Washington, D.C. – Metropolitan Washington lags slightly behind the national average in developing new jobs in the fast-growing health care sector, even though the region has produced jobs in other sectors at twice the national rate, experts at “United for Jobs: A Region Forum on Careers in Health” said today. The forum was organized by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).

Workforce and health care experts at the forum focused on the need for regional leaders to increase funding for community colleges to prepare candidates for jobs in new areas of the health care sector, such as health information management, and to help colleges and universities create more clinical training facilities. Participants also encouraged philanthropic organizations to support more scholarships for prospective students in health care related fields.

The important role of community colleges was highlighted by Matt Erskine, executive director of the Greater Washington Initiative (GWI). “This region has had the second best general job growth in the nation: we are twice the national average and just behind Dallas,” he said. Erskine noted that projections indicate that the largest gap in future job growth and skilled employees is in fields requiring two-year degrees, which are provided by community colleges. He added that COG, GWI, and the Greater Washington Board of Trade could take the lead in advocating for more funding and regional coordination on workforce development.

“We have an opportunity here in metropolitan Washington to develop the most competitive healthcare workforce in the country. We are home to one of the nation’s strongest economies and we have fantastic academic and research institutions. But for all of our strengths, we don’t have a regional healthcare workforce strategy,” said District of Columbia Councilmember Kwame Brown, Chair of the COG Board of Directors. “We are better positioned to prosper—especially in this time of limited resources—if we band together as a region.”

Forum participants also emphasized the need for a new regional marketing strategy that would serve multiple purposes, such as promoting the region’s current assets and increasing awareness of the wide variety of jobs in the health care sector. As the demand for new careers in the sector – such as in Electronic Health Records (HER) management – grows, the demand for more traditional jobs including physical and occupational therapists and nurses is projected to increase significantly as well. A critical shortage of nurses led The George Washington University to open a new School of Nursing, said Ellen Dawson, Chair of the university’s Department of Nursing.

“Our region is projected to create an additional 1.2 million jobs over the next 20 years, but we need to be prepared to fill them,” said William Euille, Mayor of Alexandria and Chair of COG’s Workforce Competitiveness Task Force.  He said a summary report of today’s discussion and recommendations for next steps will be presented at next week’s COG Board of Directors meeting.

“We see a generational shift in what is needed (for many healthcare jobs,) said Elyse Kaplan, Vice President of Human Resources for Adventist Health Care Inc. “We need a workforce that is comfortable with technological developments and able to quickly adapt to information technology changes.”  Kaplan noted that this flexibility will enable workers to advance their careers, a recommendation of COG’s regional workforce development report, Closing the Gaps to Build the Future. The report served as the catalyst for the United for Jobs forum.

COG is the association of 21 local governments working together for a better metropolitan region.

DEALING WITH COLLASPED ROOFS

Determining the Responsible Party

(1) Insurance Company

(2) Homeowners should check their homeowner’s insurance policy to see if this is covered.

(3) Inspections Information for rental properties

It is the mission of the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) to ensure your building and your unit is healthy and safe.  DCRA needs you, the tenant, to report your suspected housing violations.  District of Columbia laws require your landlord to provide apartments that are in a safe, habitable and livable condition. The landlord has a duty to make all repairs necessary to make buildings and apartments habitable.  DC law also requires landlords to maintain buildings and apartments according to many established standards.  The DCRA Inspection Scheduling Unit is now available from 8:30 am until 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.  If you feel you need an emergency inspection, please do not email, instead call (202) 442-9557 or dial 311 immediately.

IDENTIFYING ROOFING CONTRACTORS

Check the Yellow Pages for roofing contractors.  You should get at least three different bids.

DC Consumer and Regulatory Affairs can tell you if they are licensed in DC.   Call 202-442-4311.

Or contact the DC Small and Local Business Development Office, which maintains a database of all certified local, small, and disadvantaged business enterprises. Call 202-727-3900 or visit http://dslbd.dc.gov/.

Check with Better Business Bureau of Metro Washington DC and Eastern Pennsylvania to see if there are any complaints against the contractor that you selected.  Call 202-393-8000 or visit http://dc-easternpa.bbb.org.  Email: info@mybbb.org.

RESOURCES TO HELP WITH REPAIRS

Handicapped Accessibility Improvement Program

The Deptartment of Housing and Community Development’s  Handicapped Accessibility Improvement Program (HAIP) provides a grant of up to $30,000 for improvements needed to remove physical barriers within a home for persons with mobility or other physical impairments.  In addition, households where the head of housing is 60 years or older may have the first $10,000 of assistance provided as a permanently deferred loan. Deferral of additional amounts will be considered on a case by case basis.

In addition, they offer a Roof repair grant of up to $ 14,000 to replace the roof.  This grant pays for exterior roofing and gutter work only.  To apply for either one of these programs you can apply at two East of River Housing Counseling locations:

• Lydia’s House, 3836 South Capitol St SW, 202-373-1050; or
• University Legal Service, 1800 MLK Avenue SE, 1st Floor, 202-889-2196

SERVE DC

Serve DC has a limited program to help seniors with yard work and snow removal in emergencies for those special cases.  Call 202-727-7925.

DDOT TREE PROGRAM

District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has a new hazardous tree removal program for District homeowners who cannot afford to remove or trim hazardous trees on their property.  Certain residents may now qualify for financial assistance under a new program offered by the DDOT.  For additional information about the Income Contingent Program for Hazardous Tree Removal, please contact UFA at 202-671-5133 or visit ufa.ddot.dc.gov.

Rebuilding Lives Together

Rebuilding Together addresses home repair and maintenance issues that potentially present a safety risk or limit the access to or within the home.  National Rebuilding Day (formerly Christmas in April) is the organization’s signature annual event.  The event occurs in April and mobilizes hundreds community volunteers to help make home repairs for those who are unable financially to do the necessary work.

Rebuilding Together, Washington DC, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 308, Washington, DC  20007, 202-965-2824.

janstango@rebuildingtogetherdc.org

This week, At-Large Councilmember Kwame R. Brown announced that Jennifer Budoff started as the new Director of the Committee on Economic Development. She comes to the committee with nearly a decade of experience in economic development in the District of Columbia, including most recently with the Office of the Chief Financial Officer.

Click here to learn more about the DC Job Growth Incentive Act

“I’m excited that Ms. Budoff has come on board to help implement an aggressive committee agenda that includes attracting Costco to DC, revitalizing Penn Branch shopping center and moving other key neighborhood projects forward throughout the city,” said Councilmember Brown.

Ms. Budoff, a resident of Southwest, DC, has been directly responsible for structuring public subsidy packages for public-private economic development projects that have a major impact on neighborhood revitalization. She has managed multi-million dollar projects including DC USA in Columbia Heights, anchored by the District’s first Target store. She also structured $30 million of debt for seven neighborhood economic development projects throughout the city. In addition, she was a Senior Development Manager for the National Capital Revitalization Corporation. Ms. Budoff holds a Masters of Public Policy from the Georgetown University Public Policy Institute.

Councilmember Brown would like to invite you to an open house on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. to meet the new director and committee staff. The open house will be located in the John A. Wilson Building, Suite 119, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Sign up using the the form above.

Primary Committee Office Contact Information

Jennifer Budoff, Committee Director
Ph: 202-724-8116
Email: jbudoff@dccouncil.us

Mitria Wilson, Legislative Counsel
Ph: 202-724-8078
Email: twilson@dccouncil.us

Antonio Brentini, Administrative Clerk and Legislative Assistant
Ph: 202-727-6683
Email: sbrentini@dccouncil.us

For more information or to interview Councilmember Brown, please contact Press Secretary Michael Price at 202-445-4510 or mprice@dccouncil.us.

Do you work with science? Do you love science? Do you want to share your science knowledge?

Center City Public Charter Schools are seeking VOLUNTEER JUDGES FOR ITS CAMPUS AND CITYWIDE SCIENCE FAIRS!

Who: Center City Public Charter Schools
www.centercitypcs.org

What: Science Fair
On the chosen day, Judges interview students from grades 3-8, view science displays, and rate projects based on a common scoring framework. Judges are thanked at recognized at the awards ceremonies for each level of competition.

When: Campus Competitions: Week of February 16th
Center City Competition: Saturday, March 6th will feature the top projects from all six campuses

Where: Campus competitions at Brightwood Campus (6008 Georgia Avenue NW; ph: 202.723.3322) and Petworth Campus (510 Webster St, NW; ph: 202.726.9212)
Center City competition: Center City Petworth Campus at 510 Webster St, NW (formerly St. Gabriel’s Catholic School)

Contact: Jessica Baldwin, Curriculum Specialist
(202) 589-0202 x116
mailto:jbaldwin@40centercitypcs.org.

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Councilmember Brown will unveil a Parental Engagement Pledge. As an incentive to increase the level of performance of area public schools, Councilmember Brown will also announce an incentive to be awarded to schools that most improve their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) test scores and decrease their truancy rates. Parents who have children in DCPS along with child advocates will be speaking alongside Councilmembers.

WHO: At-Large Councilmember Kwame R. Brown

Council Chair Vincent C. Gray

At-Large Councilmember Phil Mendelson

Councilmember Mary Cheh, Ward 3

Councilmember Muriel Bowser, Ward 4

Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr., Ward 5

Councilmember Yvette Alexander, Ward 7

Councilmember Marion Barry, Ward 8

DC Public School Parents

WHAT: Issue Challenge to Area Schools and DCPS Parents’ Pledge of Commitment

WHEN: Friday, August 24, 2007 at 11:00am

WHERE: Front Steps of the John H. Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

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