In 1995, the Claims Conference and the Alpert Jewish Family & Children's Service (AJFCS) started the first social services program for Holocaust survivors, bringing attention to the plight of survivors after years of silence. Now, the Claims Conference funds approximately 100 social welfare agencies, reaching about 18,000 survivors across the United States every week with home care visits. Continue reading here.

Supporting Elder Holocaust Survivors, January/February 2013, Social Work Today, by Jennifer Van Pelt

The National Assembly announced a new tool: Keeping Kids on Track in the Middle School Years: Investing in Out-of-School Time Staff and Volunteer Competencies as a Dropout Prevention Strategy. The impetus for this tool and NHSA's work in this arena is simple. The U.S. is in the midst of a dropout crisis, and key decision makers are overlooking a critical opportunity to increase graduation rates by better supporting youth during the middle school years when disconnection begins. Continue reading here.

Keeping Kids on Track...and From Dropping Out, January 22, 2013, National Assembly, by Irv Katz

The National Council for Community Behavioral HealthCare working together with the NYS Council and organizations around the country has launched a petition calling on President Obama to take concrete steps to expand public education about mental illness and improve the behavioral health system's capacity to serve people in need of care. Over 4,300 people have already signed the petition, but it needs 25,000 signatures by February 2nd in order to get an official response from the White House.Please help raise the profile of behavioral health on Capitol Hill by taking two quick steps today:

1. Sign the petition. You can add your name to the petition at:   http://wh.gov/UmJo.
2. Share the petition with your networks via email and social media. Find samples that you can use here: http://bit.ly/SmOz4U. 

Contact Lauri Cole at 518-461-8200 if you have any questions.