Read. Think. Act.

Catherine Read

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Medicare with Ridge Multop of AARP

(Oct. 3, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Ridge Multop, community ambassador with AARP, to discuss information regarding the Medicare program. October through December is open enrollment season, and it is important for seniors to understand the ins and outs of the system before committing to a plan.

President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare into law 53 years ago. At the time the country was facing a healthcare crisis. Many seniors were living longer than ever before, and were unable to secure medical coverage from private insurers, due to their age or their preexisting conditions. The Medicare system was established as a safety net in order to provide hospital and outpatient care to all Americans over the age of 65. This original program is known as Medicare parts A and B.

Establishing Medicare was a huge undertaking, and critical to providing a safety net to seniors in America. Legislators recognized, however, that there were gaps in coverage. Therefore, they established Medicare Part C plans (also known as Medicare Advantage plans) as an option for seniors. These plans are sold by private insurers, and are designed to complement Medicare parts A and B. These are supplemental plans that seniors can purchase for additional monthly payments. More recently,  Medicare Part D was created in the early 2000’s. This program specifically targeted the rising cost of prescription drugs, in an effort to make medications more affordable for the elderly.  Multop points out that there are still certain benefits that are not covered through Medicare, including vision, hearing and dental care.

Ridge Multop AARPForty-eight million Americans are covered through the Medicare program, with a total cost topping $680 billion dollars. As people are living longer and the baby boomers age into the program, the rising rolls will increase the costs to maintain Medicare. Multop points out, however, Medicare is not an entitlement. It is a benefit program that people have paid into their entire working life. As expenses increase faster than funding, the Medicare trust fund is projected to run dry by the mid 2020’s, unless changes are made to sustain the program.

Multop shares that today, 75% of the funding for Medicare comes out of the general treasury fund, combined with the payments from the monthly premiums. If the President and Congress fail to come up with a funding formula that will sustain the program, than the result will be premium increases.

In the most recent AARP Bulletin, Multop note that there are three critical questions that voters need to ask their Congressional candidates before heading to the polls this November:

  1. Do you believe that Medicare should be cut to reduce the deficit? (follow-up question can be should Social Security be cut to reduce the deficit?)
  2. Do you prefer converting Medicare to a voucher program?
  3. What changes would you make to ensure that people will continue to get the promised Medicare benefits that they have earned?

Lastly, Multop wants people to know that Medicare recently sent out new cards to all members in April through June of 2018. The old cards contained social security numbers, which put people at risk of identity theft. If you did not receive a new card, contact your local office to get a replacement. He also shares that Medicare will never ask you for a social security number anymore. If you encounter someone requesting this information, it is most likely a fraudulent scam. Should you need help or assistance with understanding Medicare or Medicaid benefits, he encourages people to reach out to the Virginia Insurance Counseling Assistance Program (VICAP). They are available to work with Virginia residents to help understand the various benefits and programs.

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NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia with Tarina Keene

(Oct. 1, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Tarina Keene, Executive Director of NARAL (National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws) Pro-Choice Virginia. Tarina has been with NARAL for 10 years, and has overseen tremendous growth of the organization during her tenure. Her work focuses on protecting the rights of women to make their own healthcare decisions through policy, training and education, in addition to electing politicians who are committed to protecting this right.

Over time, Keene notes that although Roe v Wade has not been repealed, some states have worked hard to chip away at a woman’s right to choose. This makes it harder for women to exercise their right to be in control of their own bodies. With the rise of the Tea Party starting in 2010, there was a wave of conservative politicians swept into office on the promise of rolling back abortion rights.

Some states, like West Virginia, have only one clinic in the entire state. This makes it economically unfeasible for poor women to incur the expense to travel to the clinic and possibly need overnight accommodations. Other states have put restrictions such as minors being required to have parental approval, or a 24-hour waiting period for the procedure. These laws are all designed to be harmful and burdensome for women, which can ultimately put women at risk. Abortion is proven to be one of the safest medical procedures on the books, yet there are those in power who choose to put women in harms way by not allowing safe access.

Tarina Keene NARAL VAResearch conducted over the past four years shows that six in ten women who are getting an abortion already have a child at home. This disproves the myth that the majority of women who are having this procedure are teenage girls. In any case, for whatever reason, all women should have legal access to a safe abortion if that is what they decide is right for them. Keene also believes strongly in all women having access to family planning and affordable birth control, because that reduces women having to be in the position of making this difficult decision.

Here in Virginia, we have seen progress on these issues over the past several years. In 2010, under Republican leadership in the legislature and the executive branch, some of the most restrictive laws were passed in regards to women’s health. The Virginia Senate passed the very controversial mandatory trans-vaginal ultrasound bill, requiring all women who wanted access to an abortion to undergo an invasive procedure and have a mandatory 24 hour waiting period.  Additionally, in 2011, we saw the TRAP regulations put in place (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers). These required all abortion facilities to be treated as hospitals, and forced closure of many clinics, reducing access to many women throughout the state.

Since then, these laws have been repealed under the leadership of former Governor Terry McAuliffe and now Governor Ralph Northam.   Keene continues to work hard to elect more pro-choice candidates. Today, there are 49 pro-choice legislators in the House of Delegates and 19 pro-choice State Senators. She is looking to 2019 with hopes of turning the legislatures to a solidly pro-choice majority.

When that happens, Keene’s next goal is to enact a constitutional amendment in Virginia that enshrines a woman’s right to choose. If the state elects a pro-choice majority in 2019, then a constitutional amendment can be introduced in 2021 (the year of a Governor’s race in Virginia), which would allow the measure to be brought to the ballot box in 2022. It is a lofty goal, but one that Keene is ready and anxious to take on.

Tarina Keene RalylKeene is very nervous about what the Supreme Court will decide regarding Roe v Wade in the upcoming months and years. With the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, coupled with campaign promises by President Trump to overturn Roe v Wade and put laws in place that punish women and criminalize abortion, NARAL is gearing up for a fight to preserve a woman’s right to choose. Keene admits that much work will need to be done on the state level, as the shocking prospect of Roe v Wade being gutted is now on the table. There are many cases working their way up through the court system as we speak.   With Kavanaugh being sworn in this week, we now have an Associate Justice who has referred to Roe v Wade as “rotten precedent”.

Keene invites all who are willing to stand with her to speak up and protect a woman’s right to choose. She is excited about the prospect of more women representing Virginia in Congress. She hopes that all men will stand with her, especially in today’s climate, to denounce the patriarchal aspects of our society and bravely support women who want to have autonomy over their bodies. NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia will be holding a “Men for Choice” event at Port City Brewery in Alexandria on October 17th. Check out the website for details, and make the choice to come together and support women’s reproductive rights here in the commonwealth.

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Fall for the Book Festival at George Mason University

(Sept. 26, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Suzy Rigdon-Williams and Kara Oakleaf, professors at George Mason University (GMU), about the upcoming Fall for the Book Festival. This is the 20th anniversary of the four-day event, featuring over 150 authors.  It will run from October 11th-14th on the GMU campus.

Planning for this event goes on all year, and Rigdon-Williams and Oakleaf are enthusiastic about the variety and breadth of authors and genres that are being featured. During the planning phase they work closely with the festival partners, including the Fairfax County Public Library and professors from George Mason University, to make sure that they know what books are currently popular. This helps them shape the festival and provide relevant programming for patrons.

A few of the headliners include Tayari Jones, author of The American Marriage. This is a best seller that is being read and discussed by many book clubs. This book portrays the relationship of an African American couple when the husband is falsely accused of a crime and sent to jail. Congressman John Lewis will make an appearance to discuss his recently released graphic memoir entitled March, that documents his life story and his role in the civil rights movement. Author Paul Hawkins will speak about his book Drawdown, which outlines practical ways to mitigate climate change. The schedule of all of these authors, along with the 150 others, can be found on the Fall for the Book Website.  There is also a special app that can be downloaded to help patrons organize their schedule during the festival.

Fall for the Book YNTKRigdon-Williams and Oakleaf note that one of the most exciting aspects of the festival is that they are giving their students first hand access to the authors.  Student can learn about how an author completes the writing process and where they get their inspiration. Each and every writer goes about the creative process in their own way, and it is helpful for the students to understand this. For many of the students, it is the first time that they have had access to this type of forum. This exposure can be invaluable to young students who are considering embarking on a writing career.

Saturday October 13th will be community day for the book festival. They are partnering with the city of Fairfax during their Fall for Fairfax Festival, and will have activities and events for people of all ages. The Old Town Hall will feature arts and crafts and special story times. There will be free parking on campus, as well as shuttle buses that will be running back to the downtown area, so people can easily access the activities. They encourage everyone to explore the schedule and come by to hear about a topic of interest.

Sadly, the closing event featuring Angie Thomas who wrote The Hate U Give has to be rescheduled.   Stay tuned for information on the the Fall for the Book website, along with social media, to find out when she will be coming back to discuss her best selling book, which was just released as a movie this month.

Catherine Read will be moderating the panel “Surviving as an Outsider” on Saturday, Oct. 13th from 1:30 – 2:30 in Merten Hall. Joseph Cassara, author of The House of Impossible Beauties and Patrick Nathan, author of Some Hell, will be discussing the concept of outsiders as it relates to the LGBTQ community.

You can download the Fall for the Book app at www.FallfortheBook.org

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NAACP with Kofi Annan

(Sept 24, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Kofi Annan, President of the Fairfax Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). They discuss the goals and accomplishments of the local chapter.

Annan is excited to enter the second year of his presidency of the Fairfax chapter of the NAACP.  Several years ago, when racial tensions were rising, he decided to join the chapter in order to help affect positive change in the community.  He quickly made a mark, and was encouraged to run for a leadership role. His background is in military service, and had never dabbled in the policy arena, but was excited for the challenge.   The chapter has been very busy under his leadership, and he hopes to continue to make a mark in the community. He and his wife reside in Herndon, where they are active members of community and are raising their two sons.

Annan, along with his staff and volunteers, has been engaged in the community efforts to ensure equality for all. His first big accomplishment included a change to the Drivers Education curriculum. The program is now required to include a presentation by a police officer that talks about how all drivers should interact with the police if they are pulled over. This is an important addition to the curriculum, and helps young drivers to know how to appropriately handle this situation in order to stay safe. Setting realistic expectations helps everyone stay on the same page, and can help avoid misunderstandings which can ultimately cause fatal problems.

Following their success with the Drivers Education curriculum, Annan chose to address inconsistencies that he noted with School Resource Officers (SROs). When reviewing data regarding SRO write-ups, he noticed that 60% of the SRO referrals happening in Fairfax were for students who are of African American or Latino heritage, even though those students only make up 30% of the population. When digging further into these incidents, they noticed that many of the referrals were for behaviors that should have been handled administratively through the school, not through the SRO.

Kofi Annan Fairfax NAACPAfter taking the data to the School Board and the Board of Supervisors, as well as raising awareness in the media, all parties were able to work together to pass a new policy. The policy is aimed at reducing the number of SRO referrals and arrests through the justice system, and encouraged SRO’s to work collaboratively with the school to try and resolve issues proactively at a local level. Annan mentions the fact that all parties were willing to come to the table with an open mind, along with ideas of how they could improve the process, allowed them to craft a policy that made sense for everyone.

The local chapter has also been heavily involved with the renaming of JEB Stuart High School in Falls Church. Several years ago, a group of students came together to protest the fact that the school was named after a Confederate General. These students took their issue to the School Board, with the help of their local NAACP chapter. They ultimately succeeded in their goal, and recently had the official naming ceremony of the new Justice High School. The entire process took approximately three years from start to finish, and Annan found it rewarding to see it come full circle.

In 2018, the Fairfax chapter of the NAACP was recognized for all of their hard work when they were granted the prestigious Thalheimer award. This national recognition was given at the annual NAACP conference in San Antonio in July. Annan was thrilled that his chapter was recognized for all of the hard work that they are putting in to make Fairfax County a more welcoming, fair and equitable community.

Annan and his team are currently working on several other important initiatives, including forming a curriculum subcommittee and a group to address criminal justice reform issues. The curriculum subgroup will look at what history is taught to our kids, and how it is taught. The goal is to incorporate different perspectives and viewpoints, as much of our history is taught from an Anglo-American perspective.

As for criminal justice reform, there are two main areas that are being addressed. First, the NAACP will be working together with Fairfax County Police regarding implementation of body cameras for all police officers. They are embarking on a pilot program this year, and are working closely to make sure that there are good policies surrounding the use of the cameras and the data that they will yield. They want this process to be transparent, and for all who are interested to be able to weigh in on the process.

The other program that will be getting their attention is the Diversion First program. Implemented in 2016 under the leadership of Sheriff Stacey Kincaid, this program is designed to help officers focus on de-escalation of criminal situations in low level crime situations.  This program offers alternatives to incarceration for people with mental illness or developmental disabilities.  The goal is to have the police officer intercede whenever possible to provide assessment, treatment or needed supports.  Annan is working with the justice system to make sure that minorities are being diverted at the same rate as white people. His goal is to ensure that the policy is effective across the board and all are being treated equally.

Annan is working hard to make the NAACP attractive to young people. They have an event planned on September 29th called Justice in the Park. The program will feature a panel of adults, including an author, a police officer, a representative from the Juvenile Justice System and a school representative, and will be moderated by the students. There will be free food and an opportunity to engage on a variety of levels.

Looking ahead, Annan has several other engagement opportunities available for those in the community. There will be an Affordable Housing Forum and a Job Fair on October 2nd, a Veterans and Minority owned Business Expo on December 15th, and a Women in the NAACP event on November 8th. He encourages all who are interested to participate in their monthly meetings, held on the 2nd Saturday of every month (check the website for location). Elections are coming up in November, so it is an ideal time to get involved.

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Western Fairfax Christian Ministries with Rebecca Kolowe

(Sept. 19, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Rebecca Kolowe, Executive Director of Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM). WFCM provides compassionate, life essential services to reduce hunger and the risk of homelessness amongst vulnerable residents of Western Fairfax County. WFCM serves individuals and families of all ages, religions and nationalities from the communities of Chantilly, Centerville, Clifton, Fairfax Station and Fair Oaks.

Thirty-one years ago, 12 local churches came together to found WFCM. Today, the organization  has the participation of over 40 local communities of faith, including mosques and synagogues.   The food pantry is the primary focus, although they do also offer assistance with utility shut-off and eviction notices. Kolowe notes that they will never turn anyone away, and all who walk through their doors will be served a meal. Most of their clients come to them through referrals from the County, and most return on a monthly basis to stock up on essentials.

Hunger knows no bounds, and WFCM serves those of all age groups. Kolowe points out that 15% of the people frequenting WFCM are seniors. Recently, there were two large fires in the community, which displaced many residents. The senior home that caught on fire destroyed 88 units, and WFCM helped to support the displaced residents. They worked hand in hand with other organizations within the community to help replace items such as medication, dentures and medical equipment.

Rebecca Kolowe WFCMOn October 12th WFCM will hold its 11th annual gala dinner in order to raise funds to support their very important work. Ken Harvey, former linebacker from the Washington Redskins, will be the keynote speaker and Tracie Potts of NBC News will be the Mistress of Ceremonies. Kolowe is excited about the event, and hopes to grow attendance in order to raise money for the organization. If you would like to join them, or become a sponsor, tickets are available on their website.

One of the largest obstacles that many of her clients face is traveling to the pantry, since many of her clients do not have their own cars.  It can sometimes take an entire afternoon of bus travel to make a 5-mile trip to the pantry. Kolowe would love to think outside the box, and work with their partners in the community to help solve these problems. For example, she could envision volunteers who are able to transport clients from their places of worship to and from the pantry, to ease the burden on her clients. There are many possibilities when everyone comes together to help tackle these obstacles, and Kolowe is open to exploring all of the possibilities.

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Healwell Massage Therapy with Lauren Cates

(Sept. 12, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Executive Director Lauren Cates of Healwell Massage Therapy. They are a nonprofit with the mission of providing exceptional and compassionate massage therapy in hospitals and other care settings to patients living with acute, chronic or terminal illness. Their therapists work in direct partnership with the medical teams in clinical settings to help decrease pain, manage symptoms and bring greater comfort to those living with advanced disease.

CatesLauren Cates Healwell acknowledges that not all massage therapists are created equal. Those who are practicing the trade, come to the profession with varying degrees of training and experience. Additionally, the industry does not have a lot of standards by which to judge practitioners, and every state classifies and regulates the profession in a different manner. Healwell offers training to their therapists, so when they enter a clinical environment they are aware of the challenges that the patients are facing.

At then end of the day, their goal is to provide a safe and effective massage, which eases pain, increases comfort and hopefully make the patient forget that they are suffering, even if it is only for the short hour that they spend together. Many studies have shown that there is a direct link between brain health and physical health, and the goal of Healwell massage therapists is to bring patients relief and freedom from their pain.

Healwell works with three large hospital systems in the Washington, DC area – Medstar Georgetown, Children’s National and Virginia Hospital Center. Their therapists all undergo training through the Hospital Massage Therapy Stewardship Program, an intensive 9-day continuing education course run out of the Virginia Hospital Center. All of the students who come through this program experience a rotation in the hospital, working side by side with clinicians in three distinct patient units.

Lauren & LaverneThe Healwell team also offers a variety of courses in Oncology Massage and other aspects of clinical practice throughout the United States. They provide basic and advanced courses, designed to serve practitioners at all levels. The instructor teams all work actively in an oncology setting, and deliver courses that can prepare therapists to support a broad spectrum of medically complex patients. Ultimately, Cates would like to recruit more therapists to train and work in the clinical settings here in the Washington metro area. They are in search of trained professionals looking to elevate themselves to a new level of caregiving.

In addition to training therapists to deliver specifically adapted and supportive massage therapy to patients living with disease, Healwell partners with their partner organizations to demonstrate the hands on abilities of integrative therapies to measurably improve outcomes through clinically sound, replicable models.  Their research measures the effect of massage therapy on patients during cancer treatments, as well as patients who are hospitalized for other life-limiting illnesses.

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From Prison to Paralegal with Kelly Hebron, Esq.

(Sept. 10, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Kelly Hebron, Esq. founder of From Prison to Paralegal, a recidivism reduction program that offers incarcerated individuals a path to a professional career via training to become paralegals. There are many openings in this field, with a variety of jobs that are well paying and stable. This six week training program, coupled with an internship opportunity, gives hope to individuals who are looking to forge a new path for themselves after they have paid their debt to society.

The first pilot class of this program was launched this past summer at the Fairfax Adult Detention Center. After collaborating with Sheriff Stacey Kincaid, Hebron identified 8 students who would be good candidates. The students needed to have basic reading, writing and comprehension skills equivalent to an 8th grade education. After the six week training, her program is designed to teach the students how to complete legal research, use critical thinking skills to analyze the cases, and then summarize their findings with proper legal writing. Hebron mentions that even if these students do not wind up with jobs as a paralegal, the skills they are learning are transferable and can be applied to a variety of positions, such as executive assistants or court clerks.

Hebron’s program is designed to be a gateway for students to move themselves forward. Her ultimate goal is to identify employers who have openings, and pair her students with the employers once the students have transitioned back into society. Before that happens, however, there are often many obstacles that these students may face. Some do not have any clothes to wear to an internship or even an interview. The student may lack resources for transportation to get to the job, especially if they do not have help from family or friends on the outside. In one instance, Sen. Tim Kaine’s office offered a full time opportunity for a work-release internship, but the candidates was restricted from traveling outside of the county so the job went unfilled. However, as the program grows and more opportunities arise, Hebron is confident that they can overcome many of these obstacles by partnering with other nonprofits who can help support the students.

From Prison to ParalegalHebron strongly believes that the purpose of incarceration should be rehabilitation, as opposed to a lifetime of punishment. The cold, hard reality that exists for most people when they are released from prison is that they do not have very many opportunities to turn their life around. They often have no money, no job, no voting rights and limited education. This makes it exceedingly difficult for them to secure housing, a good paying job, and the ability to take care of themselves. They often turn back to the old habits they had that put them in jail in the first place. It is the reason why the recidivism rate in this country is so high. Hebron strongly believes that education is the key to giving hope and the confidence to believe that they can make a better life for themselves.

In the second segment Catherine speaks with Mohammed, a graduate of the From Prison to Paralegal program. Mohammed admits that he made some very bad choices when he was younger, and was serving his time for his crimes. He admits that there were not very many opportunities to do anything productive while in prison. When he noticed the flyer posted about the program, he spoke with his Mom who encouraged him to apply. He enjoyed the classes, which reminded him of the work he did in high school, and said that attending the classes were the highlight of his day.

Upon gradation, he landed an internship opportunity with the American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU) office. He absolutely loved going to work at their office, noting that the people he worked with were respectful, kind and warm. He never understood that work could be so enjoyable, and that working for a higher purpose could be so meaningful. Working at the ACLU has opened up his eyes to the many opportunities that await him. This program was transformative for Mohammed, and gives him hope for the future. He understands that his education cannot be taken away from him, and he envisions himself as gainfully employed once he is released.

As Hebron looks ahead to the future, she is encouraged by the success that she has had in Fairfax. She hopes to be able to bring this program to more students in the near future. The program lives under the social enterprise umbrella of Rising Tide, designed to bring opportunities for building a variety of skill sets for incarcerated individuals. Hebron is in the process of applying for grants and securing funding in order to grow the program. If you are interested in supporting her efforts, you can visit the website for more detailed information about how to get involved. She is looking for employers who are willing to hire individuals, along with donations to support the nuts and bolts of delivering the 6-week program, including money for textbooks and instructors. Hebron envisions endless possibilities, and hopes to grow the program in order to give hope to more incarcerated individuals.

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Suicide Prevention with Leilani Tizon

(Sept. 5, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with suicide prevention advocate Leilani Tizon to discuss her work surrounding suicide prevention and awareness. Leilani’s brother Christopher committed suicide when she was in the sixth grade, and she has spent much of her young life working to help others who are plagued by this tragedy. September is National Suicide Awareness Month, with World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th.   During this time, individuals and organizations will be drawing attention to the problem of suicide and advocating for the prevention of this terrible tragedy.

As a freshman at Forest Park High School in Woodbridge, Leilani first noticed that the curriculum surrounding suicide prevention was not very robust. The students were shown a video, and when kids asked follow-up questions the teachers were not trained how to answer those questions or address the concerns. Leilani took it into her own hands to approach those in charge of creating the video, and give some feedback on what it is really like to lose a family member to suicide.

As the school adjusted their programming, Leilani began to speak directly with her peers about the very difficult issue of suicide. Although it was painful and scary for her to discuss the details at first, she found value in sharing her family’s story. Her hope was that she was able to reach kids who needed extra support and be able to help them find the resources they need to get through their crises.

Leilani TizonDuring her junior year, WUSA-9 conducted a live interview with Leilani and hosted a live chat where she was able to answer questions from viewers. She was happy to share her story with a wider audience, and connect with more people who needed help. Unfortunately, other kids in her school were not happy that she was getting so much attention, and she began to be bullied during school. This was a very difficult time for her, which caused her to retreat and step away from the spotlight. When she moved on to college, she decided to elevate her voice again, because she knew that she could really make a difference.

Suicide is quickly becoming a leading cause of death in the America. It is now the second leading cause of death in people aged 10-24 years old. The difficult thing for surviving family members to deal with is that nine out of ten times there are no specific warning signs. Suicide most often occurs when stressors exceed current coping abilities of those suffering from a mental health condition.   Many surviving family and friends look back and say “what if?” when they are attempting to make sense of what happened. Leilani admits that she and her parents went through the same thing after her brother took his own life, but she learned that doing this was not going to bring him back and did not help them cope with their tragedy.

In working with kids who are suffering, Leilani stresses to parents the importance of really listening to their kids. When children reach out and ask for help, it is very important to respect and trust them. Leilani runs into many parents who want to pretend that things are “just fine” and that their kids are just “going through a phase”. She stresses the importance of addressing problems head on and seeking out support and guidance, in order to ensure the health and well being of their children. Ignoring issues of depression will not make them go away.

This month there will be multiple opportunities to show support and solidarity with those who have lost love ones to suicide. There are many community Out of the Darkness walks, where family members and friends can honor their loved ones and walk to raise money and awareness about suicide. Leilani’s family will participate in the walk in Washington, DC this year on October 20th at the Lincoln Memorial. There will also be many community events across the area, including a walk in Fairfax City on September 29th at 11 amth at the amphitheater at City Hall.  You can visit the National Association for Suicide Prevention website to find a walk in your community.

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Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

(Sept. 3, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Dale Brumfield, Field Director for Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (VADP). Dale took over this position last year, after authoring a book about the Virginia State Penitentiary System, and penning several opinion pieces on the topic for a variety of Virginia based news publications. As field director for VADP, he seeks to engage a variety of grass roots constituent groups, from progressive to conservative to libertarian to evangelical and beyond.

The death penalty has early roots in Virginia’s history. The first man to be put to death in the New World was Cpt. George Kendall, killed by firing squad in 1608 for treason. Later in 1632, the colony put the first woman to death for the crime of concealing childbirth. Since then, the death penalty has been used far and wide in the commonwealth, where over 1300 people have been executed in its 400+ year history. The practice gained popularity in the 1800’s, born from an unreliable prison system that was unable to secure its residents.  Many things have changed since then, and Brumfield argues that death sentences should no longer used. However, 31 states still bring capital punishment cases to trial.

Brumfield makes the case that in addition to being morally wrong (the Old Testament clearly states “Thou shall not kill” in the ten commandments), the use of the death penalty is a waste of both time and money. It costs 4-10x as much to bring a capital punishment case to trial versus a non-death penalty case. This does not even take into account the appeals process, which adds many more hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost.

Dale Brumfield VADPWhen speaking with those who support the practice, one the of biggest complaints that Brumfield hears is that people do not want their tax dollars to have to pay for someone to sit in jail. They would rather have the guilty defendant put to death. In reality this is a false argument, because it actually winds up costing the state much more to bring a death penalty case to trial. Additionally, there is the cost of having the convicted felon sit on death row for what often amounts to decades. For example, in California they have had over 700 people on death row, but the state rarely executes anyone. Since 1978, when the death penalty was reinstated, the state has spent 14 billion dollars in death row costs but has only put 13 people to death.

Attitudes toward the death penalty have changed significantly over the past 20 years. In 1999, 75% of those surveyed supported the use of capital punishment.  Today, that number has dropped to 54%, up slightly from an all-time low of 49% in 2016, according to a Pew research study.  Since 2011 there has not been one death sentence issued by a jury in Virginia, and there are currently 3 people awaiting execution. Compared to 1999 when there were 60 people on death row, Brumfield points out that the Virginia is making great strides in reducing the number of people being sent to death row.

One of the main reasons that there has been such a drastic reduction in capital punishment cases can be tied to the establishment in 2004 of the Capital Defense offices. Four regional offices were opened, staffed with highly competent defense attorneys who would take on these high profile cases. In the past, many of the defendants who were poor and minority could not afford their own counsel. The court would appoint an attorney, but often times these lawyers were not equipped to handle such complex cases. The prosecution would run circles around the ill equipped court appointed attorneys, and many more death sentences were given. The establishment of these offices helped to even the playing field, causing prosecutors to drastically reduce the number of capital punishment cases that they brought to trial.

Blumfield also points out that the death penalty is biased along racial lines. A research study done in Virginia showed that a person is three times as likely to be sentenced to death when the victim is white vs. when the victim is black (VJLRC study, 2000). Additionally, while African Americans represent only 13% of the overall population, they make up 42% of those on death row, and 35% of those executed.

Dale Brumfield VADP ConfFrom a legislative perspective, Brumfield is working with the Virginia General Assembly on two main initiatives. The SMI bill (Severe Mental Illness) is designed to make sure that no person with an IQ of 70 or less is executed. Recently, a young man with an IQ of 56 admitted to a crime he did not commit and was given the death penalty. He was proven innocent through DNA testing, but he came within 7 days of being put to death before he was exonerated. This year, Brumfield will also be working on a bill addressing drug secrecy of the injection cocktail used for executions in Virginia. There has been quite a bit of controversy over this practice, and this bill is designed to shine a spotlight on the ingredients being used for these cases.

VADP is holding a luncheon in Reston to raise funds to support their work. Joe Giarratano, a man who served 38 years for a crime he did not commit, will be an honored guest. Actor Mike Farrell (better known as B.J. Hunnicutt on MASH) will be the keynote speaker. For over 30 years he has been working in California to abolish the death penalty. Details and signup information can be found on their website.

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Family PASS – Patricia Kearns – Your Need to Know

(Aug. 29, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Patricia Kearns, Executive Director of Family PASS (Preservation And Strengthening Services). The mission of Family PASS is to help families who are homeless, or are at risk of homelessness, in Fairfax County connect with the support services that they need to become self-sufficient. The work of Family PASS is an integral part of Fairfax County’s 10-year plan to prevent and end homelessness in the community.

Patricia Kearns Family PASSFamily PASS was founded in 2006 and has served 120 families, including over 250 children since inception. Kearns shares that 33% of the homeless population in Fairfax County is under the age of 18. Keeping families in their homes is among some of the most important aspects of the work that Family PASS does, as this ensures stability in education for the children. They provide access to emergency funding in order to reduce the rate of evictions, and provide the needed wrap-around social services to address issues that are at the root of the problem. This includes education, job training, medical and dental care, transportation assistance and help with childcare. These services are designed to help people get employed, or stay employed, so that they can afford to support themselves.

Kearns explains how the system works for a person or family who is at risk of homelessness in Fairfax County. The Coordinated Services planning office will assess the needs of a family, and then refer them to a partner organization that can help. When a family is identified as needing emergency assistance in order to remain in their home, they are directed to Family PASS.

Family PASS also receive referrals from organizations like Northern Virginia Family Services, who embrace the “housing first” philosophy. After a family gets settled with housing, they might be referred to Family Pass for additional support services, so that they can acquire the skills that they need to remain in their home. For example, they may need help with financial literacy skills so they understand how to budget the money that they do have in order to ensure that they do not lose their home.

Although Kearns notes that there are 987 homeless individuals who are identified in Fairfax County today (a reduction in half of what it was in 2008), there are still many more people living on the edge who are at extreme risk of losing their homes. Approximately 20,000 people fall into this category, while another 63,000 people are living at or just below the poverty line.

These are the working poor, those who make minimum wage in low skill service jobs. Many of these people are in shared housing arrangements because of the lack of affordable housing here in Fairfax County. She also points out that the minimum wage of $7.25/hour, is not a living wage. These individuals cannot support themselves, let alone a family, on this meager income. This situation leads to people trying to hold down multiple jobs in order to make ends meet. Kearns encourages all who are watching to bring up the issue of affordable housing and a living wage to their local elected officials.  People can appeal to their local supervisors, town councils and state legislators to urge them to support these important initiatives.