Lawmakers question U.S. government failure to protect Iranian dissidents in Iraq, continued funding for Iraq government, says Iranian American Community of Northern California

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Receives California Psychological Association's Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award

LOS ANGELES, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Chicago School of Professional Psychology's (TCSPP) Los Angeles Campus, recently received a California Psychological Association's (CPA) 2013 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award. A nonprofit graduate school devoted exclusively to psychology and related behavioral health sciences, the Los Angeles Campus, including the Westwood and Irvine branches, were recognized for superior efforts in the award category of employee involvement. Michele Nealon-Woods, Psy.D., national president of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, accepted the award at the California Psychological Association's Annual Convention.

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Through an employee questionnaire designed to gauge the opinions and needs of faculty and staff, employees gave TCSPP high marks in the following areas: paid time off to engage in volunteer activities, the number of pro bono hours contributed to the community in 2012-2013, contribution to employees' growth and development, work-life balance, employee recognition and the flow of communication within the organization. Each applicant was judged on criteria including: health and safety; employee growth and development; work-life balance; employee recognition and employee involvement. The Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award is supported by the American Psychological Association.

"Maintaining a psychologically healthy workplace at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is vital to organizational performance and one of the best ways we reduce employee turnover, and keep valuable employees strong, happy and productive," stated Dr. Nealon-Woods. "We thank the CPA for recognizing our success in creating a comprehensive set of programs and policies that motivate employee involvement and, ultimately, benefit their health and prosperity."

"In this time of high job stress and increasing demands on employees, these exemplary workplaces have made it a priority to create environments that are sensitive to the health and well-being of their workers," says Mark Kamena, Ph.D, President of the California Psychological Association. "By rewarding these organizations for their efforts, we hope others will take notice and implement similar programs in their workplaces."

According to a poll by the American Psychological Association, two-thirds of both men and women say work has a significant impact on their stress level, and one in four has missed work because of stress. 

The Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award was created to recognize organizations that understand the link between employee health and well-being and organizational performance and have implemented a variety of workplace practices in an active effort to create a positive work environment.

About The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Founded in 1979, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP) is a nonprofit, private graduate school devoted exclusively to psychology and related behavioral and health sciences. It serves more than 4,300 students across campuses in Chicago; Los Angeles and branches in Irvine & Westwood); and Washington D.C.  as well as online/blended programs. The institution is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and its Clinical Psychology doctoral program in Chicago is accredited by the American Psychological Association. A member of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology, TCSPP is recognized for its distinguished service and outstanding contributions to cultural diversity and advocacy. The community service initiatives on the Chicago Campus have also earned recognition on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for six consecutive years, and the Los Angeles Campus gained its first award this year. With more than 20 graduate degree programs, thousands of hours of real-world training, and a wealth of international opportunities, TCSPP is a leader in professional psychology education. To learn more, visit www.thechicagoschool.edu.

SOURCE The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

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Campaign Launched to Stop California SB 635 that Would Extend Last Call at Bars, Restaurants and Nightclubs to 4 a.m

LOS ANGELES, April 6, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- According to Alcohol Justice, community organizations concerned with public health and safety have joined the statewide coalition to STOP Leno's 4 a.m. Bar Bill.  They will be joined by police chiefs and Los Angeles city council members Monday at a Los Angeles City Hall press event to launch their campaign and support Council Member Bernard Parks' resolution to oppose passage of SB 635. The bill, authored by Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) would make it possible for any California bar, restaurant or nightclub to extend drinking hours from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.

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What:       Press event and rally

When:      Monday, April 8, 2013 10:00 AM

Where:     Los Angeles City Hall South Steps (W 1^st. St.)

Who:         Speakers Include:

• Bernard Parks, Los Angeles Councilmember Dist. 8, (former L.A. Chief of Police)
• Richard Alarcon, Los Angeles Councilmember Dist. 7
• Jorge Castillo, Advocacy Director, Alcohol Justice
• Ruben Rodriguez, Executive Director, Pueblo y Salud, Inc.,
• Richard Zaldivar, Founder and Executive Director of The Wall Las Memorias Project
• Jeanne Shimatsu, Prevention Coordinator AADAP, Inc.
• Paul Scott, WCTU
• Sarah Blanch, Institute for Public Strategies
• Margot Bennett, Executive Director, Women Against Gun Violence
• Leonard Lee Buschel, Founder Writers in Treatment, & Reel Recovery Film Festival
• Sara Cooley, MA/MPH, Project Coordinator, P³ Partnership for a Positive Pomona
• Susan Blauner, Director of Operations, Saving Lives Drug and Alcohol Coalition
• Dennis Hathaway, President, Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight
• John O. Whitaker, Jr., CDS, CATC II, President, Paso Por Paso
• Kevin M. Key, Community Organizer, United Coalition East Prevention Project
• Crystal Cedillo, Community Organizer Koreatown Youth and Community Center 

Why: 

• Extending hours of on-site alcohol sales into the wee hours of the morning will benefit a few bar, restaurant and nightclub owners, as well as alcohol producers and distributors, while increasing alcohol-related harms and costs at public expense
• Evidence shows that two more hours of alcohol sales will nearly double alcohol-related violence, crime, police calls, emergency room visits, etc.
• California already suffers $38.4 billion a year in alcohol-related harm, with local and state governments paying $8 billion annually
• Alcohol-related deaths in California top 10,000 per year with over 900,000 alcohol-related incidents of harm (crimes, injuries, high-risk sex, etc.)
• The last time the California alcohol excise tax was increased was in 1992
• State, city and county public health and safety providers do not have the resources to mitigate the current alcohol-related economic and social harms, so who will cover the damages of two more hours of late-night alcohol consumption?
• Taxpayers will pick up the bloody tab for Leno's bar bill 

Statewide Coalition Members include:

Alcohol Justice
Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP)
Ban Billboard Blight
Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
County Alcohol & Drug Program Administrators Association of California (CADPAAC)
California Council on Alcohol Problems (CALCAP)
California Narcotic Officers Association
California Police Chiefs Association
Friday Night Live
Institute for Public Strategies
Lutheran Office of Public Policy California
Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood
Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca
Metro United Methodist Urban Ministry
P3 Partnership for a Positive Pomona
Paso Por Paso, Inc.
Phoenix House
Pueblo Y Salud, Inc.
People Reaching Out
Prevention Institute
Social Model Recovery Systems
The Wall – Las Memorias Project
WCTU
Women Against Gun Violence
Writers In Treatment
Youth Leadership Institute (YLI)

For More Information: STOP Leno's 4 a.m. Bar Bill

Take Action against SB 635 here!

CONTACT:    
Michael Scippa 415 548-0492
Jorge Castillo213 840-3336

SOURCE Alcohol Justice

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California, Pennsylvania, and Virginia School Districts Earn Top National Honors in 2013 Magna Awards

National award program recognizes school districts for outstanding programs that advance student learning and encourage community involvement in schools.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania's Derry Township School District, Virginia's Albemarle County Public Schools, and California's Fontana Unified School District have been named the grand prize winners in the American School Board Journal's (ASBJ) 19^th annual Magna Awards program.

The Magna Awards, supported by Sodexo, recognize districts across the country for outstanding programs that advance student learning and encourage community involvement in schools. This year's three grand prize, 15 first place, and 15 honorable mention winners were selected from three enrollment categories: under 5,000 students, 5,000 to 20,000 students, and over 20,000 students. Each of the grand prize winning school districts will receive a $4,000 contribution from Sodexo on April 14, during Sunday's General Session at NSBA's 73^rd Annual Conference in San Diego.

"The Magna Awards showcase the great work going on in local school districts across the country to increase student achievement and success," said Thomas J. Gentzel, Executive Director of NSBA. "This year's Magna Awards recipients are national models that school leaders can learn from. NSBA commends Sodexo for its continuing support of this program and its goal of highlighting outstanding public school achievements."                                                                 

"Just like the school districts recognized in the annual Magna Awards program, Sodexo supports student achievement," said Steve Dunmore, President of Sodexo Education-Schools. "As a partner in education, Sodexo realizes that it is vitally important to call attention to and support school districts that go above and beyond to enrich the learning environment for its students.  Therefore, we are proud to sponsor the Magna Awards again this year."

Here is information on the grand prize winners:

• The Derry Township School District, in Hershey, Pa., earned the grand prize in the under 5,000 enrollment category for its COCOA Principles program which aims to prepare students to be global citizens. COCOA Principles, which stands for Community Opportunity Citizenship Ownership Academics, has encouraged the entire community, not just students, to be more inclusive, respectful, and responsible citizens. Students seen reflecting the program's principles are nominated for awards, and high school graduation projects must identify the COCOA principle the student is modeling.
• Albemarle County Public Schools, in Charlottesville, Va., is being honored as the grand prize winner in the 5,000 to 20,000 enrollment category for M-Cubed: Math, Men and Mission, a program developed to improve the academic achievement of African-American male students and encourage them to enroll in higher level high school math classes. The program starts with a two-week summer academy for upper elementary and middle school students but extends year-round with mentoring and academic support from the 100 Black Men of Central Virginia, a community group.
• In the over 20,000 enrollment category, the Fontana Unified School District, in Fontana, Calif., is the grand prize winner. The Fontana Leadership Intervention Program (FLIP) focuses on keeping middle and high school students in school and out of the juvenile justice system. FLIP, which is run and funded by a non-profit corporation, offers students classes covering topics such as violence prevention, drug and alcohol resistance, and ethics. Students referred to the program also participate in community projects and their parents must take parenting classes. Since the program's inception there has been a significant decline in behavior issues, including truancy and alcohol and drugs incidents, at a high school, and bullying incidents at a middle school.

ASBJ initiated the Magna Awards in 1995 to recognize school boards for taking bold and innovative steps to improve their educational programs. An independent panel of school board members, administrators, and other educators selected the winners from nearly 300 submissions.

The 2013 winners are highlighted in a special section in the May issue of ASBJ and will be formally recognized on Saturday, April 13, at the Best Practices for School Leaders Luncheon, which is part of NSBA's 73^rd Annual Conference.

In addition to the ASBJ special section, the districts' winning entries will be posted on the Magna Awards website and added to the program's searchable best practices database. Both can be found at www.asbj.com/magna.

2013 Magna Award Winners:

Grand prize winners:
Derry Township School District, Hershey, Pa. – less than 5,000 students,
Albemarle County Public Schools, Charlottesville, Va. – 5,000 to 20,000 students
Fontana Unified School District, Fontana, Calif. – more than 20,000 students

First place winners – under 5,000 students
Bergenfield Public Schools, Bergenfield, N.J.
Eminence Independent Schools, Eminence, Ky.
Northwest Arctic Borough School District, Kotzebue, Alaska
Richmond Community Schools, Richmond, Ind.
Upper St. Clair School District, Upper St. Clair, Pa.

First place winners – 5,000 to 20,000 students
Granville County Schools, Oxford, N.C.
Kearney Public Schools, Kearney, Neb.
Livingston Public Schools, Livingston, N.J.
Roanoke City Public Schools, Roanoke, Va.
Tuscaloosa City Schools, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

First place winners – over 20,000 students
Alamance-Burlington School System, Burlington, N.C. – 2 programs
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte, N.C.
Fulton County School System, Atlanta, Ga.
McAllen Independent School District, McAllen, Texas

Honorable mentions – under 5,000 students
Columbia Heights Public Schools, Columbia Heights, Minn.
Gilford School District, Gilford, N.H.
Jenkins Independent School District, Jenkins, Ky.
Monadnock Regional School District, Supervisory Administrative Unit 93, Swanzey, N.H.
Taylor County School District, Campbellsville, Ky.

Honorable mentions – 5,000 to 20,000 students
Cave Creek Unified School District #93, Cave Creek, Ariz.
Creighton School District #14, Phoenix, Ariz.
Hanover County Public Schools, Ashland, Va.
Kenton County School District, Fort Wright, Ky.
Township High School District 214, Arlington Heights, Ill.

Honorable mentions – over 20,000 students
Arlington Public Schools, Arlington, Va.
Brevard Public Schools, Viera, Fla.
Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, Houston, Texas
Houston Independent School District, Houston, Texas
Richardson Independent School District, Richardson, Texas

American School Board Journal
American School Board Journal (www.asbj.com), published monthly by the National School Boards Association (www.nsba.org), serves almost 40,000 school board members and top-level administrators from districts across the nation. The K-12 magazine, published continuously since 1891, has won 17 national honors for education reporting and design since 2006.

Sodexo in North America
Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Life services company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On-site Services in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $17 million in grants to end childhood hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at blogs.sodexousa.com.

Sodexo supports achievement by providing expert solutions that improve the quality of life for the students, staff, and communities we serve. Sodexo does this by designing, managing, and delivering services that keep people healthy, safe, and productive while also enriching the learning environment. Sodexo helps the nation's schools be vibrant contributors to the success of their communities.

SOURCE National School Board Association

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Ex-Im Bank Signs City/State Partnership With California Trade Association, Supporting Thousands of Jobs

WASHINGTON, March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) announced a new marketing partnership for the Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA), a non-profit organization in northern California.  The City/State Partners program contract will accelerate export business by connecting Bank products and services to MBITA's network of entrepreneurs and financial institutions in the counties around San Francisco and its ports.

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Members of MBITA represent small and mid-sized businesses throughout the tri-county region of the Monterey Bay and Silicon Valley.  This association helped start the BAYTRADE program in 1995, which generated more than six thousand new jobs during its first five years.  MBITA also manages the TradePort Collaborator, an intranet of more than 140 trade promotion service professionals who represent more than 60,000 exporters, importers, trade promotion service providers, and private investors.

"By entering this partnership with MBITA, Ex-Im Bank joins forces with thousands of experienced businesses that share our aim of expanding U.S. exports and creating jobs," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg.  "For eighteen years, MBITA has linked business resources with clients throughout the world.  Now through our partnership, the Bank adds expanded access to its services and products to help accelerate export sales and job growth."

Tony Livoti, president of MBITA, explained why Ex-Im Bank's City/State Partnership is a boon to high-tech exporters:  "MBITA's and TradePort's clients and members tend to be on the cutting edge of technologies," he said.  "Sometimes they feel an export-financed transaction into a new foreign marketplace gives them a better footing to grow their companies, as opposed to using their own financing to break into our very competitive domestic markets."

The Monterey Bay trade association started in 1984 as a volunteer-run business, and upgraded to a 501 C-6 corporation in 1995 when it became a founding member of a public-private sector export promotion program called BAYTRADE.  The U.S. Department of Commerce helped to support the program, which researched the international trade needs of employers across sixteen Congressional districts.  BAYTRADE consolidated its large service and knowledge network into an established global trade website managed by MBITA as TradePort.org for the past six years.  MBITA now is a self-sustaining organization funded by memberships, corporate sponsorship, events, and fee-based trade promotion services.  It is developing new services such as the California Industrial Cluster Tour and MBITA Strategic Alliance Service.

The purpose of the City/State Partners program is to ensure that the Bank's export finance programs are more accessible to small and medium-sized business through the help of local, state, and regional economic development and business support organizations.

Ex-Im Bank offers to Bay-area enterprises expanded access to products such as its Global Credit Express, which helps exporters acquire low-cost working capital up to $500,000, as well as Express Insurance, which simplifies small business access to export credit risk insurance on their foreign accounts receivable.  The Bank has designed an array of low-cost loans, guarantees, export credit insurance, and supply-chain financing structures to enable both small and large businesses to export globally without fear of nonpayment.

ABOUT EX-IM BANK:

Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps to create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years (from Fiscal Year 2008), Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers nearly $1.6 billion above the cost of operations. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.

Ex-Im Bank approved a total of $35.8 billion in authorizations in FY 2012 – an all-time Ex-Im record. This total includes more than $6.1 billion directly supporting small-business export sales – also an Ex-Im record. The Bank's authorizations in FY 2012 are supporting an estimated $50 billion in U.S. export sales and about 255,000 American jobs in communities across the country.  For more information, visit www.exim.gov.

SOURCE Export-Import Bank of the United States

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