Job Posting - Program Representative

J O B   P O S T I N G

Position:   Program Representative                                         Recommended Salary: $40,000-$45,000

                                                                                              

Reports To:  Manager                                                                    Business Unit: Operations 

Department: Workforce Strategies                                          Posted:  March 20, 2015 to April 3, 2015               

The Program Representative is responsible for auditing and evaluating the practices of the EARN providers and PA CareerLink®  to ensure compliance with contractual requirements. This position is also responsible for providing technical assistance to contracted providers to promote performance and quality services consistent with contract requirements and State program guidelines.

This position is responsible for analyzing performance management reports, Philadelphia Works, Inc. data systems and Commonwealth Workforce Development System (CWDS) to identify and articulate performance trends and make appropriate suggestions for program improvement. Develop and facilitate training as identified by PWI leadership that will enhance subcontractors’ programmatic operations and performance outcomes.

This position is also responsible for training program and provider staff on use of CAPS and other appropriate data systems as necessary.

In this position you will be responsible for the following duties:

Analyze all relevant data reports (i.e. Connecting All Partners for Success (CAPS), KRONOS, CWDS, etc.) and compare to PWI and State performance management results to identify performance trends.

Create comparative statistical reports and trend analysis in Excel to summarize performance data and report inaccuracies to PWI Leadership. Ensure all programmatic data requirements are met in CAPS system and any other relevant data system. This includes data elements to be captured and reporting data to meet program, provider and data analysis needs. Ensure that all incoming data is accurate and received in a timely fashion and data entered accurately and timely, including data from Kronos. Conduct site visits to providers to ensure quality service is being rendered to customers. Provide technical assistance and coaching when appropriate to contracted providers/staff in collaboration, to ensure program performance and compliance with contract requirements and program guidelines.  Use the Program Monitoring tools to analyze program operations and audit program compliance, such as time and attendance, case file documentation, qualitative reviews and participant and staff interviews.

Coordinate State audit preparation, and analyze and compare State audit results to PWI performance review results to develop more efficient corrective action plans. Compile and track the monitoring results of all provider reviews, create statistical reports in Excel and submit written summary reports and improvement recommendations on a monthly basis. Prepare accurate and timely reports of all performance review findings; use data obtained from program monitoring reports, analyze trends and inefficiencies; and determine appropriate recommendations for improvement. Conduct 15, 30, and 45 day observational follow-up with provider to ensure that the recommendations have been implemented; update and /or make changes if necessary. Compare findings of current report to previous report findings to track changes as they apply to improvement recommendations and action plan. Share best practices for the purpose of enhancing processes and procedures for better performance, service delivery, and efficiency through all EARN Centers and PA CareerLink® . Maintain current knowledge of contract goals and performance standards, State program guidelines and policies.

Perform ongoing analysis of EARN Center and PA CareerLink®  processes (assessment, case management, and job placements). Coordinate with leadership to develop policy as needed to decrease deficiencies.

Evaluate Job Specific Skills Training (JSST) subcontractors to determine the effect organizational capacity has on system performance and make appropriate recommendations leadership. Facilitate JSST Cross Functional Team Meetings and maintain all agendas and meeting minutes. Maintain records for all performance management results. 

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Human Services, Social Work, Business Management or related field  with 2-3 years’ auditing or quality assurance experience.

Or, any combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Human Resources Department.

• Strong organizational, analytical and problem solving skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel with a working knowledge of Access and Power Point.

• Ability to work independently as a team member.
• Must have very strong follow thru

• Ability to interact effectively with various levels of staff, management, government officials and the public.
• Ability to travel to various locations throughout the city.

 

Interested applicants should apply online at

www.philaworks.org  and click on

 “About Us” and then “Careers at Philadelphia Works”.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Program
Alternate Formats, Auxiliary Aides and Services are available upon request

Job Posting - Re-entry Specialist

The Mayor’s Office of Reintegration Services (RISE) is looking to fill the position of Reentry Specialist.

Interested candidates must follow the directions on the attached posting. Deadline is April 10, 2015.

Reentry Specialist

Philadelphia, PA

The Mayor’s Office of Reintegration Services (RISE) utilizes direct services and partnerships with other agencies to assist the formerly incarcerated in their reintegration back into the community.

By providing direct services to returning citizens, RISE hopes to prepare them for life after incarceration. Through education and workforce based training models, we are able to assist each participant by helping them address their barriers, so they can become successful, law abiding citizens.

Through recent funding via the Second Chance Act (SCA), The Adult Reentry Demonstration Program will be implemented by The Mayor’s Office of Reintegration Services (RISE), and will demonstrate the cost-effectiveness and recidivism-reduction potential of shifting RISE’s focus from low-risk to higher-risk offenders.  The project will serve 105 men, ages 18-40, released from the Philadelphia Prison System (PPS) to North Philadelphia (target area), which is one of the most crime-ridden and blighted areas of the City where the rate of poverty is nearly twice the citywide rate.  The project will utilize a multi-discipline, multi-sector Reentry Task Force to guide a robust planning phase and implementation of pre- and post-release services designed to support seamless, coordinated, and successful reentry.

RISE currently seeks a dynamic individual for this Adult Reentry Demonstration project to assume the role of a Reentry Specialist.  The position has tremendous impacts on the ability to align service providers with the clients served in our Demonstration Grant. This key personnel position will be the liaison for Philadelphia Prison System Caseworkers and Training Facilitators. 

This is a full-time, grant funded position through Fall of 2016.

Salary: $35,000

Job Description:

The Reentry Specialist will work closely with the Case Manager to identify participant needs and find community resources to meet the identified needs. The Reentry Specialist will work with several multi-sector wraparound providers on topics including education, life skills, housing, legal services and transpiration among many others.

Additional duties for this position include the following:

·         Spend time in the community working with existing providers, and identifying new providers.

·         Reentry Specialist will work directly with Employment contractor to ensure clients who participate in the SCA Grant will become gainfully employed.

·         Reentry Specialist will also work directly with a Peer Forensic Specialist provided by the Department of Behavioral Health.

·         Reentry Specialist will report all activities to the Grant Manager of the SCA Grant

Qualifications:

·         The Reentry Specialist will have 3-5 years of directly related experience, including case work with reentry populations and knowledge of project stakeholders.

·         The Reentry Specialist will have working knowledge of psychology practices, conflict resolution, and trauma related training.

·         Reentry Specialist will demonstrate superior written and oral communication skills.

·         The Reentry Specialist will accompany clients who are assessed and identified as individuals who will receive Outpatient Services for Drug and Alcohol.

·         The Reentry Specialist will work with the Social Workers from the Philadelphia Prison System to recruit inmates to participate in the SCA Grant Program.

We are looking to fill this position quickly. Deadline for submissions is April  10, 2015

Cover letters and resumes should be submitted as attachments in Microsoft Word or PDF formats, and emailed to dushawn.king@phila.gov.  Please put in the subject line of your email “SCA Reentry Specialist Position.”

Mailed applications or failure to follow submission instructions will result in a denial of the application. No phone calls or employment agencies please.

Metal Chunks Found in Kraft Mac n’ Cheese – But That’s Not the Only Problem

If you by any chance have a box of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese in your pantry (and we hope you don’t), you may want to get it outta there. Along with the luck of the Irish, this St. Patty’s Day came with at least eight people finding shards of metal in their macaroni.


According to Kraft Foods Group Inc, boxes with dates between September 18, 2015 and October 11, 2015 may be affected. A recall has been issued for approximately 6.5 million boxes of original flavor Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.

Luckily, no one has been reported to be injured by the metal so far. Kraft’s response? They advise people not to eat the Mac n’ Cheese, and to return affected boxes for a full refund.

Our response? None of us should be eating this stuff anyway. The metal shards are, sadly, just the tip of the iceberg. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is one processed product which often replaces an entire meal for many families – or at least serves as a bulky side dish. This is unfortunate, because it is highly counterproductive to nutrition.

First of all, if you read the ingredients label on a box of the stuff, you will find many you can’t pronounce. This in itself is a red flag. The second red flag is that it is made of enriched wheat flour.
Enriched wheat flour, besides being stripped of real nutrients and pumped full of artificial ones, contains gluten, which many people are sensitive to, and on top of that, wheat has been found to be both inflammatory and addictive, and a player in obesity and many other lifestyle-based illnesses.


On top of that, the gooey yellow stuff contains two artificial flavors: Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. Both of these colorings have been linked to allergic reactions, as well as behavioral issues and hyperactivity in children (ironic, since it’s largely children that consume it!).Yellow 6 has also been linked by some research to adrenal tumors in lab studies.

Metal shards are certainly scary… but so is ingesting these cheap, processed, fattening, and potentially poisonous ingredients on a regular basis. This is one product you definitely do NOT want to have around.
-The Alternative Daily

Do These 9 Things Every Day to Be Smarter

Many of us tend to do the same things every day, day in and day out. We may sometimes get into a rut where we are not challenging ourselves, and never switching up our routines. We get comfortable, not wanting to mix things up at all.

If this becomes the case, our brains get no stimulation. They have no need to work at anything, so they become stagnant.

Like your body, your brain needs exercise every day. It needs to work and be energized it you want to keep it in the best working order possible.

Try the following nine activities to give your brain the exercise it requires.
Read. Taking time to read every day for about half an hour stimulates your brain and gets your
creative juices flowing, by utilizing your imagination.

Work out. Working out your body fuels your brain. There are studies that show that people who exercise tend to have a higher IQ. Some research also claims that when you exercise, it stimulates your brain cells grow. Exercise also gives you a sense of well being, due to the rush of endorphins.

Afternoon cat nap. Napping in the middle of the afternoon refreshes the mind and may enhance your memory. Try napping for either less than half an hour, or for a solid hour and a half, or you may be groggy upon awakening.

Puzzles. Stimulate your brain with puzzles, whether it’s a jigsaw puzzle or a crossword puzzle: it will get your brain energized.

Meditate. Meditation calms the nerves and helps you to relax. Meditation has also been shown by some research to actually restructure the brain and increase the size of the cerebral cortex.

Create. Being creative helps you with problem solving, inspires you, and builds confidence. Plus, as you create, you learn.

Use your hands. By using your hands when you’re talking, you may be able improve your memory and use your creative skills. It also helps your mind separate and organize ideas.
 
Drink water. It is important to stay hydrated for your brain to work properly. When you lack water your brain becomes foggy and it’s hard to focus. As a general rule, eight glasses a day is recommended, although it does vary from person to person, depending on their size and lifestyle. It is very difficult to drink too much water… so unless you’ve actually had a ridiculous amount, drink up!

 Eat healthy. A healthy diet filled with vegetables (especially dark green vegetables), fruits, and healthy proteins and fats (such as from nuts, seeds, and grass-fed meats) is key to feeding your brain. Also, try to watch your intake of sugar. It will give you lots of energy, but for a short time – then it will leave you feeling drowsy and dopey. Plus, many experts agree it’s an absolute poison.

Try eating small, healthy meals throughout your day. They will energize you and keep your mind stable.

If you strive to work your brain every day, you will notice differences in the way you think and act. Remember that it won’t happen overnight, do don’t get discouraged. With patients and perseverance – and some hard work and diligence – you can train your brain to function at its top potential – which can positively benefit every aspect of your life.
-The Alternative Daily

New Evidence Says: Yes, Junk Food is 8x More Addictive Than Cocaine

Many respected health experts have been saying for years that sugar is pure poison. We here at The Alternative Daily have also reported extensively on the many dangers of the sweet stuff. Now, we have even more – and even more troubling – evidence of sugar’s highly addictive nature.
In a new study recently published in the journal PLOS One, researchers have reported that sugar, specifically the type of processed sugar added to junk foods, is a whopping eight times more addictive than cocaine!

This discovery that an innocuous-looking candy bar could be even more addictive than a street drug with many known risks, including death, should be a huge warning flag for everyone reading to put down the sugary snacks at once.

To summarize, the study authors wrote: “the current study provides preliminary evidence that not all foods are equally implicated in addictive-like eating behavior, and highly processed foods, which may share characteristics with drugs of abuse (e.g. high dose, rapid rate of absorption) appear to be particularly associated with ‘food addiction.'”

For their study, a research team, led by Dr. Nicole Avena of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, recruited 504 participants and analyzed their eating habits. The participants also answered questions to determine their levels of food addiction. These questions included those that asked participants to agree or disagree with certain statements, including “I eat to the point where I feel physically ill.”

When results of the questionnaires were analyzed against the specific foods that the participants ate, the most addictive food uncovered by the study was… pizza. While this may come as a surprise to some, Dr. Avena explains that just the tomato sauce in a slice of processed pizza may contain more sugar than several Oreo cookies!

Other ‘worst foods’, following pizza, were chocolate, chips, cookies and ice cream. The least addictive foods were found to be, not very surprisingly, cucumbers, carrots, beans, apples and brown rice. According to Dr. Avena, the most addictive foods tended to be those that were highly glycemic.
These processed foods also often contain high fructose corn syrup instead of plain sugar – and as we recently reported, high fructose corn syrup has been found to be even more dangerous – and tied to addictive properties by previous research.

According to cardiologist Dr. James O’Keefe, “when we eat wheat flour and sugar in processed foods, it spikes our (blood) sugar, then insulin. Those are the hormonal disturbances that make you store belly fat, and then you are hungry for more sweets and starchy junk food.”
While sugar addiction is not yet an officially recognized addiction, and more research needs to be done on the addictive properties of various foods, O’Keefe says that overcoming a sugar addiction can come with withdrawal symptoms, like withdrawing from other drugs. These may include irritability, nervousness, mood changes and nausea.
However, according to O’Keefe, if you stick with it and ditch the sugar, you will reap significant rewards. “Blood pressure comes down, diabetes goes away, obesity goes away, complexion clears up, mood clears up, sleep improves. It is really, really striking,” Keefe explained.

Kicking the sugar habit isn’t easy, but in order to protect your health, it is quite necessary. If you’re struggling with giving up the habit, check out our guide to eating less sugar in 2015 – you’ll be glad you did.
-The Alternative Daily

Natural Solutions - Spring Cleaning

Food Recipes Health Beauty   Balance Samples

and that means one thing...Spring cleaning!   Okay, we admit, it wasn't the first thing everyone thought of...but it was a close second, right? Spring cleaning, especially those in colder climates, means opening windows and airing out the house. It means de-cluttering and deep scrubbings to get rid of those "winter germs." But what are you putting in your home when you use cleaners with highly toxic chemicals? Have you ever thought about going green to clean your home?     Going Chemical Free As our perceptions of cleaning gradually change from "we must kill all germs everywhere" to "can it really be healthy to spread these chemicals on every surface in the house?" consumers have rightly shifted their attentions to green cleaning products. With that has come a flood of companies wanting to rush something to market to jump on the trend. They can slide in under umbrella terms like "all natural," but that phrase is often deceptive. This practice is called "greenwashing."   DIY Green Cleaners You don't have to be a mad scientist to make your own household cleaning products. Starre Vartan, author of The Eco Chick Guide to Life (St. Martin's Griffin, 2008), and Kimberly Delaney, author of Clean Home, Green Home (Knack, 2009), share their simple cleaner recipes made from common ingredients. From a "universal cleaner" to mold killer - find several helpful recipes for homemade cleaners here!   Green Clean Fun Call me crazy, but I love cleaning. Not in an obsessive, Monica-from-Friends kind of way, but I love that feeling of satisfaction I get after a good scrub session. A wave of bliss washes over me as I sink into the couch and survey the fruits of my labor—a spotless house but recently, my mom (who else?) tipped me off to some startling information about what's in my go-to, all-purpose cleaner: carcinogens and glycol ethers, among other things. Here's the dirt behind your favorite cleaning products—and alternatives that are better for your health.   Free Yourself Follow these 7 simple steps and you'll finally be free from harsh chemicals that are destroying your health and the environment. Click here to find out how.