July 17, 2008

Discussion on Immigration
Religion and Social Justice
Visit Archives
Mental Health Parity
Open Paw Volunteer Training
Darre Devils Fundraiser
Participate in CommonGood


Illegal is not a noun: Stop the Hate
Our national immigration policy and system is broken and few if any steps are being taken to fix it. As a result, states, counties and even towns are taking things in their own hands and making regulations that impact undocumented workers. We won't be talking about what should be in a national immigration policy but how the lack of a federal policy and the implementation of state and county regulations intersect with values of the inherent worth and dignity of every person, justice, compassion, and our interdependence with each other. I will be facilitating a discussion on Issues of immigration in North Carolina and local counties and towns.

Sunday, July 27

10:30 AM Service
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Outer Banks
Kitty Hawk, NC




Religion & Social Justice
In case you haven't noticed, I have stayed away from Environmental Issues. It isn't that I don't think it isn't important. It is just that they are hot topics with may opinions on all sides and well represented in the regular press. I've also stayed away from faith-based iniatives in social justice. That has also been a conscious choice. I've preferred to draw attention to community-based nonprofits.

But now I've just 'advertised' up above a social justice discussion that will be taking place at a faith community. I could argue that I'm the discussion facilitator and I am also the editor of this enews. But that seems a bit hypocritical.

Faith based organizations have been engaged in social justice and community outreach for thousands of years. So have people without any faith or belief. Look at the civil rights movements. One might believe it was only faith based organizations taking the leadership. But further research shows that was not always the case. Secular atheists and agnostics also worked for and continue to work in anti-racism.
We are a small community here in lower Currituck and the Outer Banks. Common Good works is done by people of faith and by nonbelievers. Some are organized through faith communities; others are individual or group efforts.

My project CommonGood Enews is not federally funded. (Unless you consider my husband's retirement checks). I belong to a faith community as do many of you. So if your community would like to send me a press release on your social justice or community out reach work - do so. I'll include it as long as it is worded in a multi-faith, inclusive way.

Thanks,

Nancy


Mental Health Parity - House Bill 973 Goes Into Effect July 1, 2008


Who is covered under the new law? People in North Carolina with group health plans are included. Not included in this parity law are individual insurance policies, health plans for companies that "self insure" or companies that are covered under federal ERISA laws (generally large companies operating in more than one state), Medicare, Medicaid, or those in the State Health Plan. What is covered? North Carolina has financial parity for mental illnesses. Deductibles, coinsurance factors, co-payments, maximum out-of-pocket as well as annual and lifetime limits must be the same as for physical illnesses. Nine (9) diagnoses are covered at full parity with physical illness - bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, paranoid and other psychotic disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anorexia nervosa and bulimia. This means there can be no durational limits set in insurance/managed care plans for these nine diagnoses. Mental illness diagnoses not included in the nine (9) listed above may have different durational limits, but the minimum benefit required must provide for: Thirty (30) combined inpatient and outpatient days per year and thirty (30) office visits per year. When does this start? The new law went into effect on July 1, 2008. However the implementation provision states that the effective day for each individual is dependent upon their initiation or renewal date. Therefore anytime after July 1, 2008 it will become necessary for applicable health plans that are renewing or initiating to include mental health parity. For many plans that cover a calendar year, the renewal date is January 1. Thus starting January 1, 2009 many health plans will renew and those individuals will have mental health parity.

Check education programs sponsored by the North Carolina Mental Health Association. and the website of Mental Health America. The Mental Health America Site also has a depression screening tool.


Open Paw Volunteer Training


The Animal Lovers Assistance League is starting a new program at the Currituck Animal Shelter. Used nationwide, Open Paw is a program designed to educate the public about dog and cat friendly training methods while helping to train the resident shelter animals to be more adoptable. Kelly Gorman, President of Open Paw states: "The main focus of an Open Paw shelter is to provide a humane education resource for every person in the community." The more people know about how to raise and train their animals, the more likely animals are to stay in their original homes. Furthermore, the thorough daily handling and training of the cats and dogs provides the staff with valuable insight into each animal's personality, which aides in finding permanent homes. The program is designed to teach shelter dogs and cats how to behave in order to get adopted, and to stay adopted. Basic household manners and friendly behaviors are taught in order to assure success in the real world.

Volunteers are a key part of the Open Paw program and the Animal Lovers Assistance League is seeking volunteers who would like to work with the shelter animals while learning fun and friendly training methods. There are four levels of volunteer training for both the dogs and the cats. Volunteers can take the skills they learn at the shelter home to use with their own pets, or, if they don't have a pet, develop skills in preparation for getting a pet. Volunteers can work through the levels at the own speed and stay at any level for as long as they like. The first volunteer training session for level one will take place on Sunday, August 10th at 2:00 p.m. at the Currituck Animal Shelter at 204 Airport Road in Maple, which is beside the Currituck Regional Airport off of Rte. 158/Short Cut Rd. For more information, please call 252-232-3696 or email Ginger Sikes.

You can also visit Open Paw website for some tips on training.


Daredevils Fundraiser
Come celebrate the Outer Banks Daredevils with Dare Literacy Council as they team up for a Salute to Reading night. The Daredevils will be playing the Peninsula Pilots Thursday, July 24.

The first 50 fans will receive a coupon to Island Bookstore, so make sure to get there when the gates open at 6 p.m. The proceeds for the autograph jersey raffle will go to Dare Literacy Council. The game will start at 7:05 p.m. at First Flight Baseball Complex. Contact Susan Estrella at dareliteracy@gmail.com