HEAP Program by CAPSLO

Posted on January 15, 2021 by admin

HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) is a Federal Program managed locally by CAPSLO (Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County, Inc).  For low-income (based on household size and gross income) households, this program offers a one time per year payment toward utility bills (gas, propane, electric).

Eligibility requirements include:

  • Resident of San Luis Obispo County
  • Be income eligible
  • Provide income documentation for all adult household members during prior 6 weeks
  • Provide current gas and electric bills (2nd page must show service address)

Note: Priority is given to household with small children, seniors age 65+ and for those with disabilities.  Most likely, this program will be busy during winter/colder months.

Q: How do you apply?

A: There are online HEAP applications (English and Spanish).  Within this link are all the contact numbers and additional information for CAPSLO.  Since March 16th, 2020 there is no walk-in office so all applications are sent by email, fax, USPS mail or drop box out office door.  There is a pickup box outside office for new applications (multi-pages).

Q: What are financial parameters for income eligible?

A: XXX

Q: Does CAPSLO provide assistance with reviewing utility bills?

A: CAPSLO asks for copies of both utility bills.  They will assist with only one.  If you leave it blank, they make their own judgment call, but request cannot be changed later.  In other words, completely everything yourself, accurately.

Q: How long does it take CAPSLO to process utility assistance application?

A: Up to 5 to 10 days.

Q: Should you expect a HEAP payment, and therefore not pay on-time?

A: No.  Continue to pay (or make payment arrangements) with utility company.  HEAP is not guaranteed to be paid by the bill’s due date.  If you’re eligible, the credit will be sent directly to the utility vendor within 6-8 weeks.  In other words, everything is as normal (for paying) until you actually see a credit on your bill.

Q: Any items to know about the application?

A: Complete the entire checklist of requirements precisely.  Don’t use whiteout.  They’re wanting copies of all household income and current within last 6 weeks.

Q: What are side benefits of applying for HEAP assistance?

A: The exacting process thoroughly reviews finances, and has suggestions for creating and managing a budget.

Posted in Social Services, Social Worker | Leave a comment

TCFD – Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures

Posted on November 22, 2020 by admin

Overview of what TCFD is

TCFD was established by the Financial Stability Board (FSB).  TCFD is industry-led and designed to develop climate-related financial disclosures.  Disclosures would include financial impact of climate-related risks and opportunities.  Objective is to better inform investors, lenders, insurers and other stakeholders.  In other words, all things financial (up and down) as it relates to climate. The recommendations by TCFD are now supported by 1,000 orgs worldwide with trillions of $ in assets, under management.

Four thematic areas that represent core org elements:

Note: These four areas are designed to inform on another.

Governance

The organization’s governance (management structure) and climate-related risks and opportunities.

Strategy

Actual and potential impacts of climate-related risks and opportunities on the org’s business, strategy and financial planning.

Risk Management

Processes used by the org to identify, assess, and manage climate-related risks.

Metrics and Targets

Metrics and targets used to assess and manage relevant climate-related risks and opportunities.

Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (overview):

There is a 38 page document that covers in detail TCFD – need for climate-related financial disclosures

The need for climate-related financial disclosure

As more information is made available, which demonstrates the link between climate-change and financials, organizations recognize this is not just a long-term issue to postpone, but now realize this issue is impacting today.

Bank of England Carney focuses on three things: changes in climate policies; new technologies; growing physical risks.  Need to reassess the value of every financial asset.  Concern (to lenders) is that if they invest in activities that may not be viable long-term will likely be less resilient to the transition to a lower-carbon economy.  Investors will likely experience lower returns.

There’s also a concern that present valuations do not adequately factor in climate-related risks because of insufficient information.  Key is for lenders to have adequate information on how companies are planning for a lower-carbon economy.  This is a global issue, so all companies (globally) need to have good (and shareable) data.

-Between 2017 and 2019, natural catastrophe losses intensified by climate change – $640B.

-Value at risk as a result of climate change to manageable assets by 2100 – up to $43T.

Potential financial implications of climate change

AOF: Rise in natural catastrophes (more storms per year) and chronic environmental shifts.

Storms, droughts, wildfires, other extreme events, changing weather patterns — all yield a macroeconomic shock or financial loss.

Climate change (eg rising sea-level affecting credit secured by coastal real estate) could lead to unanticipated financial loss and impact the global financial system.

AOF: Transition to a low-carbon economy.

A rapidly changing policy or consumer preference can affect the value of assets and lead to fast losses.  If there is an abrupt adjustment towards a low-carbon economy there may be financial risks.

Elevated credit spreads, greater precautionary savings, and rapid pricing readjustments can affect the economy because of climate-related financial risks.

-Climate change is a financial risk

-Climate-related risk is non-diversifiable and will have a financial impact on many orgs.

The task force on climate-related financial disclosures

-FSB (Financial Stability Board) established the Task Force on TCFD to develop recommendations for more effective climate-related disclosures

-G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors asked the FSB to review how the financial sector can take account of climate-related issues.

-FSB interested in promoting more informed investment, credit, insurance underwriting decsions

-FSB focused on enabling stakeholders to understand better the concentrations of carbon-related asset in financial sector.  Also, focus on financial system’s exposures to climate-related risks.

Demand for climate-related financial disclosure

-TCFD recommendation started in 2019. Since then, demand for climate-related disclosures have increased significantly

-Climate Action 100+ – implementing TCFD recommendations by some of the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters (to strengthen their climate-related disclosures) 370 investors invested more than $35T in assets under management.

-Large asset owners and asset managers have an important role to play in influencing the organization in which they invest.

-Because of new reporting requirements (European non-financial reporting directive 2014/95/EU, stress testing, and reg guidance) transparency is important now.

Climate-related risks and opportunities

-Risks (Transition):

Policy and Legal

Technology

Market

Reputation

-Risks (Physical):

Acute

Chronic

-Opportunites

Resource Efficiency

Energy source

Products and services

Markets

Resilience

The TCFD recommendations (published in 2017 report)

-Task force drew on member expertise, significant stakeholder engagement, and existing climate-related disclosure regimes

Governance

Strategy

Risk Management

Metrics and Targets

Key: Power of voluntary engagement with private sector complementing public sector regulations.

Key: TCFD developed global standards that are now being used by a significant number of corporations around the world.

TCFD recommended disclosures

-The key features of the 4 recommendations are:

Adoptable by all orgs

Strong focus on risks and opportunities related to transition to lower-carbon economy

Designed to solicit decision-useful, forward-looking information on financial impacts

Disclosure under the strategy and metrics and targets recommendations in financial filings is subject to a materiality assessment, although all organizations are encourage to disclose publicly if practicable

Guidance on implementing the TCFD recommendations

-In 2017 the Task force developed an annex report for guidance

-It’s all about helping orgs with a strategy on short, medium and long-term approaches to climate change (risks and opportunities)

Sector-specific supplemental guidance

How identified climate-related issues affected their businesses, strategy and financial planning

Focus on: products and services; supply chain and/or value chain; adaptation and mitigation activities; investment in research and development; operations (including types of operations and locations of facilities)

Task force recommends all organizations with public debt or equity implement its recommendations

Financial sector industries to focus on (banks; insurance companies; asset managers; asset owners)

Non-financial groups to focus on (energy; transportation materials & buildings; agriculture, food and forest products)

Implementing the TCFD recommendations

-Implementing the TCFD recommendations generally includes the following considerations:

Managing climate-related issues (internal processes; collecting necessary data and metrics)

Existing and future reporting requirements (reviewing various reporting)

Reporting capabilities (develop processes and capacity to report info under TCFD recommendations)

Materiality (all orgs encouraged to report in line with the governance and risk management recommendations regardless of materiality)

Placement (determining the appropriate placement of disclosures)

Ongoing collaboration and improvement (working groups, workshops, knowledge sharing with peers and investors is helpful)

Benefits of implementation

-Some of the potential benefits of task force recommendations:

Easier or better access to capital

More effectively meeting existing disclosure requirements

Increased awareness and understanding of climate-related risks and opportunities

Proactively addressing investors demand for climate-related information

Select resources on the TCFD recommendations

-Various resources include:

TCFD website – fsb-tcfd.org

TCFD knowledge hub – tcfdhub.org

WBCSD Preparer forums – world business council for sustainable development

UNEP FI reports on climate-related risk and scenario analysis – UN Environment programme financie initiative

Other resources – UN PRI, CDP, CDSB, SASB

TCFD supporters

-There are 1030 supporting orgs for TCFD – public and private sectors

-80 industries; 50 countries; seven national governments

Overview of TCFD 2019 status report

Overall, really good progress being made, and a lot more work to do.

Good start and collaboration.

Examples of public sector developments

-Australia – ASIC

-Canada –

-Chile – CMF – green finance

-European Union – Non-financial reporting directive 2014/95/EU

-France – article 173 mandatory climate-related reporting by investors

-Japan – METI, MoE, JFSA

-Malaysia – Climate change and Principle-based taxonomy

-New Zealand – captured entities will be required to implement TCFD

-United Kingdom – good support and incorporation of TCFD

-Global Commission on adaptation – report calling on the world’s largest developed economies to align disclosure practices

-Network for greening the financial system (NGFS)

REF – https://www.theclimateservice.com/tcfd

 

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CDC Guidelines – How to Select, Wear, and Clean your Mask

Posted on August 29, 2020 by admin

CDC Guidelines on masks

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic, Personal Protective Equipment | Leave a comment

Volunteering – finding the right agency/organization for you

Posted on August 25, 2020 by admin

Objective:  You either have a skill-set or interest in volunteering, for the public good – what do you do?

CitizenCorps: I’ll find the link for this, but the basic idea going back to the early 2000’s, was that you could signup to volunteer within the structure and training of professional first-responder agencies. The structure was:

  • CERT (Community Emergency Response Team)
    • Fire Department
  • Medical Reserve Corp
    • Public Health
  • FireCorps
    • Forestry Service
  • VIPS (Volunteer in Policing Service)
    • Police Department

Personal Identification:  If someone was personally identified with law and order, then there was something within VIPS. If someone had been in healthcare (nurse, doctor, EMS) then there was something within Medical Reserve Corp.  If someone just wanted to practice disaster preparedness, and cared for their neighbors, then there was something within CERT.

Additional volunteering opportunities that are good liaisons with the above:

  • Amateur Radio (ARES) – Amateur Radio Emergency Services
    • FCC Licensed Amateur Radio Operators coming together for public safety communications
  • Amateur Radio (ACS) – Auxiliary Communication Service
    • Typically requires a county-issued DSW (Disaster Service Worker Card)
    • Ties Amateur Radio closer to government, and requires “activation”
    • DSW cards would allow operators to enter government buildings (Police, EOC, etc)
  • DART (Disaster Action Response Team)
    • CERT with additional training and better equipment
    • DSW cards
    • Depending on county, these could be activated within Sheriff Department
    • Because CERT historically was tied to Fire Department, now DART is tied to Sheriff Department, and therefore a slightly different charter
  • Red Cross
    • This is a very well-developed organization with a ton of training opportunities.  In a local community, their primary focus is on responding to people after house-fires, to offer assistance (emotional support, shelter, clothes, money, etc).  This group also prepares for opening up large shelters.  They are activated in larger events by FEMA, I believe.
    • In a smaller community, this is a good organization to be involved with and create a blend across multiple groups – Ham Radio, CERT, VIPS.
    • Additional information from Tony Sapien, LCSW, LCAS
      • Lookup your local ARC chapter or Red Cross Volunteer Connection website
      • For Disaster Mental Health (DMH) you would just need to take a few online or in-person courses, pass a background check, etc. The work itself (pre-COVID) takes place in evacuation shelters, with deployments of up to 14 days.
      • At present (as of 20200826), a lot of work is taking place remotely due to COVID-19 as they want-as much as possible-having minimum staff-and evacuees-in a congregate setting (outside of sheltering and feeding staff managing evacuation.
      • The Red Cross is running a number of disaster recovery operations in Northern California, the Midwest, and the Gulf Coast at present.
      • In general, there is always a need for volunteers as the coming months are usually the most active in terms of natural disasters (hurricanes, flooding, fires).

Suggestions for how to blend organizations together:

Because each of these organizations attract people with a different personal identification, there are some opportunities to cross-pollinate.  For example, you could justify that everyone needs CERT – just for being a good neighbor.  Therefore, you could have someone who is primarily VIPS also take the CERT Training.  Ideally that person is also a Ham Radio Operator.  If you dream up a community volunteer project, then:

  • Ham Radio Operator, who is primarily VIPS, would shadow the Chief of Police
  • Ham Radio Operator, who is primarily CERT, would shadow the Fire Chief
  • Ham Radio Operator, who is primarily Medical Reserve Corps, would shadow head of EMS
  • Ham Radio Operator, who is primarily ACS, would be net control within the EOC
  • Ham Radio Operators, who are primarily ARES, would be distributed at various locations
  • VIPS could be used for traffic control
  • CERT could be used for roaming, lost children, and physical things like parking lot management
  • Medical reserve corps for First Aid Stations

The key takeaway is to allow personal identification to take preference, and do as much cross-training as possible.  Communication is an easy one to justify that everyone does – Ham Radio Technician license and a basic handheld radio.

California Volunteers

Because CitizenCorps is a nationwide organization, it was agreed to separate the focus by state.  In California, the state volunteer entity (for CitizenCorps) is California Volunteers. This is a link to the group, with a focus on COVID-19 – www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/get-involved/covid-19

There are opportunities to represent your community for leadership of CitizenCorps (California Volunteers).  When I applied for this, I needed the signature of my local County Board of Supervisors District Supervisor.

Posted in Community, Volunteering | Leave a comment

E2E – Income-earning position as Clinical Social Worker (ASW Cert)

Posted on August 9, 2020 by admin

End-to-End (E2E) actions towards income-earning Clinical ASW Social Worker

Note: The following are the steps towards being registered as an ASW (Associate Social Worker), including requirements for building hours and taking various classes (eg Ethics), towards LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).

Several changes since 20210101, with X-REF to CA Bills, are explained here

  • Registration fee now $150 (up from $75), which renews every year
  • Required 6 hour course on Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention (see below)

Q: What is SB803?

A: Provides a pathway towards Peer Support Specialist Certification (PSSC).

Q: What are concerns of a SW doing private practice in CA?

A: As an ASW, you cannot be in your own private practice.  OK to work under someone else’s private practice.

 

Steps towards Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW)

X-REF to this link for details

License Requirements

  • Education:
    • Master’s degree in Social Work from Accredited School of Social Work
      • Note: I have this – MSW from University of Southern California (USC)
    • Electronic Transcripts
      • Note: Need to confirm USC can submit electronic transcript requests to BBS
        • A: Yes.  Electronically.  $12.  Immediately sent to BBS.
  • Application Forms submitted to BBS (not electronically)
    • Application Form (paper-based, as they need ink signature) $150
    • Complete LiveScan (DOJ/FBI (went to local Police Department) – $84
    • Note: Transcripts will be sent electronically, so need for hardcopy $12
    • Note: When BBS receives application, they will notify me if anything missing
  • ASW Registration Application

Register as an ASW

  • 20210804 – Waiting for the ASW registration number from BBS

Live Scan (for Criminal Background Check)

  • Can be done at local Police Department, County Sheriff, and local Universities

Take and Pass the CA Law & Ethics Exam

  • Don’t need to take the class as I went to a CA school for MSW
  • Within first year after ASW registration, must at least attempt to take the exam (in order to renew ASW)
  • If fail, then need to take the class again
  • For each year, you have to keep attempting to take the exam to renew
  • But… in the 5th year – in order to get a new ASW registration number, you must pass the exam
  • Bottom line — study and pass the exam the first time

Accrue Supervised Experience

Take various additional courses

Take and Pass the ASWB Clinical Exam

Obtain LCSW license

 

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Collaborative Care model for depression and anxiety problems

Posted on June 27, 2020 by admin

https://aims.uw.edu/collaborative-care

Quick fact – Only 50% of patients who receive a referral for specialty mental health care ever follow through with the referral. Among those who do, many do not have more than one visit.

Issue – Because of stigma, shortage of mental health specialists, and lack of follow through, many people with behavioral health problems (depression, anxiety, alcohol or substance abuse) are robbed of their chance to lead healthy and productive lives.

Integrated care – where a medical office also has a behavioral health component/staff.  This is convenient for patients, a one-stop shop, and happens in one visit.

Collaborative care – specific type of integrated care, developed at University of Washington, that treats depression and anxiety that require systematic follow-up due to persistent nature.  Focused on a defined patient population tracked in a registry, measurement-based practice and treatment to target.  Support team made up of: primary care providers, embedded behavioral health professionals who provide evidence-based medication and/or psychosocial treatments, with regular psychiatric case consultation and treatment adjustments for patients who are not improving as expected.

Principles that created collaborative care

–Principles of effective chronic care include: Patient-centered team care; Population-based Care; Measurement-based Treatment to Target; Evidence-Based Care; Accountable Care

-Research culture originated collaborative care and has now been tested in more than 80 randomized controlled trials in the US and abroad.  There are several recent meta-analyses that make it clear that collaborative care consistently improves on care as usual.  It leads to better patient outcomes, better patient and provider satisfaction, improved functioning, and reductions in health care costs, achieving the Triple Aim of health care reform. Collaborative care necessitates a practice change on multiple levels and is nothing short of a new way to practice medicine, but it works. The bottom line is that patients get better.

Additional Reference

I managed to find the entire research document entitled “Collaborative care for depression and anxiety problems” by Archer, et al, 2012.  232 pages.

Cochrane site on Collaborative care for people with depression and anxiety

Cochrane systematic review

Resource Library to find materials about collaborative care.

Implementation Guide to walk through the process of implementation.

XREF to two downloaded articles —

The role of relapse prevention for depression in collaborative care: A systematic review and

Does collaborative care improve social functioning in adults with depression? The application of the WHO ICF framework and meta-analysis of outcomes

 

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Posted on June 27, 2020 by admin

Key Components

-Short-Term (8-10 sessions)

-Measurable (graphs), to show improvement/changes

-It’s all about inner thoughts.

-Main belief behind CBT – not about what happens to us in our life, but how we think about what has happened to us.  In other words, what we gave meaning to a prior event – I’m not worthy; he didn’t care about me; “beliefs”.

-Thought-tracking – have patient keep track of all “automatic thoughts”, so we can notice what are usually unnoticed thoughts.

-Underlying assumptions.  Find some downward arrow associative questions.  For example, “I’m not worth it”.  Ask what does that mean.  Keep asking.  Keep going down.  Create conscious logic/reason awareness towards resolving what the core belief is.

-Thought-stopping – Tell people to say “Stop”.  Some people may need to externally verbalize “Stop” in order to hear their own words.  DBT, Mindfulness is related.

-Catastrophizing.  Jump to conclusions.  Black/White thinking.

 

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Beta Blocker Drugs

Posted on June 27, 2020 by admin

Beta Blockers – Beta-adrenergic block agents

Q: What is it primarily addressing?

A: Treating high blood pressure, by lowering it.

A: Importantly, beta blockers are not recommended as a first treatment if only have high blood pressure.  A MD would first prescribe meds like diuretics before considering beta blockers.  Also, a MD may prescribe a beta block along with other meds to lower blood pressure.

A: Beta blockers are used to prevent, treat improve symptoms in people with irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia), heart failure, chest pain (angina), heart attacks, migraine, certain types of tremors

Q: How does it work?

A: Blocking effects of the hormone epinephrine – also known as adrenaline.

A: Cause heart to beat more slowly and with less force – which lowers blood pressure.

A: Can also open up veins and arteries to improve blood flow.

Q: Are all beta-blockers the same.

A: No.  Some mainly affect heart, while others affect heart and blood vessels.

Q: What’s the issue with beta blockers and black (African-American) people?

A: Beta blockers may not work as effectively for black and older people, especially when taken without other blood pressure meds.

Q: What are some kinds of Beta Blockers?

A: Acebutolol (Sectral)

A: Atenolol (Tenormin)

A: Bisoprolol (Zebeta)

A: Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL)

A: Nadolol (Cogard)

A: Nebivolol (Bystolic)

A: Propanolol (Inderal, InnoPran XL)

Q: What are some side effects of beta blockers?

A: Cold hands or feet, fatigue, weight gain

A: Less common side effects are depression, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping

A: For people with asthma beta blockers not used because concern the meds may trigger severe asthma attacks.

A: For diabetics patients, beta blocker may block signs of low blood sugar, such as rapid heartbeat.  Important to check blood sugar regularly if you have diabetes and taking a beta blocker.

A: Beta blockers can also affect cholestorol and triglyceride levels.  Can cause a slight rise in triglycerides – a type of fat in your blood – and a modest decrease in good cholesterol (aka high-density lipoprotein – HDL).  These changes often are temporary.

A: Same as usualy – don’t stop beta blockers cold – could increase risk of a heart attack or other heart problem.

 

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