Da DAWG Says..... » Educate Yourself

Mountain Health Choices – The End is Near!!

Evelyn Dortch — Tue, 25 May 2010 00:29:58 +0000

DHHR recently announced that the Mountain Health Choices program will end in September and families will be returned to traditional Medicaid. As our many readers and friends of DAWG know, we have been trying to make the state see that this Medicaid program (Mountain Health Choices), which targeted poor families with children, was not the answer for West Virginia since it began.

Families didn’t understand the hoops they had to jump through in order to get the services they needed. The state provided little assistance to families with questions and referred them to their “medical homes” for answers. The health care providers (Medical Homes), didn’t understand the program and couldn’t help their patients with the process and referred them back to the state. By the time people figured out what they needed it was often too late and they were assigned to the Basic program with fewer services. The entire program was a mess.

Don Perdue, chairman of the House of Delegates Health and Human Resources Committee, said he is “glad to hear of [the programs] demise.” “Many of the people in the provider community and many clients were saying It just doesnt work; we dont understand it,”" the Wayne County Democrat said. “The thing didnt do what it was supposed to do. It was very garbled in its delivery.”

via Controversial Medicaid program to be discontinued – News – The Charleston Gazette – West Virginia News and Sports -.

We are glad there is an end in site but we are very interested in finding out what all DHHR has in the works for Medicaid in the future.

Didn’t we learn from N.A.F.T.A

Smoking DAWG — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:46:24 +0000

If you don’t remember N.A.F.T.A, let me remind you what it is . It was the North American Free Trade Agreement. It was suppose to be the greatest thing that ever hit us. But we came to find out that a little man who looked like a chicken, Mr.Ross Perot (spelling might be wrong)came and told us that it was a mistake. And it was …. look at us now. It was suppose to be better than white beard and butter. It was suppose to bring jobs and a better economy.

Now look at us, 15 years later. We lost our jobs. Big wigs moving our jobs overseas to pay other people lower wages to save themselves money. What a shame. NOW THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT C.A.F.T.A. PEOPLE HAVE WE NOT LEARNED!!

Lets fight to keep American jobs in America. Check out the way T. Boone Pickens wants to do it http://www.pickensplan.com/theplan/ I know i don’t know much about NAFTA and CAFTA but i can see what it did.

S. DAWG

HB 4343 to Create Labor History Week in West Virginia

Smoking DAWG — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 06:03:05 +0000

What was originally HB 4343 has been incorporated into House Concurrent Resolution No. 58. Most of the language from HB 4343 creating Labor History Week in West Virginia has been incorporated into the Resolution, and the only major difference between HB4343 and the Resolution is the curriculum requirements for the pub…lic schools will be encouraged and not mandated.

www.legis.state.wv.us

Expressing the sense of the Legislature that designating the annual observance of the week following the Labor Day Holiday as Labor History Week for the State of West Virginia will increase the awareness and understanding of labor history and the contributions of workers to the state, nation and wor…

via Facebook | Support HB 4343 to Create Labor History Week in West Virginia.

This is a bill that is in the House now that will create a Labor History Week. WV has a longhistory of labor organizing and this week would provide the opportunity to make a week of learning about labor history.

Poverty Scholars Program | Leadership School

Evelyn Dortch — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 04:28:59 +0000

In August 2009, the Poverty Scholars Program will convene a week-long Leadership School to be held in Charleston, WV and to be coordinated in collaboration with the Direct Action Welfare Group (DAWG). The Leadership School marks the foundation of a modern Poor People’s Campaign.

Leaders who have participated in preparatory Strategic Dialogues will be joined by an additional 100 select emerging leaders from partner organizations to participate in a variety of training sessions, arts and cultural events, and campaign planning.

Goals Include:

Training a core of leaders in the movement to end poverty;

Networking poor leaders/organizations from diverse communities across the country;

Beginning to lay the groundwork for reigniting the Poor People’s Campaign;

Formally integrating Poverty Scholars into the leadership of the Poverty Scholars Program and its activities.

via Poverty Scholars Program | Poverty Initiative.

We are very excited to be a part of this and look forward to sharing this experience with leaders within DAWG and in the larger community.

Poverty Scholars Pictures March 2008

Scholarships for Low Income Women Available

Evelyn Dortch — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:43:28 +0000

The Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation for Low Income Women and Children will offer 5 grants of up to $2000 each to low income mothers who are enrolled in education and/or training programs. Applications will be accepted from May 1, 2009 through July 1, 2009. Please see the foundation website, , for eligibility criteria and application materials.

Be sure and visit the DAWG Website and check out other scholarship information in our links section.

WE NEED YOUR VOICE!!

Evelyn Dortch — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:05:09 +0000

As many of you may know a bill was introduced into the WV legislature on March 10 that would require random drug testing of welfare, food stamp, and unemployment recipients. If you refuse drug testing you will be denied benefits. If you test positive you will be denied benefits and may even potentially lose your children.

The full text of the bill can be read here http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb3007%20intr.htm&yr=2009&sesstype=RS&i=3007

When I first heard about the bill, I didn’t give it much attention because these bills are introduced all the time. However, now we need to pay attention! It seems that there is a lot of support to get this bill passed into law and we need to speak out and let our voices be heard on this issue.

I need everyone reading this to contact your legislator and Delegate Carrie Webster, Chairperson of the Committee the bill is currently in and let them know that this bill will hurt families.

Random drug testing of public assistance recipients is not only unconstitutional it is also against federal regulations. Random drug testing violates the rights of poor people and could result in families losing their children to CPS as a result of a positive test. It is vitally important that you contact your Delegate and Delegate Webster and let them know that

WE DO NOT SUPPORT RANDOM DRUG TESTING OF WELFARE, FOOD STAMP, OR UNEMPLOYMENT RECIPIENTS!

Contact Delegate Carrie Webster at (304) 340-3252 or by email at cwebste1@mail.wvnet.edu

To find your Delegate please visit http://www.legis.state.wv.us/House/members/delmemview1.cfm

Let them know WE DO NOT SUPPORT RANDOM DRUG TESTING OF WELFARE, FOOD STAMP, OR UNEMPLOYMENT RECIPIENTS!

Please let me know once you contact your Delegate and Delegate Carrie Webster by sending me a copy of the email to DAWG and any response you receive.

Thank you for reading this and now go email!

Poverty Scholars

Evelyn Dortch — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:06:07 +0000

I just returned from the second convening of the Poverty Scholars program at the Povety Initiative at Union Theological Seminary in New York. We had the honor of being joined by Bertha Burres, the Queen of he Mule Train. She organized the Mule Train after Dr. King’s death as part of the the Poor People’s Campaign. Miss Bertha, her six children, and many other women, children, and men traveled by mule wagons 1000 miles from Marks Mississippi to Washington DC to join with thousands of other poor blacks, poor appalachian whites, and indeginous people at Resurection City. I recorded her speach in two parts and hope to have it uploaded here as soon as I figure out how to do it.

Proud to Be a Community Organizer

Evelyn Dortch — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:24:38 +0000

As I am sure, many of you heard that during the Republic Convention derogatory remarks were made about community organizers. Since then many people have responded in defense of community organizing. You can do a search of the blogs and put in the words community organizer and get thousands of responses. That being said, as a community organizer that comes from a long line of community organizers I felt a need to say something about community organizing.

Without community organizers we would not be the nation we are today. Without community organizers there would have been no Civil Rights Movement or Women’s Rights Movement. The National Welfare Rights Organization, Headstart,labor unions, and many community based programs would have never existed. Community organizers have helped shape our country and our laws and have improved the lives of millions of people worldwide.

Here is a list of just a few community organizers that have contributed to the betterment of our world.

Dr. Martin Luther King jr.
Jane Addams
Mother Jones
Paul Wellstone
Fanny Lou Hamer
Myles Horton
Susan B. Anthony
Eugene Debs
Rosa Parks
Frank Keeney
Si Kahn
Johnnie Tillman
Gandhi
George Wiley
Joe Hill
Howard Wallace

So, when you hear those remarks about how community organizing isn’t really a job and doesn’t have any responsibilities. Just think about all these great people and what they have done for our nation.

Please leave a comment and let us know some of your favorite community organizers past and present.

Family Leadership Confrence

Teen DAWG — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:17:41 +0000

The Teen Track went great this year. The teens are becoming more responsible and aware of their actions and how they impact everyone. We did however have some name calling and rumors (It was not just by the teens) but that cant always be avoided when you have that many people together those that were the target of these name calling and rumors handled things very well. There was no physical violence things were talked out with the person or the person saying these things was ignored when starting rumors or name calling. You all handled yourself very well. Everyone pretty much followed the rules. I want to thank you all for showing respect to the Teen Track staff even if you were older then or the same age as them. We had some unexpected guests that we were glad to see this year Tanner (TJ) Parsons and Sam Roseberry we are glad you both could come this year!! It wouldn’t have been the same without you.

Vote WV

Evelyn Dortch — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 01:35:44 +0000

Well, today I am sick…. and without health insurance……will just have to tough it out. Anyway, I wanted to spread the word about something going on. Here is a blurb from a friend that gives all the details.

Help Patriots For Peace and Citizen Action Group

The web-based straw poll we are launching (VoteWV.net) will give West Virginia voters a chance to express their choice for a presidential nominee prior to February 5th, when the primary races may be effectively over. In the process we are hoping to underscore the importance of the Iraq War, and its disastrous effects on the economy, as issues in this election.

By launching the website at the voter registration office, we want to stress the importance of West Virginians casting a real ballot on Election Day and participating in the political process at all levels. The Voter Registration office will be closed on Sunday, but we intend our brief gathering there to call attention to the fact that many West Virginians feel closed out of the primary process because West Virginia is one of the last five states to hold their primary election.

Vote WV January 27 through February 5

So go visit the website and vote. Let your voice be heard!!

Oh and by the way, even though I am really sick…….tomorrow I get to spend the morning at DHHR sifting through papers as part of our FOIA request regarding the “new Medicaid plan”. Hopefully someone, somewhere has real numbers we can look at.