Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. –Martin Luther King, Jr
THE HEALTH CARE STATUS QUO:
Why South Carolina Needs Health Reform
Congress and the President are working to enact health care reform legislation that protects what works about health care and fixes what is broken. South Carolinians know that inaction is not an option. Sky-rocketing health care costs are hurting families, forcing businesses to cut or drop health benefits, and straining state budgets. Millions are paying more for less. Families and businesses in South Carolina deserve better.
SOUTH CAROLINIANS CAN’T AFFORD THE STATUS QUO
* Roughly 2.5 million people in South Carolina get health insurance on the job1, where family premiums average $12,676, about the annual earning of a full-time minimum wage job.
* Since 2000 alone, average family premiums have increased by 92 percent in South Carolina.
* Household budgets are strained by high costs: 28 percent of middle-income South Carolina families spend more than 10 percent of their income on health care.
* High costs block access to care: 15 percent of people in South Carolina report not visiting a doctor due to high costs.
* South Carolina businesses and families shoulder a hidden health tax of roughly $600 per year on premiums as a direct result of subsidizing the costs of the uninsured.
*AFFORDABLE HEALTH COVERAGE IS INCREASINGLY OUT OF REACH IN SOUTH CAROLINA
* 16 percent of people in South Carolina are uninsured, and 73 percent of them are in families with at least one full-time worker.
* The percent of South Carolinians with employer coverage is declining: from 65 to 57 percent between 2000 and 2007.
* Much of the decline is among workers in small businesses. While small businesses make up 72 percent of South Carolina businesses. only 33 percent of them offered health coverage benefits in 2006 — down 7 percent since 2000.
* Choice of health insurance is limited in South Carolina. Blue Cross Blue Shield SC alone constitutes 66 percent of the health insurance market share in South Carolina, with the top two insurance providers accounting for 75 percent.
* Choice is even more limited for people with pre-existing conditions. In South Carolina, premiums can vary based on demographic factors and health status, and coverage can exclude pre-existing conditions or even be denied completely.
SOUTH CAROLINIANS NEED HIGHER QUALITY, GREATER VALUE, AND MORE PREVENTATIVE CARE
* The overall quality of care in South Carolina is rated as “Average.”
* Preventative measures that could keep South Carolinians healthier and out of the hospital are deficient, leading to problems across the age spectrum:o 15 percent of children in South Carolina are obese.
* 21 percent of women over the age of 50 in South Carolina have not received a mammogram in the past two years.
* 35 percent of men over the age of 50 in South Carolina have never had a colorectal cancer screening.
* 70 percent of adults over the age of 65 in South Carolina have received a flu vaccine in the past year.
The need for reform in South Carolina and across the country is clear. South Carolina families simply can’t afford the status quo and deserve better.
President Obama is committed to working with Congress to pass health reform this year that reduces costs for families, businesses and government; protects people’s choice of doctors, hospitals and health plans; and assures affordable, quality health care for all Americans.
Save Our Jobs rallies held across SC 
By Tonya Brown Monday, June 08, 2009 at 6:03 p.m. Many educators, community leaders and parents in Florence are relieved that Governor Mark Sanford has finally requested the federal stimulus money. Monday afternoon, four rallies were held across the state, including one in Florence, to encourage saving teaching jobs. Officials now have to re-balance their budget and hope they get enough stimulus money to avoid laying off any teachers. Monday afternoon, a dozen people gathered for a Save Our Jobs Rally in Florence. Each one has a vested interest in Florence School District One. They all wanted their voices heard on the resolution on the stimulus fight between lawmakers and Governor Sanford. “We’re just over elated about the fact that the governor has done what he should have done months ago,” said Representative Terry Alexander of Florence County. Florence School District One Superintendent Larry Jackson says prime hiring season for teachers was two months ago. He says the standoff for the stimulus cash left his district at a severe disadvantage. “You’ve got someone who is entering college right now trying to determine what career they’re going to choose. Clearly teaching is down on the bottom of the totem pole because of the instability that’s been created,” said Jackson. District officials says the stimulus fight created a lot of problems for them, when it came to balancing their budget. “There were a lot of jobs in jeopardy. A lot of decisions that had to be made about a lot of things,” said Florence District One Board Member Thurmond Becote. That includes whether to cut scores of teaching jobs, and they’re still not sure what will happen. It all depends on how much stimulus money the district gets. David Rosser hopes the district will be able to keep all teachers in the classroom. He wants to make sure his 12-year-old daughter, Kandace, gets a decent education. “The way to recruit jobs is to have talented people, and to have talented people it goes back to how they are taught in the classroom,” said Rosser. Join Us For An Morning Discussion 
Why: The S.C. Environmental Justice Advisory Committee wants your input on Environmental Justice Issues. When:Saturday, May 16, 2009 Breakfast and Registration at 9 am Meeting will begin at 9:30 am and will end around 12 Noon Where:Palmetto Room/Hendricks Dining Room/Ervin Dining Hall Francis Marion University 4822 East Palmetto Street Florence, SC Call: Please let us know if you can attend by Tuesday, May 12th Paula Brown (DHEC’s Florence Office) at (843) 661-4825, or Karen Sprayberry at spraybkj@dhec.sc.gov or (803) 896-9730
By Tonya Brown Monday, June 08, 2009 at 6:03 p.m. Many educators, community leaders and parents in Florence are relieved that Governor Mark Sanford has finally requested the federal stimulus money. Monday afternoon, four rallies were held across the state, including one in Florence, to encourage saving teaching jobs. Officials now have to re-balance their budget and hope they get enough stimulus money to avoid laying off any teachers. Monday afternoon, a dozen people gathered for a Save Our Jobs Rally in Florence. Each one has a vested interest in Florence School District One. They all wanted their voices heard on the resolution on the stimulus fight between lawmakers and Governor Sanford. “We’re just over elated about the fact that the governor has done what he should have done months ago,” said Representative Terry Alexander of Florence County. Florence School District One Superintendent Larry Jackson says prime hiring season for teachers was two months ago. He says the standoff for the stimulus cash left his district at a severe disadvantage. “You’ve got someone who is entering college right now trying to determine what career they’re going to choose. Clearly teaching is down on the bottom of the totem pole because of the instability that’s been created,” said Jackson. District officials says the stimulus fight created a lot of problems for them, when it came to balancing their budget. “There were a lot of jobs in jeopardy. A lot of decisions that had to be made about a lot of things,” said Florence District One Board Member Thurmond Becote. That includes whether to cut scores of teaching jobs, and they’re still not sure what will happen. It all depends on how much stimulus money the district gets. David Rosser hopes the district will be able to keep all teachers in the classroom. He wants to make sure his 12-year-old daughter, Kandace, gets a decent education. “The way to recruit jobs is to have talented people, and to have talented people it goes back to how they are taught in the classroom,” said Rosser. Join Us For An Morning Discussion Why: The S.C. Environmental Justice Advisory Committee wants your input on Environmental Justice Issues. When:Saturday, May 16, 2009 Breakfast and Registration at 9 am Meeting will begin at 9:30 am and will end around 12 Noon Where:Palmetto Room/Hendricks Dining Room/Ervin Dining Hall Francis Marion University 4822 East Palmetto Street Florence, SC Call: Please let us know if you can attend by Tuesday, May 12th Paula Brown (DHEC’s Florence Office) at (843) 661-4825, or Karen Sprayberry at spraybkj@dhec.sc.gov or (803) 896-9730If you are like me, you have a big heart, but not the pocket book to match. In my never ending search for ways to make this planet a more harmonious place, I have found a few ways to contribute to good causes without writing a check. Here are five ways you too can be a charitable soul.
1. Donate clothes or household items- If you go through your closets, drawers, and garage, you will find several items you no longer need or use. Donating these items to a local church or charity such as Good Will or Salvation Army can help your community in more than one way. Someone may find your trash as a new found treasure, while the proceeds from your items may help provide education and career services for others in your community. Now isn’t that better than just throwing out your old clothes?
2. Donate hair- If you have some long locks you are considering cutting off, why not donate your hair to a charity that will turn your ponytail into a wig for a sick child? This is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to make a charitable donation. In most cases all you need is 8 to 12 inches of hair with which you are willing to part ways. Some organizations that accept hair are Locks of Love, Wigs for Kids, Pantene Beautiful Lengths.
3. Donate time- Becoming a volunteer in your community can be a very rewarding experience. There are numerous ways to lend a helping hand in your community. Find something that interests you and commit to helping out. As a volunteer you can decide how much time and effort you can afford to contribute.
4. Donate recyclable goods- You are not using your old soda cans anymore, so why not donate them to a charitable cause? Many cities collect recyclable goods and turn the proceeds into donations to various charities. The Habitat for Humanity, for example, accepts aluminum cans which they turn into building supplies. Many fire stations collect cans and turn the proceeds into donations for burn centers. As we all know, recycling is also good for the environment. You can feel good about doing two good deeds at the same time. Check out what is available in your community.
5. Donate blood- Find a local blood bank and donate a powerful gift
of life. Not everyone is a candidate for this, however, so be sure to check the American Red Cross guidelines first.
The sheriff’s office, of course, vehemently denies the targeting of homeless people. And the mayor backs him up. But advocates on the ground have seen an increase in arrests of homeless people for petty crimes, like loitering and trespassing.
In fact, advocates perceive the problem to be so bad that they are pushing back this week’s bi-annual “Point In Time” count (a one-night census of homeless people). They fear that so many homeless people have been arrested in the past week that the count will be inaccurate. The count has been rescheduled for next month… when city officials are no longer embarrassed about their unhoused citizens.
These stories seem to pop up every time a city is hosting a high-profile national event. Common though they may be, we should never become desensitized to them. It takes a lot of unabashed cruelty for a city to use their paternalistic forces, herd up vulnerable unhoused people, and stash them away until the party’s over.
For future reference, cities like Tampa Bay should take a cue from Washington D.C. during last week’s inaugural events. While they may have laid on the compassionate language a little too thick, at least they understood the importance of treating homeless people with dignity by finding ways to include them in the week’s events, instead of herding them out of sight like cattle.
The meeting will begin with introductions and an overview from 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. At 10:00 a.m., we will begin discussions using the World Café approach. Participants will rotate to each table to discuss a different topic related to environmental justice for approximately 15 minutes. At 11:30 a.m., we will review what we have heard throughout the evening and end with closing comments around Noon. Your responses will become part of a report that the S. C. Environmental Justice Advisory Committee will submit to the Governor and SC General Assembly in January 2010.
We need you! For this event to be a success, we need your participation! We want you to attend to provide input, but if you are unable to do so, please feel free to send a representative.
Additional information is attached.
What are the Topics for this Listening Session?
•Economic Development and Revitalization
•Environmental Justice and Revitalization
•Community Health
•Brownfields and Grayfields
•Revitalized South Carolina Communities – Defining Success
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=7078c943-45df-43df-92a2-a948fcbb51bb)
