Serve America Act (HR 1388/S277)
In April of 2009, President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act at an elementary school in the District of Columbia. At this memorable event, President Obama was joined by Vice President Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr, Jill Biden, Members of Congress, former President Clinton, and former First Lady Rosalyn Carter. The Serve America Act reauthorizes and expands national service programs administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency. The Corporation for National and Community Service “engages four million Americans in result-driven service each year, including seventy-five thousand (75,000) AmeriCorps members, four hundred ninety-two thousand (492,000) Senior Corps volunteers, one point one million (1.1) million Learn and Serve America students, and two point two (2.2) million additional community volunteers mobilized and managed through the agency’s programs.”
Many assert that this piece of legislation came at a time of increasing social need caused by the nationwide “…economic downturn and a corresponding “compassion surge” of Americans wanting to help those left vulnerable by its impact.” The Serve America Act went into effect on October 1, 2009. “This legislation increases and enhances opportunities for Americans of all ages to serve by increasing AmeriCorps from seventy-five thousand (75,000) to two hundred and fifty (250,000) positions over the next eight (8) years, while increasing opportunities for students and older Americans to serve. It will strengthen America’s civic infrastructure through social innovation, volunteer mobilization, and building nonprofit capacity. The new law is also designed to strengthen the management, cost-effectiveness and accountability of national service programs by increasing flexibility, consolidating funding streams, and introducing more competition.”
Sources: Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. Corp. for National and Community Service. Wikipedia. www.nationalservice.gov.www.opencongress.org.www.independentsector.org.
www.govtrack.us. Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Across the Life Span
Date: 11 to 13 March 2011
Venue: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Website: http://mghcme.org/events/list
Contact name: Glenn Laudenslager
This course intends to educate in the presentation, diagnosis, and current treatment options available in pediatric and adult Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Organized by: MGH Psychiatry Academy
Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art
WORLD CANCER DAY
February 4th 2011 is “World Cancer Day”. Each year, preventing cancer and raising quality of life for cancer patients are recurring themes on “World Cancer Day”. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is a leading cause of death around the world. WHO estimates that 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention.
Annually, 1.3 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer and nearly five hundred fifty-five thousand (555,000) people will die in our nation this year alone. (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.) According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women.
In 2006 (the most recent year numbers are available)—
• 191,410 women were diagnosed with breast cancer.*†
• 40,820 women died from breast cancer.*†
If you are concerned about developing breast cancer, or if you know someone who has been diagnosed with the disease, one way to deal with your concerns is to gather as much information as is available. For more information, you can visit the websites for: American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Cancer Institute.
†Source(s): U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2006 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2010. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.
* Note: Incidence counts cover approximately ninety-six (96) percent of the U.S. population and death counts cover one hundred (100) percent of the U.S. population. Use caution in comparing incidence and death counts.
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
