Day of Action Against Antisemitism

There has been a surge in antisemitism in the United States and around the world. This hate is unacceptable, and inaction is inexcusable.

Show your solidarity by joining the American Jewish Committee; ADL; Hadassah, WZOA, inc.; Jewish Federations of North America; and Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America this Thursday, May 27th for a Day of Action Against Antisemitism.  During the Day of Action Against Antisemitism, tools will be provided to amplify your voice with thousands more to demand action and gather virtually for a rally at 4pm ET / 1pm PT to hear from prominent government officials as well as leaders from the Jewish community and civil rights organizations, among others. ***** Source: Baltimore Jewish Council email, May 25, 2021.

GAO REPORT FINDS MANY FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN IN HUD VOUCHER PROGRAM LIVING IN UNITS WITH LEAD DANGERS

 

A new GAO report, Lead Paint in Housing: Key Considerations for Adopting Stricter Lead Evaluation Methods in HUD’s Voucher Program (GAO-21-325), points out that HUD’s voucher program has 1.1 million families living in housing units built before 1978. This includes about 229,000 children under 6 years old - who research has shown that are at greatest risk from lead exposure. Lead paint can seriously affect young children's health and has been banned from use in U.S. housing since 1978.

The report - released on May 12, 2021 - also evaluates the costs and feasibility of an intensified inspection program by HUD to identify lead-unsafe properties, but does not mention the importance of offering assistance to families with young children to move to lead-safe properties and neighborhoods. 

The report documented that about 171,000 units were occupied by approximately 229,000 young children (under age 6), putting these children at an increased risk of lead exposure. The HUD voucher program requires visual assessments for identifying deteriorated paint, with no testing of paint or dust. Any change to stricter evaluation methods would need to consider that certain states have a larger portion of pre-1978 voucher units occupied by families with young children.

Estimated costs for adopting stricter lead evaluation methods for the voucher program would vary substantially depending on the method used and what units were included (see figure). Estimated initial costs range from about $60 million for a less expensive method applied only to units with young children to about $880 million for a more expensive method applied to all pre-1978 units. These estimated costs range from 3% to 41%, respectively, of the fiscal year 2021 budget dedicated to public housing agencies' administrative expenses for the voucher program. Total costs would also depend on the mobility of voucher households and the frequency of any additional lead evaluations.

GAO analyzed HUD data on the voucher program (as of year-end 2019, the most recent available) and information on lead professionals from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and states. GAO also conducted a nationwide, generalizable survey of lead professionals to estimate the costs of lead evaluation methods. In addition, GAO interviewed staff from HUD, EPA, and public housing agencies, and representatives from two national organizations that represent lead professionals.

For more information about the study, contact John H. Pendleton at (202) 512-8678 or pendletonj@gao.gov.

***

Source: Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC), "PRRAC Update: Housing finance and racial justice; Strength in Diversity candidates," May 20, 2021.

 

May 11, 2021

MAY UPCOMING TRAININGS & PROGRAMS Find out more and register using the links below! Wednesday, May 12, 2021 Dimensions of Diversity 10am to 1pm Presented by Keith A. Merkey, M.Div./CE, MCCR Education & Outreach Associate Register at mccr.events/DoDMay2021 This interactive training workshop provides both information and opportunity to examine and understand the concepts of culture, cultural information and its’ origin, and how it impacts the workplace. Workshop content includes: Key Diversity Definitions Cycle of Information/Misinformation Examining and understanding the issues of bias Multi-Cultural Communication Awareness​ Thursday, May 20, 2021 Employment Discrimination for Supervisors 12pm to 2pm Register at mccr.events/Supervisors This two-hour course will address common employment discrimination issues faced by supervisory staff, best practices, and common situations. A 20 minute prerequisite video on employment discrimination will be disseminated to ensure all participants are aware of the basic concepts and legal protections. Participants should be comfortable with employment discrimination basics for employees as this course focuses exclusively on workplace management. Monday, May 24, 2021 Conflict Resolution in the Workplace 10am to 1pm Register at mccr.events/ConflictResMay2021 This interactive training workshop examines the role of interpersonal conflict and its’ impact on the workplace. The workshop provides both insight and information on the causes and process of conflict and offers conflict management techniques. Workshop content includes: Causes of Conflict Cycle of Conflict Conflict styles Case Studies Conflict Management Tools & Techniques​​ Wednesday, May 26, 2021 Managing Mental Health and Addiction in the Workplace: Reasonable Accommodations, Interventions, Best Practices and Coping Strategies 12pm to 2pm Register at mccr.events/MentalHealth Participants will be given the opportunity to select one of the breakout rooms below for their first 40 minute session. At the 40 minute mark, all breakout rooms will be closed for a 10 minute break and then participants can select a different breakout session (no duplicate attendance). Each breakout room host will present their session twice. Breakout Room 1: Workplace Reasonable Accommodations: Mental Health and Substance Abuse Glendora C. Hughes, General Counsel MCCR Staff Support: S. Spencer Dove, Executive Associate Breakout Room 2: Creating a Workplace Culture That Prioritizes Mental Health Kerry Graves, Executive Director, NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore MCCR Staff Support: Dia Drake-Sprague, E&O Assistant Breakout Room 3: Managing Addiction and Recovery in the workplace: Prevention, intervention, quality treatment and recovery support Katina Palmer, NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals. MCCR Staff Support: Janiya Proctor, E&O Assistant Breakout Room 4: A First Hand Account of Navigating Mental Health Issues at Work Nao Gamo and Nova Getz, NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore Breakout Room 5: Navigating Substance Abuse at Work: Legal Protections and Coping Strategies Alesha Bell, Investigations Supervisor and Melissia Dorsey, Investigations Supervisor

Victim of Discrimination? Training & Partnerships

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May 27th Zoom Listening Session:
The Role of Insurance in Addressing
Health Care Inequities

Join Maryland Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Birrane and the Maryland Insurance Administration as we hear from invited panelists, interested stakeholders, and members of the public regarding the role insurance can play in addressing inequities in health care access and outcomes.

To sign-up to speak after the panelists, please do so by emailing listening.sessions@maryland.gov. Individuals who sign-up will be allotted a period of time to share their thoughts and experiences.

Throughout 2021, Commissioner Birrane and the MIA will hold a series of Listening Sessions to help the MIA more fully understand the experiences of specific communities relating to certain kinds of insurance. These Listening Sessions will assist us to fulfill our statutory mission to serve Marylanders both in our enforcement of Maryland’s insurance laws and in our development of tools, guides, and programs for consumers. 

May 27, 2021: 1 p.m.- 4 p.m.

Zoom Link: www.zoomgov.com/j/1603649556

Dial-in: (833) 568-8864

Webinar ID: 160 364 9556