January 17, 2012
Paying a Price, Long After the Crime
By ALFRED BLUMSTEIN and KIMINORI NAKAMURA, Published: January 9, 2012
IN 2010, the Chicago Public Schools declined to hire Darrell Langdon for a job as a boiler-room engineer, because he had been convicted of possessing a half-gram of cocaine in 1985, a felony for which he received probation. It didn’t matter that Mr. Langdon, a single parent of two sons, had been clean since 1988 and hadn’t run into further trouble with the law. Only after The Chicago Tribune wrote about his case did the school system reverse its decision and offer him the job.
A stunning number of young people are arrested for crimes in this country, and those crimes can haunt them for the rest of their lives. In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Crime Commission found that about half of American males could expect to be arrested for a nontraffic offense some time in their lives, mostly in their late teens and early 20s.
January 10, 2012
Promise of No Child Left Behind falls short after 10 years
WASHINGTON (AP) – The No Child Left Behind education law was cast as a symbol of possibility, offering the promise of improved schools for the nation's poor and minority children and better prepared students in a competitive world.
Yet after a decade on the books, President George W. Bush's most hyped domestic accomplishment has become a symbol to many of federal overreach and Congress' inability to fix something that's clearly flawed.
The law forced schools to confront the uncomfortable reality that many kids simply weren't learning, but it's primarily known for its emphasis on standardized tests and the labeling of thousands of schools as "failures."
December 23, 2011
2011 was a busy year for ACS and its early childhood and K-12 education clients. Read more about with whom we are working and what we've done to reach the goals of our clients.
December 12, 2011
Retooling punishments to reroute ex-felons' lives: editorial
By The Plain Dealer Editorial Board
They are known as collateral sanctions: hundreds of tough-on-crime penalties that can pander more to political expediency than pragmatism and make a mockery of a justice system that is supposed to prize rehabilitation and limit recidivism.
The loss of a driver's license for chronic nonpayment of child support and jail time for the worst abusers seem appropriate consequences for such heartless malefactors -- especially those whose offenses are grave enough to warrant felony convictions for nonpayment of support.
Except, as state Sen. Shirley Smith points out, many felons leave prison with little money and no jobs. After they've caught up on child support, they are told they need to ante up another $1,000 to get their licenses restored so they can drive to work or look for work. So they drive without licenses. And they get caught. And they get fined. And they end up back in the slammer.
November 23, 2011
Let's stop putting the burden of education improvements just on teachers. Parents play a huge role in classroom success.
November 17, 2011
Superintendent of the Year
ACS is proud to share that Dr. Gene Harris, Superintendent of Columbus City Schools, has been chosen by the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) as Superintendent of the Year. This is a statewide award that allows Dr. Harris to be eligible for the national Superintendent award. As their state and federal lobbyists, ACS is proud to work with Dr. Harris and the entire team at Columbus City Schools. Congratulations CCS!
November 14, 2011
Paths for re-entry
“It is encouraging that Gov. John Kasich and state officials are turning their attention to fixing legislative obstructions to prisoner re-entry programs. But for Ohio to improve significantly employment opportunities for former inmates, policymakers also must ground prison job-training programs in reality, offering training behind bars that benefits inmates when they leave”
October 20, 2011
COSE Ten Under 10
Advocacy & Communication Solutions LLC is proud to be named a “COSE Ten Under 10” by the COSE (Council of Smaller Enterprises)—an award given to 10 small businesses with 10 employees or fewer to honor their ability to innovate, grow and reach ambitious goals. COSE is the Northeast Ohio small business chamber of commerce.
For the COSE Ten Under 10, ACS was honored, in part, for our growth. We have grown 330.0 percent since launching in 2004. COSE honored ACS and nine other companies at its 2011 Small Business Conference this week in Cleveland.
We are extremely honored to be chosen by COSE as a Ten Under 10 winner. Learn more about the awards at www.cose.org
September 30, 2011
Advocacy & Communication Solutions, LLC proudly announces the opening of its new Washington, DC office.
In the heart of Capitol Hill, ACS is just steps away from U.S. Congressional offices, the Capitol building and many federal agencies. ACS offers a meeting place as well as a resting place for our clients while in DC.
ACS Washington DC Office Address:
300 New Jersey Avenue NW
Suite 900 PMB 9005
Washington, DC 20001
Toll-free: 877.372.0166
September 2, 2011
Back-to-School Bus Heads to the Great Lakes
US Education Secretary Duncan heads to Cleveland...
http://www.ed.gov/blog/2011/09/back-to-school-bus-heads-to-the-great-lakes/
July 29, 2011
ACS helps client secure a contract with the State of Ohio for Ohio's Medicaid program
Gongwer News Service: The Record of Capitol Square Since 1906
Volume #80, Report #138, Article #9—Tuesday, July 19, 2011
A New York health benefits company said Tuesday the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has awarded it a contract to provide Medicaid hospital utilization management services through June 30, 2013, with options for renewal until mid 2017. The contract was awarded to Permedion, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of HMS, Inc.
The company is to provide focused pre-certification and retrospective reviews, reporting and analysis, healthcare studies, provider education, and data management. Financial terms were not disclosed.
HMS said it has provided utilization management services to Ohio since 1997. In recent years, it identified an average of $50 million per year in overpayments for the state.
“HMS is honored to continue to manage Ohio's Hospital Utilization Management Program, and we look forward to providing the medical review services that help ODJFS fulfill its operational and financial objectives,” said Maria Perrin, HMS executive vice president for government services.
Copyright 2011 Gongwer News Service: The Record of Capitol Square Since 1906
July 22, 2011
First Things First Exceeds Goal
ACS client First Things First (FTF) set a goal in 2010 to increase awareness of early childhood by 12% by the end of 3 years. In the first year of implementation of the Strategic Communication Plan—written in part by ACS—FTF exceeded their three-year-goal, achieving a 14% increase!!!! ACS continues to work with FTF on their statewide plan—guiding tactics, conducting trainings, and securing national earned media.
July 15, 2011
ACS successfully worked with the Ohio General Assembly to amend the final version of Ohio's state operating budget to limit the scope of detrimental education policy language related to property/land rights of local school districts.
For more information click on these links.
State budget packed with changes
School buildings for $1?
June 10, 2011
ACS helps client secure $12 million contract with the State of Ohio for Third Party Liability recovery services for Ohio's Medicaid program
HMS Awarded Third Party Liability Contract by State of Ohio
May 25, 2011
Advocacy Resources for Non Profit Charitable Organizations
May 16, 2011
ACS can be found in Crain's Cleveland Business Directories
Crain's Minority-Owned Business Directory
Crain's Woman-Owned Business Directory
May 5, 2011
ACS presents at Georgetown University and Jessie Ball duPont Fund event.
ACS recently presented at the Jessie Ball duPont Fund Executive Director Alumni Meeting. The three-day training was organized by Georgetown University Center for Public & Nonprofit Leadership and its purpose and focus was “HOW TO NAVIGATE THE UNPREDICTABLE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE: WHAT NONPROFIT LEADERS MUST KNOW.” Approximately 40 executive directors from Florida, Virginia, Delaware, South Carolina and Massachusetts attended the retreat. ACS gave a facilitated a workshop — Building an Effective Messaging Strategy on Tax and Budget Issues — that included both presentations and hand-on exercises to help participants put into practice the tools they were being provided. The workshop addressed several issues including the following:
- What is strategic communication, and why should you care
- Through what medium
- How and why to talk about budget and tax policy
- To the right audience
- How to give the right message
- At the right time
Attendees included organizations such as American Red Cross, Presbyterian Homes & Family Services, Boys and Girls Club, United Way, Children’s Home, several art organizations — such as the Orchestra and Historic Preservation — and more.
Are you interested in having ACS present to your organization? Please email us at info@advocacyandcommunication.org
April 27, 2011
ACS client in the news
Cleveland's casino raising hopes of jobs for minorities
ROBERT L. SMITH The Plain Dealer | Published: Wednesday, April 27, 2011
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jasmyne Arnold was an honors student and a cheerleader at John F. Kennedy High School and, at age 23, she has lost none of her can-do spirit. But a winning smile does not impress employers without jobs to offer.
After fruitless searches for work, she's eyeing a new game. A Public Square casino has struck her fancy.
"It sounds like a great opportunity," said Arnold, who ran a concession stand in the raucous din of Thistledown Race Track before being laid off. "I think I would be good at it because I like interacting with people. I thought Thistledown was fun."
As a black woman with service industry experience, she's looking at favorable odds. The casino industry has a better-than-average record of hiring minorities, especially women.
The creators of Horseshoe Casino Cleveland, meanwhile, vow that more than 90 percent of the 1,600 full- and part-time jobs will go to locals.
That's music to the ears of job counselors in a city with high black unemployment and few prospects for low-skill, entry-level workers. Many envision a new kind of job engine in a city hungry for opportunity.
"There's a lot of excitement and hope," said Jill Rizika, executive director of Towards Employment, a nonprofit job-training agency that specializes in hard-to-place workers. "People come in all the time and ask, 'What do I have to do?' " Rizika said.
READ MORE HERE
April 21, 2011
ACS client in the news
First Things First helping kids succeed
JULIANNE HARTZELL Special to the Daily Sun azdailysun.com | Posted: Saturday, April 16, 2011
First Things First (FTF), at both the statewide and the Coconino Regional Partnership levels, work to make sure every child in Arizona comes to school on their first day of kindergarten healthy and prepared to succeed. Getting children ready for school means more than packing their lunches, filling their backpacks, and getting them to the bus on time. In fact, the job of helping children succeed in school starts the day they're born, because we know that 90 percent of a child's brain is formed by the time they turn 5. To date, FTF has devoted more than $6.4 million to the young children in our region.
READ MORE HERE
March 18, 2011
ACS presents at the United Way's Child Care and Early Education Fund event
On March 8th ACS presented at the Child Care and Early Education Fund event held at the United Way of New York City. Entitled “Methods & Messages: National Snapshot of Early Childhood Strategic Communication”, ACS provided an outline of best practices and least effective communication strategies for early childhood education efforts across the country. View "Methods & Messages: National Snapshot of Early Childhood Strategic Communication”
Attendees at the United Way included over two dozen early childhood organizations and funders, including but not limited to, Winning Beginning; BUILD; Early Childhood Advisory Council of New York State; NYC Early Childhood Professional Development Institute; New York State Council on Children and Families; Fight Crime Invest in Kids; A.L. Mailman Foundation, Rauch Foundation and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors among many others.
It was an inspiring afternoon engaging early childhood development leadership from around the state to find better more effective ways of persuading audiences to understand the critical role of early childhood programs and services.
Are you interested in having ACS present to your early childhood organization? Please email us at info@advocacyandcommunication.org
February 4, 2011
Welcome to our newest team member!
Join us in welcoming the newest member to the ACS team, Bobbie Beach! Bobbie joins ACS as our Executive Assistant and brings with her a wealth of experience covering a diverse menu of administrative, marketing, and project management skills. Bobbie has been a virtual assistant for several years and has helped numerous clients meet their administrative and technological needs and goals. She received a Bachelor of Science from Sienna Heights College and in 2009 graduated from Assist University, a master level course in executive assistance. Bobbie will help to keep the ACS team on track when it comes to scheduling, accounts receivable/payable, technology coordination, among many others. Welcome Bobbie! Read more about Bobbie here.
December 14, 2010
ACS expands to Arizona – the newest location in our growing national footprint.
Since 2008, ACS has helped several organizations in Arizona meet or exceed their goals in advocacy and communication. Our new office is located in Phoenix and will be the base for our statewide and regional work.
December 3, 2010
Cleveland Public Theatre Awarded State Funding
A great application and tenacious advocacy, led to ACS client Gordon Square Arts District being awarded $1 million in stimulus funding from the State of Ohio for the continued renovation of Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT). The money will be used to make the theatre more energy efficient. CPT is one of only 15 Ohio projects to receive this grant. Awarded projects exemplify the goals of the Recovery Act’s State Energy Program to accelerate renewable energy development in Ohio by creating or preserving jobs and reducing energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions. CPT will use their funding for high efficiency HVAC system which will allow the Theatre to be open year round. The projected annual energy cost savings is $123,064. Learn more about GSAD at www.gordonsquare.org
November 23, 2010
Arizona Voters Support First Things First
First Things First (FTF), our largest early childhood client, successfully defeated Proposition 302, which was an attempt to eliminate their funding and redirect it to the state’s general fund where the Legislature could have used it without restriction, to address Arizona’s budget deficit. With an impressive 70%-30% margin, Arizona voters continued their commitment to high quality programs and services for all Arizona’s children Birth to Five.
FTF financially supports programs that provide children with the tools they need to start out on the right path so they can be successful in school and beyond. First Things First is funded by tobacco tax revenue that, with the defeat of Proposition 302, is now preserved. ACS helped to developed FTF’s 3 year grassroots education campaign to help build support for services for all Arizona’s children. Learn more about First Things First at www.azftf.gov