In a crowded room at the Catholic Charities, more than 60 people gathered to hear Kathy Zeisel, Domestic Violence Staff Attorney at The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, and Robin Runge, Director of the Commission on Domestic Violence at the American Bar Association and Commissioner at The DC Commission on Women, spoke on learning to recognize red flags for indications of domestic violence and what to do if you suspect someone is a victim.

The event was organized by The DC Women’s Agenda to honor the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The event served as an opportunity to reach out to the broader community serving clients and educate them about recognizing and creating a safe comfort environment for victims of domestic violence.

Ms. Runge addressed the prevalence of domestic violence and the need for the public to help victims. Domestic violence effects one out of four individuals in heterosexual and homosexual relationships.  More than 80 percent of domestic violence victims in families become homeless; and 20 percent of women victims become homeless. 

The insidious nature of domestic violence causes individuals to withdraw from society, friends and family, isolating them from potential sources of support. This is why it is imperative that in our professional and personal lives, we look for signs of domestic violence.

Ms. Runge spoke about her work with lawyers who are legally mandated to report domestic violence. When victims gather the courage to speak about their abuse, they are often referred to seek relief through legal channels. Many lawyers are not adequately trained to work with survivors and often seek a protective order, which can cause additional trouble for the victim.  When individuals disclose that they are victims, they should be referred to experts in domestic violence who have the knowledge, updated information and skills in understanding how to navigate the system for victims.

Ms. Zeisel addressed red flags that are often seen with survivors of domestic violence.  If a survivor is with their spouse and is meeting with a third party, the survivor often stays quiet and looks uncomfortable, the spouse controls the conversation and will not allow the survivor to be without him. Another classic sign is that a spouse will become violent toward the victim’s property; for example, they may run over their cat.

The speaker addressed the need to create a safe environment for individuals to disclose that they are victims. When a professional is screening for any type of service, they should always screen partners separately and ask about domestic violence. The screening should be standard policy to ensure that victims don’t get nervous as to why they are being asked. The victim often feels that they are the one to blame in the situation; other times, victims are in denial and will make excuses for the partner. 

Individuals working with clients should always have material available on domestic violence.  Restrooms are an excellent place to put material on domestic violence because the victim is alone.

When screening for domestic violence, it is imperative that you know the limits of your confidentiality. If you are required to report instances of domestic violence, you need to tell the victim before they disclose. Once reported, the victims’ life can be turned upside down. They may lose their job because they have to go to court and their perpetrator may come after them for disclosing.

In conclusion the speakers explained that there are resources available. In addition, the DC Coalition against Domestic Violence can come to organizations and train staff.

Additional information on screening for domestic violence.

Debbie Billet-Roumell is the coordinator of the DC Women’s Agenda, a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation that is a coalition of advocacy organizations, service providers, and individuals working to promote the advancement of equality, safety and well-being for women and girls in the District. It is chaired by the DC Employment Justice Center and Wider Opportunities for Women.

I frequently ponder and analyze various issues affecting women, and the lives of women in general.  How far we have come over the last few decades, how grand the numerous obstacles that still hinder us are, what the plentiful definitions of feminism are and how women choose to adopt them.

But lately, my mind has been on a different spectrum of women, namely older women. Specifically, I’ve been thinking more and more about services for older women- or the lack thereof. I don’t really know why, or if there was a specific event that triggered this novel introspection, but I became curious, and began asking myself what services are available for elderly women, what are their needs, and how do their needs differ from those of younger women?

It’s easy, for me at least, to focus on helping young girls and middle-aged women.  I think I’ve always had an ability to conjure up images of little girls, young adults, and middle-aged women when I am doing work around issues specially related to women, or analyzing “women’s issues.”   When I read success stories on women working their way out of economic poverty, landing better jobs, getting landmark promotions, or something of the sort, I generally picture someone in their twenties, thirties or forties.

But now, a change has come. I visualize women like my mom. I wonder about the lives of female baby boomers.

What happens with older women recently released from prison?  What sort of assistance is readily available for them to get back on their feet (e.g., finding safe shelter, food, financial assistance, quality health care, etc?) 

How many are still in prison for non-violent crimes committed decades ago and how do their hardships differ from that of their younger counterparts?

What about the homeless? What kinds of services specially catered to their varying needs are readily available?

How much attention is being paid to the increasing number of retired women who fall prey to investment schemes and lose all or most of their life savings to skyrocketed and/or hidden fees?

How do the ones who are out of work on disability and depend on social security income to make ends meet spend their spare time?

How big of a problem is a lack of health insurance?

My wide spectrum of questions applies to older women all over the world. I wonder what everyday ills plague their lives. These women are mothers, grandmothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, care-takers of their children’s children, widows, divorcees, survivors of war, cancer survivors, retired professionals, etc.

It would behoove me to learn more about the older age bracket, because they always have and always will be an intricate part of my life, and life in general.

Even though so many great projects and initiatives exist today to sustain young girls and help them grow into adulthood with security, success, and the knowledge to fight against discrimination, we can’t afford to forget about the older generation. They might not be creating communities anymore, but they sure are sustaining them, all over the world. They are our bloodline.

I even put these thoughts in connection with recent and past natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the recent earthquake in China that left a daunting amount of fatalities, the May 2008 tsunami in Myanmar, and countless others.  How do these life-changing calamities alter life, particularly for older women?

I don’t really have any answers, yet.  But I think it’s important that we consider these issues, and work towards their solutions. 

I intend to start with me.  Once I learn more, I can also learn what I can do about some of the problems. Just remembering that I have to consider all women when thinking of women is a turn in the right direction.

Just laying these words down helps awaken my senses.

Thankfully, I do know that there are many wonderful people and programs that have been way ahead of me! They are on the front lines working to combat the hardships that are unique to older women.  There’s the Older Women’s League with many initiatives geared towards helping and caring for older women. There’s also The Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly, a nonprofit housed in Philadelphia that offers a comprehensive list of activities and services for older adults.

Even some of The Women’s Foundation’s Grantee Partners have services that directly and indirectly benefit older women. The vast array of Grantee Partners’ work focuses on issues such as mental health, homelessness, incarceration, domestic violence, immigration, finding good jobs, etc., and these types of broad issues affect women across the age spectrum.

It’s now my preliminary mission to learn specifically about the problems that plague older women, determine how I can help at an individual level, and discover what other organizations exist for older people, namely women.

I have a feeling that it will be cumbersome to find organizations working solely with the issues affecting older women, but it’ll be interesting to see how I can play a role in fixing that problem.

Sherell Fuller served previously as The Women’s Foundation’s program assistant.

Imagine my delight yesterday at opening the Washington Post to see a front page article on our African American Women’s Giving Circle. The title of the article said it all, “A Circle With a Deep Center: Black Women Pool Resources in Grass-Roots Effort to Alleviate D.C.’s Social Ills.”

Unfortunately, my delight was tempered upon noticing the article printed just above it, which detailed the Bush Administration’s most recent attempt to limit women’s access to birth control.

An interesting juxtaposition—local women joining together to support organizations providing health care to disenfranchised communities in Southeast D.C., right next to federal efforts to further limit access to health care, particularly for the underserved.

And we wonder why we’re not making headway on health care in the United States?

Earlier in the week, there was an article contrasting federal support for HIV/AIDS programs globally and domestically. According to the article, the District of Columbia has the highest prevalence of HIV infection of any jurisdiction in the U.S. at about 1 in every 20 residents. The DC Department of Health states that women account for nearly one-third of all newly reported HIV/AIDS cases, with African American women accounting for the majority (9 out of 10).

Similarly, a women’s health report card published by the National Women’s Law Center gave D.C. a failing grade in its efforts to meet the health care needs of women. The neighboring jurisdictions of Maryland and Virginia did not fare much better, both receiving unsatisfactory grades.

I am truly inspired by the efforts of the African American Women’s Giving Circle because together they are making critical investments to improve the lives of women and girls in D.C. where others have turned a blind eye.

However, it is disheartening to think that their efforts are not fully supported on a much larger scale by our government, policymakers and other key decision makers, who have the ability to truly enact widespread change and to make  a systematic difference in the lives of women and girls and their health and well-being. 

Because, in the end, it truly does take a village.

Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat is a program officer at The Women’s Foundation, responsible for grantmaking in the realm of health and safety.  She has more than a decade of experience as a policy advocate on reproductive health issues impacting the low-income and uninsured.

Pimps were everywhere.

That is the first thing that I noticed when I arrived with a colleague in downtown D.C. late in the night last week to conduct outreach to prostituted teen girls. And, the police seemed to be out in large numbers, too.

So, if it’s so easy for us to find the pimps and traffickers, then why don’t the police just arrest and prosecute them – like the 2008 conviction and 96 month sentencing of Levar Simms for the prostitution of a 16 year old minor across state lines?

We hung back and watched young women, most of whom looked between the ages of 20 and 25 but could have been in their teens, as they stood on the corners and watched men go by in cars. The cars would slow down and a girl would look back to her pimp to see if she should get in the car.

Other times, a girl would be alone.

I handed some girls food and my colleague would hand them outreach cards with a hotline number for trafficked persons. As one very thin young woman with a black eye said, “At least I am not dead, but I am still out here.”

Then, she turned to follow a potential client’s car down the street.

A pimp is someone who forces someone else, usually a very young girl, to have sex for money. The pimp takes the money that the girl “earns,” and does so successfully because they are abusive and manipulative. They have strict rules, strict quotas, and dole out punishments to the girls in their "stable".

As some of the teens in our D.C. classrooms told us “Pimps Up, Hoes Down,” which means that if a girl is walking down the sidewalk and another pimp walks onto that street, she must go into the street and cross over.

I find it very disturbing that any 14-year old girl would know so much about prostitution.

Pimps run the largest growing criminal industry by exploiting girls across the globe.  So, how is it that these pimps are just standing around on 14th and K in downtown D.C.?

Pimping is illegal in Washington, D.C., as is prostitution and solicitation. And, if you are minor involved in commercial sex it is considered a form of human trafficking. As a member of the D.C. Anti Trafficking Task Force, our organization, FAIR Fund, has trained some very caring police officers in how to identify and assist victims of trafficking.

Still, the problem is everywhere on the streets - and what seems worse - increasingly moving online.

There are several reasons why an arrest for pimping and paying for sex is so difficult. 

First, both parties would essentially have to incriminate themselves. FAIR Fund has found, though, that the true barrier to ending sex trafficking of minors here in D.C. is that there are few incentives for a young girl (or boy) who is identified to testify against their exploiter because law enforcement and outreach organizations that work to help young victims have very few options to present to him or her.

Typically, she is jailed as the only means of detaining her - not exactly a comforting environment.  Nevermind the irony that In a city where a 15-year old is too young to consent to sex, she can still be charged for prostitution.

And, because there is not a single safe space designed in the District or surrounding areas that is available for a teenager who is being commercially sexually exploited, life away from a pimp means hunger, homelessness, and an uncertain amount of abuse. Trying to convince that young person to testify against her trafficker could very well seem more risky than it does safe.

Imagine, though, if there was a space for these young victims to be safe from their violent exploiters. A space where the District Attorneys Office, our Metropolitan Police Department, and local nonprofits would be able to direct a young victim to the services and support that she needs while advocates are busy working to build a case against a trafficking and pimping network.

Perhaps, then, she might feel supported enough to press charges against a man that has put her on the street since she was 13.

Perhaps, then, she might be the key to arresting, prosecuting, and jailing what we would argue are some of the most dangerous criminals in Washington, D.C. 

Perhaps, then, the scene on the streets would change and the pimps wouldn’t be everywhere.

Andrea Powell is co-founder and executive director of FAIR Fund, a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation.  She co-wrote this blog with FAIR Fund’s development officer Amelia Korangy.

I was thrilled when the Dove representative told me how they’d found us.

"We did a Google search for “inspiring women,” she said, and we came up with a blog on your site by Wendy Weaver.

I can’t think of a better Google search I’d like for us to pop up on, since inspiring is really our business.

Our donors and volunteers inspire us, and each other, every day. Our Grantee Partners inspire change in women and girls throughout our region. And those women and girls inspire our staff, board and supporters to continue to give back and grow the powerful wave of women’s philanthropy we’re all creating together.

It feels good any time that this is recognized publicly, even by a search engine.

Dove was looking for inspiring women to invite to be guest columnists on their Campaign for Real Beauty site. They asked me to write a brief reflection on a woman that has inspired me in some way.

I chose to write on a long-term hero of mine, Madame CJ Walker, the first African American woman millionaire, a model of philanthropy and a smart, savvy business woman. She began life as a slave, and ended it a brilliant entrepreneur making the first hair products especially designed for African American women.

As I was writing the piece, which will be posted in the coming weeks on the Dove site, I couldn’t help but think about the relationship between women and body image—the very issue Dove is addressing with their site.

And how for many women, their perception of their worth, their beauty, their self-esteem, their bodies, is dictated by an externally imposed sense of what is beautiful—rather than by an internal acceptance of all the quirks and differences that make us all unique.

Yet, there are far fewer external voices dictating notions of what women should do with their money, how they should feel about their money, what they should expect from their money.

Women are to shop, to buy, to consume.

Buy this face cream, this outfit, these shoes, and you’ll look fine, be fine.

The messages that make it an equally powerful expectation that women will save, build wealth, take control of their finances and feel good about their wealth are rather quiet in comparison, keeping women, and particularly young women, focused on youth-saving face creams, rather than on financial savings—which is crucial to economic security and wealth building.

And to building a secure retirement plan.

Because all the face creams in the world don’t actually stop the aging process or the future from coming.

In retirement, women are far more likely to face poverty than men, because older women are far more likely to be unmarried, they live longer on average, and because Social Security doesn’t tend to pay women as much as men, just to name a few reasons.

But whatever the savings goal—be it retirement, a home, a college degree or a car—I wish that women received more messages that inspired them to invest in their own financial futures than they did to invest in losing weight, looking younger or dressing better.

Because there’s nothing more beautiful than a woman in control of her finances and her future.

Phyllis Caldwell is president of The Women’s Foundation.

Although many can conjure an image of human trafficking in other countries far from our own homes, the reality is that human trafficking is occurring in every single U.S. state and the large majority of victims are females.

According to the U.S. Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Report: 2007, 80% percent of transnational victims are women and girls. Research on U.S. victims is limited, but the percentages are likely similar to those globally.

Polaris Project works both locally, nationally and internationally on the issue of modern-day slavery. Polaris Project DC operates the Greater DC Trafficking Intervention Program (DC TIP) to combat human trafficking in the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and Southern Maryland.

Launched in 2002 to create an effective community-based response to curb local human trafficking network activity, DC TIP provides comprehensive case management services to victims in the Washington metropolitan area and works to prevent human trafficking. In the last year, DC TIP conducted direct outreach to 1,115 at-risk and in-risk victims of trafficking; made over 25 emergency responses to victims in crisis; provided emergency case management to over 40 women and girls; and, received 2,758 crisis hotline calls.

This issue has been in the spotlight this week and our president was called on by Fox news to provide more information on how it is effecting our community.

See the Fox coverage on YouTube.

More about the multi-state FBI raids resulting in the rescue of 21 child victims.

Tayler Wilhelm is development officer at the Polaris Project in Washington, D.C., a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation.  For more information or to support the work of Polaris Project, visit PolarisProject.org or email Tayler at twilhelm@polarisproject.org.

The Washington Post published an article this past Thursday entitled “Decline in Teen Sex Levels Off, Survey Shows” on the leveling of teenage sexual activity in the United States, despite the continuation of abstinence-only education in public schools. The leveling comes after a period of decline in teen sex from 2001 to 2007 along with the flattening of a rise in condom use in 2003. Also reported was that approximately one in four teenage girls today has a sexually transmitted disease and that the teen birth rate has increased for the first time in the past 15 years.

While abstinence-only education proponents might argue that teenage sex has decreased because of the mandated (and restrictive) curricula, it has been shown that when teens do have sex, they are now more likely to not use any form of protection—which increases their risk of pregnancy, AIDS, and a number of other sexually transmitted infections. Thus, the number of teens who have unplanned pregnancies or who contract STIs has increased since the rise of abstinence-only sex education. John Santelli of Columbia University is quoted in the article, arguing that, "Since we’ve started pushing abstinence, we have seen no change in the numbers on sexual activity. The other piece of it is: Abstinence education spends a good amount of time bashing condoms. So it’s not surprising, if that’s the message young people are getting, that we’re seeing condom use start to decrease."

Naturally, supporters of abstinence-only education argue otherwise. Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association argues that sexual education that is not centered on abstinence gives teens a “green light” to sexual activity. In the same vein, Charmaine Yoest of the Family Research Council notes that, “Our culture continues to tell [young girls] the way to be cool is to dress provocatively and to consider nonmarital sexual activity as normative.”

Studies confirming these trends were released, somewhat ironically, during the birthday week of Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), the Supreme Court case that overturned a Connecticut law prohibiting the use of contraceptives and confirmed a woman’s right to privacy.  I attended a small gathering on Saturday to not only celebrate the birthday of Griswold, but to also participate in a counter-protest hosted by the National Organization for Women in response to the recent formation of an abstinence-advocating, anti-choice contingent, The Pill Kills. Funded by the American Life League, these individuals lined the sidewalks of the downtown Washington, D.C. Planned Parenthood and harassed individuals entering the clinic.

Members of the Washington Area Clinic Defense Task Force (WACDTF) were present as well, escorting those who entered the clinic all the way from the sidewalk to the doorway, as anti-choicers followed each person seeking care to the door, nearly touching them at times in an attempt to distribute pamphlets, etc. I was in total awe of the work that the WACDTF does, but simultaneously appalled by the behavior of those who verbally harass those seeking care at Planned Parenthood.

Though Planned Parenthood does provide abortions, it also provides a whole slew of other kinds of crucial reproductive care to all women and men, no matter their ability to pay.  At Planned Parenthoods in Washington, D.C. for instance, one can have a gynecological exam, seek pregnancy planning, obtain various forms of birth control, and receive testing for sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS.

Given the importance of the services that Planned Parenthood provides, I somewhat naively thought that such badgering at their health centers was illegal.

Coupled with the Washington Post piece, my Saturday morning birthday celebration and the counter-protest reminded me how precious a woman’s right to the reproductive health care of her choosing truly is and that it is crucial to continue advocating for our right to choose, seek, and obtain the reproductive health care and information we need.

Nancy Thebaut is a summer intern with The Women’s Foundation.  This fall she will be starting a master’s degree in art history at the Courtauld Institute of Art

As part of our ongoing commitment–in partnership with The Urban Institute–to providing information and resources related to the goals of Stepping Stones, please find below summary of recent research on issues of economic security and financial independence for women and their families.

Financial Education and Wealth Creation News

The Cost of Maintaining Ownership in the Current Crisis: Comparisons in Twenty Cities
By Dean Baker, Danilo Pelletiere and Hye Jin Rho
Center for Economic and Policy Research
April 2008

The collapse of the bubble in the U.S. housing market is creating chaos in financial markets, while throwing the economy into a recession. It is also threatening millions of homeowners and renters with the loss of their homes. This paper compares ownership and rental costs in twenty major metropolitan areas.

Key Findings:

• In many markets, homeownership costs are in line with rental costs. In these areas, it is practical and desirable to focus on policies that keep homeowners in their homes.
• Prices are now falling rapidly in many of these markets; homeowners are unlikely to accumulate equity. In fact, it is likely that many homeowners will end up selling their homes for less than their outstanding mortgage, even if new mortgages are issued with substantial write-downs from the original mortgage.
• In bubble-inflated markets, homeownership is not only a costly and risky proposition, but continuing price declines mean that homeowners will not accrue any equity.
• A policy of ensuring suitable rental options is likely to be more helpful to many current homeowners. This policy can encourage the rapid conversion of vacant and abandoned units to rental properties, as well as policies that facilitate the conversion of ownership units to rental units for the same households.
• Many of the properties facing foreclosure are already rental properties. In these cases, foreclosures often result in the displacement of the current tenants. Congress should recognize this problem and consider policies that provide greater security to tenants in such situations.

Abstract, introduction and key findings
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Jobs and Business Ownership News

Hometown Prosperity: Increasing Opportunity for DC’s Low-Income Working Families
DC Appleseed and DC Fiscal Policy Institute
January 2008 (Released April 14, 2008)

This report describes working poor families with children in the District and the barriers they face to economic advancement, and lays out essential policy changes that could improve their situation.

Key findings and Policy Recommendations:

• Nearly one in three working families in the District was poor in 2005.
• In fact, a higher proportion of working families in the District is poor compared to the proportion of working families in neighboring states or in the nation as a whole.
• Enhance access to community college educational offerings for its residents by encouraging and developing regional partnerships and/or investing in the creation of a local community college as a branch of or separate from the University of DC.
• Make a priority of raising wages in women-dominated sectors and moving women into non-traditional careers.
• Set wage and benefit standards for all economic development programs.
• Implement paid sick leave for all District workers and consider developing a paid disability/family leave program.
• Continue to address the affordable housing crisis in the city, and promote housing for low-income families that takes into account access to transportation, jobs, and educational resources.

Abstract, introduction and key findings
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Human Capital and Women’s Business Ownership
By Darrene Hackler, Ellen Harpel, and Heike Mayer
Small Business Administration- Office of Advocacy
April 2008

This article begins to shed light on the relationship between different elements of human capital and self-employment among women.

Key Findings:

• The study finds that self-employed women have more education and increased their educational attainment at a faster rate compared to other working women.
• The percentage of self-employed women in managerial occupations consistently exceeded the rate for other working women, and self-employed women participated in different industries than other working women.
• More self-employed men hold an advanced degree compared to self-employed women over the study period, but the gap narrowed considerably by 2006.
• Self-employed minorities were slightly more likely than self-employed whites to have a college degree throughout much of the study period.
• Earnings data show that the self-employed were most likely to be either in the first (lowest) or fourth (highest) quartile.
• A lower percentage of self-employed women hold managerial occupations than do self-employed men, and there are lower rates of self-employment in industries where there is less overall female participation (such as communications, transportation, wholesale trade, manufacturing, and construction).

Abstract, introduction and key findings
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Child Care and Early Education News

Planning for Quality Schools: Meeting the Needs of District Families
By David F. Garrison, Marni D. Allen, Margery Austin Turner, Jennifer Comey, Barika X. Williams, Elizabeth Guernsey, Mary Filardo, Nancy Huvendick, and Ping Sung
Brookings Institution, The Urban Institute, and 21st Century School Fund
April 24, 2008

This report is the first phase of a three-part project to help the District of Columbia create a firm analytical basis for planning for quality schools to meet the needs of the city’s families.

Key Findings:

• The District’s population has increased since 2000; the total number of school-age children has declined slightly. Conditions in both the housing market and the public school system contribute to this trend.
• The District’s population is becoming increasingly diverse, with rising numbers of whites and Hispanics and a declining share of blacks. Still, the District remains highly segregated along both racial and income lines. The populations of Wards 7 and 8 are over 90 percent black, while nearly all of the city’s white residents live in Wards 2 and 3. And in 2006, median household income for the city’s white residents was $92,000, almost three times as high as the $34,000 median household income of the city’s blacks.
• Almost half of all white public school students live in Ward 3, and almost none live East of the River. In contrast, more than half of all black public school students live East of the River, while Hispanic students are heavily concentrated in Wards 1 and 4.
• There are 234 public schools and distinct public school programs in the District serving pre-school students through adults without high school diplomas, a significant expansion of supply since 1997.
• In 2006-07, 72, 378 students were enrolled in DCPS and public charter schools, close to the same number as the previous year, but substantially lower than a decade earlier. Since 1997-98, the number of students attending DCPS schools has dropped by almost one-third, while public charter enrollment has grown by over 400 percent.
• In 2006-07, there were 10,857 public special education students in the District, just over 15 percent of all public school students. This is on the high end compared to other high-poverty urban school districts. Special education students, like the general student population, are concentrated East of the River, and a disproportionate share of black public school students are classified as special education students (compared to white and Hispanic public school students).

Abstract, introduction and key findings
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The Impact of the Mortgage Crisis on Children and Their Education
By Julia B. Isaacs and Phillip Lovell
Brookings Institution
April 2008

By examining past research, this article examines the potential impacts of these foreclosures on children are their education, behavior and health.

Key Findings:

• Research shows that children who experience excessive mobility, such as those impacted by the mortgage crisis, will suffer in school.
• The National Assessment of Educational Progress (known as the Nation’s Report Card) has found that students with two or more school changes in the previous year are half as likely to be proficient in reading as their stable peers.
• One study found that frequent movers were 77 percent more likely than children who have not moved to have four or more behavior problems.
• One study found that working families spending more than half of their income on housing have less money available than other families to spend on such crucial items as health care and health insurance
• The mortgage crisis is more than a blow to our economy. It is crippling our children, their education, and as a result, the nation’s future. And while our government is working to alleviate the financial damage caused by this calamity, the impact on the nation’s children is going unnoticed. As economists focus on solving the problem, policy-makers must make an effort to mitigate the damage of this disaster on our young people.

Abstract, introduction and key findings
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Health and Safety News

Medicaid, SCHIP and Economic Downturn: Policy Challenges and Policy Responses
Kaiser Family Foundation
April, 28 2008

Examines the implications of a downturn for health coverage and state programs and projects the impact of one percentage point rise in the national unemployment rate on Medicaid and SCHIP and the number of uninsured individuals.

Key Findings:

• Economic Downturns Increase Medicaid Enrollment and Spending - This analysis shows that a 1 percentage point rise in the national unemployment rate would increase Medicaid and SCHIP enrollment by 1 million (600,000 children and 400,000 non-elderly adults) and cause the number of uninsured to grow by 1.1 million.
• Economic Downturns Reduce State Revenues - Medicaid and SCHIP are also affected by state revenue declines. Recent Urban Institute research shows that a 1 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate causes state General Fund revenue to drop by 3 to 4 percent below expected levels. 
• State Policy Responses Can Worsen Cyclical Downturns - Unlike the federal government, almost all states are legally required to balance their budgets. To meet this requirement in times of economic stress, states may take such steps as tapping reserves, borrowing from trust funds, securitizing future revenue streams, delaying spending from one fiscal year to the next, etc.
• Congress May Consider Options to Better Target Federal Relief - As states enter a new economic downturn, policymakers could consider three basic options for fiscal relief. One approach would, like JGTRRA, provide a uniform increase in Medicaid matching rates to all states, for a specified time. 
• Federal Fiscal Relief Can Prevent Medicaid Cuts During Economic Downturns - As a new economic downturn unfolds, many states appear headed for serious budget shortfalls. The federal government does not have balanced budget requirements, so it has the flexibility to target supplemental funds to states during an economic downturn, preventing harmful and ill-timed cuts in health coverage.

Abstract, introduction and key findings
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Other News and Research

Women in the Wake of the Storm: Examining the Post-Katrina Realities of the Women of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast
By Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever
Institute for Women’s Policy Research
April 2008

This report tells the stories of women post-Katrina and, in so doing, provides an analysis of women’s increased vulnerability during times of disaster, and discusses how the experiences of women affected by Katrina align with the experiences of women around the world who have experienced other large-scale crises. It also provides a race/class/gendered analysis of women’s post-Katrina experiences, with a special emphasis on what they are doing now to rebuild their lives, reconstruct their homes, restore their families, and reclaim their communities.  It tells the story of Katrina from the eyes of the women who lived through it.

Key findings:

• Most of those with whom the author spoke with seemed relieved that other people wanted to know what they had been through, how they had survived, and what they were doing now to keep on keeping on. Nearly every woman bemoaned the fact that their voices had not been heard and as a result, their stories have been left untold.
• In conversations with women in and around New Orleans, three primary issues remained at the forefront of their concerns: housing, healthcare, and economic well-being. Each of these issues had multiple and often interlocking reverberations on their lives. All of those with whom we spoke expressed a deep commitment to their communities and desire to face any remaining challenges; however, our contacts’ health, sense of security, and for some even that small but persistent kernel of sustaining hope all have been jeopardized by the slow pace of recovery and the prolonged lack of normalcy.

Policy Recommendations:

• Make affordable housing a top priority. The safety of women and girls remain in jeopardy with each day that severe housing shortages go unaddressed.
• Incorporate women in the rebuilding economy through non-traditional training and enforcement of anti-discrimination laws. Women by and large have been shut out of the most lucrative aspects of the rebuilding economy and have suffered as a result.
• Increase the availability and quality of child care and schools. As the population of the region continues to expand, so does the need for child care and educational institutions.
• Address both physical and mental health care needs, especially among the most needy. Health care post-Katrina, for many, has become yet another disaster.

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To kick off our bi-monthly “Lunch and Learn” seminar series, the DC Women’s Agenda (DCWA) sponsored a presentation in March by Dr. Shannon Hader, Senior Deputy Director of the DC Department of Health, HIV/AIDS Administration, on: “Disturbing Data on HIV/AIDS and DC Women”.
 
Dr. Hader opened the presentation by explaining that the discussion concerning HIV/AIDS in D.C. has changed because of updated statistics on the disease.  Before 2007, we were relying on statistics from 2002; now we have the opportunity to see what is really going on with HIV/AIDS in D.C. and around the country.

The data showed that D.C. has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the country; two times higher than New York City and four times that of Detroit, Michigan. One third of HIV/AIDS cases are due to heterosexual intercourse and one fourth are due to male-male intercourse.

The numbers show that no one is protected because of their socio-economic status, education, sexual orientation or gender.  In Wards 7 and 8, the ratio of males to females infected with HIV/AIDS is 50/50.  In other Wards, it is closer to 70 percent males and 30 percent women.

The number of women and girls getting this disease is on the rise.

Dr. Hader discussed the fact that women are uniquely impacted by this disease because they bring babies into the world. Astonishingly, D.C. babies with HIV/AIDS make up 9 percent of the nation-wide HIV/AIDS babies.  Dr. Hader believes that part of the problem is that the health care system is not providing the necessary comprehensive services to raise awareness and prevent the growth of HIV/AIDS.  Physicians need to be routinely testing for HIV/AIDS in the same way that they take a patient’s blood pressure.  There should be signs in doctors’ offices reminding women to get tested, as well as in TANF and Medicaid offices.

The participants at the DCWA meeting grappled with the issue of sex education in schools. Data shows that 10-15 percent of 13 year-olds had sex before they were 11.  Next year, Metro Teen AIDS will provide HIV/AIDS training for all 10th graders and school nurses. This is a step in the right direction. The more HIV/AIDS testing is normalized, the more often it will occur. Early education and testing has proven fruitful. The data indicates 20 year-olds that have been tested once are more likely to be tested again.

Over 50 people were in attendance and the participants continued to want more information. The DCWA, based on requests during this presentation, is exploring the idea of a half day forum on the topic.

If you are interested in becoming involved in this issue or DCWA in general, please contact Debbie Billet-Roumell at DBRoumell@wowonline.org or 202.464.1596. We welcome your involvement!

Debbie Billet-Roumel is Coordinator of the DC Women’s Agenda, a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation.  DCWA is a local advocacy and policy coalition whose primary goal is to promote the advancement, equality, and well-being for all women and girls in D.C. In alternating months, the agenda will sponsor a speaker to discuss current issues impacting women and girls in the District.  To learn more about upcoming educational forums or to get involved with DCWA, contact Debbie Billet-Roumell at DBRoumell@wowonline.org or at 202.464.1596.

Last week was National Women’s Health Week.  It seems like an appropriate time to talk about the very real health needs that exist in the Washington metropolitan area and the wonderful work our Grantee Partners do to address them.  Also, at the end of this blog I’ve included a link to a new resource that you can use to advocate on behalf of women’s health.

Despite the presence of some of the nation’s best hospitals, our region still lags behind the rest of the United States in several critical areas of women’s health. For example, women in Washington, D.C. have the worst life expectancy of any state in the U.S. – and Maryland (ranked 40 out of 51) and Virginia (ranked 31 out of 51) don’t fare much better.

D.C. also has the worst AIDS rate for women, and again Maryland (ranked 50 out of 51) and Virginia (ranked 32 out of 51) are also at the bottom of the list.

The District also has one of the highest rates of people living in a medically underserved area; Maryland has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the country; and Virginia has one of the highest rates of bad blood pressure.

Here are just a few examples of our Grantee Partner’s projects that address a wide range of health issues for women and girls:

Children’s National Medical Center: Girls Teen Life Clubs
Teen Life Clubs is Children’s year-long health education, empowerment program for 11-14 year old adolescents, who live in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Separate clubs exist for girls and boys.

Friends of Guest House
Friends of Guest House was founded to provide a temporary house for women charged with or convicted of a criminal offense who are in the need of basic human services to facilitate their new start in life and adjustments to the community at large. These services include individual & group counseling and medical services.

Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care
Established in 1988 with funding from the District of Columbia Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs(OLA) and the Department of Health (DOH), Mary’s Center addressed the demand for bilingual services to pregnant women and their infants in predominantly Latino areas of Ward One. Today, it serves multicultural populations throughout the metro Washington, D.C. region, serving individuals and families who have limited or no access to health-related services.

Women Empowered Against Violence
WEAVE works closely with adult and teen survivors of relationship violence and abuse, providing an innovative range of legal, counseling, economic and educational services that leads survivors to utilize their inner and community resources, achieve safety for themselves and their children and live empowered lives.

And, of course, all of our Leadership Award-Winning Grantee Partners this year focus on health and safety as well.
Ascensions Community Services
A Wider Circle
DC Abortion Fund
Divine Images Network
Fair Fund
Nueva Vida
Pregnancy Aid Centers
The Women’s Collective

If you would like to get more involved in advocating on behalf of women’s health, the National Women’s Law Center has just launched Reform Matters: Making Real Progress for Women and Health Care. This is a new project aimed at encouraging women to be active and vocal advocates in the fight for progressive health care reform and giving them the tools to do so