Archives for November 2018

Welcome Home Reentry Program with Judy Wetzel

(Nov. 28, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Judy Wetzel to discuss the Welcome Home Reentry Program, which is organized by Catholic Charities of the Arlington Diocese. This program provides mentors to those who have faced addiction, and are coming out of jail and reentering society. These mentors are an integral part of the reentry process. They can help a client stay on track, as well as being there to listen when times are tough. Often times, family members and friends are not willing or able to take on these roles as they have lived for many years with the ups and downs that go along with addiction. Someone who is a third party can also do a better job at being honest, and holding accountable, someone who faces the challenges that go along with addiction.

Wetzel became involved in the Welcome Home program after her son, Billy, went through a long and difficult struggle with addiction. Billy grew up in a strong, middle class Catholic family in Northern Virginia, and Judy never imagined that this was something that she would have to contend with. Billy started using drugs at a young age, starting with alcohol and marijuana when he was 13 years old. As much as the family tried to get him help and counseling, his addiction grew stronger and he continued to use more potent drugs. Eventually, after getting help and sticking to the 12-step program, Billy was able to get himself clean and was in remission.

Sadly, Billy’s dad became ill after suffering a heart attack and stroke, and eventually passed away. This was a difficult time for Judy and the whole family, and it had a catastrophic effect on Billy. He simply fell apart, and fell back into bad habits to help ease the pain. After a series of misdemeanors caught up with him, he found himself back in jail. When he was released, he was fortunate enough to land a spot in the Oxford House, which is a home run by Catholic Charities specifically designed for those with addiction, who are reentering society after incarceration. Judy was so thankful for this program. While there, Billy had a mentor and Judy felt as if he was really getting his life back on track. From her perspective, the month that he spent there was very positive. He had a safe place to live in an independent way, and it gave him time to bond with family. Sadly, although Judy really thought that Billy was on a path to a brighter future, he lost his life to an overdose just about a month after he was released from jail.

After much grieving, Judy vowed to make a difference and help others who face her own struggle. She has become involved with the Welcome Home program as an ambassador, and has gone out into the community to encourage people to get involved and become mentors. She does not want her son’s life to have been in vain, and sees this as a way to honor his memory. As she knows from first hand experience, often times a family member cannot serve as a mentor because they are too close to the situation. The family member wants to provide unconditional love, and cannot always hold the person accountable for their actions. Family members also tend to be fatigued from years of coping with the ups and downs of addiction, that is why mentors are critical to success.

Wetzel notes that although the program is run through Catholic Charities, one does not have to be Catholic to serve as a mentor. They are in search of mentors who are able to commit to a 6 month “post”. The first 60 days you will work specifically with one person. The mentor is there to hold their client accountable, listen to their challenges, assist them with a job search, or even drive them to the thrift store or to an AA meeting. Often times, when people are exiting jail, they leave with no money (and often times have a bill from the jail), no clothes, no car, and nowhere to live. They are facing a huge uphill battle. The Oxford House, and the Welcome Home Reentry Program, aims to make this adjustment just a little bit easier. The program is designed to give these people a fighting chance at making a better life for themselves, and becoming a contributing member of society.

Judy encourages anyone who in interested to get involved. If you cannot commit to being a mentor, there are a variety of other ways that you can help. There is a backpack program that provides those who are leaving prison a backpack of personal items to help them get started. They also need people to volunteer in an administrative capacity and could also use drivers to help get people around to AA meetings and job interviews, if the mentor is not available. Each and every person who can dedicate their time can make a huge difference and impact a life. You can find more information about the program by contacting Sally O’Dwyer at [email protected].

by Rachel Simon

Communities of Trust Committee with Shirley Ginwright

(Nov 21, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Shirley Ginwright, Co-Chair of the Fairfax Communities of Trust Committee (COTC). The committee was established in December of 2014, following the tragic death of Michael Brown and the ensuing riots and civil unrest that emerged in Ferguson, Missouri. For the past 4 years, this committee has successfully brought together local law enforcement and emergency response agencies so that they can effectively work together and have trust between agencies, as well as build community trust with law enforcement.

When Ginwright first approached Fairfax County officials after the Ferguson riots, she posed the question of “what do we have in place to PREVENT a similar situation from happening right here in Fairfax County?” After discovering that there really was nothing in place, Chairman of the Board Sharon Bulova established the Communities of Trust Committee, and appointed Ginwright the chair. Representatives from every law enforcement agency, including local police, the sheriff’s office, state police, the FBI, the Justice Department, emergency response and school resource officers were brought together under this effort.

The committee holds lengthy discussions and shares information and best practices. They discovered that many of their agencies were doing the same thing, but were unaware of what their counterparts were doing, and how they were doing it. Now that relationships are built between agencies, they are more likely to collaborate and help one another in challenging situations. The exercise of bringing these groups together fostered understanding and trust, as well as a forum of how to approach the larger issue of how to address lack of trust with law enforcement. They have worked hard over the past 4 years to come up with concrete ways to bring officers into the community and demonstrate that the police are there to keep residents safe and protect them from threats.

One of the programs that emerged from the COTC is the Police At Lunch (PAL) program, born in the Mt. Vernon district. This program brings officers into the school lunchrooms to help kids open containers of milk and have lunch with the kids. The programming is designed to make the officers accessible, and show children that officers are safe and trustworthy.

The COTC has been able to make a big impact relative to how School Resource Officers integrate into the disciplinary system in the middle and high schools throughout Fairfax County. Data indicates that students of color and students with disabilities were disproportionately affected by being brought into the juvenile justice system by SRO’s in certain schools throughout the county. The COTC worked collaboratively with FCPS and local law enforcement to focus the role of the SRO on safety, and allow school administrators to deal with discipline for students regarding non-violent offenses. This has kept many more children in school and out of detention centers. The signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been so successful that it has become a model that it is now being replicated in other school districts, as well as on the state level.

The COTC has also been instrumental in helping parents better understand their rights, if and when their child is detained by an officer or disciplined during the school day. The committee has hosted 4 forums designed for parents, so that they understand what the process should be if their child is detained. The committee has created a flowchart and videos for parents so that they can understand the various phases of the disciplinary process in an effort to help increase transparency.

The committee has also weighed in on issues such immigration and diversity in the police force. The COTC has created videos to help parents and kids understand their rights if a parent is picked up or detained while a child is in school. It is called the “know your rights video” and can be found on their website. They have also worked collaboratively with citizen groups to advocate for diversity and better minority representation on the local police force. Representation matters, and helps to build trust with minority communities.

Ginwright is excited about the new initiatives that the committee is taking on, such as working with the police force on policies surrounding body cameras. The committee meets every Thursday at the Fairfax Government Center, and welcomes guests to join them for their meetings. She also notes that they are available to visit groups for presentations in the community. More information can be found on the website.

by Rachel Simon

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

(Nov. 19, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Jen Siciliano, Chairperson of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, along with recently hired Executive Director Julie Coons. Their wide-ranging discussion covers the makeup of the organization, the mission of the Chamber, and the wide variety of programming that the Chamber sponsors.

Jen Siciliano serves in a professional capacity as the Chief External Affairs Officer at INOVA, and has been active in the chamber for many years as a representative on the Healthcare committee. The Chamber has played a key role in her personal and professional development over the years. Her goal is to keep the organization relevant by meeting members where they are, and continuing to deliver a diverse set of programs and initiatives that support area businesses. One of the keys to the success of the Chamber is the ability to work collaboratively across industries and as a regional leader, while also cultivating the next generation of business leaders.

The Chamber hosts many successful annual programs that highlight the diversity of the Northern Virginia region. They recently hosted the Annual State of Healthcare Conference, where they brought together a panel of representatives from the insurance industry, medical professionals and hospitals to talk about the recently passed legislation that expanded Medicaid to low income Virginians. There are now significant changes in how healthcare will be delivered to thousands of Virginians, and this forum was a way to bring businesses together to better understand the nuances of the new system. Healthcare cuts across industry, and touches every business owner and employee, so the chamber was proud to sponsor this forum.

The Chamber also sponsors a variety of committees geared toward women in business, minority owned businesses, government contractors, and non-profits to just name a few. Each industry has their own set of issues and challenges, and it is important for business owners to be able to come together. The chamber also works hard to elevate the collective voice as a business community. They adopt legislative initiatives and advocate for policy positions at the local, state and federal level. One example of the success of the chamber was the Metro deal that they helped to negotiate in 2018. The investment in transit will benefit both employers and workers, and Siciliano is very proud of the hard work that went into negotiating that regional deal.

Jen also believes in the importance of cultivating the next generation of business leaders. The Next-Gen Council is designed to bring new people into the organization, and get them excited about having an impact on the business community. It also helps them better understand the benefits of professional networking that comes with chamber membership. Anyone can attend any of the chamber programs free of charge to see if it is a good “fit” for them. Jen notes that the chamber was instrumental in her professional success, and has a goal of bringing this value to the next generation of leaders.

In the second segment, Catherine speaks with newly hired Chamber CEO Julie Coons. Coons comes to the Chamber as former CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, and is excited to be a part of the regional leadership as she heads the NoVa Chamber. She recognizes that there are many moving parts to such a large organization, and looks forward to working with her staff of 10 people to plan, execute and deliver relevant programming to her members.

Many small business owners think that a large, regional chamber such as NoVA Chamber is only for the large Fortune 500 companies. Coons points out that 60% of the member organizations have fewer than 50 employees, and 25% of members have fewer than 4 employees. Membership in the chamber gives a local business access to unique networking events that can help grow a business, as well as elevate their voice when it comes to legislative initiatives. The collective voice of businesses can make a big impact.

At the beginning of her tenure, Coons ventured out on a listening tour around the region, in order to ensure that she heard from different constituencies. She believes it is important for her understand the needs of her members, and the obstacles that they face in their respective industries. She also wants to understand priorities and make sure that the programming that the chamber offers is relevant and meeting the needs of her members. Coons understands the importance of looking for emerging business opportunities, so she strongly supports business incubators to help grow new business and cultivate new industries. For many years, the region relied heavily on government work. When that started to dry up, it became more important than ever to think about new ways to grow the economy.

Coons is excited about the new Amazon Headquarters slated to open in Crystal City. The jobs will be welcomed, and the investment in resources such as schools and transportation will be a huge benefit. Another ancillary benefit will be the innovation campus slated to open adjacent to the Amazon headquarters. This will not only be a pipeline for workers at Amazon, but a boost to the local economy by encouraging new businesses to sprout from the research and development that will be sparked by this campus.

The NoVa Chamber has a great relationship with both Northern Virginia Community College and George Mason University. The chamber is looking to further develop some apprenticeship programs that will help students who might not look at attending a 4-year university. This will help in a variety of industries where there are actually shortages of workers in good paying jobs.

One of the Chamber’s hallmark events is the upcoming 27^th annual Economic Forum that will be held on January 31^st. The theme is Focus on the Future and will look at the evolution of the regional economy. There will be a variety of panels and speakers, with the goal that each person who attends the conference will be able to take away highly credible information, along with actionable items. Coons hope that all who are interested can join for this very popular annual program.

by Rachel Simon

Virginia Women’s Monument

(Nov. 14, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with the Hon. Mary Margaret Whipple, Vice-Chair of the Virginia Women’s Monument Commission. The commission was established back in 2010 to explore the idea of honoring historic women who have many significant contributions to the commonwealth. Over the past 8 years, the commission has come up with a design plan, secured land on the Capitol Grounds, and raised money to finance the monument. “Voices from the Garden” will be the name of the new monument, and it will seek to educate Virginians about women who might not be household names, but have made significant contributions in their lifetimes.

One of the ideas that resonated with the commission was to make the monument something that people could relate to and even interact with. The 12 women who will be honored will be cast in bronze statues that will be standing or sitting on benches in the space. It is meant to imply that these women were regular people who walked amongst us, making their mark in everyday life. They did not want these women to be set up on pedestals. There will be walls surrounding the garden that will tell the amazing stories of each women who is honored, and they will also be adding names to the walls in future years. The one caveat is that people who are honored will need to be deceased for 10 years, in order to ensure that their accomplishments stand the test of time.

Once the design selection was made, the commission focused its attention on choosing the women who would be honored. They worked together with a committee of scholars of Women’s Studies programs throughout the state. It was critical for them to have geographic and ethnic diversity in representation. The women who are being honored are not necessarily household names, but have made significant contributions in our state and throughout society. A complete list of the women can be found on the website.

The commission has raised $3 million of the $3.8 million needed to complete the monument. A small fraction of the money was given by the state, but the balance has been raised through individual donors, foundations, corporations and banks. In order to begin work on the project, they needed to have enough money in the bank to ensure that the project could move forward. The groundbreaking took place on December 4, 2017 and then Gov. Terry McAuliffe attended and gave the keynote address. Production is in place for 4 of the bronze statues, and as money is raised the remaining statues will be put into production. Whipple has a fundraising plan in place to raise the balance of funds by February 2019, so that the dedication can take place as scheduled in October of 2019. She welcomes any donations, large or small, which can be made on the website.

by Rachel Simon

Enrolling Virginians in Medicaid with Deepak Madala

(Nov. 12, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Deepak Madala, Director of Enroll Virginia, to discuss the process of enrolling Virginians in Medicaid. Enroll Virginia was created by the Virginia Poverty Law Center, and is a non-partisan community based effort to educate all Virginians about the new health insurance marketplace and provide free, unbiased assistance with the application and enrollment process.

When the Virginia General Assembly passed Medicaid expansion this year, Virginia became the 33^rd state to expand Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Approximately 400,000 Virginians became eligible for benefits. Deepak explains how Enroll Virginia is working hard to reach eligible participants, and get them signed up for health insurance. Madala notes that Virginia has the benefit of learning best practices, and pitfalls, from the states that have already gone through this process.

Medicaid is sometimes confused with Medicare. Both Medicaid and Medicare are public health insurance programs but Medicare is administered solely by the federal government and provides coverage for seniors aged 65+, people with disabilities, and those with end stage renal disease. Medicaid (the subject of this show) is a partnership between the federal government and the state governments, designed to provide health insurance coverage for those in poverty. When the ACA passed in 2010, it afforded the states the option of expanding Medicaid with federal dollars for adults aged 19-64 who are considered the “working poor”. Applicants can make up to 400% of the poverty level and still qualify for this program. The state administers and sets guidelines for this program, however it is funded through federal tax dollars.

Enroll Virginia is working hard to reach everyone who is eligible for this coverage. They are leveraging partners in the social services arena to spread the word and educate the public. “Train the Trainer” workshops are being scheduled throughout the commonwealth. This is helping to educate social workers and case managers, so they can better understand and communicate eligibility and benefits. Organizations can contact the Virginia Health Care Foundation to register for a SignUpNow workshop. There are no restrictions of who can receive this training; it can be a non-profit, a religious organization or even a business. The rules have changed for the better here in Virginia, and their mission to ensure that the word gets out.

For those who are interested in finding out if they are eligible, they can simply call the 1-800 number to speak with a trained representative, go online to do the application or they can mail in a paper copy. The applicants will need to provide information about income, and after that is verified they will know what benefits they are eligible for. If the applicant calls in, and their income can be verified on the spot, then they may not even have a waiting period to know how to proceed.

Enrollment for Medicaid is rolling, so there is no deadline to get signed up (as there is in traditional insurance plans). However, the deadline for securing insurance with the ACA State Marketplace is December 15^th. So, if an applicant is not sure of whether or not they are eligible for Medicaid Expansion they should contact the office as soon as possible, because if they do not qualify for Medicaid then they have adequate time to secure private insurance by the December 15^th deadline.

There are six different plan options available to all Virginians, which are different health insurance networks. Coverage is not limited, and there are no premiums, co-pays or deductibles. There is also a specific emphasis on preventative care, things like immunizations and well visits. When choosing a plan, applicants will want to review the various networks to find their current doctors, in order to ensure that they are finding a plan that best meets their needs. Many of the free clinics, where these patients currently seek care, will have counselors on hand to help patients navigate getting signed up for Medicaid and best understand all of the different options.

For people who are already receiving certain benefits from the state, such as FAMIS, Virginia’s health insurance program for children, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, the state has technology in place to assess eligibility for other family members. Recipients should expect to receive a YELLOW envelope in the mail, where they will need to complete a few more pieces of information in order to finalize the application. The goal of the program is to enroll as many eligible participants as possible. If people do not receive this envelope, they should visit the CoverVA website, call 1-855-242-8282, email [email protected], or fill out a paper application at their local social services office to determine eligibility.

by Rachel Simon

Dr. Sarah John – Medical Mission to Haiti

(Wed. Nov 7, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Dr. Sarah John, who leads an annual medical mission trip to Haiti with We Care to Share. In addition to the medical services provided to the people of Chantal, Haiti, for the last five years special projects in the village have been funded by the Rotary Club of Centerville-Chantilly in collaboration with other area Rotary Clubs in District 7610. She began organizing this annual trip to the village of Chantal, which is located approximately 150 miles southwest of Port-Au-Prince, after the massive 2010 earthquake devastated the island.

This will be the 16^th mission trip for her group, and Dr. John is very proud of all that they have been able to accomplish over the years. She has successfully brought together fifteen Rotary Clubs from Northern Virginia to help provide the village of Chantal with things like school bathrooms, solar arrays, a school kitchen, solar cooking pots, and many over the counter medications. The medical missions first brought large items like dental chairs, so people would not have to lie on wooden boards while having their teeth cleaned, along with smaller things like band aids and pharmaceutical goods that people did not have access to. On each trip, volunteer doctors, nurses and lay people serve over 1000 patients for medical and dental checkups.

This year, Rotarians working in conjunction with Bethel United Methodist Church from Warrenton, VA, will be funding the set-up of the very first science classroom in the village, outfitted with lab equipment and computers. There is no access to the Internet in this remote village, but the Computers for Education group that works with Bethel Church is retrofitting laptops with educational software and Wikipedia information, in their native Creole language. These computers will be networked together, so students can have access to information. This will provide a hands-on learning experience, complete with microscopes and lab equipment, something these students have ever had. Part of the mission trip will include science teachers visiting to train the teachers in Chantal on how to use these new resources.

Dr. John is still looking for individuals who are interested in going on this mission trip scheduled for January. In particular, she is in need of pharmacists, who will process prescriptions for all of the patients who are seen in the free clinics. They could also use more doctors, nurses and lay people to help carry out the mission. The cost to attend is the airfare, plus $650, which covers housing, meals and transportation on the island. She notes that after all of the hard work is done, the fee includes a stay at a beautiful hotel and a day at a Caribbean beach.

In the second segment of the show, Catherine speaks with Dr. Jerry Foltz, a doctor of ministry and a fellow Rotarian in the Rotary Club of Centreville-Chantilly. One of his first major efforts in supporting the mission involved driving goods up to Brooklyn to be loaded on a ship bound for Haiti. One of his first assignments was to deliver the dental chairs. He notes that they were difficult to move and deliver, but after seeing what a difference they make when he visited Chantal, he knows that it was important work to be done. In the trip he made with Dr. John two years ago he worked in a variety of capacities – helping to organize patients and prep them for a doctors visit, as well as work in an administrative capacity to enter data into the system after the doctors are done with their work.

Dr. Foltz loves the culture of trust in the village of Chantal, and thoroughly enjoyed his trip there with other volunteers. He notes that the strong infrastructure of Rotary worldwide is what makes projects like this possible. He enjoys collaborating with Dr. John, and with other Rotary clubs, in using their combined resources to make a significant impact in a part of the world that lacks so many resources.