Congratulations! We are making progress on Stimulus bill!

House Stimulus Bill Includes Roughly $80 Billion for Education

Your Voices are Being Heard!

Thank you so much for all your calls and e-mails! Your voices are being heard!

The stimulus bill being debated by the House of Representatives right now contains roughly $80 billion in funding for schools. The funds will flow through federal formulas directly to schools and indirectly through a state stabilization fund. If a state chooses to receive money from the stabilization fund they are required to send more than 60 percent of the money directly to schools. Between the federal aid formulas and the state stabilization funds, resources are available for site coordinators.

The Senate bill is under consideration at the Committee level and will move to the Senate floor later this week or next week.

CIS will be providing an analysis of both the House and Senate bills as well as information on accessing these funds locally over the next few weeks.

Thank you so much for all of your efforts to convince the House to include money for site coordinators. If you have not yet e-mailed or called your Senators, you still have time. Please click here to send an e-mail.

Should you have any questions, please contact Dan Fuller at 703-518-2556, or via e-mail: fullerd@cisnet.org.

Watch the Debate LIVE at http://www.cspan.org/Watch/C-SPAN_wm.aspx

South Georgia Athletic Challenge

February 28th, 2009

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America have sponsored a new initiative in South Georgia. This premier partnership will assist in establishing Clubs throughout South Georgia. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Cook County started the corporate site for this initiative in Adel Georgia three years ago. Since their inception, Boys & Girls Clubs of Cook County has partnered with the Berrien County Collaborative to open a new location in South Georgia. The new Club located in Nashville has partnered with the Berrien County Board of Education and Collaborative to continue to build momentum for the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Georgia initiative.

Through the South Georgia Athletic Challenge (SGAC) we hope to provide greater awareness and support for this initiative. Recent studies have shown that after school programs are proven to be the most efficient and effective way to keep kids off the streets and in school. The SGAC will mark the first event of its kind for South Georgia. This is a voluntary event that will allow student athletes to compete and represent their schools in several challenges.

All participating student athletes must have a waiver signed by each of their respected coaches prior to entering the SGAC event. Each school may enter 2 eligible student athletes per event. One judge from each school must be present for each of the 12 events. There will be a drum competition throughout the day that will require each participating school to provide an eight member drum line to compete. The participating schools may also provide up to 3 participants for the slam-dunk showcase.

There will be a $25 registration fee for each school to participate in the event. The best score in each event will be registered and counted toward the event title. The details for sponsorship and registration are listed below. If you would like more details please call 229-686-6576 or go to www.yes2berrienkids.org and click on the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Georgia tab.

Schools that wish to participate may sign-up to sponsor the event in several ways, but it is not required. We will provide one 10X10 area for each school at no charge to sell school merchandise and memorabilia. No food or drinks may be sold at school booths. All other vendors must register with the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Georgia prior to event in order to secure space. Each vendor will receive 20-day passes to the SGAC event along with their $100 contribution for their booth space. Vendors will only be charged $100 for their 10X10 space, however, they will receive 20-tickets to the SGAC event along with the contribution. If they need more space, the price will incrementally go up by $100 per additional 10X10 space allotted for their booth. They will only receive 10 additional tickets for the second and third space expansion. Vendor placement is limited, so please register as soon as possible. (Please go to www.yes2berrienkids.org for registration forms).

Awards Ceremony: The overall winner of the SGAC will receive bragging rights and the SGAC CUP that will reside at their respective school for one year along. The School’s name will be engraved on the trophy, so everyone will know the winner for years to come. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place individual winners from each challenge will be awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals.

The top four teams will receive:

➢ 1st Place will receive $1,000, an engraved plaque and THE SGAC CUP.
➢ 2nd Place will receive $750 and an engraved plaque.
➢ 3rd Place will receive $500 and an engraved plaque.
➢ 4th Place will receive $250 and an engraved plaque.

**The SGAC is a team event and winners will be determined by number of points earned during each event. The school with the most points at the end of the day wins.

**The school with the most participants in attendance will receive a $250 scholarship. Due to Berrien County hosting the event, they will not be eligible to receive this scholarship.

If you are up for the challenge and interested in participating in the SGAC event, please go to our website at www.yes2berrienkids.org and click on the SGAC event info link. If you have questions, please contact Matt Jansen at 229-686-6576.

Economic Stimulus Package Breakdown

Dear Colleagues:

The Appropriations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives today released its Economic Stimulus Package. The House of Representatives will begin hearings next week on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

As you know, we are working to have the Congress include funds for CIS site coordinator positions in the legislation. You have likely received the CIS action alert with sample e-mail you can send your U.S. Representatives and Senators urging them to include money for CIS site coordinators in the legislation. Please take action and also forward the alert to other supporters of CIS. We must make our voices heard to succeed.

Here are some highlights of what the Appropriations Committee has proposed related to education and community services:
The overall funding for education in this bill for the next two years is $41 billion. Here is the breakdown:

Title I Help for Disadvantaged Kids: $13 billion for grants to help disadvantaged kids in nearly every school district and more than half of all public schools reach high academic standards.

IDEA Special Education: $13 billion for formula grants to increase the federal share of special education costs and prevent these mandatory costs from forcing states to cut other areas of education.

School Modernization and Construction: $14 billion for K-12 school renovation and modernization including technology upgrades and energy efficiency improvements.

Education Technology: $1 billion for 21st century classrooms, including computer science labs and teacher technology training.

Statewide Data Systems: $250 million for competitive grants to states to design and develop data systems that analyze individual student data to find ways to improve student achievement, providing teachers and administrators with effective tools.

Education for Homeless Children and Youth: $66 million for formula grants to states to provide services to homeless children including meals and transportation when high unemployment and home foreclosures have created an influx of homeless kids.

Child Care Development Block Grant: $2 billion to provide child care services for an additional 300,000 children in low-income families while their parents go to work. Today only one out of seven eligible children receives care.

Improving Teacher Quality: $300 million, including $200 million for competitive grants to school districts and states to provide financial incentives for teachers and principals who raise student achievement and close the achievement gaps in high-need schools; and $100 million for competitive grants to states to address teacher shortages and modernize the teaching workforce.

There is $40 billion to states and an additional $39 billion to school districts, public colleges and universities. These two funding sources have been created to stabilize budgets, prevent tax increases and deep cuts to critical education programs.

Community Services
Compassion Capital Fund: $100 million for grants to faith- and community-based organizations to provide critical safety net services to individuals and families.

AmeriCorps Programs: $200 million to put approximately 16,000 additional AmeriCorps members to work doing national service, meeting needs of vulnerable populations and communities during the recession.

Community Services Block Grant: $1 billion for grants to local communities to support employment, food, housing and healthcare efforts serving those hardest hit by the recession. Community action agencies have seen dramatic increases in requests for their assistance due to rising unemployment, housing foreclosures, and high food and fuel prices.

If you're interested in the 13 page summary, please go to: http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/PressSummary01-15-09.pdf

Governor Perdue to Eliminate School Nurses

I wanted to let all of you know about something very important to
all School Nurses in the state of Georgia. Yesterday, January 14th,
Governor Perdue made public his proposed budget for 2010. It states:

Eliminate state funding support for school nurses. ($30,000,000)

This means the School Nurse monies for School Year 2009-2010 are
eliminated in this proposed budget. The Board of GASN is mobilizing,
building coalitions and trying to ramp up support to help influence
the turn around of this proposal. We will have somerecommendations to
you, our members and colleagues by early next week. Of course, it
never hurts to start getting your support systems together. We all
know there are parents out there that value School Nurses, and we will
need their support now more than ever. We all need to work together
on this issue. We will address this as professionals who feel that
children in our state deserve a School Nurse in their School
community! Thank you for your attention. Look forward to hearing from
us!

Joanne Giel, RN

President - GASN

South Georgia at the State Capitol

By State Sen. Greg Goggans

One of government’s fundamental roles is to assist its citizens. As a state senator, I strive every day to help the people who have decided to make our great state their home. Through the launching of initiatives such as GeorgiaHealthInfo.gov, Open.Ga.Gov and 1-800-Georgia, Georgians can access information needed to make decisions on issues essential to their everyday lives.

In an effort to give Georgians access to the latest healthcare quality, cost and health education information, the Department of Community Health (DCH), recently announced the launch of GeorgiaHealthInfo.gov as a resource to help Georgians make educated health decisions. The new website is being launched in two phases during 2009, with the first phase accessible now. It enables a person to search pharmacies by zip code to determine the best price for prescription drugs, offers quality assessments for medical facilities and provides easy access to the Mayo Clinic’s vast health education database. The Mayo database gives users access to prevention, wellness and disease management information plus cost and quality analysis for healthcare plans, prescription drugs, local hospitals and outpatient procedures.

The second phase of the website will include extensive provider profile data and user support for long-term care options. Both phases of the website will be fully operational by this summer.

Another new website, Open.Ga.Gov, began operation on January 1. Visitors to the site can easily locate information on state government salaries, travel expenditures, professional services expenditures, government contracts and comprehensive annual reports. Performance audits, program evaluations and special examinations released by the Department of Audits and Accounts over the last five years are also available. The information maintained on the site is updated annually.

Too often, I receive phone calls from constituents who are frustrated with being transferred numerous times in search of information. 1-800-Georgia is a toll free service now available for citizens who are seeking services but don’t know who to call. The call center will connect callers to the correct government agency with their first call. The phone service is supported by the state’s KnowledgeBase, which is updated daily and validated for accuracy quarterly by representatives from every state agency.

Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to continue representing the 7th senatorial district. It is an honor to serve you in the General Assembly. Happy New Year!

As always, I’d like to thank members of the Senate staff, who contribute regularly to my column. Please contact me in my office at the Capitol with your questions, comments or concerns.

# # # #


Sen. Greg Goggans represents the 7th Senate District, which includes Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Lanier, Pierce and Ware counties and a portion of Cook County.

Mental health budget under assault

By Matt Flumerfelt

VALDOSTA — With Georgia’s new legislative session set to begin on Jan. 12, mental health advocates are gearing up to challenge Gov. Sonny Perdue’s plan to privatize the state’s mental health system and to oppose further attempts by the governor to cut the budget of the already under-funded system.

The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) has been inundating the governor’s office with letters, said Nancy Tennyson, a longtime NAMI member who lives in Brooks County. NAMI sent a letter called Gray Matters to all its members, requesting them to print it on gray paper and send it to the governor’s office.

Gray Matters asks the governor to take a number of steps to improve the state’s mental health system, including exempting mental health from any further budget cuts, going forward with plans to separate mental health and addictive diseases from the Department of Human Resources and Behavioral Health and make it an independent department, and fully funding the recommendations of the governor’s mental health commission.

NAMI is also preparing to release another National Survey of Mental Health Services in the U.S. this year, Tennyson stated. Georgia received a grade of “D” on the last NAMI survey.

This past summer, the governor shifted $8.4 million from the mental health budget to, “other programs in the State Department of Human Resources to meet administrative expenses and cover funding deficits,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The governor’s mental health commission, in their final report released on Dec. 4, 2008, questioned the wisdom of cutting the mental health budget at a time when Georgia’s mental health system is already under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for “critically deficient conditions.”

Given the state’s current budget deficit, however, the commission’s recommendation for “an ambitious five-year blueprint to reform Georgia’s troubled mental health system,” seems unrealistic.

The governor’s commission does not endorse the privatization plan, according to its own report.

The U.S. Justice Department opened a civil rights investigation into all seven of Georgia’s state hospitals, following the publication of a series of articles entitled “A Hidden Shame,” in the Atlanta Journal Constitution beginning on Jan. 1, 2007, that exposed deplorable conditions in state mental facilities. The Perdue commission was created in the wake of those articles and subsequent investigation according to the Constitution.

An article in “Out of Control,” a publication of the Reason Foundation, states that Georgia’s push to

privatize its mental health facilities has gained momentum because “service quality under state operation has literally deteriorated to the point that lives are at stake.”

Following the lead of Washington, D.C.’s Department of Mental Health (DMH), which announced in October 2008 that it plans to privatize its mental health centers in 2009, Georgia state officials want to hire for-profit companies to build and operate three new psychiatric facilities to replace all seven existing state hospitals, according to the Constitution.

Proponents claim that privatizing saves money and improves care. D.C.’s Department of Mental Health Director, Stephen T. Baron, is quoted in the Reason Foundation article saying that, “If DMH privatizes its centers, it will save a lot of money and have a chance to increase the number of residents it helps.” DMH spokesperson Phyllis Jones, in the next paragraph, identifies the source of the savings. “The private providers tend to have cheaper labor costs.”

Critics of privatization complain that combining competition and the profit motive with medical care is risky, with Georgia’s mental health consumers being those at greatest risk under such a plan.

NAMI member Lisa Majersky, in a letter printed in the Athens Banner-Herald on Dec. 4, 2008 stated, “Putting the profit motive into medical care is, in my opinion, a crime against humanity.” Majersky argues that private corporations would be less motivated to cooperate in cases of possible wrongdoing because negative publicity could affect profitability.

Sue Gupton, executive director of the South Georgia Community Service Board d/b/a Behavioral Health Services of South Georgia (BHS), stated that she opposes privatizing the state’s mental health facilities.

“I’m sure the current administration is looking to save money,” Gupton stated, “but so often with privatization the services are cut to accomplish this.”

“I support NAMI’s opposition and like many I am wondering why there is such a rush to make these monumental changes when a new department is likely to be created in July,” Gupton said. “Why wouldn’t you wait six months and have the new commissioner of behavioral health make those decisions for the future?”

Gupton stated that funding cuts have already resulted in major downsizing for BHS, which has gone from a staff of 400 to approximately 250 and from programs in every county to programs in only three of the 10 counties they serve. Even with the cuts, however, they continue to serve all 10 counties, but with severely diminished resources, Gupton stated.

“If BHS had not experienced years of funding crises, the impact of the budget cuts could be managed, but given the history of the funding, the next round of cuts will severely impact the already underfunded service delivery system in South Georgia.”

Gupton pointed out that when the economy takes a downturn, there is always an increase in the demand for services — increased anxiety and depression, increased stress leading to increases in substance use and abuse, domestic violence and child abuse, etc. If the resources are not available or if there’s a long wait to get into services, these problems will be handled elsewhere, i.e. through the criminal justice system, emergency rooms and so forth.

“Cutting social services during an economic downturn seems unwise,” Gupton stated. “These issues have to be addressed and paid for somewhere, either at the front end through better access to the services, or on the back end through the corrections system or ERs. A question to be pondered,” Gupton stated, “is where will those entering through ERs go if state hospital access is so limited?”

Nora Lott Haynes, president of NAMI Georgia, said that the state’s plan is backwards. “First,” Haynes said, “we need to fix the community mental health treatment system before we look at changing the hospital system. And,” Haynes stated, “nothing will work if we don’t have adequate funding.”