December 2007 No. 52Table of Contents |
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Two out of 5 charities in half of Indiana counties won’t update their organization information requested by the Better Business Bureau of Central Indiana. It might not mean anything, but in this end-of-year season it is even more important for legitimate nonprofits to distinguish themselves from con artists trying to prey on people’s holiday spirit. Potential donors are wise to get the best info they can on recipients of their generosity, and United Ways can be trusted sources of facts on many community charities.
Unfortunately, this time of year can accentuate depression for people who are already having trouble coping with life. Indiana ranks the 38th state nationwide in terms of the percent of its population having mental illness, a first-ever study by Mental Health America (MHA) reports. Nearly one of eleven Hoosier adolescents and adults had a major depressive episode in the 2004 school year, and one-eighth had serious psychological distress. States with more resources for and fewer barriers to treatment tended to have lower rates of depression and suicide (for which Indiana ranked 21st in the USA).
What to do? Increase the number of psychiatrists, says Indiana’s affiliate of MHA, and make sure there are enough in rural as well as urban areas. Perhaps more importantly, Hoosiers need to be more open to having people talk about their troubles and seek help. The dominant “self-reliant” attitude could choke off help, especially for young people. It usually takes a decade from the time of onset until an adult seeks treatment. IN should not focus all its attention and money on care for most severely ill, says MHA.
Lilly Endowment and other foundations are funding programs to help non-profit leaders cope with the stress of their jobs, brought on by “too much to do, too little time, not enough money,” reports The Chronicle of Philanthropy. International aid workers often suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, clinical depression, and 30% seem burnt out.
The Chronicle focuses especially on supports for the clergy who often can’t draw a bright line and don’t “have a life” outside their ministerial work, in spite of job descriptions. In the 1950s, research found clergy lived longer healthier lives than folks in most other professions. But a 2001 study found that clergy were more often overweight or obese than other Americans—perhaps from frequent congregational meal-based events.
Only 10 states have a worse status for its low-income kids than Indiana, says the Kids Count program of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The comparisons are based on this set of indicators—low-birthweight babies, infant mortality, child deaths, teen deaths, teen births, teen high school dropouts and not working, kids in non-working families, or with single parents, or in poverty.
The new databook for Indiana was released as part of the Indiana Youth Institute’s annual Kids Count conference, with keynote speaker Marie Osmond, recent “Dancing with the Stars” finalist. Here’s a sample of 4-5 year shifts in the status of Hoosier children:
The national, state, county, and school district data is at www.kidscount.org/sld/databook.jsp. “The risk of death by homicide is greater during the first year of a child’s life than in any other year before age 17,” is just another startling fact from the Kids Count in Indiana 2007 Data Book: A Profile of Child Well-Being, available at www.iyi.org.
Governor Daniels’ tax reform plan—now before the 2008 General Assembly in House Bill 1001—would reduce homeowners’ expected property taxes by 26% on average statewide, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency (LSA). The research arm of the state legislature also determined that the reduction in property taxes on Hoosiers’ residential rental properties would average 27% statewide and that business property taxes would drop 15%. Of course, the reductions will vary county-by-county, “and there’s the rub.” To see what the impact is on your county, check www.iauw.org/capitolsteps/2008HB1001Rpt1.pdf and www.iauw.org/capitolsteps/2008HB1001Rpt2.pdf.
Projects ranging from $250,000 to $1 Million for walking trails, bridges, or greenways will begin with Federal Highway Administration “Transportation Enhancement” grants across the state in some two dozen cities and counties. Check out the list at www.in.gov/indot/2400.htm to see if your community is included or might seek money from the next round that requires a 20% local match.
Starting in January, Indiana Family & Social Services Administration’s Bureau of Child Care (BCC) will begin a two-year roll-out of a new quality rating classification for child care providers called Paths to Quality. It is a free, voluntary program to help parents find and choose the best care for their children in licensed centers, homes, or unlicensed ministries. The methods have four levels of quality, from meeting basic state standards of health and safety to gaining national accreditation. Check it out at www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder.
Christmas baskets can stave off hunger for a little while, but it’s not a solution. Some 35 million Americans went hungry in 2005, and more than 12 million households are “food insecure,” or 11% of US homes, according to the US Dept of Agriculture. More than one-third of the hungry are children. Yet, only two-thirds of Americans eligible for Food Stamps are enrolled in the program. “We have more work to do,” says the USDA. Let’s move beyond the temporary good feelings of the holidays.
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