| Washington, D.C.–Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives approved $400,000 for three projects in the 9th Congressional District of Illinois. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) requested these funds as part of the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations. This bill now moves to the Senate for consideration before it can become law.
"I am pleased that the House approved funding for projects that will help improve mental health services for refugee children, expand homeless services and protect the health and well-being of our seniors,... said U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky. "I am proud that I was able to secure $400,000 for these critical projects in my district. I hope that the Senate will move quickly to pass this bill and maintain the current funding levels....
The following projects were included in the House-passed version of the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations.
$150,000 Mental Health Services for Refugee Children, Heartland Health Outreach, Inc.
The funding would support International FACES children's program, which provides culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services to refugee children in Chicago and has since 1985. The bicultural, bilingual multidisciplinary staff, many of whom are refugees themselves, provide a diverse array of mental health, case management, and outreach services that extend into the community, addressing issues of trauma and adjustment disorders in refugee children, while helping their families to become self-sufficient and productive.
$50,000 Local Homeless Services, Organization of the NorthEast
The funding would be used to hire a full-time organizer at Organization of the NorthEast for its Homeless Issues Committee and to implement the Chicago 10 year Plan to End Homelessness within the communities of Uptown, Edgewater, and Rogers Park. The primary goals include mapping homeless services in the area, identifying gaps in services, as well as creating a strategy for implementing the 10-Year Plan. The homeless organizer will work with shelters, community organizations as well as residents to build a coalition to collaborate and meet mutually established goal.
$200,000 "Chicago Elder Project..., Howard Brown Health Center
The funding would provide comprehensive and culturally-competent aging services to Chicago-area seniors including comprehensive medical care and mental health care, case management, education and training, health and wellness, transportation, visitation programs, and peer-to-peer support. | |
