice, provides $2.2 billion for state and local criminal justice programs, including:

• $9 million for MIOTCRA grant programs;
• $63 million for Second Chance Act grant programs;
• $470 million for Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants;
• $6 million for comprehensive criminal justice reform and recidivism reduction efforts by states, also known as "justice reinvestment;"
• $35 million for drug courts;
• $10 million for residential substance abuse treatment programs;
• $20 million for Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act grant programs; and
• $12.5 million for prison rape prevention and prosecution and other programs.

In addition, the package contains a continuing resolution that funds other federal operations until December 16, 2011 -- or until Congress completes the remaining nine FY 2012 appropriations bills.

To read the bill text approved by Congress, click here.

To read the conference report, click here.

Police Officers Brief Congress on Law Enforcement and Mental Health Collaboration

From left to right: Lieutenant Kristen Roman, Congressman Dave Reichert (R-WA), Officer Rebecca Skillern, and Officer Ron Bruno

Washington D.C. -- The Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Council of State Governments Justice Center have identified police departments in six cities as national models leading the way in identifying safe and effective responses to people with mental illnesses. In November, representatives from these law enforcement/mental health "learning sites" in the Houston (TX), Salt Lake City (UT), and Madison (WI) police departments visited Capitol Hill to brief key congressional leaders on the progress they have made.

The six law enforcement/mental health learning sites collectively reflect the range of strategies a law enforcement agency might consider when developing a collaborative initiative to address the needs of individuals with mental illnesses in their community. As centers of peer-to-peer learning and support, learning site personnel are committed to providing guidance to agencies in other jurisdictions that are interested in creating or expanding their own specialized policing responses. To learn more about the learning sites program, click here.

Officer Ron Bruno from the Salt Lake City Police Department, Officer Rebecca Skillern from the Houston Police Department, and Lieutenant Kristen Roman from the Madison Police Department discussed with legislators the critical role that law enforcement officers play in responding to people with mental illnesses. As first responders, officers are the first point of contact for people with mental illnesses who come into contact with the criminal justice system.

The six national learning sites are made possible by the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA). Signed into law in 2004 with overwhelming bipartisan support, MIOTCRA created the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) , which supports states and counties that are designing and implementing collaborative efforts between criminal justice and mental health systems. The program was created to address the overrepresentation of serious mental illnesses among jail and prison populations, which can range as high as 14.5 percent for men and 31 percent for women. State and local governments use JMHCP grants to design criminal justice systems better able to respond to people with a mental illness.

ADDICTION MONEY RESTORED

CORE-Illinois: Advocating for Recovery Be the Voice ADDICTION MONEY RESTORED!   -      NOVEMBER 30, 2011  CORE LINKS    CORE'S BLOG    CORE-ILLINOIS WEB PAGE    MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION     CONTACT CORE     FIND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE HERE   LOCATE LOCAL NEWS PAPERS     CORE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FACT SHEET     CORE ROI-TREATMENT A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT FACT SHEET      CORE IS THIS THE ILLINOIS WAY TO SAVE MONEY? FACT SHEET     SAMPLE LETTER TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE     SAMPLE LETTER TO  THE EDITOR   Dear Fred, MONEY RESTORED Last night both the Illinois House (HB 2412) and the Senate (SB 2412) passed a bill restoring 28 million dollars to the ADDICTION SERVICES BUDGET for FY 2012! The Governor is expected to sign the bill. According to the Illinois issue blog, the plan combines money from the governor's budget vetoes with cash transferred from various state funds and Medicaid reimbursements brought in from the federal government. The total amount of dollars shifted would be more than $270 million, and a strategy called "churning" is projected to bring in an additional $136 million in Medicaid dollars from the feds.  Just over $200 million is slated to keep state facilitates open. Additional money would be spent on human services and other programs that Quinn and some lawmakers did not want to see cut in the budget that was approved in the spring. In addition to the 28 Million for substance abuse services 30 million was restored for community mental health programs, 4.7 for homeless programs. Money was also included for indigent burials and grants for college students. Of the 28 million earmarked for addictions services the breakdown of the dollars is: Treatment-Special Populations           1.5 Million Treatment-DCFS clients                     2.0 Million Treatment-Medicaid                           7.6 Million Treatment Services                              16.9 Million Bill Johnson, Executive Director of CORE-Illinois stated that he is gratified with the funding restoration, and lives will be saved because of the actions the lawmakers took last night. This would not have happened had it not been for the efforts of our membership calling, writing and visiting their representatives. Johnson said: "The efforts of CORE in conjunction with the efforts of other mental health and human Services organizations lead to this victory." Johnson also pointed out that this is only a restoring of most of funding lost last year, and does not represent new dollars to enhance the amount or quality of current addiction services. He also pointed out there was no restoration of funding for prevention, and that was disappointing. On the positive side, Johnson also pointed out that the restoration of funding is a strong signal that the legislators understand that service to people affected by addiction is important and necessary.     Thank you to all who helped-you made a difference in someones life!  Now what we are asking you to do.  Please look up on the HOW DID THEY VOTE page, and learn how your legislator voted.  If they supported restoration, call or send them a letter thanking them for their important and enlightened vote.  Legislators far to often only hear complaints-tell them they are appreciated for this vote, and keep working on building your relationships.     CORE SURPASSES MILESTONE! November was a banner month for CORE-ILLINOIS! Our membership crossed the 585 mark, making us the largest addiction advocacy group in Illinois-thank you for your support! CONTACT US : E-Mail COREILLINOIS@AOL.COM Phone 217-544-1251      Fax  217-698-8234 By Mail CORE-ILLINOIS   401 E. Sangamon Ave. Springfield, IL 62702 Below and to the left is a link that will allow you to forward this CORE-ALERT to your FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CONTACTS.  All information is this ALERT is public and we are asking you to please engage others in your life to our cause.

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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Ruling may delay Drew Peterson trial | VIDEO The Illinois Supreme Court has ordered an appellate court to take another look at whether disputed evidence can be used in the Drew Peterson murder trial. 2 hurt in Northwest Side fire Two people were injured after a fire broke out inside an apartment building early Wednesday. Sex assault victim struck, killed by car in Gary A 69-year-old Indiana woman who was sexually assaulted last summer was struck and killed by a car Sunday in Gary, Ind. Teacher resigns after student allegedly moves in A Hoffman Estates high school teacher has resigned after officials learned she was allegedly living with a student. Police are investigating their relationship. Winter parking ban begins at 3 a.m. | VIDEO Drivers, watch where you park your car this evening. Snow or no snow, Chicago's winter overnight parking restrictions go in effect at 3 a.m. Thursday. Walmart opens in Lakeview | VIDEO Despite many protests, Walmart is now open for business in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. MORE STORIES Strange News Flying squirrel invades New Jersey emergency room Zebras get loose from zoo, roam neighborhood Moonshine still discovered in water plant Atlanta man hits second $1 million lottery prize Wolf wanders 730 miles in search of mate Consumer Consumer Reports: Holiday wines for less Online Safety Tips: E-mailing Santa American Airlines files for Ch. 11 protection | VIDEO Facebook settles with FTC over deception charges Google releases new app for catalog shopping Healthbeat Soccer headers bring brain damage risk | VIDEO Pfizer maneuvers to shield Lipitor from generics Study: 1 in 10 stent patients readmitted within a month Genetic advantage to those who operate on less sleep Daley inspired many with advanced breast cancer | VIDEO MOST POPULAR Cain accuser Sharon Bialek faces eviction Sex assault victim struck, killed by car in Gary 2 food delivery people robbed at gunpoint Winter parking ban begins at 3 a.m. Another John Wayne Gacy victim identified All Most Popular

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Hey Black Child; New, National Black Male Leadership and Sustainability Institute; Apply for Paid Emma L. Bowen Internship; Baltimore Schools Start Saturday Schools, Black Parents Fight to Home School their Children;

Hey Black Child!!!  Hey Black Child By Eugene Useni Perkins   Hey Black Child, Do you know who you are? Who you really are? Do you know you can be what you want to be? If you try to be what you can be.   Hey Black Child, Do you know where you're going? Where you're really going? Do you know you can learn what you want to learn? If you try to learn what you can learn? Hey Black Child, Do you know you are strong? I mean really strong? Do you know you can do what you want to do? If you try to do what you can do?   Hey Black Child, Be what you can be. Learn what you must learn. Do what you can do and tomorrow your nation will be what you want it to be. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please call 773.285.9600 to contact Baba Eugene Useni Perkins   New, National Black Male Leadership and Sustainability Institute to Power Black Male Achievement in U.S. Press Release November 30, 2011  Root Cause and Open Society Foundations Campaign for Black Male Achievement to Launch a Leadership and Sustainability Institute Photo provided by The Black Star Project      BOSTON (November 29, 2011) -To bolster the efforts of advocates and organizations working to improve the life outcomes of black males in the U.S., Root Cause and the Open Society Foundations Campaign for Black Male Achievement are launching a Leadership and Sustainability Institute. The project is meant to strengthen the capacity of the campaign's grantees and other nonprofit organizations working within the field of black male achievement.      "It's going to take decades of effort to make real headway on the many difficult issues that black men and boys in this country face so we are acting with the fierce urgency of now," said Shawn Dove, the Campaign Director of the Campaign for Black Male Achievement. "We're excited to partner with Root Cause on this important legacy: an institute that provides individuals and organizations working on black males achievement with the tools and support they need to ensure success."       Black men and boys face major racial disparities, unequal opportunities, and achievement gaps at nearly every stage in life including early childhood, primary and secondary school, college, and employment. For example, by 2004, 50 percent of black men in their 20s who lacked a college education were jobless, as were 72 percent of high school dropouts; 42 percent of all black boys have failed an entire grade at least once and only 18 percent of black men ages 20-21 are enrolled in college; the Bureau of Justice Statistics projected that 28 percent of black males in America will serve some time in state or federal prison.      While over the years numerous leaders, advocates and organizations have made major strides in improving the life outcomes and achievements of black men and boys, sustaining a strong and consistent multi-decade focus on the issue has been a great struggle. An 1995 Urban Institute study found that of the 51 programs focused on black men and boys surveyed, after 10 years a quarter no longer existed and less than a quarter still maintained programming focusing on black males.      Organizations working in the black male achievement field have faced, and continue to face, more obstacles compared to the overall nonprofit sector including: The black male achievement field has been plagued by inconsistent philanthropic support. Organizations often work in isolation from one another, may be working in segregated neighborhoods, and have lower access to networks and resources to help grow their impact. Efforts to coordinate the field are often short term, inconsistent, and unstructured. Available growth and sustainability resources often lack sufficient cultural context or focus on organizations working in this field, and those few service providers that are dedicated to the field are often small, geographically scattered, have in consistent cash flow, slow growth of impact, and challenges to sustainability. About the Open Society Foundations Campaign for Black Male Achievement The Campaign for Black Male Achievement is a multi-issue, cross-fund strategy to address black men and boys' exclusion from economic, social, educational, and political life in the United States. The campaign responds to a growing body of research that reveals the intensification of black males' negative life outcomes. It builds on U.S. Programs' mission to support individuals and organizations that nurture the development of a more democratic, just society, as well as the Open Society Foundations' expertise and past work to reduce incarceration, promote racial justice, and support youth engagement and leadership development. About Root Cause Founded in 2004, Root Cause began as a small nonprofit consulting practice for innovative nonprofits. Since then, Root Cause has grown to become a nationally recognized organization with 30 team members, an annual budget of $3 million. Root Cause has developed growth and sustainability plans for more than 130 nonprofit organizations that have subsequently raised more than $50 million.             # # #             Media Contact Tania Green 781.738.2715 tgreen@rootcause.org Apply for National Paid Internships from The Emma L. Bowen Foundation for Minority Youth Interested in Media Great opportunity for high school seniors or college freshmen The Emma L. Bowen Foundation Celebrates 23 Years of Making a Difference!    The Emma L. Bowen Foundation was created in 1989 to prepare minority youth for careers in the media industry. The Foundation's program is unlike traditional intern programs in that students work for partner companies during summers and school breaks from the summer following their junior year in high school until they graduate from college. During the five-year program, students have an opportunity to learn many aspects of corporate operations and develop company-specific skills. Corporations have an opportunity to train and mentor students with the option of fulltime employment upon completion of their college degrees.      Students earn an hourly salary and matching funds for college expenses. Academic excellence is also a key component of the program-students are required to maintain a 3.0 grade point average to remain in good standing. The Foundation staff works closely with corporate partners to monitor each student's academic and work progress. An annual student conference, a community service program and a mentoring program are also provided to further enhance the student's knowledge and experience. Resource guides for both students and corporate supervisors are provided to maximize the student's experience while in the program.      This unique, multi-year program prepares a diverse group of talented young professionals to enter the workforce with specific job-related skills, knowledge of the corporate environment and a strong foundation for future advancement. Students work in a variety of functional areas (e.g., marketing, sales, finance, public relations, human resources, technology, news, web design, promotion, etc.) and rotate each summer. Currently, we have 260 active students nationwide and more than 450 graduates. Approximately 70-80 new students join the program each year; in 2011, 108 students were added. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Click here to learn more about the Emma L. Bowen Foundation. Click Here to begin the application process for an internship. "Those who control the education of the children, control the future of that race." Phillip Jackson, The Black Star Project And these Black parents take the education of their children into their own hands!   Join Rev. Catherine Jackson for the "Something Inside So Strong" Leadership Conference Join her Saturday, December 3, 2011 2907 S. Wabash Avenue Chicago, Illinois 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM FREE!!!     This conference will honor Queen Mother Helen Sinclair, Mrs. June Porter, Sister's Camiella Williams, Dawn Valenti and Pamela Hester as women who truly are "Walking in My Season".   The Speakers for the Workshop are the following: Session One What Happens When Women Pray? - Sherrie Phillips Am I My Sister's Keeper? - Gae-Lauren Schell   Session Two How Do I Manage My Financial Success? - Cathy Clark Taking Charge Of My Health -- "It's All About Me" - Donna Werner   Session Three How Do I Move From the Valley To The Mountain? - Lynn Richardson Just A Little Pot Of Oil -- "Starting My Business" - Small Women's Business Center     The Baltimore Public Schools Follows the Lead of The Black Star Project with System-wide Saturday School More School Districts to Soon Follow with The Black Star Model   City schools launching   Saturday School initiative Program was promised by Alonso after declining test scores By Erica L. Green November 22, 2011 The Baltimore school system will launch its first districtwide Saturday School initiative in December, a program promised by city schools CEO Andrés Alonso to help remedy declining scores on state tests. The $3 million Saturday School program will run for 10 weeks, primarily targeting students who scored basic in math on the 2011 Maryland School Assessments. Students in grades four through eight are eligible for the program, which will offer between 20 and 30 hours of additional math instruction for up to 7,000 students before the 2012 assessments in March. A principal whose school will host one of the programs said she is convinced that the additional instructional time will benefit her students. "There's just not enough time in the regular instructional day," said Yorkwood Elementary Principal Deborah Sharpe. "I've always been a supporter of extended learning time because it adds more support, more time to build skills. And we're excited for Saturday because it will be a different approach, more inviting and fun." Alonso had said that he would explore the concept of extending the school week after noting the first academic slide of his tenure this year. The city had the largest drop in math in 2011, with 61 percent of city students in grades three through eight scoring proficient or advanced, a decrease of about 5 percentage points from 2010. The system also noted a 3 percentage point decline in reading. While the concept of Saturday School was spurred by the test score decline, city school officials said that it's just one tool to help the system bounce back. The program, during which students will spend two hours honing one math concept each session, is designed to supplement other efforts, such as strengthening the city's curriculum, and builds on what students are learning the rest of the school week. School officials said they hadn't set any major goals for the program, besides providing the additional instruction and support to students who need it most. "One Saturday learning program is not going to turn the whole system," said Sonja Santelises, chief academic officer for the school system. "So we don't want to make [the stakes] too high because if we're only dependent on Saturday school to reach the level we have to reach, we're going to be in trouble. This is important because we believe we have to partner with family and community in our students' achievement." Michael Thomas, executive director of the George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy Inc., a nonprofit tutoring and mentoring program that has been operating Saturday school sites for Montgomery County students for 25 years, said that Baltimore's combination of certified teachers and efforts to build upon students' current lessons will give the system a good start.   Sixty-six elementary and middle schools have opted to host their own programs, and 600 teachers will receive professional development training to staff them. The district will work with community organizations to host four other central sites, which will offer students in grades six through eight instruction and enrichment programs.   The four central sites will begin on Dec. 3 with registration due Monday. Individual schools will set up their own schedules. In addition to test scores, officials said, the initiative will help tackle the problem of elementary students not being adequately prepared for middle-school math. About 1,100 fewer elementary school students - with fifth-graders experiencing the sharpest decline - passed the math assessment in 2011 compared with 2010, according to a presentation from the city's teaching and learning office, and about 60 more middle school students passed than the previous year. The Saturday School model will mirror the city's summer school program, which focused on math and science skills and included instructional and hands-on or project-based learning. The summer school program has been lauded across the country and was recently awarded a highly competitive $3 million innovation grant from the federal government to continue. "They're going to have to provide the support to make it work," Thomas said. "But, in terms of effectiveness, I think it's one additional tool that research says works. You have to start somewhere." The Learning Academy serves about 3,000 students, half of whom are minority and poor, for 20 to 22 weeks at a time. Thomas said, the academy has posted test gains, though not consistently in the middle grades. He added that almost as important are the testimonials from students who had a boost of self-esteem as a result of the extra time. "The academic piece is important, but we also have to build self-confidence," he said. "Getting kids to believe in themselves, and believe that if they work hard, they can do it: That may be most important." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Schools Districts, Boards of Education, State Boards of Education, Mayor's Offices and Community Organizations may call Jami at 773.285.9600 to bring the Black Star Saturday University to your city or state. Pray the Devil Back To Hell!!! Help end the war of youth violence that is killing our children in the streets of America.  If the women of Liberia can end violence by praying and acting, so can we.  Join the women of Chicago as they pray the devil of violence in Chicago back to hell. Pray The Devil Back to Hell! on Monday, December 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2011 Film: 6:30 pm  Discussion and Prayer: 7:30 pm at  The Black Star Project 3509 South King Drive, Suite 2B Chicago, Illinois $5.00 for members - $10:00 for non-members.  Space is limited. You must RSVP and arrive at least 10 minutes before film time to be guaranteed your seat. All seats will be sold starting 10 minutes before film time. Please call 773.285.9600 to RSVP your seat.   Being sick and tire of being sick and tired is not enough!  You must pray and you must act. On Monday, December 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2011, the women of Chicago will gather to see the powerful movement and documentary of women that brought peace to war torn Liberia, Pray the Devil Back to Hell.  And the women of Chicago will work to pray the devil of violence and despair that is in Chicago back to Hell! Join them.   The Black Star Project needs your support to continue our work. Our fundraising goal for this membership drive is $50,000 by January 31, 2012. All of the funds raised will go toward supporting the Saturday University and our programs to support Black men and boys. These initiatives need your support as a community of concerned citizens to continue this important work. If you value our efforts to reduce violence, rebuild families, and improve academic achievement, will you become a member today?     You can make a one-time contribution/investment online or you can set up monthly contributions.    Or you may send contributions/investments to:   The Black Star Project, Suite 2B 3509 South King Drive Chicago, Illinois For each $100 contribution/investment, we will send you an Educate or Die T-Shirt For each $200 contribution/investment, we will send you 1) a copy of The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, 2) a copy of a DVD of Professor Alexander speaking in Chicago and 3) an Educate or Die T-Shirt.       Please call 773.285.9600 for more information.