CJ Weekly Alert
No. XXVII
March 27, 2007
This Alert is issued by Creciendo Juntos – Growing Together. Its purpose is to help people use
and participate in the CJ website, network and related activities in support of outreach to and
integration of the Latino community in Charlottesville, Albemarle, and surrounding areas.
Previous Alerts are located at http://www.cj-network.org/cjintro/alerts.html
CONTENTS (March 27 – April 2, 2007)
A - SPANISH LANGUAGE TELEPHONE LINES AT AREA SOCIAL SERVICES
B – INCOME TAX HELP FOR LATINOS
C - NEWBORNS OF UNDOCUMENTED REGAIN CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
D - COMIC BOOK TO COMBAT RAPE AMONG HISPANIC GIRLS
E - SOUTHWOOD
F - SUBMIT A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
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A - SPANISH LANGUAGE TELEPHONE LINES AT AREA SOCIAL SERVICES
Charlottesville Department of Social Services added Spanish language information to its main
phone number. Callers to the main number (970-3400) are greeted and then given the options to
hear the remaining information in English or Spanish. CDSS’ goal is to have all Spanish
speaking callers able to speak to a bilingual eligibility or social worker. When that is not always
possible, the agency continues to use telephone interpreter services to help meet the needs of
the caller.
Albemarle County Department of Social Services’ telephone (972-4010) continues to be
answered by an operator who directs calls. The agency has a new front line worker from Peru
who is translating messages left on the agency’s Spanish language voice mail and channeling the
messages to the appropriate worker who is required, by agency policy, to contact the callers
using a telephone interpreter service or an International Rescue Committee interpreter. Adult and
Family & Children eligibility units also have bilingual/bicultural workers.
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B – INCOME TAX HELP FOR LATINOS
On Wednesday April 11, and Friday, April 13, from 5:30 – 8:30 pm, income tax help will be
available for Latinos at the Church of the Incarnation Parish Activity Center (stone chapel).
Forms (1040, 1040a, 1040EZ and Schedule EIC Earned Income Credit) will be provided and
Spanish speaking volunteers will help low income Latinos to: file tax return; request income
credit; and file request for Tax ID number in conjunction with first time tax return. Clients MUST
bring W-2 forms and VALID Social Security numbers for everyone in their family. In addition, Tax
ID number requests require that Clients brings: 1.Valid Passport original and copy OR 2. Any 2
of the following: Birth certificate, military service card from the country of origin, photo ID card
from country of origin, driving licenses or a photo ID card from a US agency. Clients need to
bring copies and originals of all documentation. The copies will be compared to originals and
submitted to the IRS. People can sign up after the 1:30 Spanish language mass at the Church
of the Incarnation or contact Marie Murray at: 434/963-4676 Ext 4 or
mmurray@shelterforhelpinemergency.org The following is information you can use to create a
flyer to share with your Spanish language clients.
AYUDA CON IMPUESTOS
FECHA/HORA: miercoles, 11 de abril y viernes, 13 de abril, de las 5:30 a las 8:30 pm
LUGAR: Iglesia de la Encarnación / Capilla de Piedra
PARA MAS INFORMACION: Marie Murray at: 434/963-4676 Ext 4 o
mmurray@shelterforhelpinemergency.org
Voluntarios proporcionarán los formularios requeridos para solicitar el número de Tax ID (W-7)
así como los necesarios para recibir credito de ingresos y para hacer declaraciones normales
(1040, 1040a, 1040EZ and Schedule EIC Earned Income Credit). También ofrecerán ayuda para
llenar los formularios. Las personas que no tengan número de seguridad social ni tax ID
necesitan presentar copias de su pasaporte o copias de dos de los siguientes: licencias de
conducir en los Estados Unidos u otro país, acta de nacimiento, carnet de servicio militar, carnet
de identidad de su país de origen o carnet de identidad con fotografía, emitido por una agencia
de los Estados Unidos. Todos deben traer su formulario W-02 del 2006, el número de seguridad
social de cada miembro de la familia, y los documentos que el IRS envió a los que ya hicieron
declaración de inpuestos en años pasados. Si nunca han hecho una declaracción de impuestos
en los Estados Unidos, pueden hacerlas por el 2005 y 2004 al mismo tiempo, siempre que
tengan los formularios W-02 de esos años.
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C – NEWBORNS OF UNDOCUMENTED REGAIN CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
Undocumented immigrants are barred from Medicaid except in emergency medical situations like
labor and delivery. Until November 2006, once a woman received emergency care under
Medicaid for the birth of a baby, the newborn was deemed eligible for coverage as well and was
automatically covered for one year from the date of birth. In November 2006, Virginia and other
states reversed this policy, allowing Emergency Medicaid funds for labor and delivery of
undocumented women but denying it to their newborns unless a separate application and proof of
citizenship was submitted and approved. The 14th amendment of the Constitution reads: All
persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are
citizens of the United States and … no state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge
the[ir] privileges ...” The November 2006 policy was a violation of the constitutional rights of
newborns born to undocumented immigrants and on March 23, 2007, Virginia reversed its policy.
Undocumented mothers whose children were born between November 1, 2006 and March 23,
2007 and not offered Medicaid should contact the Social Services office where they live and
request that their Emergency Medicaid be reevaluated to include their newborns.
Medicaid coverage for pregnant women who are US citizens includes prenatal care, labor,
delivery, and automatic enrollment of their newborns in Medicaid.
When it is time to renew their baby’s Medicaid, all parents should be ready to present an original
birth certificate and social security card. For additional information, contact the Family and
Children Eligibility unit at your local Social Services office.
Nuevas Raíces hopes to publish an article to clarify Emergency Medicaid benefits for
undocumented pregnant women this week. http://www.nuevasraices.com
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D - COMIC BOOK TO COMBAT RAPE AMONG HISPANIC GIRLS
The Virginia Department of Health “spent two years developing a comic book to combat statutory
rape among Hispanic girls -- put at higher risk, some say, by limited understanding of American
laws and Hispanic cultural mores that condone May-December relationships.” Gracias Papa: A
fotonovela about a young woman, an older guy and a loving father will be distributed across
Virginia starting in April 2007. The VDH website describes the book as a “comic book style
brochure that reaches out to young Hispanic girls with important messages about avoiding sexual
coercion by older adults. It is one way the Virginia Department of Health is helping teach young
Latinas age 11-17 living in Virginia about healthy dating relationships. The campaign was
prompted by calls from the community for resources on the topic for Hispanic readers and by the
fact that the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy reports that the Hispanic teen birth
rate increased 50 percent in Virginia between 1990 and 2003.” Last week a PDF version of the
13 page comic book became available on the VDH website:
http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/pdf/Fotonovela.pdf Read about the initiative in English at
http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/213151/
Other Spanish language resources can be found at: http://www.cj-network.org/resource_sp.html
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E – SOUTHWOOD
The CJ plenary on March 30, 2007, featured an update on Southwood, including what the
purchase by Habitat means for Latinos living there. The related importance of CJ’s Southwood
Working Group and finding a new coordinator for the group was also discussed, the new
Southwood property manager (Anne Ternes) was presented, and Habitat’s Chief Operating
Officer, Ken Hankins, was available to answer questions.
If you missed the March plenary, you can read a summary of the presentation at:
http://www.cj-network.org/cjplmin/2007/mar30.doc
Those of you who are interested in Southwood should consider attending the next meeting of
CJ’s Southwood Working Group on Tuesday, April 10, 11 - 12:30, at Albemarle Social
Services, 5th Street Extd County office building. BRING YOUR LUNCH WITH YOU. Contact
Linda Hemby (lhemby@albemarle.org) if you plan on attending.
The Southwood web page is updated weekly. Check out new information at: http://www.cjnetwork.org/southwood.html
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F – SUBMIT A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
To date, more than 150 individuals and over 70 organizations have attended a CJ meeting and
many more have participated in other CJ activities. Biographical sketches of these participants
are located at http://www.cj-network.org/cjintro/bios.doc If you are not listed, please submit a bio,
using the guidelines found at that link, to lhemby@albemarle.org
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This Weekly Alert was prepared by Linda Hemby of the CJ Executive Committee. Individuals and
organizations wishing to maximize their use of the CJ network should submit their
information/announcement/request/etc. on the Friday before the Alert is circulated to:
lhemby@albemarle.org
The Creciendo Juntos – Growing Together online clearinghouse, located at www.cj-network.org ,
is constantly being updated with new information and resources. If you work for or know about
services available to our Latino community that are not on the site, please contact
lhemby@albemarle.org Also welcomed are articles, studies, and other resources about and for
our local Latino population.
Peter W. Loach
Deputy Director of Operations
Piedmont Housing Alliance
111 Monticello Avenue, Suite 104
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
Tel. (434) 817-2436 x116
Cel. (434) 409-2753
Fax. (434) 817-0664