catalyst-chicago.org

It's fun to look over Obama's education earmark requests -- priorities that he gives to Senate leaders hoping they'll get funded.  You usually never see these things, but Obama released his today under pressure from Clinton and McCain and the press. 

Check it out.  There's a $1M request for the Urban Teaching and Leadership Center at UIC. Two point five mil for ISU's Chicago Teacher Education Pipeline Programs and Partnerships Program.  Another two mil for the Reading Initiative. (What, no love for math and science?)  Some money for Christo Rey.  Nothing for AUSL -- but this is from FY06 so maybe there's something more recent. 

Click below.  Via Lynn Sweet.   Let us know what you see and think.

LABOR/HEALTH/EDUCATION

 

Obama Requested $1 Million For The University of Illinois at

Urbana-Champaign Urban Teaching and Leadership Center In 2006, Obama

requested $1 million for the UIC College of Education is the major

supplier of new teachers for the Chicago Public Schools. The College Is

recognized for its commitment to prepare high quality teachers and

leaders to work in high-poverty, predominantly minority, schools. It is

a leader in the preparation of both special education and bilingual

teachers; over one-third of the College’s graduates take jobs in

schools with predominantly Latino populations. The funds requested will

be used to support the direct costs associated with the establishment

of the Center. Other Federal grants and private contracts and donations

are expected to support specific activities associated with the work of

the Center. [Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations Subcommittee

on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $500,000 For Kids Voting USA. In 2005, Obama

requested $500,000 for Kids Voting USA is a non-partisan, non-profit

organization, working to secure the future of democracy by preparing

young people to become educated, engaged voters. It aims to influence

young citizens early in their lives and often throughout their

development, and arms them with valuable knowledge in the classroom and

applied at the polls. Funds for the program will be used to establish

and manage a Kids Voting program in the Chicago region. These efforts

will include the creation of Illinois-specific materials, the provision

of materials and support to teachers, students and school

administrators, outreach to local communities and organizations, and

the recruitment of an advisory board. [Obama Request Letter To Senate

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $200,000 For The Teen Challenge Faith-Based Drug

Abuse Treatment And Prevention Program In Illinois. In 2006, Obama

requested $200,000 for the Teen Challenge, a faith-based drug abuse

treatment and prevention program that operates statewide. After

completion of the program, 72 percent of Teen Challenge graduates

continue their education, 75 percent are employed, 87.5 percent do not

require additional treatment for substance abuse, and 92 percent report

good-to-excellent health. Vocational training is essential to

successful drug abuse treatment, and this program produces graduates

with job skills that allow them to become self-sufficient and return to

their communities as productive members of society. To expand the scope

of their work throughout Chicago, additional funding is requested to

pay for the enrollment of an additional 30 individuals per month.

[Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor,

Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $3 Million For The Safer Foundation. In 2006, Obama

requested $3 million for the Safer Foundation. Established in 1972, the

Safer Foundation is the nation's leading community-based provider of

employment, educational, and social services for ex-offenders, helping

them become productive, law-abiding members of their communities. Safer

provides a variety of direct, outcome-based services to former

offenders, including supportive services, education, job placement

assistance, pre-employment training and substance abuse prevention.

Safer is expanding its own capacity to provide services in the

highest-need communities within Chicago and several counties throughout

Illinois. The State-wide Partnership to Reduce Recidivism initiative

would need $9 million over the next 3 years, with $3 million in FY

2007. [Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on

Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $500,000 For Goodwill Industries Of Metropolitan

Chicago. In 2006, Obama requested $500,000 for the Goodwill Industries

Of Metropolitan Chicago. Investment in this two-year pilot program will

bring pre-employment services to communities where little or no service

exist. In doing so, this would improve the workforce skills for

individuals with little formal education, reduce unemployment, and

reduce criminal recidivism. Pre-employment skills training is a 90-hour

educational program focusing on appropriate behaviors, attitudes, and

communications in the work environment. Skills training include lessons

in computer literacy, decision-making, planning, personal finance, and

anger management. Participants receive interactive instruction in

completing job applications, writing resumes, and interviewing with

employers. Finally, support services are provided to participants while

they are enrolled in services as well as after employment begins.

Continued support for this program is crucial to providing a means for

those interested in entering the workforce. [Obama Request Letter To

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $335,000 For The Chicago Zoological Society Of The

Brookfield Zoo To Support Its Excellence Through Diversity Program. In

2006, Obama requested $335,000 for the Chicago Zoological Society of

the Brookfield Zoo to support its Excellence Through Diversity program.

$335,000 for the The Chicago Zoological Society is recognized

throughout the State of Illinois and the country as a leader in

promoting biological diversity and providing outstanding recreational

and educational opportunities for its two million annual visitors. A

newly initiated year-long strategic planning process has set the goal

of increasing diversity throughout the Board, staff, volunteers, and

guests. Staff diversity is an ongoing challenge for the Chicago

Zoological Society, especially in the area of science. This multi-prong

program will specifically address this challenge so they can better

assist minority students and young professionals in obtaining the

skills and training necessary to pursue a career in a zoological

setting. [Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on

Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $1 Million For National-Louis University To Support

Its Center for City Schools' Secondary Reading Initiative. In 2006,

Obama requested $1 million for the National-Louis University to support

its Center for City Schools' Secondary Reading Initiative. Since 1994,

the Center for City Schools' Secondary Reading Initiative has been a

major provider of teacher deployment, parent involvement, leadership

training and instruction-driven school reform for dozens of Chicagoland

Schools. The Center promotes education which respects teachers and

students own thinking and the prior knowledge they bring to their

training, and recognizes that successful learners must be helped to

take initiative and create new knowledge themselves. In addition, the

Center works to improve communication between schools seeking help and

the many educators at National-Louis with in-depth knowledge regarding

the particular needs of urban teachers and learners. The ensure the

continued impact of the Secondary Reading Initiative, it is important

that funding be continued in the coming year. [Obama Request Letter To

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $500,000 For The Salud Latina Resource Center To

Support Its Community Health Programs. In 2006, Obama requested

$500,000 for the Salud Latina Resource Center to support its Community

Health Programs.The role of Salud Latina/Latino Health has become

interwoven with the need to effectively develop resources in response

to critical concerns raised by the sudden awareness of health

disparities affecting Latinos. Due to this urgent need, these programs

would provide technical assistance to state public health and county

health departments, strengthen the capacity of the Salud Latina

Resource Center to engage public offices and community providers,

increase the capacity of Latino organizations to participate as

stakeholders in state and local planning on human health services, and

promote the development of collaborative relationships among research

and Latino community-based organizations to improve surveillance and

other data systems that monitor health status and outcomes in Illinois.

[Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor,

Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $2 million For The Illinois State University

Institutes For Mathematics And Science Teachers Program. In 2006, Obama

requested $2 million for the Illinois State University Institutes for

Mathematics and Science Teachers program. As the second-largest teacher

education institution in the United States, graduating approximately

1,000 students a year in teacher preparation, Illinois State University

is uniquely positioned to assist Illinois in producing more math and

science teachers. The proposed Institutes for Math and Science Teachers

will specifically recruit students from diverse backgrounds and

throughout the state to pursue math and science degrees. Research has

repeatedly pointed to teachers as the key to improving student

achievement, and the creation of a highly qualified teacher force

through the help of this program would be instrumental in increasing

the number of students interested in pursuing a degree in math or

science. [Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on

Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $2.5 million For Illinois State University’s Chicago

Teacher Education Pipeline Programs and Partnerships Program. In 2006,

Obama requested $2.5 million for the Illinois State University to

support its Chicago Teacher Education Pipeline Programs and

Partnerships program. In response to calls for schools to prepare our

urban teachers, Illinois State University and Chicago Public Schools

initiated the first Professional Development School site at the Eli

Whitney Elementary School. Eight Chicago Teacher Education Pipeline

students are completing a full year of in-service residency in addition

to senior-year methodology coursework taught onsite. Yearlong residency

programs such as this one will help provide future teachers with rich

opportunities to observe, reflect, and deal with problems associated

with establishing their own classrooms - including management

strategies that do not translate well from text-based theory. Expansion

of this program would allow this partnership to increase urban teacher

recruitment, improve urban teacher preparation, and improve teacher

retention in the hard-to-staff inner-city schools. [Obama Request

Letter To Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health,

Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $500,000 For The Illinois Downstate Assistive

Technology Evaluation, Training And Device Loan Program. In 2006, Obama

requested $500,000 for the Illinois Downstate Assistive Technology

Evaluation, Training and Device Loan Program. Through the establishment

of the Illinois Downstate Assistive Technology Evaluation, Training and

Device Loan Program, individuals with disabilities will have greater

access to qualified staff to assist them with their needs. Individuals

with disabilities will also be able to borrow assistive technology

devices to ensure that it best meets their needs. Establishment of this

downstate program would ensure those with disabilities in Southern

Illinois are provided with quick access to assistive technology that

could drastically improve their lifestyle. [Obama Request Letter To

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $1.2 Million For The ACCESS Community Health Network

Behavioral Health Care Activities. In 2006, Obama requested $1.2

million for the ACCESS Community Health Network to support its

Behavioral Health Care. ACCESS Community Healthy Network operates

freestanding community health centers in underserved communities

throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. It is their mission to

provide high quality primary and preventive health care to all

patients, regardless of their ability to pay. ACCESS' would establish a

primary care team to collaborate with a behavioral health team to

jointly identify and treat a variety of behavioral health issues found

in our patients. Services offered would include screening for

depression and prenatal depression; assessment and diagnosis of mental

health disorders; individual and family therapy; pastoral counseling,

medication management; and linkage to inpatient mental health treatment

facilities. Funding would go towards a three-year demonstration on the

potentially positive impact of providing behavioral health care in a

primary care setting. [Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama requested $200,000 For the Knowledge Is Power Program’s (KIPP)

Ascend Charter School in Chicago. In 2006, Obama requested $200,000 For

the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) to support the KIPP Ascend

Charter School in Chicago. The KIPP Ascend Charter School, which opened

in the summer of 2003, is modeled on the two original KIPP Academies

and has grown to serve the fifth through eighth grade in middle school.

KIPP schools are tuition-free, open enrollment, college prep public

middle schools, and the students are accepted regardless of prior

academic record or socioeconomic background. 100 percent of KIPP Ascend

students are African American or Latino, 90 percent qualify for the

free and reduced meal program. In order to continue serving students in

this high-need community and maintain their stellar student achievement

record, $200,000 in federal funding is needed to help ensure that these

talented students in Chicago are able to continue on the path to

college and life-long success. [Obama Request Letter To Senate

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $2.2 Million For The Center For Neighborhood

Technology’s Information For Communities Project. In 2006, Obama

requested $2.2 million for the Center for Neighborhood Technology’s

Information For Communities Project. For over 20 years, the Center for

Neighborhood Technology has been one of the leading developers of

community information systems in the United States. They have built an

array of tools that are instrumental for residents and institutions to

understand and benefit from their changing community. Four major

functions of this program will include filling community information

gaps through newspapers and radio, strengthening relationships between

businesses, organizations and the community residents, support arts and

education in the community, and encouraging new networks and services

that could alert residents to housing opportunities or even reduce

health and environmental risks in the area. Support for this community

information system would help to serve the everyday needs of urban

families and their neighborhood institutions, thereby improving the

quality of life in the community. [Obama Request Letter To Senate

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $2 Million for Chicago Public Schools’ CPS Reading

Initiative (CRI). In 2006, Obama requested $2 million for Chicago

Public Schools (CPS) to support its Chicago Public Schools Reading

Initiative (CRI). CRI provides the district with a framework for

building capacity at the school, area, and district levels. In line

with this research, the emphasis is on Word Knowledge (Phonemic

Awareness, Phonics, and Vocabulary), Comprehension, Fluency, and

Writing. To deepen the knowledge of the CRI components and to bring

more consistency to instruction within the district, the CPS Office of

Literacy introduced the High Quality Literacy Instruction Handbook in

the fall of 2004. This handbook presents descriptions of teacher and

student behaviors that should be observed when a teacher is

implementing recommended instructional practices with high fidelity.

[Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor,

Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $250,000 For The Chicago Park District’s Obesity

Prevention-Affordable Fitness Centers. In 2006, Obama requested

$250,000 for the Chicago Park District’s Obesity Prevention-Affordable

Fitness Centers. To help reduce obesity and related health problems in

Chicago neighborhoods, the Chicago Park District in 2005 launched a

5-year project to install or update fitness centers at approximately 30

Park District field houses, primarily in low-income neighborhoods. The

project is intended to make fitness opportunities available in

neighborhoods where residents don’t have other convenient options for

fitness and don’t have the financial means to join private health

clubs. The concept is an innovative idea that cities and park districts

across the country can replicate in the national fight against obesity.

[Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor,

Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $1 Million For Alton Memorial Hospital To Support

Its Riverbend Stroke Center. In 2006, Obama requested $1 million for

the Alton Memorial Hospital to support its Riverbend Stroke Center.

Strokes are the third leading cause of death in the United States

today, and a leading cause of long-term disability. On average, someone

suffers a stroke every 45 seconds and someone dies of a stroke every 3

minutes. Evidence now shows that early detection and treatment greatly

reduces morbidity and a study in the Journal of American Medicine

reported that patients who receive care in a designated Stroke Unit

versus a general medical unit had a 17% reduction in deaths. A stroke

center at the Alton Memorial Hospital, with nearly 900 professional

staff and 222 beds, would greatly benefit the River Bend area of

Illinois. A 3-hour window of treatment is ideal for stroke victims, and

the closest treatment facility is currently 150 miles away in Peoria. A

stroke center at Alton Memorial would not only reduce morbidity, but

also improve long term outcomes for stroke patients in the River Bend

area. [Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on

Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $1 million For The Lakeview Museum To support Its

K-12 Education And Outreach Program At The Central Illinois Regional

Museum. In 2006, Obama requested $1 million for the Lakeview Museum to

support its K-12 Education and Outreach at the Central Illinois

Regional Museum. The Museum Collaboration Group and Lakeview Museum are

designing and constructing a new state-of-the-art museum in downtown

Peoria. Total museum space will exceed 111,000 square feet and features

an innovative design that triples the current amount of exhibit space.

In order to plan, design and implement additional educational

components the museum provides to K-12 students from throughout the

region and state. Such components would include exhibits, classroom

equipment, technology infrastructure and enhancements to the museum's

successful outreach programming. Funding will also go to support the

first African American oral history center in downstate Illinois and

the new facility will serve the educational needs of over 25 Central

Illinois counties, including some of the most scarcely populated and

low-income communities. [Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $500,000 For McHenry County’s Job Readiness Program.

In 2006, Obama requested $500,000 for McHenry County’s Job Readiness

Program. Over the past decade, McHenry County has seen a dramatic

increase in the Latino population, and demographics show that almost

50% of this population do not have a high school diploma or GED. This

has created a need to reach out and recruit this under-served

population into the local workforce development system. This will

assist them in obtaining the education and skills they will need to

become productive, gainfully employed County residents. McHenry County

has a current program budget for out-of-school youth, but additional

funding would allow them to better serve the rising population and

provide opportunities for approximately 50 additional youth per year.

[Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor,

Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $300,000 For The Lawson House YMCA’s Targeted Case

Management Service For Veterans. In 2006, Obama requested $300,000 for

the Lawson House YMCA’s Targeted Case Management Service for Veterans.

The Lawson House YMCA is the housing flagship Y of the YMCA of

Metropolitan Chicago, and is the largest and longest-serving provider

of single-room occupancy supportive housing in the Midwest. Additional

funding would allow the Y to fund two case managers and cover related

expenses over three years to expand and enhance case management

services for veterans and other extremely low-income residents of the

YMCA's five supportive housing buildings. Specifically, the grant would

fund additional case managers to: Identify all veterans living in the

Y's 1,500 units; Educate veterans and other extremely low-income YMCA

residents about disability and other benefits; Advocate for veterans at

all five facilities; Build partnerships to secure more job

opportunities and referrals to training; and Assist veterans and other

low income residents with public benefits and link them with available

community services. [Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $4 million For The Children’s Memorial Medical

Center’s Electronic Medical Record Project. In 2006, Obama requested $4

million for the Children’s Memorial Medical Center’s Electronic Medical

Record Project. The Children's Memorial Medical Center is Illinois'

only freestanding acute care hospital dedicated exclusively to

children, serving 102,000 children throughout Illinois in the past

year. The hospital has now committed to an Electronic Medical Records

initiative that includes both the hospital and its physicians. The

purpose is to provide clinicians electronic access to 100% of the data

required to treat patients in order to improve patient safety,

patient-centered coordination of care, patient satisfaction, and

communication with referring physicians. Sophisticated health

information management is critical to the future of medicine and

funding for this initiative would help make that a reality for Illinois

health care. [Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $1 million For The Chicago State University (CSU)

HIV/AIDS Policy And Research Institute. In 2006, Obama requested $1

million for the Chicago State University (CSU) and its HIV/AIDS Policy

and Research Institute. The institute supports local outreach,

education, prevention and research efforts related to curbing the

spread of HIV/AIDS among the disproportionately affected, African

American population. Data confirm HIV as a leading cause of death for

African Americans, in almost every age group (from one-year to 65 years

and older). Moreover, the rate of incidence is higher for African

Americans than any other racial group. In response to the growing

HIV/AIDS crisis in the African American population, CSU has undertaken

a bold and comprehensive approach to assist with efforts in the South

Side of Chicago. The effort is endorsed and supported by the Illinois

Department of Health and the General Assembly. Federal resources are

needed to continue the effort and to ensure evaluation and replication

of the project. [Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $1 million For Chicago State University’s (CSU)

Establishment Of A School Of Pharmacy. In 2006, Obama requested $1

million for Chicago State University’s effort to establish a School Of

Pharmacy. Chicago State University (CSU) is well on its way to

establishing the School of Pharmacy, which will prepare competent

pharmacy practitioners who are committed to patient care, reflect

humanistic values, embrace change and contribute to the renewal of the

profession. Currently, there are two schools offering professional

programs for pharmacy in Illinois and according to the National

Association of Chain Drug Stores there are over 7000 pharmacists needed

across the country - in chain stores alone. In addition to filling this

national need, it would offer an important opportunity for interested

students on the far south side of Chicago and surrounding suburbs.

Support for this program would make CSU to only predominately

African-American school in the Midwest with such a program. [Obama

Request Letter To Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health,

Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $500,000 For The University Of Illinois at

Urbana-Champaign’s Online Science Teacher Certification Program. In

2006, Obama requested $500,000 for the University of Illinois at

Urbana-Champaign’s Online Science Teacher Certification program, which

provides opportunities for individuals to complete a science degree and

get their science certification through an online program at the

University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS). It will help address the

shortage of qualified science teachers in the school districts

throughout Illinois, which need more highly qualified teachers to meet

the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. In addition, the

online program will provide this educational opportunity to individuals

who are not able to participate in traditional campus programs due to

family and work responsibilities. UIS has established a successful

online math and teacher certification program and funding would go

directly towards mirroring this success for the Online Science Teacher

Certification program. [Obama Request Letter To Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $250,000 For McHenry County’s Mental Health Court.

In 2006, Obama requested that McHenry County receive $250,000 to

support its Mental Health Court. McHenry County is experiencing a

quickly growing population of offenders who have mental disorders, and

circulate in and out of the criminal justice system. Jailing

individuals whose offenses are related more to the symptoms of mental

illness perpetuates the cycle of offenses and incarceration, rather

than providing the appropriate treatment for these individuals. This

request would allow for additional specialized staffing for the Court,

including a Program Coordinator, Probation Officer, Nurse, Nurse

Practitioner, Social Worker and Psychiatrist. This will not be viewed

as an on-going entitlement, but a means to initiate a program that the

County is confident will pay for itself over time. [Obama Request

Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and

Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $450,000 For Swedish American Health System’s Davis

Junction Rural Health Center Clinic. In 2006, Obama requested that

Swedish American Health System receive $450,000 to support its Davis

Junction Rural Health Clinic. SwedishAmerican is a not-for-profit,

locally owned and operated health care system dedicated to excellence

in healthcare and compassionate service for the rural communities it

serves in Illinois. The Davis Junction facility is a primary care

clinic serving the residents of Davis Junction and over 150 square

miles surrounding Davis Junction in Ogle County. It currently serves

the community through a 1,700 square foot temporary trailer that houses

two exam rooms. These conditions are insufficient to serve the health

care needs of the community as they are cramped and outmoded for the

5,000 appointments per year and 20 per day, with only one attending

doctor. The cornerstone of the Davis Junction expansion and improvement

is the replacement of the trailer with a permanent facility to better

serve the community’s manifold health needs. The new clinic would be

4,500 square feet and contain four exam rooms, thereby doubling the

clinic's capacity and ability to serve its patients. It would also

provide space for radiology equipment and allow the community to

receive radiology screening without having to travel to other providers

for these important services. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $360,000 For Library And Technology Learning Center

At Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. In 2006, Obama requested that Cristo

Rey Jesuit High School receive $360,000 to support its Library and

Technology Learning. Cristo Rey provides a college preparatory

education to over 500 youth in a densely populated, high-need area of

Chicago where the neighborhood public high school is struggling with a

59% graduation rate. Gangs, drugs and violence plague the neighborhood.

In order to provide tools that will be a resource for the entire

community, Cristo Rey is seeking to better equip its Library and

Technology Learning Center and provide a much needed space for students

and community groups to congregate. Funds would be used to purchase

books, periodicals, tapes, on-line databases, computer hardware,

printers, an electronic security system and furniture for the space.

[Obama Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on

Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $800,000 For A Training And Resource Center Of The

Swedish Covenant Hospital. In 2006, Obama requested that that Swedish

Covenant Hospital receive $800,000 to support its Training and Resource

Center. Covenant Hospital is a 320-bed urban community hospital, the

only independent non-profit hospital serving the culturally diverse

north side of Chicago. Founded in 1886 by missionaries of the Swedish

Evangelical Covenant Church, the hospital employs more than 2000 staff

members, whose demographic make-up mirrors the cultural diversity of

the communities served. The Hospital has established plans to implement

a staff-training program and Community Health Resources Center to

provide much needed access and assistance to the culturally diverse

communities on the near north side of Chicago which is served by the

Hospital. As part of the initial implementation and training, Swedish

Covenant Hospital will provide an eight-hour educational program for

each employee. The training will prepare the employee on the concept of

patient-centered care with an emphasis on patient education. [Obama

Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS,

and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $300,000 For An Extended-Day And Extended Year

Academic Program At The Chicago Jesuit Academy. In 2006, Obama

requested Chicago Jesuit Academy receive $300,000 to support its

Extended-Day and Extended-Year Academic. The Chicago Jesuit Academy is

a tuition free college prep middle school for disadvantaged students on

Chicago's West Side, and they are interested in augmenting their

traditional academic program through an extended-day and

extended-school year to better provide additional educational resources

to the West Side community. The extended-day and extended-year aspects

of the Academy help address two critical challenges faced by incoming

students: literacy skills several grades below grade level and

deficiencies in basic math skills. The program will also include

supplementary intensive tutoring and supplementary supervision of

homework in reading and math to bring these students up to grade-level

performance in subject areas. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $900,000 For An Early Childhood Professional

Development Center At Saint Xavier University. In 2006, Obama requested

that Saint Xavier University receive $900,000 to support its Early

Childhood Professional Development Center. The importance of quality

early childhood programs to the well-being of a child's positive growth

and development has been well established and documented. A shortage of

well prepared teachers of young children who understand and demonstrate

appropriate interactions, curricula, and the relationship of theory to

practice is well documented in Illinois. Due to the growing need to

expand and prepare early childhood teachers and to increase the skills

of existing teachers of young children, Saint Xavier University would

like to expand its current demonstration site for early childhood

teacher education to best meet the demand in the southwest Chicago

metropolitan area. Currently, the University has a collaborative

partnership with the Chicago Public Schools and the community to

provide administrative and professional development to teachers and

administrators at the Barbara Vick Early Childhood and Family Center,

which is a Chicago Public School. Saint Xavier University is requesting

federal funds to expand and enhance the preparation of early childhood

teacher, the professional development of early childhood teachers, and

services to young children. The School of Education at the University

would establish an Early Childhood Professional Development Center that

would increase the number of infants, toddlers and families that can be

served in the area. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $700,000 For Youth Conservation Corps, Inc. For A

GED Program. In 2006, Obama requested that Youth Conservation Corps.,

Inc. receive $700,000 to support its GED Program. Youth Conservation

Corps (YCC) is an organization with the mission of developing youth and

young adults into productive citizens, working, participating and

living in Lake County, Illinois. YCC provides alternative education for

GED or high school diploma, college preparation, vocational training,

life skills, counseling, workforce skills training, career development

opportunities, job placement, and follow-up with graduate services.

Sustaining the Youthbuild Program in Lake County will help 16-24 year

old high school drop outs obtain their GEDs, and teach construction

skills, while building affordable housing in Waukegan, Illinois. [Obama

Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS,

and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $1.8 Million For The Illinois Department Of Public

Health To Conduct A Men’s Health Pilot Project. In 2006, Obama

requested that Illinois Department of Public Health receive $1.8

million to support its Men's Health Pilot Project. This would enable

the State of Illinois to design and implement a comprehensive health

and social services model to address men's health issues with and

emphasis on underserved males. The funding would be used to build Men's

Health Program infrastructure, establish a statewide network of

services to underserved men, and provide technical assistance and

training to established agencies for outreach, screening and health

education. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $700,000 For Expansion Of The Early Childhood Mental

Health Consultant Project By The Illinois Department Of Public Health.

In 2006, Obama requested that Illinois Department of Human Services

receive $700,000 to support its Expansion of the Early Childhood Mental

Health Consultant Project. This program would expand an existing pilot

project that provides training, consultation and technical assistance

directly to child care practitioners. This money would allow expansion

to 17 additional sites around the state. [Obama Request Letter to the

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $500,000 For The Uhlich Children’s Network To

Support Its Adolescent Mental Health Service Support Program. In 2006,

Obama requested that Uhlich Children's Advantage Network receive

$500,000 to support its Adolescent Mental Health Service Support

program. For more than 140 years, the Uhlich Children's Advantage

Network (UCAN), has helped thousands of Chicago's children and families

cope with the devastation of domestic violence. UCAN clients receive a

combination of individual, group and family therapy designed to meet

their needs and develop health interpersonal relationships. Children

participate in therapy weekly and remain involved until they have

reached a point of clinical success. Clinical goals include: empowering

victims to make positive choices; reducing the risk of subsequent

victimizations; upon completion of services, each patient will be able

to identify who to contact for safety should victimization, or the risk

thereof, occur again; and each participant will have a better

understanding of tools to discourage unsafe situations from happening

to them. Federal funding to support the UCAN mental health services to

clients in the child welfare system is critical to stopping the cycles

of violence and abuse in families, and assisting in the prevention of

future victimizations. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $2.5 Million For The Children’s Hospital Of

Illinois’ Replacement Project. In 2006, Obama requested that the

Children's Hospital of Illinois receive $2.5 million to support its

Children's Hospital of Illinois Replacement Project. The Children's

Hospital of Illinois is a public, non-profit hospital that is part of a

6 hospital non-profit health system. Unfortunately, the Hospital's

facilities are decades behind in size and design and are unable to

properly accommodate the very real needs of pediatric physician

specialists and the young patients they serve. In response, the

Hospital is undertaking this $224 million project to replace the

current building with a state-of-the-art Neonatal and Pediatric

Intensive Care Unit that will include 18 procedure rooms, and a total

of 143 inpatient beds. Federal support would be key in helping the

Hospital make this much needed transition. [Obama Request Letter to the

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $942,400 For Cyber Seniors, Inc.’s Senior Power

Program. In 2006, Obama requested that Cyber Seniors, Inc. receive

$942,400 to support its Experience Senior Power Program. Cyber Seniors

teams at-risk children and disadvantaged senior citizens for computer

and job skills training, to bridge the digital divide and eradicate the

cycle of poverty. This intergenerational teaching approach builds

adoptive grandparent relationships for youngsters with few positive

role models, providing both generations with new skills and a sense of

community. Federal funds will be used to maintain and expand the Cyber

Seniors Experience Senior Power Program in five locations throughout

the Chicago area. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $5 Million For Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s

Prentice Woman’s Hospital. In 2006, Obama requested that Northwestern

Memorial Hospital receive $5 million to support its Prentice Woman’s

Hospital. The current Prentice Women's Hospital is the largest birthing

center in a 7 state region with nearly 10,000 babies born annually.

This is partially due to population growth in the area, resulting in a

100% increase in deliveries since 1985, and this 1970s facility is now

reaching maximum capacity. Northwestern Memorial Hospital has begun

construction of a new Prentice Women's Hospital to replace the current

facility and provide comprehensive care for women of all ages, and will

include a comprehensive array of state-of-the-art services for women's

contemporary health needs. Since its current quarters cannot support

future technological needs and anticipated growth to more than 10,000

deliveries by 2010, funding to support construction costs would greatly

aid in meeting the demand from this growing community. [Obama Request

Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and

Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $1 Million For Catholic Charities’ St. Leo Residence

For Veterans And VA Clinic And Resources Center. In 2006, Obama

requested that Catholic Charities receive $1 million to support its St.

Leo Residence for Veterans and VA Clinic & Resource Center. The St.

Leo Residence for Veterans is a project that would house 141 veterans,

provide supportive services and counseling with the goal of making them

self-sufficient, require each veteran to seek/obtain/maintain

employment, and maintain strict guidelines about sobriety as a

condition of occupancy. Services will include medical health care,

mental health counseling, Veterans Benefits Administration, Veterans

Resource Center and an employment training program operated by the

Dept. of Labor. In addition, Catholic Charities will provide case

managers to work with the veterans in the Residence. Funding for this

Center would go towards construction of apartments and running the

outpatient clinic and resource center. [Obama Request Letter to the

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $650,000 For A Real-time Writers And Captioning

Program At Sparks College. In 2006, Obama requested that Sparks College

receive $650,000 to support its Real-time Writers and Captioning

program. Sparks College is seeking funds to train the technological

workforce to provide captioning and other services mandated by the 1996

Telecommunications Act to approximately 1 million deaf and

hard-of-hearing individuals in Illinois. These funds will assist with

continuing curriculum development, technology upgrades, promoting the

program and scholarships. Funding will work to curb the shortage of

captioners in the workforce and ensure that the highly skilled

captioners necessary to meet the mandates will be available in the

community and across the state. In addition, this funding will train

individuals in a high-tech center career that will provide high paying

jobs not only in the community but also throughout Illinois and across

the nation. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $5 Million For Loyola University’s Center For Public

Service. In 2006, Obama requested that Loyola University receive $5

million to support its Center for Public Service. The Primary focus of

the Center for Public Service will be leadership, highlighting the

impact that individual men and women can have upon a civil society,

through their dedication to public service. The Center will promote

public service through career and internship development, certificate

programs, publications, as well as special events and lectures. It will

also highlight significant contributions to the public good made by

individual Illinois leaders. Functioning much like a presidential or

congressional library, the Center will sponsor research and

scholarship, special exhibits, conferences, a speaker series,

internships, workshops, publications, and public outreach programs

focused on civic education and public discourse. Funding is needed for

office equipment, computers, printers, copiers, scanners, shelving, a

conference center and meeting space, fire and security systems,

carpeting, lighting, electrical and other related construction costs.

[Obama Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on

Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $500,000 For The Children’s Health Fund’s Chicago

Children’s Health Project. In 2006, Obama requested that Children's

Health Fund receive $500,000 to support its Chicago Children's Health

Project. The Children's Health Fund is a private, non-profit

organization that develops and supports innovative pediatric programs

to meet the health care needs of medically underserved children

nationwide. The Health Project is affiliated with local Universities,

and is a specially-equipped mobile medical van the serves twenty-one

schools in the Chicago area, providing physical examinations, well and

sick child care, immunizations, and health and developmental

screenings. Referrals to subspecialty care at the University of Chicago

hospitals are also available. Funding will allow the Children's Health

Fund to expand and enhance the provision of mental health services to

patients at the Chicago Children's Health Project. The availability of

comprehensive mental health screening, referral and counseling services

furthers the organization's goal of providing a full range of medical

and psychological services to at-risk youth who would otherwise have

little or no access to these services. [Obama Request Letter to the

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $2 Million For The Illinois Primary Health Care

Association’s Electronic Health Records Project. In 2006, Obama

requested that Illinois Primary Health Care Association receive $2

million to support its Electronic Health Records Project. The Illinois

Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA) is undertaking an effort to

assure the clear, concise retention and communication of

patient-specific information among providers and payors in a manner

that protects privacy. The goal of this effort is to promote quality,

reduce costs, prevent medical errors and facilitate the detection of

emerging disease. Funding will go towards equipment costs, software,

training and implementing the transition. [Obama Request Letter to the

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $5 Million For The City Colleges Of Chicago To

Support Project ALIGN. In 2006, Obama requested that City Colleges of

Chicago receive $5 million to support its Project Align. Project ALIGN

is a high school/college partnership with the primary goal of improving

the readiness of students from the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) - many

of whom are minority and economically disadvantaged - to succeed in

college. Project ALIGN has established permanent discipline councils in

mathematics and English comprised of CPS high school teachers and

faculty from the seven City Colleges and five partner universities. The

project aims to improve instruction in each of the core disciplines at

all 105 Chicago high schools, as well as the remedial offerings of the

City Colleges of Chicago. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $6 Million For The Midwest Emergency Department

Services’ Rural Emergency Access Safety Net Program. In 2006, Obama

requested that Midwest Emergency Department Services receive $6 million

to support its Rural Emergency Access Safety Net Program. Downstate

Illinois faces a severe problem in the area of emergency healthcare

access and service delivery for thousands of citizens spread throughout

numerous rural counties. Funding could ensure that many of downstate

Illinois' emergency health care needs are properly addressed.

Specifically, they have devised the Rural Emergency Access Safety Net

Program which would aid in: 1) Recruitment and retention of qualified

emergency care practitioners through fellowships and stipends, and 2)

Obtaining essential life-saving medical equipment. Funding would cover

program costs for approximately 3 years. [Obama Request Letter to the

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $200,000 For The Guardian Angel Community Service’s

Before-And-After School Enrichment Program. In 2006, Obama requested

that Guardian Angel Community Services receive $200,000 to support its

Before-and-After School Enrichment Program. The Guardian Angel

Before-and-After School Enrichment Program was established to provide a

low-cost day care to families in which both parents work. They offer

program participants, children in grades K through 6, tutoring,

mentoring and a safe environment in the morning from 6:00am to 8:30am

and in the afternoon from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. During both sessions, they

provide help with homework, social skill development, self-esteem

building, and an appreciation and awareness of different cultures. The

program fee is very inexpensive compared to other day care programs in

the area, but the fee still poses a problem for many of the families

they serve. Funding would go towards lowering the current costs these

families are facing. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $162,000 To The Cristo Rey Jesuit High School For

Its Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Work Study Internship Program. In

2006, Obama requested that Cristo Rey Jesuit High School receive

$162,000 to support its Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Work Study

Internship Program. Funding for the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Work

Study Internship Program will go towards financing 6 work study

positions at local non-profit organizations. This will ensure a first

class college preparatory education and work study program is

accessible to needy young people, while also providing valuable support

staff to worthy non-profits in their Chicago neighborhood. The program

initially served as a financial proposition to pay the costs of running

the school, while exposing the students to the many real world and

academic benefits of a job. However, it has evolved into an innovative

means of providing students with crucial hands-on, white-collar work

experience, while simultaneously empowering them to take an active part

in financing a major portion of their education. As a result of working

in a business environment, students acquire desirable job experience

and marketable skills, develop a network of business contacts, gain

exposure to a wide variety of career opportunities, refine a strong

work ethic and increase their self-esteem. [Obama Request Letter to the

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $1.95 Million For The Will County Health Department

To Support Its Mentally Ill Substance Abuse Programs. In 2006, Obama

requested that Will County Health Department receive $1.95 million to

support its Mentally Ill Substance Abuser Programs. Will County is the

second fastest growing county in Illinois, and one of the top five

fastest growing counties in the United States. Due to this population

growth and the displacement of individuals with special needs, there is

a critical need to expand mental health and substance abuse services in

the County, and there is a complete absence of Mentally Ill Substance

Abuse Programs in the area. Funding for this program would provide

supportive and case management services that are intended to assist and

empower the client in obtaining and maintaining access and linkage to

mental health and other resources needed to assist the client in living

and functioning in the community. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $312,202 For Helen Wheeler Center For Community

Mental Health’s Child And Family Services Program. In 2006, Obama

requested that Helen Wheeler Center for Community Mental Health receive

$312,202 to support its Child and Family Services Program. The Helen

Wheeler Center (HWC) is a not-for-profit outpatient behavioral health

clinic that serves the residents of Kankakee County in Illinois. The

HWC is funded by the IL Department of Human Services, the Office of

Mental Health, and the IL Department of Healthcare and Family Services,

as well as the United Way of Kankakee County. HWC is seeking technology

to adapt to the funding changes in or service delivery system and to

streamline daily activities to allow for the maximization of the

delivery care. They need to capacity to update their billing system,

streamline clinical recordkeeping, and develop a system by which the

two can interface in order to maximize productivity and efficiency and

expedite the billing process. Current funding levels are not sufficient

to meet this need. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $250,000 For The Beecher hall At Illinois College.

In 2006, Obama requested that Illinois College receive $250,000 to

support its Beecher Hall. Beecher Hall was dedicated in 1829 as the

first higher education building in Illinois. As the oldest college

building in Illinois, Beecher Hall is listed on the National Register

of Historic Places and is an official Underground Railroad Site on the

National Park Service's "Network to Freedom." It is a historically

significant structure that is significant to the College campus and the

area, and funding is important to ensure the restoration and

preservation of this landmark. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $1 Million For A Center For Communicative Disorders

At Augustana College. In 2006, Obama requested that Augustana College

receive $1 million to support its Center for Communicative Disorders.

The Center serves numerous patients who are afflicted with

communicative disorders, and plays an invaluable role in the ability of

the College to recruit and retain high quality teachers/scholars

committed to ongoing, active and original research. Federal funding

would go towards meeting the critical renovation and upgrade needs to

the facility for its infrastructure base for the CSD Program and the

Center for Communicative Disorders, including clinic rooms, lab space,

equipment, and handicap access. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $400,000 For The Carr Center Second Floor Renovation

Of Seguin Services. In 2006, Obama requested that Seguin Services

receive $400,000 to support its Carr Center Second Floor Renovation.

Seguin Services is a 501c3 organization that serves about 230 adults

with disabilities in our residential programs, 325 adults with

disabilities in our community employment and training programs, and 160

children with disabilities and other special needs, all from the

greater Chicagoland area. Their mission is to support adults and

children with disabilities and other special needs, enabling them to be

productive, valued members of society. They have a have need for

federal funding for their Carr Center Second Floor Renovation project.

This project will provide state-of-the-art classrooms, labs, and

computer technology to assist the 370 low-income adults and children

with developmental disabilities in job skill building and job finding.

[Obama Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on

Labor, HHS, and Education, 4/5/06]

 

Obama Requested $2.5 Million For The Center For Excellence In Health

Professionals Education At Governors State University. In 2006, Obama

requested that Governors State University receive $2.5 million to

support its Center for Excellence in Health Professions Education.

Governors State University is uniquely qualified to develop this Center

for a number of reasons. First, healthcare professional education has

been central to the University’s offerings since it was founded more

than 35 years ago. Second, GSU serves a diverse population of working

adults, many of whom are first generation college attendees. Third, in

keeping with the University’s mission, Governors State strives to

remain accessible and affordable, with the lowest university tuition in

the Chicago area. In addition, Issues in Black Higher Education ranked

Governors State 15th in the nation among majority institutions

conferring graduate degrees to minority students.

 

TRANSPORTATION/HUD

 

Obama Requested $200,000 For The Peoria County’s Get The Lead Out

Program In Peoria County, Illinois. In 2006, Obama requested $200,000

for the Get the Lead Out program in Peoria County, Illinois. Funding

was specified for equipment and costs related to the physical lead

removal program for domestic dwellings and structures in order to

reduce the occurrences of childhood lead poisoning in low-income

families most affected by this problem. [Obama Request Letter to the

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Transportation, Treasury, HUD,

7/14/06]

 

Obama Requested $200,000 For The City Of Rock Island’s The Martin

Luther King, Jr. Center. In 2006, Obama requested $200,000 for the

Martin Luther King, Jr. Center in Rock Island, Illinois. Funding will

be used for renovation and construction on the Martin Luther King, Jr.

Community Center serving the surrounding low-income community. [Obama

Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for

Transportation, Treasury, HUD, 7/14/06]

 

Obama Requested $200,000 For The Decatur Lakefront Development

Project. In 2006, Obama requested $200,000 for the Decatur Lakefront

Development project. Funding was specified for construction and

development of the lakefront area with the purpose of promoting

economic development of the currently diminished area. [Obama Request

Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Transportation,

Treasury, HUD, 7/14/06]

 

Obama Requested $200,000 In Funding For The Shawneetown Community

Center And Children’s Park. In 2006, Obama requested $200,000 in

funding for the Shawneetown Community Center And Children’s Park. The

funding was specified for construction of a children's park, including

a play station and adjoining community center to serve as the

centerpiece for redevelopment of the largest town in Gallatin County,

one of the poorest counties in Illinois. [Obama Request Letter to the

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Transportation, Treasury, HUD,

7/14/06]For the entire release, go here.