i

Events and are in addition to those described within this E-Update. They will be
occurringduring the current two-week period or are newly listed as part of the longer term
Calendar.
These activities are provided for both personal use and printing out and sharing with others
through suggested posting on public and employee bulletin boards, hard copies or e-mail.

Updated: This Weeks Calendar of Events Activities (Found in Calendar of Events)

Camps Cadet Various Pennsylvania Locations.
GSK Science in the Summer for Elementary Students Area Libraries.
Walking Girls to Success Series Honey Brook.
Summer Concert Exton (Eagleview).
Family Night West Grove.
Lunch and Learn King of Prussia (Valley Forge).
Meet the Congregations Presentation New Holland.
Lunchtime Concert King of Prussia.
Town Tour and Village Walk Chester County.
Art Classes Kennett Square.
Bird Walks Audubon.
Longs Park Summer Concert Series Lancaster.
Parent Cafes Pottstown.
Gospel Roller Coaster Upper Darby.
Personal Finance Classes Pottstown and Norristown.
American Revolution History Events King of Prussia (Valley Forge).
PA CareerLink and Job Search Services Area Counties.
Summer Reading and Children Programs Area Libraries.
Look Good, Feel Better for Women Various Locations.
Veggie Tour Glenmoore.
Reading with Animals for Kids Berwyn.
Stage Performance New Holland.
Animals in the Wild for Kids Berwyn.
Incredible Insects Walk Norristown.
Eat Fresh Cooking Class Coatesville.
U.S. Army Band Concert Royersford.
Pay 2 Play Film Screening Strafford.
Coatesville Prayer Coatesville.
Freedom Fest Nottingham.
Updated: Next Weeks Calendar of Events Activities (Found in Calendar of Events)
Camps Cadet Various Pennsylvania Locations.
GSK Science in the Summer for Elementary Students Area Libraries.
Walking Girls to Success Series Honey Brook.
Summer Concert Exton (Eagleview).
Family Night West Grove.
Meet the Congregations Presentation New Holland.
Lunchtime Concert King of Prussia.
Town Tour and Village Walk Chester County.
Bird Walks Audubon.
Longs Park Summer Concert Series Lancaster.
Parent Cafes Pottstown.
Gospel Roller Coaster Upper Darby.
Personal Finance Classes Pottstown and Norristown.

New:

American Revolution History Events King of Prussia (Valley Forge).

PA CareerLink and Job Search Services Area Counties.
Summer Reading and Children Programs Area Libraries.
Look Good, Feel Better for Women Various Locations.
Fireworks Conshohocken and Phoenixville.
Good Neighbor Day Downingtown.
Community Picnic King of Prussia (Valley Forge).
Music and Fireworks Limerick and Chesterbrook.
Volkssport Exercise Club Orientation Exton.
Magic Show West Chester.
Summer Concert Pottstown.
Blobfest Street Fair Phoenixville.
Future Weeks Events and Activities (View in Calendar of Events)
Cave Quest Vacation Bible School for Kids and Teens Coatesville.
Shingles Vaccinations Pottstown.
Pottstown Trauma Informed Community Connection (PTICC) Community Partners
Launch Meeting Pottstown.
Summer Playgroups for Young Parents and Children Pottstown.
Trauma 101 Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Community Trainings
Pottstown.

Activities Submission - Organizations are encouraged to submit information about ongoing services and activities, along with special events, as soon as possible after establishing a
date to maximize publicity and to help individuals and other organizations with planning
processes for their own events.
Formats for submission should be similar to and include all information as that shown on the
current, accompanying Calendar of Events. Further information about submissions appears
at the end of this E-Update and the Calendar. Information should be submitted to
bps461@msn.com. Don't let your important activity be left unknown.

Receive Early Alerts During the Week on Many of These and Other Stories

Our E-Update, Calendar of Events and E-Update ResourcesTM, along with many
supplemental updates of information during the week, now are available at
www.facebook.com/TransformationIni
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to access other than basic features.
Like our Page and then click on Get Notifications in the dropdown menu next
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algorithms it chooses.

NEW THIS WEEK: Free Children's Summer Meal Program is Underway

Children and some individuals with disabilities have started receiving up to two meals per
day at Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sites at various area public facilities, camps
and nonprofit organization locations.

The federal Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition program, Summer Food
Rocks, funds free meals and snacks for ages 18 and under and persons with disabilities over
18 who participate in school programs for people who are mentally or physically disabled.

USDA says the program is important because children who miss school breakfast and lunch
are more likely to be sick, absent or tardy, disruptive in class, and inattentive. They also
score lower on achievement tests. Good nutrition is essential for learning in school. SFSP
provides an opportunity to continue a child's physical and social development while
providing nutritious meals during long vacation periods from school. It helps children return
to school ready to learn.
Information about SFSP is available at www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/frequently-asked-questions?
utm_campaign=%2B+Benefits
%2C+Grants+and+Loans&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=3102
9661&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_jAEIUFmYHexfM4lIOZ4sm709cajHR8hUUtcMI90G_YvfdYcQVX428rJPpcM4j6sMQE7FZWJbgeuqFwPeCu9FT433bA&_hsmi=31029661#6, with a
searchable database with arrows providing information on differing hours, meals and dates
at various sites at www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks?utm_campaign=%2B+Benefits
%2C+Grants+and+Loans&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=3102
9661&_hsenc=p2ANqtz_1QAn40daxuFbRWPWnVkDwRfaPHlN12d2nqvbWwSwq9LMRy8l0j21xBFrXjSWEeHVbBRKVV
dTv-vE_5kxX7qwl9XiJGw&_hsmi=31029661.

NEW THIS WEEK: New Dental Clinic for Low-Income Persons to Open in Southern
Chester County
A new dental center to serve low-income Southern Chester County residents is scheduled to
open by this Fall in Kennett Square.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded La Comunidad Hispana
(LCH) $350,000 to open a facility on McFarlan Road, in space that will be leased from Dr.
Robert Krauss, an endodontist.
Four full-time employees, including a dentist, a dental hygienist and two dental assistants
will offer services on the same Person-Centered model that it uses for its medical services.
The Federally Qualified Health Center will accept Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, and private
insurance, the organization said. Uninsured patients will pay for services on a sliding scale,
with no one being turned away for inability to pay.
LCH says a 2015 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey found 17,000 adults
in Southern Chester County in need a dental visit, with 15 percent of children, or 3,300, not
having been examined by a dentist within the past year.
Further information is available at www.lacomunidadhispana.org/la-comunidad-gets-grantdental-center.

NEW THIS WEEK: Low-Income Heating Assistance Recipients to Receive Extra

Supplemental Low-Income Heating Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grants are being
issued by Pennsylvania and will go to vendors in July, with a Summer Turn On Program

occurring in late Summer or early Fall to certain households already on program recipient
lists.
The Chester County Department of Community Development (DCD) says the state
Department of Human Services (DHS) has confirmed a supplement, to be made to vendors
with their July 6 payments, and credited to the following households:
$65 to any vulnerable household, identified as having a child under the age of five
(5), an adult over the age of 65, or a member of the household who is disabled
(defined as receiving financial assistance for a disability) who received a supplement
during the 2015-2016 season. This includes about 75% of all cash recipient
households; and
$65 to any household that received a crisis payment for the 2015-2016 year.
A household can receive a total of $130 with this issuance if it meets both criteria, county
officials say. Payment will be considered a cash grant and will be issued to the vendor that
received the respective grants listed. For example, if an individual already obtained a
supplement as a vulnerable household, this additional supplement will go to the vendor that
received the original payment. If the individual accepted a crisis grant this year, the
supplement will go to the vendor that received the crisis grant.
Dates for the Turn On Program haven't yet been determined, according to DCD, but all
households that received a LIHEAP payment to a deliverable fuel vendor will receive a $200
LIHEAP cash payment to that vendor.
Utility companies will provide DHS with a list of clients that received a LIHEAP grant in
2015-2016 and that are terminated or in danger of termination. The companies can only
include customers that have given consent and for which an emergency can be resolved
with $500 or less. DHS would issue the amount of crisis funding specified by the utilities,
up to the $500 maximum.
A client that received LIHEAP payments to both a utility and a deliverable fuel company
could potentially receive up to $700 in Turn-On funds, while a client who received LIHEAP
payments to two different utilities could potentially receive up to $1,000, DCD says.
Further information is available from DHS County Assistance Offices.

NEW THIS WEEK: New State-wide Prescription Tracking Goes into Effect
A new state-wide drug registry has gone into effect to monitor dispensing of prescription
drugs that have potential for abuse or dependence.
The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) is designed to allow doctors and
pharmacists to have instant database access to check prescriptions that have been filled at
one or more locations to help prevent abuse. Pharmacist will have up to 72 hours to submit
data after dispensing a monitored prescription drug.
Pennsylvania is the last of three states to implement such a system.
Further information is available at www.health.pa.gov/Your-Department-of-Health/Offices
%20and
%20Bureaus/PaPrescriptionDrugMonitoringProgram/Pages/home.aspx#.V3FONKJYxLN.

NEW THIS WEEK: Pottstown to Launch Trauma Informed Community Connection

Wednesday, July 20
Pottstown Trauma Informed Community Connection (PTICC) will launch an initiative to
recognize, respond to and reduce struggles faced by children and adults as a result of
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) with a free partners awareness orientation from 9
a.m. to 11 a.m. July 20, in the Community Room, Montgomery County Community College
(MCCC), 101 College Drive, Pottstown.
Free single session community Trauma 101 trainings from the Institute for Family
Professionals also will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 24;
3:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Thursday, October 6; and 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday,
November 15 in the Pottstown Middle School auditorium, 600 North Franklin Street,
Pottstown.
The initiative, organized by the Pottstown School District and its Pottstown Early Action for
Kindergarten Readiness (PEAK) coalition, is designed to educate and commit the community
to a culture of safety, understanding and responsiveness to ACEs for children, famlies and
the community.
Further information and registration for interested community residents and organizations
for the partners meeting is available at www.pottstownmatters.org/pticc-partner-meeting,
mrieck@pottstownsd.org or (610) 970-6655. Registration and information for the Trauma
101 trainings is available at cgolden@pottstownsd.org or (610) 970-6614. Further
information on the initiative is at www.pottstownmatters.org.

NEW THIS WEEK: High Lead Levels in Senator's Water Generates Legislation Push
A personal experience of Chester County State Sen. Andy Dinniman is leading to movement
of legislation to study the scope and impact of lead in drinking water in Pennsylvania.
The Senator said the action emanated from discovery that water at his West Chester District
Office tested for more than three times the "Action Level" for lead.
The legislation, approved by committee and sent to the Senate floor, will study the age of
the state's housing stock, lead pipes, school buildings and day care centers throughout the
Commonwealth. In addition, a task force would study best practices and make
recommendations to remediate lead issues throughout the Commonwealth, Dinniman said.
Further information is available at www.senatordinniman.com/dinniman-leadcontamination-deserves-a-closer-look-in-pa-chester-county.

NEW THIS WEEK: Area Counties Homicide Percentages Among Tops in State
Area counties have experienced the highest percentages of combined homicides in
Pennsylvania during the past five years, although the numbers dropped in 2015 in all but
Berks County where it nearly tripled over the year before.
The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) has provided a statistical snapshot
of homicides in the state for the 2011-2015 period, also showing that June and July,
followed by September, October and December, are the peak periods for such deaths.

It is available at www.pacourts.us/news-and-statistics/media-resources?Resource=5248.

NEW THIS WEEK: Chesco Voter Services Cautions About Mailer

Chester County Department of Voter Services says it is not connected with a mailer being
sent to county residents containing a "letter referencing the accuracy of voter registration
records, a valid Pennsylvania Voter Registration Application, and a postage paid envelope"
addressed to the department.
It says the mailing states that a Government Document Enclosed on the envelope comes
from a private non-profit organization,
Voter Participation Center.
Some residents receiving the mailer have contacted the county office noting inaccuracies of
names and addresses, including some family members who are deceased.
Voter Services says it has not provided any information to the organization, including
database mailing or voter registration information and assumes it purchased a commercial
database.
Further information is available at www.chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/34209 or from
the Department at (610) 344-6410.

NEW LAST WEEK: Chester County Records First Zika Virus Case
A non-pregnant woman who recently traveled to an area affected by mosquitos carrying the
Zika Virus has become Chester County's first confirmed case of Zika.
The County Health Department says the individual wasn't hospitalized and has recovered.
To date, 23 cases of travel-associated Zika Virus have been confirmed in Pennsylvania with
no locally-acquired cases in the state.
Further information about the local case is available at
www.chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/34192, with additional information from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the virus, which can cause a serious birth
defect if one is infected during pregnancy, at www.cdc.gov/zika/about/index.html.

NEW LAST WEEK: Pennsylvania Streamlines Elderly and Disabled Food Stamp
Application Process
A new state process is decreasing the paperwork and the number of times it takes for the
elderly and the disabled to apply and retain food stamps, or Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services says a new Elderly/Disabled Simplified
Application Process (ESAP) reduces the current application from 24 pages to a simplified
two-page document with ESAP households now having a 36-month certification period,
versus the current annual recertification period.
ESAP will be available to households that meet all the following criteria:

Every member in the household is at least 60 years old, has a disability, or both; and

No member of the household has earned income.

For SNAP eligibility, a household includes only individuals who live under one roof
and who purchase and prepare meals together.
Further information is available at www.media.pa.gov/Pages/DHS_details.aspx?
newsid=209.

NEW LAST WEEK: Health Department and Faith Groups Join in Stop Gun Violence
Campaign
The Allegheny County Health Department has joined with several churches and faith-based
organizations to promote Preventing Gun Violence, with Western Pennsylvania pastors
preaching this message from the pulpit.
The government agency has been joined by Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania,
Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and a coalition of
Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches to take up the call, according to the Pittsburgh
Sun-Gazette at www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2016/06/20/Baptist-minister-offers-arecipe-for-gun-violence/stories/201606200042.
The call toolkit is available at www.pts.edu/UserFiles/File/PDFs/Gun%20Violence/Gun
%20Violence%202016.pdf.
Other faith toolkits are available from the Washington National Cathedral at
www.cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/GunViolenceToolkit.pdf and the
Presbyterian Peace Fellowship of the Presbyterian Church USA at
www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/peacemaking/pdf/gvp_toolkit.pdf.

NEW LAST WEEK: Chesco Seeks to Upend Current System to Attack Homelessness
Chester County will attempt to "turn the system on its head" next month when it
implements new procedures to focus on the most vulnerable of its homeless population,
some 51 percent of which has been identified as currently not being helped.
Lauren Hutzel, county Decade to Doorways administrator, told dozens of county
administrators and workers, agency personnel and others during a Community
Conversation in West Chester that the county will be following Montgomery, Bucks and
several large metropolitan areas that already have such a system for prioritizing services
delivery based on needs of the most vulnerable of the homeless population.
A new VI-SPAT "supertool" process, expected to go into effect Monday, July 11, will change
the first-come, first-served approach through the county's ConnectPoints system that
currently is aiding less than half the homeless who seek assistance.
The new initiative, still using ConnectPoints, will assess each individual through VI-SPDAT
which includes a Vulnerability Index and a Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool and
provides housing intervention and other supports based first on those with the most critical
needs.
Those in need will continue to contact ConnectPoints at (610) 696-1999, which will be
followed up with a needs assessment of each case. Those requiring shelter will be
prioritized and an appropriate shelter then will contact the most vulnerable, based on the
priority list.

The 24/7 system will be changed to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, officials said, since
this is the time that most calls currently are being received.
Long term goals are to implement a system in which no homeless is on the street, the
supply of housing in the county exceeds the demand, any incident of homelessness is rare,
brief and non-recurring, and no one is in a shelter more than 30 days.
County department heads, including Community Development, Mental Health/Intellectual
and Developmental Disabilities (MH/IDD), and Drug and Alcohol, reported they have been
working more collectively on this issue, saying there needs to be a community approach
because "money (alone) is not going to solve the problem."
They also said the county also is continuing to gather information so it actually can
understand the issue, saying there will be many trials and errors as the new process moves
forward.
Directors of county shelter operations also have started to meet together monthly to discuss
issues and help coordinate services delivery.
The new process was likened to a mass casualty operation in which everyone who is injured
is assessed first for severity of injuries and then treated on the basis of who has greatest
need.
Further information on the new system is available from Hutzel at (610) 355-4723.

NEW LAST WEEK: Homeless Children Hidden in Plain Sight in Schools

A new report says student homelessness is on the rise, with more than 1.3 million homeless
students identified during the 2013-14 school year, a seven percent increase from the year
before and more than double the number seven years before.
America's Promise Alliance, which commissioned the report from Civil Enterprises, a public
policy and strategy firm, and Hart Research Associates, says, however, that students, as
well as school liaisons and state coordinators who support them, report that student
homelessness remains an invisible and extremely disruptive problem.
Students experiencing homelessness struggle to stay in school, to perform well, and to
form meaningful connections with peers and adults, the Alliance reports. Ultimately, they
are much more likely to fall off track and eventually drop out of school more often than their
non-homeless peers.
The report, Hidden in Plain Sight, is available at www.gradnation.org/report/hidden-plainsight.

NEW LAST WEEK: Violence Can Seen Acceptable to Children Experiencing High
Levels
Children with high levels of exposure to violence report the highest levels of depression,
anger and anxiety and can come to believe that violence is an acceptable way to solve
problems and is without consequence, according to a report.

Daniel J. Flannery, professor and director of the Begun Center for Violence Prevention
Research and Education, and Mark I Singer, professor of family and child welfare, both at
Case Western Reserve University, provide the overview in a story in The Conversation.
The report is available at www.theconversation.com/heres-how-witnessing-violence-harmschildrens-mental-health-53321?
utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+June+13+2016
+-+5026&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+June+13+2016++5026+CID_ff109eb7fb9b59fc9931e6a14bef3e48&utm_source=campaign_monitor_us&utm
_term=Heres+how+witnessing+violence+harms+childrens+mental+health.

NEW LAST WEEK: Montco Public Defender Opens Pottstown OfficeMontgomery County Public Defender has opened an office on Wednesdays at 364 King
Street, home to other county officfes, in Pottstown.
The satellite office will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. for initial applications for Public
Defender services for both adults and juveniles, initial client interviews and record
expungement petitions.
Further information is available at www.montcopa.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3113,
Dbeer@montcopa.org or (610) 278-5183.

NEW LAST WEEK: Post-Hospital Discharge Period Can be Dangerous

A Hospital Discharge: Its One Of The Most Dangerous Periods For Patients report says that
bad coordination often plagues patients transitions (from hospitals) to the care of home
health agencies, as well as to nursing homes and other professionals charged with helping
them recuperate.
The story, from Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit news service involved in coverage of health
care policy and politics, says medication mistakes are one of the most common
complications for discharged patients, with federal inspectors finding in their examinations
that home health agencies had inadequately reviewed or tracked medications for new
patients nearly a quarter of the time between January 2010 and July 2015.
The report is available at www.khn.org/news/home-health-agencies-often-miss-medicationerrors-endangering-patients/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A+Topicbased&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=30691756&_hsenc=p2AN
qtz-_QcAiqBMrhN1Ab5JjFCZsOr-LFKNnA_X5RqHrS0iI9DwesDB2C8Qh_6P_3_m6Q680VbJlTgF0Zkl55Uc1PtnxbWZv8w&_hsmi=3
0691756.
As reported in our E-Update Resources GuideTM, the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services National Institute for Aging has issued safety tips for before, during and after trips
to the hospital, including guidance for family and caregivers and patient rights, at
www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/hospital-hints.
Medicare also has published a six-page checklist, Your Discharge Planning Checklist, to help
individuals avoid being re-admitted after a hospital stay at
www.medicare.gov/pubs/pdf/11376.pdf with the The Joint Commission, an independent,
nonprofit organization that accredits and certifies more than 20,500 health care

organizations and programs in the United States, providing additional information at

www.jointcommission.org/toc.aspx.

NEW LAST WEEK: Self-Paying Health Insurance Buyers to Get Hit Next Year
Millions of individuals paying the full cost of their health insurance will face rising premiums
next year, according to the Associated Press, with no financial help from government
subsidies.
The news service reports that no subsidy exists for those making more than $47,520 for an
individual and $97,200 for a family of four, or four times the federal poverty level, with
subsidies also not available for consumers at any income level who purchase outside of
HealthCare.gov or a state marketplace.
The report is available at
www.bigstory.ap.org/article/bb2893d74c98434d9cbc2c759ef28be0/proposed-premiumhikes-rattle-consumers-paying-their-own#.

NEW LAST WEEK: Area Colleges Under Federal Investigations for Alleged Sexual
Violence Issues
Several area college are reported to be among 11 in Pennsylvania with open federal
investigations by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights for alleged sexual
violence incidents dating back to 2013.
The PennLive report is available at
www.pennlive.com/news/2016/06/11_pennsylvania_colleges_under.html#0.

NEW LAST WEEK: Maximum Check Cashing Fees for Government Checks to be
Reduced; New Car Seat Rules to Take Effect
Check cashing fees for government checks will be lowered under a bill signed into law by
Pennysylvania Gov. Tom Wolf.
The new legislation, effective August 16, will reduce the maximum fee for government
assistance checks from 2.5 percent to a half percent and other government checks to 1.5
percent. Maximum fees for other types of checks will remain unchanged.
The law also requires check cashing facilities to post fees in plain sight and will provide for
triple reimbursement to check cashers by those engaging in fraudulent cashing.
The legislation is available at www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?
txtType=HTM&sessYr=2015&sessInd=0&billBody=S&billTyp=B&billNbr=489&pn=1847.
In other legislative action, children under two years of age will be required to be in rearfacing child seats while traveling in a motor vehicle.
This legislation, effective August 12 and implementing the seat direction refinement, is
available at www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?
txtType=PDF&sessYr=2015&sessInd=0&billBody=S&billTyp=B&billNbr=1152&pn=1591.

Free Addictions Training Offered Thursday, June 30

Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems Prevention Department will offer two sessions of a
media influence training for professionals on June 30 in West Chester and Exton, with social
worker and psychology credits being available.
Bullseye! How Media Influences Risky Behaviors by Targeting Youth, presented by Holcomb
Prevention Specialist Amanda Chavez, will be offered from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Room 250,
Government Services Center, 601 Westtown Road, West Chester, and repeated from noon
to 2 p.m. at Holcomb offices at 467 Creamery Way, Exton.
It will discuss how to overcome new tactics advertisers are using in the age of technology to
target adolescents for lifetime customer use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana where legal and
other drugs, and opportunities to gamble.
Further information and required registration are available at
devon.mingey@holcombbhs.org or (610) 363-1488.

Changes Made to Child Car Seat Law Effective Friday, August 12

Children under two years of age soon will be required to be in rear-facing child seats while
traveling in a motor vehicle.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has signed legislation, effective August 12, to implement the
seat direction refinement.
A copy of the legislation is available at
www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?
txtType=PDF&sessYr=2015&sessInd=0&billBody=S&billTyp=B&billNbr=1152&pn=1591.

UPDATED THIS WEEK: Community Organization Networking Connection Meetings

(Regular Meeting Dates are Subject to Change)
Phoenixville Area Resource Network (PARN) meets from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on the
fourth Tuesday of the month, except December, at the First United Methodist Church (north
entrance), 865 South Main Street, Phoenixville. Representatives of community organizations
exchange information about current and upcoming activities and hProear presentations from
various services providers. On June 28, Abilatools and ConnectPoints representatives will
present. Additional information about the group is available from Debbie Dundon at Open
Hearth, Spring City, at debbie.openhearth@verizon.net or (610) 792-9282 x201.
Kennett Area Bridging the Community meets at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesdays of
January, March, May, July, September and November at various community locations with
any interested individual or organization welcome to attend and share information on
resources and needs that can build "bridges" toward a more integrated Kennett area
community. Additional information is available from Joan Holliday at dochollisv@aol.com or
(610) 717-2180. Minutes from prior meetings are available at
www.bridgingcommunity.com/bridging.php.
Chester County Faith Community Health Ministry Network meets from 4 p.m. to 5:15
p.m., on the first Thursday of each month, from September through June to exchange
information on promotion of holistic health within faith congregations and communities and

to develop additional faith community nurses, also known as parish nurses. Further
information is available from Joan Holliday at dochollisv@aol.com or (610) 717-2180.
Chester County Family and Community Partnership meets from 10 a.m. to noon on
the first Friday of February, April, June, August, October and December at the Government
Services Center, 601 Westtown Road, West Chester. The group is a diverse partnership of
individuals, families, community organizations, service agencies, businesses and funders
committed to empowering individuals and families in living self-sufficient, productive and
fulfilling lives. Additional information is available from Kathy Brauner at
kbrauner@chesco.org or (610) 344-5262.
Coatesville Area Resource Network (CARN) meets from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on the third
Wednesday of the month, except August and December, in the fourth floor conference room
at Brandywine Health Center at 744 East Lincoln Highway, Coatesville. Representatives of
community organizations hear presentations from various services providers, discuss ways
to develop effective systems of care, help identify solutions to specific issues, and exchange
information about current and upcoming activities. Further information is available from
Kathryn Spurlock at ccch@comcast.net or at (610) 380-7111 x16.
Berks-Lancaster-Lebanon Counties LINK to Aging and Disability Resources meets
from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at various Lancaster area
locations, and from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on the third Tuesdays of the month at various
locations in Berks County for services cross-trainings and exchange of information on
creating a one-stop, no-wrong-door resources for older adults and adults with disabilities,
including consumers, family members and others, seeking information about local
resources. Further information is available at http://berkslancasterlebanonlink.org, or from
Brian Long, coordinator, at blllink@mail.com or (717) 380-9714.
Bucks-Chester-Montgomery Counties LINK to Aging and Disability Resources
meets at 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at various dates and locations in the three counties. Further
information and suggested registration is available at
www.buckschestermontgomerylink.weebly.com, buckschestermontgomerylink@aim.com or
(484) 364-6981.
Communities That Care (CTC) groups in several Chester County school districts provide
networking opportunities for community organizations and individuals that use a planning
and mobilization model to promote healthy youth development and prevent and reduce
negative youth health and behavior issues that may include substance abuse, delinquency,
teen pregnancy, school drop-out, and violence.

West Chester CTC meets from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the second Thursday of each
month of the school year at the West Chester Area School District Spellman
Administrative Building, 829 Paoli Pike, West Chester. Lunch is provided by reserving at
rsvp@wcctc.org or (610) 359-5817.

Downingtown Area CTC meets from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of the
month from September through May. Further information and registration are available
at dtownctc@umly.org or (610) 458-9090 x2827.

Coatesville CTC Community Prevention Board, a body coterminous with the Coatesville
Youth Initiative Steering Committee, meets periodically in the fourth floor Community
Room, Brandywine Health Foundation, 744 East Lincoln Highway, Coatesville. Further

information and requested lunch reservations are available from Jarvis Berry, CTC
community mobilizer, at Jarvis@coatesvilleyouthinitiative.org or (610) 380-0200.

UPDATED LAST WEEK: Support Groups for Unemployed and Underemployed Ongoing
Several networking/support groups (open to everyone) are available at area churches for
persons who are unemployed or unemployed, with each providing its own variety of specific
services in support of those who attend:

Downingtown (Lionville/Exton) Job-Seeker Group at Calvary Fellowship Church,

95 West Devon Drive (rear entrance) at Route 113 in Exton (Lionville) holds weekly
sessions as part of the churchs Care Mondays of supports. Further information is
available at www.cfdowningtown.com/caremondays or
barnabasgroup@cfdownington.com or (610) 363-7171.

Malvern Penn State Great Valleys Alumni Association and My Career Transitions
(MCT), an all-volunteer job counseling group, meets from 9:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
the second Saturday of the month, except August and December, in 130 Main
Building, Penn State Great Valley, 30 East Swedesford Road, Malvern, preceded by a
new member orientation at 8:30 a.m. On July 9, a panel of Sharon Crandall, Karen
DeLise, Mike Hendri, and Ford Myers will discuss The HR Angle on Recruiting and
Hiring in the Musser Auditorium of the Conference Center building, a different
location. Further information and required registration are available at
http://mycareertransitions.com/new/?q=upcoming-meetings.

Wayne A one-on-one Employment Guidance Ministry, along with periodic special

employment related events to aid jobseekers is available at St. Davids Episcopal
Church, 763 South Valley Forge Road, Malvern. Further information is available from
George Vosburgh at gbvosburgh@aol.com or (610) 688-7947.

West Chester Unemployment support group meets bi-weekly from 5:45 p.m. to
7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 130 West Miner Street, West Chester, to
learn tips and techniques related to job searches. Further information is available
from Elisabeth Hartwell at ehartwell@firstpreswc.com, at (610) 696-0554.

West Chester BarnabasWC group meets from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Mondays,
except holidays, in the Community Room, Providence Church, 430 Hannum Avenue,
West Chester. Further information is available at www.barnabaswc.org or
info@barnabaswc.org.

Six Area Affiliates of Joseph's People meet during the month:

Berwyn/Main Line - 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays at the
Hagenbach Room, St. Monicas Church, 635 First Avenue. Further information is
available from Bob Schubert at bobschubertjr@aim.com or (610) 755-2398.
Central Delco Groups at three locations in Central Delaware County now
coordinate meetings in Media and Upper Darby at 7 p.m. on the first three Tuesdays
of the month. First Tuesday: St. Francis Room at St. Mary Magdalen Church,
2400 North Providence Road, Media, with further information at
smmemploy@gmail.com or (610) 873-7117. On July 5, no meeting will be held due

to the Independence Day weekend. Second Tuesday: St. Laurence Church, 8245
West Chester Pike - St. Laurence Road Entrance, Upper Darby, with further
information at smmemploy@gmail.com or (610) 873-7117. On July 12, members
will join other Joseph People's affiliates for a family picnic in Downingtown. Third
Tuesday: Hassler Chapel, Media Presbyterian Church, 30 East Baltimore Pike,
Media, with further information at robinst37@gmail.com.
Downingtown -- 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays, in the
Parish Meeting Room Rear of the School Property, St. Joseph's Parish, 338 Manor
Avenue (Route 322). Information about the affiliate is available by leaving a
message at (610) 873-7117. On June 29, the group will participate in a time of
sharing and prayer. On July 12, starting at 6:30 p.m., job-seekers and families will
participate in a picnic for all Joseph's People affiliates. Further information and
required registration for limited seating are available at
www.josephspeople.org/retreat.
Upper Uwchlan Township 7 p.m. on the first and third Mondays at the School
Education Center, St. Elizabeths Catholic Church, 100 Fellowship Road, Chester
Springs. Further information is available at (610) 321-1200 or at
david.bolz@verizon.net.
Reading 7 p.m. to 8:30 pm. on the first and third Wednesdays at St Catharine's of
Siena Parish Center. 2427 Perkiomen Avenue, Reading. Further information is
available from John Senick, facilitator, at (610) 779-4005.
West Grove 6:45 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month from September to
June in the new Parish Life Center, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church,
300 State Road, West Grove. On June 29, in the Children's/Adoration Chapel of the
Church, Christine Zaccarelli, pro bono director at Legal Aid of Southeastern
Pennsylvania, will discuss the organizations free services related to employment and
other law for qualifying individuals. Further information is available from John
Colgan at johnfcolgan@gmail.com.
Additional information on all St. Josephs People chapters is available at
www.josephspeople.org.

Free Job Assistance Workshops - June

Unemployed and underemployed persons seeking education and training in career planning,
along with employment assistance for veterans, ex-offenders and persons with disabilities,
can take advantage of a broad series of services and monthly workshops offered by the
Pennsylvania Department of Labor CareerLink at its Exton offices in Suite 500, 479 Thomas
Jones Way in the Oaklands Corporate Center.
These trainings include an orientation presentation as to services offered by the office.
A calendar of PA CareerLink-Chester County workshops for the current month is available at
www.eventbrite.com/o/pa-careerlink-chester-county-8099178146.
Daily job opening updates are available through www.cwds.state.pa.us.
Websites for additional county PA CareerLink offices in the area, at which many services are
available to out-of-county residents, include:

Berks: www.co.berks.pa.us/Dept/CareerLink/Pages/default.aspx
Delaware: www.delcoworks.org
Lancaster: www.jobs4lancaster.com
Montgomery: www.montcopa.org/index.aspx?NID=1024

Octorara School District Offering Homeland Security & Protective Services

Academy for Chester County High School Students
Octorara Area School District is accepting enrollment for Chester County high school
students to enter its fall Homeland Security & Protective Services Academy.
The Academy is said to prepare students to apply technical knowledge and skills required to
perform entry-level duties in law enforcement, firefighting, emergency medical services, and
other safety services, with training being conducted as part of high school curriculum at the
Chester County Public Safety Training Campus in South Coatesville.
On focus of the program is training for students to be nationally certified fire service
personnel due to declining number of volunteers in the fire service agencies, along with
receiving other public safety certification opportunities.
Further information is at http://octorara.schoolwires.net/site/Default.aspx?PageID=1536 or
Cyndi Manning at (610) 593-8238 x3549.

Pottstown School District Focusing Community on Early Childhood Trauma

The issue of early childhood trauma will be a focus within the Pottstown School District, with
a new initiative to inform the public and enlist it to help solve the problem.
An initial plan was unveiled at the annual meeting of the Pottstown Early storyAction for
Kindergarten Readiness (PEAK), an early childhood education collaboration, held at
Montgomery County Community College (MCCC).
A Pottstown Trauma Informed Community Connection will hold a community partners
launch meeting in July and three Trauma 101 community trainings in late summer and fall,
with a new website explaining the issue at www.pottstownmatters.org.
Retiring School Superintendent Jeff Sparagana praised the efforts of PEAK over the past 11
years to dozens of educators and community leaders, saying the school district not only has
acted to change lives but our work is now about saving lives by myattacking the negative
impacts of early childhood trauma.
He said the focus in the district hasn't been on starting new programs and just maintaining
them but to keep feeding them to maximize impact.
He noted the district has been able to do this with no property tax increase for the second
year, noting the PEAK initiative is funded entirely with outside funds.
Mary Rieck, PEAK coordinator, introduced the new collaboration, with Jack Tebes, PhD,
psychiatry professor in the Child Study Center at Yale University School of Medicine, having
been hired as a consultant in the new phase of parental and community engagement.

A panel discussion with a Pottstown police representative, a school family engagement

coordinator, and a pre-K teacher noted that addressing the issue of childhood trauma
requires a new mindset in which a child's or family's unruly actions aren't viewed in the
context of what is happening at the time but, rather, in perspective as to its underlying
cause.
It is pointed out that many parents discipline based on what was done to them as a child so
what they do is what they know, often resulting in trauma.
Superintendent Sparagana noted that a child is unable to learn if they have other issues
going on in their lives, including violence, parents fighting, hunger and more.
He said the district, in what he calls a bookends approach, has a quality pre-K initiative that
now is expanding to one in which students can obtain a year of college credit while still in
high school.
A new Social/Emotional Learning Initiative will use a systems approach to develop
family/school/community connections through a theory of change.
Earlier in the day, in an unrelated meeting at MCCC's main Blue Bell campus, Montgomery
County was hosting a Maternal & Early Childhood Summit on Investing in Healthier Families
that also had a focus on the issue of early childhood trauma and providing additional
assistance to help stabilize families.

Montco to Seek Family Stability, Low Birth Weights and Childhood Trauma
Improvements
Investing in Healthier Families to seek improvement in family stability and well-being and
birth outcomes was the focus at a Maternal & Early Childhood Summit at Montgomery
County Community College (MCCC) in Blue Bell.
Dr. Val Arkoosh, vice-chair of the county Board of Commissioners and interim medical
director of the county health department, and Dr. Cindy Christian, endowed chair in
Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, made the case
for investing early in what can help; supporting parents rather than blaming them, including
trauma informed care; increasing pre and postnatal home visits; and developing a full
collaboration to focus on the issues.
The commissioner said goals involved in family stability include reduction of child
maltreatment, reducing risk factors while increasing protective factors, and early and
holistic provider engagement with families and communities.
Improving birth outcomes include reducing infant mortality rates, promoting full-term
pregnancies, and building strong relationships among communities, providers and families,
including access to prenatal care and social services.
Dr. Arkoosh told some 100 summit attendees that families suffer from the fact that
resources are not distributed equally across the county, adding that she is determined to
find a pathway out of these statistics associated with infant deaths.
Dr. Christian said that great strides have been made in bettering conditions of senior
citizens in the United States but this hasn't occurred with vulnerable children because they
come with parents.

Parents voices get lost, she said due to a disproportional balance between racial bias and
child trauma risk.
Coincidentally, while the Blue Bell summit was underway, an unrelated meeting was starting
at MCCC's Pottstown campus at which a plan to begin educating the community about early
childhood trauma and its effect on education and child well-being was unveiled.

Individual Health Insurance Buyers May be Hit Hard Next Year

Millions of Americans buying their own health insurance may be hit next year with major
premium hikes.
The Associated Press is reporting that those who pay the full cost of their health insurance
will face the sting of rising premiums, with no financial help from government subsidies.
Renewal notices bearing the bad news will go out this fall, according to the AP.
Further information is available at
www.bigstory.ap.org/article/bb2893d74c98434d9cbc2c759ef28be0/proposed-premiumhikes-rattle-consumers-paying-their-own#.

Violence Can Become Acceptable to Children Exposed to High Levels

Children with high levels of exposure to violence report the highest levels of depression,
anger and anxiety and can come to believe that violence is an acceptable way to solve
problems and is without consequence.
This is a conclusion of Case Western Reserve University professors Daniel J. Flannery,
director of the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education, and Mark I
Singer, professor of family and child welfare, in The Conversation online academic
journalism publication.
Further information is available at www.theconversation.com/heres-how-witnessingviolence-harms-childrens-mental-health-53321?
utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+June+13+2016
+-+5026&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+June+13+2016++5026+CID_ff109eb7fb9b59fc9931e6a14bef3e48&utm_source=campaign_monitor_us&ut
m_term=Heres+how+witnessing+violence+harms+childrens+mental+health.

NARCAN Overdose Kits Now Available at Montco Health Centers

Montgomery County Health Department is making NARCAN two-nasal spray kits available at
its health centers to persons at risk of experiencing an opiate -related overdose; and to
family members, friends,
or other persons in a position to assist an individual at risk of experiencing an overdose.
The kits are available to eligible county residents without insurance or those with a financial
hardship that renders them unable to afford the copay at a participating pharmacy, officials
said, with health department locations at 364 King Street, Pottstown; 1430 DeKalb Street,
Norristown; and 102 York Road - Suite 401, Willow Grove.

The action is in response to opioid overdose deaths continuing to be a major public health
issue in the United States, contributing significantly to accidental deaths among those who
misuse heroin and prescription opioid drugs, with deaths due to opiates in Montgomery
County increased by 72% between 2009 and 2014 and just over half being attributed to
heroin.
Officers in 26 of the 49 Montgomery County police departments currently carry Naloxone
while on duty; with 41 documented saves across the county since 2015, authorities report.
They said that due to an extensive pharmacy outreach, 24 independently owned pharmacies
have dispensed over 275 Naloxone kits to the general public under a County Standing Order
for the prescription, with five chains pharmacies also dispensing the drug under a
Pennsylvania Physician General order.
Further information is available at www.montcopa.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3078.

Surf and Rip Current Forecasts Now Available

National Weather Service (NWS) has started publishing its summertime surf and rip current
forecasts through September 30.
Main components of this forecast, in addition to a rip current risk, include weather
conditions, ultraviolet rays (UV) index, surf wave height and water temperatures.
The report is available at www.weather.gov/phi/surfrip4, with a video on the dangers of rip
currents, which can be dangerous and potentially deadly, even on nice days, at
www.oceantoday.noaa.gov//htt//www.weather.gov/phi/surfrip4.
Further information and the projects list are available at www.governor.pa.gov/governorwolf-announces-12-million-in-green-light-go-traffic-signal-improvement-funding.

Zika Virus Response Plan Developed

Plans are underway to bolster surveillance, mitigation, and response efforts for the Zika
virus, although risks of contracting it in Pennsylvania are termed "very low".
Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Environmental Protection have announced a
Pennsylvania Zika Virus Response Plan that outlines the phases of education, surveillance,
and response activities that will occur for various levels of mosquito activity within the
commonwealth as well as triggers based on the presence of the virus within the state.
The phases range from the current situation of a moderate level of travel-associated cases
to potential widespread local transmission by mosquitos.
The agencies noted the only confirmed cases in Pennsylvania of Zika, which is identified as
being of danger to unborn children, are in individuals who contracted the virus while visiting
one of the areas where the virus is actively spreading.
They say, however, that "once warmer temperatures arrive in the commonwealth and
remain in place throughout the summer months, the risk of limited local transmission of
Zika virus by the type of mosquitos that potentially carry it will increase."

Additional information, including the response plan, is available at

www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Health-Details.aspx?newsid=307.

Area Counties Now in Range for Zika Virus

Chester and adjoining counties are on new maps for range
of potential Zika virus spread, although risk or likelihood, or
exact locations or numbers of mosquitoes living in these
areas aren't shown.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says
that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are more likely to spread
viruses like Zika that is being linked to birth deformities
with pregnant mothers.
The new report is available at www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/resources/vector-control.html.

Zika Virus from Mosquitoes Drawing Increasing Concern for Both Women and Men
The Zika virus is drawing increasing focus, particularly for
women who could become pregnant and men who can
transmit the disease, from the federal Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), with new guidance and
information to prevent transmission and health effects.
The CDC says there is "mounting evidence" that supports a
link between Zika, transmitted initially by mosquitoes, and
microcephaly, a birth defect that is a sign of incomplete
brain development, and possibly other problems such as miscarriage and stillbirth.
The new guidance is available at www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/s0325-zika-virusrecommendations.html, with further information on the disease at www.cdc.gov/zika.

Please Note: New and Updated tags refer only to the time of appearance of information
in these E- Updates. Some on-going activities may have been in existence for some time
and are being listed for awareness.
Letting People Know/Making a Difference - Ongoing
Feedback indicates that a lack of communications tools is a primary deficiency in bringing
community services providers and those needing information together.
If you know of an activity designed to have a real impact on families (this includes
individuals and youth) that we should be aware of or might be interested in reporting in
these periodic e-mail updates, please let me know, either with details or a web site link. In
order to maintain its value, this forum currently is a subjective, selective distribution so all
information submitted may not be used.
Also, if you know someone who might be helped by these periodic updates, please forward
all or selected portions as you feel appropriate. If you would like to be added to or removed
from this list, please hit reply and advise by typing "Subscribe" or "Unsubscribe" or
something similar in the Subject line.

Events listed are based on subject matter related to activities impacting families and is
based on information reported to us. No endorsement is made or implied.
Suggestions for improvements are encouraged. We currently are developing a more
advanced electronic communications method for this type of material that will have more
expansive yet less obtrusive characteristics. Please stay tuned.
To submit materials for publication, please refer to the guidelines that follow.

Blessings
Casey
Casey Jones
Transformation Initiative
Building Healthy Communities Through Healthy Families
(610) 707-1494 / bps461@msn.com
2009-2016 Casey Jones, Transformation Initiative for Building Healthy Communities Through Healthy Families.
Permission is granted to reproduce for personal or non-commercial uses only.

Information provided is designed to highlight activities within the broader community that can help
enhance Christian principles relative to development of healthy children, individual and family
relationships.
Recipients are encouraged to print and post this Calendar to employee and public bulletin boards
for benefit of others.
Activities included in this publication are gathered from various submissions and other sources. No
representation is made as to their accuracy or value.
Persons wishing to be included in future e-mailings of updates, should request inclusion by sending
an e-mail with Subscribe in the Subject line, along with your name, organization, community and
where you heard about the publications to bps461@msn.com.
General Guidelines for Information Submission:
Submission up to two to three months prior to the event is encouraged to increase exposure to new
subscribers, individuals who only may read the list periodically, and for other organizations that want
to avoid scheduling opposite an event or may want to collaborate with others in the area. For annual
events, even longer lead times may be appropriate. Our deadline generally is the Friday before the
week of publication.
A general idea of the information needed (many submit too little for the consumer to understand what
actually is occurring and why they should consider attending) can be obtained by perusing the
publications or using the following guide:
Please

use full names followed, if appropriate, by acronyms in parenthesis.

Name of Event:
Date(s) - Include both day(s) of week and actual dates:
Times (Starting and ending):
Location (Including any applicable room number, particularly in a large facility, and a
MapQuest or Google Maps searchable address:
Sponsoring Organization(s), if not part of the location address:
Participant Eligibility (Ages, gender, etc.):
Description of Activities and, as applicable, the presenter and the purpose of the event (Two to
three descriptive sentences with the most appealing information; please avoid superfluous
words such as "wonderful", "great", etc.):
Any Fees, including free-will offerings:
Contact name, e-mail, telephone, along with any web page that is focused primarily on the
specific activity:
Any registration requirements.

We generally use only free activities of a non-commercial nature or those in which a very small,
optional materials fee is charged.
Fund-raising activities generally are not published unless there is a good mixture of free
activities also available, including free admission, with a participant having the choice of
purchasing incidental items such as food or crafts.
Church events generally are published only if they are separate from normal weekly worship
services.
Due to the wide variety of activities available, decisions on publication ultimately are determined on a
case-by-case basis in context with focus of the publications.