February 2008:
Contact us:
24-Hour Crisis Line
(206) 461-3222
(866) 4CRISIS or
(866) 427-4747
(206) 461-3219 TTY
24 hours, daily
2-1-1 Community
Information Line
Dial 2-1-1 or
(206) 461-3200
(800) 211-WASH
(206) 461-3610 TTY
M-F, 7:30am-7:30pm;
Sa, 9:30am-2:30pm
Teen Link
(206) 461-4922
(866) TEENLINK or
(866) 833-6546
(206) 461-3219 TTY
6-10pm, nightly
Business Office
1515 Dexter Ave N
Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 461-3210
Fax: (206) 461-8368
M-F, 8am-5pm
Resource Brochures for Offenders Available
2-1-1 Community Information
Line has recently updated the Offender Packets! These two packets offer
up-to-date information on tangible need resources for offenders who are
currently under supervision by the criminal justice system and/or any man or
woman with a sex offense on his or her record. Packets are now available through the Crisis Clinic Web
site here. Packets can also be mailed to
offenders and service providers by dialing 2-1-1 and speaking with an I&R
Specialist. The Offender Packets
are currently available in English only. No documentation or proof of offense is required to obtain
a packet.
Carbon Monoxide Reminder
Washington
State Emergency Management Division would like to remind residents of the
dangers of carbon monoxide when they are looking for alternate sources of
heat, such as portable generators, during power outages. Free fact sheets and
flyers about carbon monoxide poisoning in six languages—English, Chinese,
Korean, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese—can be found on the Washington
Emergency Management Division’s Web site here.
Traumatic Grief Group Forming
Thursdays, Feb. 28-May 1
Virginia Mason Medical Center
The Separation and
Loss Services at Virginia Mason Medical Center is forming a Restorative
Retelling Group for adult family members and friends suffering from traumatic
grief as a result of a loved one’s sudden death due to homicide, vehicular
homicide or suicide.
For details (206) 223-6398.
New E-mail Listserv Available
Public Health’s HIV/AIDS
Program has added another population specific
email listserv targeting Women in order to distribute up-to-date, relevant
and accurate information about HIV/AIDS prevention and care on a monthly
basis. The
distributed information will include news stories, editorials, reports,
research findings from peer reviewed journals, etc. To subscribe to this
listserv, click here. To sign up for any of the
other six population specific listservs (African Americans, Foreign Born
Blacks, Latinos, Men Who Have Sex with Men, New HIV/AIDS Research Articles
List, and Substance use among men who have sex with men),
click here.
Outdoor Program Grants Available
Washington State Parks and Recreation
Commission has created the “No Child Left Inside” grant program to
promote programs that encourage outdoor education and recreation. Deadline to
apply is Feb. 27. $1.5 million is available to programs that serve youth at
risk of failing or dropping out of school, underrepresented learners, and
those facing social, behavioral, economic and health barriers. To apply click
here. For more
information call (360) 902-8844.
Support Program for Newly Bereaved Adults
Saturday, March 8, 10-11:30
a.m.
425 Pontius Ave N
Providence Hospice of Seattle
Providence
Hospice of Seattle, Swedish Hospice, and Group Health Hospice are hosting
a drop-in support group for adults who have experienced the death of a
significant person in their lives within the last three months. For more
information, please call Providence Hospice of Seattle’s Grief Support
Services at (206) 320-4000.
Bellevue Launches Youth Court
Bellevue Youth Court is a
three-year pilot project, with
high school students trained by professionals to perform court duties.
Juvenile offenders will be sentenced by a judge and jury of their peers,
Bellevue’s is the first youth court in King County where misdemeanor and
gross misdemeanor cases are handled. respondents are referred for sentencing
by King County Diversion
Court. In order for a
respondent’s case to be sentenced by Bellevue Youth Court, the respondent
must admit responsibility for their actions and agree to be sentenced by this
court of their peers. For details, call (425) 452-2834.
Providers Network Meeting
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 3-4 p.m.
14812 Main St
Hopelink
Bellevue, 98007
Hopelink
Bellevue will host a network meeting for providers to receive updates on programs
and resources available to families in the community. The meeting will
include two representatives who will speak about their agency’s programs –
Hopelink’s Adult Education Department and John Gottman’s Relationship
Research Institute. It also will include time for introductions, agency
announcements and networking. For details, call (425) 943-7577.
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Free
Tax Prep Sites Now Open
United Way of King County provides free tax
preparation and access to the Earned Income Tax Credit and other tax credits
to help working families increase their incomes and create savings.
Sites are open across King County through April 15.
Residents can call 2-1-1 to find a site.
The Free Tax Preparation Campaign allows low-income
people to keep more of their hard-earned money and avoid paying unnecessary
fees for commercial tax preparation and “rapid refund” loans. Being
financially stable reduces the risk of becoming homeless.
In 2007, 300 volunteers
dedicated 10,000 hours, prepared 11,288 tax returns and helped return $13.5
million in Federal Refunds back to the community, including $4.4 million in
Earned Income Tax Credits. The Free Tax Preparation Campaign saved customers
more than $800,000 in tax preparation fees.
What
is the Earned Income Tax Credit?
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a tax benefit for working people who
earn low or moderate incomes. In 2008, working families can get as much as
$4,716 back. This is money that can make a real difference in people's lives.
What
services are available at tax sites?
- Free, quality tax preparation and electronic filing
- Assistance in signing up for certain public
benefits
- Help for immigrants (multilingual services and
applications for individual tax payer identification numbers)
- Information and referral
to credit and debt counseling, financial education, homeownership
counseling and individual development accounts •
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Family & Adult Service Center Modifies
Services
Family & Adult Service Center
(FASC) has changed some of its programs and services. The Family Program has shifted from a
shelter-based to an apartment-based program. Each family that enters
the program will be placed into their very own apartment as opposed to the
dormitory room. FASC will continue to provide the same degree of case
management, support and services to families in need, but with increased
living space and the comforts of a private apartment.
The
new Family Program is broken down into two separate phases – Phase One will
provide three to six months of emergency shelter and case management for
homeless families and will continue to provide low-barrier services for
families who are most in need of immediate assistance. Phase Two offers longer-term
(one year) housing to families. This will help parents to establish a
positive rental history, while continuing to access the support and services
of FASC’s Family Program.
These
changes in the Family Program are consistent with the FASC Strategic Plan
adopted by the FASC Board of Directors in 2005. The 2008 budget for this program is roughly equivalent to
the 2008 budget projections under the former model as the cost of subsidizing
apartment rents and utilities is approximately equivalent to the cost of 24
hour staffing required in the 3rd Avenue site.
However, effective Feb. 3, the
hours of operation at the Adult Day Center Program will be reduced to 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. The reduction in hours results from budgeting constraints
for FASC overall and the lack of government support for this program. The Adult Day Center Program receives
no funding from government, instead relying exclusively on the support of
individuals and private foundations to meet its $375,000 operating budget.
The reduction in hours at the center does not correlate to a reduction in
need for the services offered.
The center reports serving an average of 225 clients per day in 2007;
a significant increase from 2006 when the center hosted an average of 160
clients per day. •
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Free Dental Insurance Available to Children in
King County
Washington Dental Service in 2008 is
offering no cost dental insurance for children in families at 250% to 300% of
the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Currently Medicaid covers children in
families up to 250% FPL and the state will extend these benefits up to 300%
FPL in 2009, but as a 1 million dollar gift to the county, Washington Dental
Service is stepping in now to provide no cost dental coverage for these
children.
The
program is offered in partnership with King County Executive Ron Sims’ Children's Health Initiative.
Children, ages 20 and younger, who have no other dental insurance are
eligible for the program. Those who qualify can use any dentist in the Washington Dental Service PPO Provider
Network. The program covers most standard dental services.
For details or to enroll, visit
the Web site, http://www.kckidsdental.org/,
or call (866) 839-9466 •
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One Night Count Reports Increase In
Homeless Population in King County
The annual One Night
Count, performed each year at the end of January and coordinated by Seattle King County Coalition for the
Homeless, found 15% more people without a place to sleep comparing
similar areas counted in 2007.
On Jan. 25, volunteers
walked areas of Seattle, Kent, North King County, East King County, White
Center, Federal Way, Renton, night owl Metro buses and Auburn. A total of 2,631 people were witnessed outside
between 2:30 and 5:30 a.m. There were an additional 140 people in the Seattle
Severe Weather shelters.
The count also recorded 40 homeless people in
Auburn, a new city added to the count. Volunteers also counted 171 people
riding the Night Owl buses and 19 people under the age of 18.
The purpose of the street
count is to foster an understanding of the patterns of survival for people
who sleep in publicly accessible areas. It will be combined with the Shelter
and Transitional Housing Survey, conducted the same night. The combined
surveys produce unduplicated data that serves to identify trends in
homelessness service use and provision.
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Critical
Resource Updates
Compiled by Resource
Center Staff
It is always
recommended to check Community
Resources Online for additional information and for the most current
information updates of the following resources.
Community House Mental
Health has announced it will be closing two of its boarding houses for the
mentally ill, The Inn and Summit Inn, both located on Capitol Hill. The
agency contracts with the
state and county to house mentally ill people on Medicaid. •
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February
and March Selected
Resources
Compiled by Crisis
Clinic’s Resource Center Staff
This column highlights
timely resources in the community information database that might otherwise
go unnoticed by our users. It is always recommended to check Community Resources Online
for additional information and for the most current information concerning
the following resources.
February Resource Highlights
AARP
Coordinates free income tax assistance programs from
Feb. 1 through April 15 each year. Services are available to people of all
ages who are middle and low income. Focuses on those individuals who are age
60 and older. Limited assistance is available to homebound taxpayers. Some
printed materials are available in Spanish. For a list of local Tax-Aide
sites, visit www.aarp.org/taxaide
and click on the link to “locate a site.”
Local Hazardous Waste
Management Program in King County
The Household Hazardous Wastemobile travels throughout King County 10 months
of the year providing household hazardous waste collection services. Volume
restrictions apply.
It generally is open F-Su from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The Wastemobile starts driving
again in February.
National
Eating Disorders Association
Distributes educational materials and
organizes awareness and prevention events. Operates a toll-free information
and referral helpline. Offers a searchable online database of treatment
providers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Sponsors National Eating Disorders
Awareness Week (NEDAW) held during the last week of February each year.
Master
Builders Care Foundation
“Rampathon” weekend event coordinates volunteers who build wheelchair
access ramps for low-income homeowners with long-term physical needs. Call
for an application. Applications are due in February.
Seattle King County Dental Society
Hosts its annual Smile day Saturday, Feb. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., to
promote dental hygiene. Children will receive a free toothbrush and
toothpaste with a screening. Community Health partners will be there to
arrange follow-up dental care and financial assistance. The event also
features games, face painting, goody bags and a pizza and ice cream social at
noon. Event will be held at the
Rainier Community Center, 4600 38th Ave S, Seattle.
Seattle Youth Garden Works
Provides a garden-based employment, education and empowerment program training
youth in market gardening. Recruits youth from high schools, transitional
living homes, youth shelters, drop-in centers and youth detention facilities.
Youth work at organic garden sites in Seattle. They produce and sell flowers,
herbs and starter plants at the farmers’ markets. Applications for the
program are due by the end of February.
Senior Services of Seattle/King County
Senior Information and Assistance provides
information on locations of tax assistance sites and programs, including
sending income tax assistance volunteers to the homes of homebound seniors or
people with disabilities. Program begins in February.
March Resource
Highlights
Overlake Service League
Camp and summer school scholarships are available for children in low-income
families and for children with disabilities in the Bellevue School District.
Must apply starting in March.
Special
Olympics – Washington
Athletes with disabilities are invited to participate in this year’s
Winter Games, with events including basketball, downhill skiing, Nordic
skiing, figure skating and speed ice-skating. This year the games will
be held Feb. 29 – March 2 in Wenatchee.
Kent Parks, Recreation &
Community Services
Holds its annual Community Resource Fair, which allows people living in South
King County the opportunity to learn about the many organizations that assist
and support individuals and families with special needs. Fair will be
Thursday, March 6, from 5-7:30 p.m. Deadline to register as an exhibitor is
Feb. 18. For details, call (253) 856-5030.
University of Washington –
Women’s Center
Awards an annual nursing scholarship for $250 to financially needy nursing
students in western Washington. Interested nursing students may call the
Women’s Center after March 15 for an application. Submit completed
applications by June 1. Scholarships are awarded in the fall. •
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“Resource
Talk,” Crisis Clinic’s free monthly e-newsletter, provides critical resource
changes, community events, feature articles on important health and human
service topics and updates to the annual publication of the Where to Turn
Plus directory. Click here to
subscribe or unsubscribe to Resource Talk.
You may view past issues of Resource Talk by clicking here.
Crisis
Clinic offers a variety of products to help connect people with critical
resources. Information about purchasing Crisis Clinic’s Where to Turn
Directories, Where to Turn CD-ROMs, customized reports, customized
mailing labels and holiday lists can be found online by clicking here.
Crisis Clinic respects the privacy of our Web site
users.
For business purposes, please e-mail us at ResourceCenter@CrisisClinic.org
or call us at (206) 461-3210.
http://www.crisisclinic.org/
This Newsletter was last updated on Friday, February 08, 2008 04:43 PM
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