Texas Faith in Action 1996 PDF
Texas Faith in Action 1996 PDF
ON
G O V E R N O R S A D V I S O RY T A S K F O R C E
F A I T H - B A S E D C O M M U N I T Y S E RV I C E G R O U P S
F U L L R E P O RT
D E C E M B E R 1996
Gerald Jimenez
J. Herbert Meppelink
Fred S. Zeidman
i
Task Force Members
Respectfully submitted,
ii
Letter from the Chairman
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Governors Advisory Task Force on Faith-Based Community Service Groups gratefully acknowledges all those who provided information, observations, and prayer to aid our
deliberations.
The Task Force received thoughtful assistance from countless individuals and many
organizations throughout Texas and, indeed, across the nation. Obviously, to highlight some
would inevitably mean neglecting others; however, we do wish to offer our sincere thanks to
many people whose insights proved to be invaluable contributions to this Report. Without
such assistance, a project of this importance and scope would have been much tougher.
We offer our sincere gratitude to:
the numerous Texas citizens and organizations who wrote letters, sent faxes,
and made phone calls bringing their concerns to the Task Force;
the state agencies who followed the Task Forces work, offered expert
testimony, and assisted in analyzing the issues;
Professor Marvin Olasky of the University of Texas at Austin;
Professor Stephen V. Monsma of Pepperdine University;
Professor Carl Esbeck of the University of Missouri Law School;
Tom Kemper, Director of the Oklahoma Commission Children and Youth,
who served as facilitator for the Task Force;
Stanley Carlson-Thies and The Center for Public Justice;
the Texas Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service for design
and layout of this Report and the Texas Workforce Commission for printing the report;
; and
the various other organizations, experts, and others across Texas and the
nation who provided thoughtful suggestions and technical expertise.
The Task Force also extends its special appreciation to the many interested citizens who
attended the meetings of the Task Force ... and especially to all of those who participated in the
public hearing to share their personal stories and testimonies with the Task Force members.
iii
Acknowledgments
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction: A Vital Role For Religious Social Ministries
vi
4-6
8-11
12-14
16-25
Health Care
26-28
30-32
Congregations in Action
34-36
Appendix
iv
Table of Contents
v
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
More than 20 years after Richard John Neuhaus and Peter Berger wrote
To Empower People and first urged policymakers to encourage societys
mediating structures (e.g., families, churches, voluntary associations,
neighborhoods, etc.), Texas is heeding the call to energize those civilizing institutions that are neither market-driven nor government-run.
More and more, todays social policy debate revolves around what
Edmund Burke called the first principle . . . of public affection, civil
society, the little platoons that do the heavy lifting of shaping good citizens and that act as a buffer against cultural disintegration.
Our nation, and state, are seeking a new approach rooted in the belief
that everyone in society all people of good will should help our
neediest citizens. This virtue, which rests at the heart of the Second
Commandments call to love your neighbor, is inseparable from the call
to love God. It is direct, personal, immediate; not something that can be
farmed out. Like the Good Samaritan, we are called to suffer with our
broken brothers and sisters, not to sub-contract with paid professional
substitutes. We are a land of citizens, not merely taxpayers.
By intervening directly and depriving
society of its responsibilities, the
social assistance state leads to a
loss of human energies and an inordinate increase of public agencies
which are dominated more by
bureaucratic ways of thinking than
by concern for serving their clients
and which are accompanied by an
enormous increase in spending.
POPE JOHN PAUL II
vii
Introduction
anew about the states proper role in social welfare matters. Put differently, as policymakers re-limit government, they must leave enough
social space for civil society to re-enter. They must aggressively take the
side of people and institutions that perform the tough, noble work of
restoration. While government cannot cure societal malfunction, it can
help lay the groundwork for recovery.
* The Task Force recognizes that the faith community is a diverse one that
includes all major religions. As used in this Report, the word church is a general
term to include all places of worship (e.g., synagogues, mosques, etc.).
viii
Introduction
In some cases, the best thing government can do is get out of your
way and let you do what you do best
provide loving, nurturing help to
those who need it most.
GOVERNOR GEORGE W. BUSH
The following principles should inform our efforts to foster churchstate cooperation:
Government should not woo faith-based nonprofits into aiding the poor
just because theyre socially useful. Churches should not be viewed
as mere appendages of the state. Such an attitude, says Father
Neuhaus, is, in fact, a kind of blasphemy. Faith-based institutions have their own distinct mission and should never be looked
upon as mere annexes of the state.
Churches cannot save all Texans from poverty or be the sole safety net
supplier. Religious groups dont have a monopoly on improving
peoples lives, nor the resources. They cannot be expected miraculously to fill a huge government-shaped void. Over-reliance
invites disappointment.
The faith community should reject the mindset that the poor belong
exclusively to the government. The role of religious charities is frontand-center, not merely auxiliary to whatever government does.
Cooperation cannot mean enlisting faith-based groups in ways that
merely replicate the weaknesses of government aid. Once government
acknowledges the notion of co-responsibility, it must likewise
acknowledge a notion of cooperation that respects charities institutional integrity and unique identity.
The unique value of faith-based ministries comes not just in delivering
services more efficiently than government, but in delivering services
more effectively than government. Religious ministries aim for inner conversion and inject spiritual and moral resources that are beyond governments know-how. In this effort, the faith-based community must recognize that it is not merely a government contractor; it is an equal partner.
And to make those contributions, it must be vigilant in guarding its religious character.
Religious charities need to recognize, though, that where they receive
direct public money, public accountability must follow. The challenge is
this: how to fashion reasonable oversight while respecting the charitys religious
identity and without corrupting and secularizing its work.
Texas has enjoyed a certain cooperation between government and nonprofit service groups, including faith-based ones. But the legal and policy landscapes are anything but clear; providers sometimes have to navigate legal tightropes. In Houston last year, the health department reportedly tried to shut down Carol Porters ministry of providing sandwiches
to the citys homeless because her kitchen didnt have a separate mop
sink.
True, theres often a story of smooth cooperation for every example of
a frustrated Good Samaritan. Nonetheless, countless would-be providers
have been afraid and often perceptively so of joining governments
ix
Introduction
battle against societys ills for fear of excessive regulations and having
to sacrifice their religious identity. While many faith-based groups happily operate without incident, others fear government surveillance and
demands to alter not just their physical facilities, but also their very religious nature, the nature that spurs them to serve in the first place.
A submerged iceberg of religious groups thus exercise what Luis Lugo
has termed preemptive capitulation, skittish because they fear surrendering their religious identity and feel a distinct lack of protection when
it comes to, for example, personnel practices (preferring streetwise volunteers to professionals), setting behavior standards of employees and
clients (rejecting spiritual indifference), incorporating religious aspects
into their service/treatment, etc. They fear that helping hands often end
up as choking hands. As one pundit put it, the shekels come with shackles. So they step back, and government steps in.
x
Introduction
FAITH IN ACTION . . .
1
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
Each person is created in Gods image with inherent worth and diverse talents, and each of us is
Principle 2
We each bear a responsibility to do justice and love our neighbors, a responsibility that comes from God.
Principle 3
Government can do some things, but it cannot reach deep into the human character. Some of our
worst social pathologies (e.g., illegitimacy, crime, poverty) can be solved if people experience spiritual transformation; if the hearts of parents are turned toward their children; if respect is restored for human life and property; if a commitment is renewed to care about our neighbor and our community.
Principle 4
Texas is blessed by a rich diversity of people and institutions -- families, houses of worship, pri-
vate and religious charities, schools, voluntary associations, local grassroots organizations able to champion virtuous ideals and restore hope. Armed with love, individual responsibility and spiritual values, these characterbuilding institutions of civil society perform miracles of renewal and restoration.
Principle 5
Every single one of Texas social problems, no matter how severe, is today being addressed some-
where and somehow, by some faith-based or community group. This a great and untold story.
Principle 6
meeting the needs of Texans in crisis. Government policy must bolster, not weaken or displace, people and organizations that are carrying out their vital responsibilities and getting things done.
Principle 7
The urgent public mission of enhancing Texas civil society requires a fresh definition of com-
passion, one that focuses on the consoling hand and word of someone who suffers with and who invests himself or herself.
Principle 8
The members of this Task Force see the First Amendment as a vital protection against unreason-
able government interference. Government should not exclude religious expressions or concerns from the public
square nor grant privilege to secular programs or solutions. Governments treatment of faith-based organizations
should be one of benevolent and positive neutrality.
Principle 9
State and federal law, rules, and regulations should not discriminate against Texans eligible to
benefit from government financial assistance for human services (e.g., job training, health care, shelter, child care,
education, counseling, drug and alcohol rehabilitation) simply because they choose to receive those services from
faith-based service groups. Such groups, on an equal footing with non-religious groups, should be permitted to
serve beneficiaries of government-funded services and without having to secularize their distinct religious
character or self-governance.
Principle 10
We see no conflict with, or threat to promot[ing] the general welfare when government coop-
erates or contracts with faith-based social service organizations on the same basis as it does with non-religious
organizations in seeking to fulfill this purpose.
* This Statement of Principles is drawn in part from various items published by The Center
for Public Justice (CPJ) and from materials provided by the office of U.S. Sen. Dan Coats,
which have been revised to reflect the consensus of the Task Force.
2
First Principles
3
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
THE NEW
CHARITABLE CHOICE ACT
4
THE NEW CHARITABLE CHOICE ACT
5
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
RECOMMENDATION
The Task Force, in light of Congress historic passage of the charitable choice provision, encourages Texas policymakers to design a
voucherized welfare delivery system.
6
THE NEW CHARITABLE CHOICE ACT
7
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
STATE LICENSURE
AND CONTRACTING GENERALLY
Recognizing private accreditation in lieu
of state licensure and regulation
As we approach the next millennium, Texas is looking at completely new issues (i.e., block grants, managed care, thirdparty administration of services). As our State government
strives to become leaner and smarter, policymakers should
turn their attention to our traditional licensing, regulatory, and
contracting practices.
Besides the various child-care facilities, Texas has dozens of other service areas involving children, expectant mothers, the elderly, substance
abusers, the disabled, etc. All these areas require a state-issued license
from one agency or another.
Many important programs in Texas are operated and/or sponsored by
faith-based groups (e.g., childrens homes, nursing centers and hospitals,
etc.). Many facilities, though and not just faith-based ones have
clashed with state rules and regulations that many describe as silly and
unnecessarily meddlesome.
Is Accreditation Available? Virtually all of Texas service areas that are
now licensed can be accredited:
residential treatment for youth
day treatment
foster care and day care services for children
vocational and employment services
adoption services
family preservation services
runaway and homeless youth services
outpatient mental health and substance abuse services
therapeutic foster care
residential care for mentally ill adults
8
STATE LICENSURE AND CONTRACTING GENERALLY
9
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
In all its licensing and contracting activities, Texas should protect the
religious integrity of faith-based groups in at least four ways:
Personnel: Faith-based groups should enjoy autonomy in personnel matters (i.e., hiring people who share their religious
views, disciplining those who engage in certain conduct, etc.)
Environment: Faith-based providers shouldnt be required to
dilute their religious environment (i.e., symbols, scriptures, icons, etc.).
Content: Religious groups should be free to help clients in a
distinctly religious manner (i.e., using religious language and
styles of service). Often, assistance cannot be easily classified as
either secular or sectarian. For example, counselors may
urge clients to seek a higher power to gain strength and
resolve, or urge those being mentored to participate in a churchs
internal life. These religious emphases improve the quality of services. Governments sole aim should be that people overcome
their problems and are restored to society, not that social services
be stripped of religious content.
Financial Accountability: In holding religious groups fiscally
accountable, government should stay clear of policies and practices that arent directly involved in the program. The law
should recognize a firewall permitting groups to segregate
their program funds and limiting audits to that account. This
provision will guard against any improper entanglement.
RECOMMENDATION
To promote high-quality care, Texas should allow for an alternative
oversight mechanism for faith-based providers who, while committed
to providing valuable service, believe a non-governmental entity can
better credential and accommodate their program. Also, our State
should, while ensuring responsible stewardship of public dollars, take
care not to crowd out the contributions of faith-based providers via
excessive contracting regulations.
10
STATE LICENSURE AND CONTRACTING GENERALLY
TEXAS CHILDREN:
VALUING OUR GREATEST ASSET
The need for good care is paramount, but it wont sprout overnight.
Stringent regulations and liability concerns often dissuade would-be
providers.
12
TEXAS CHILDREN: VALUING OUR GREATEST ASSET
13
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
ing for good care for your child or an employer trying to support your
employees child care needs, accreditation identifies high-quality programs that benefit all Texans.
Alternative accreditation addresses our goals:
ensures protection for Texas children by providing a bench
mark for quality;
assists parents in their search for high-quality programs;
provides valuable professional development experience for
teachers and directors;
assures donors of a solid investment;
provides professional and public recognition for high-quality
programs; and
promises greater sensitivity to the religious autonomy and
identity of providers.
Theres an added bonus, too: A credible alternative to state licensure
provides a novel opportunity to re-tool the States regulatory apparatus
and conserve finite resources. There were over 22,000 licensed, certified,
and registered day-care facilities in Texas as of August 31, 1995. If Texas
defers more to the private sector for oversight, public employees can better focus their energies on problem areas.
A brief description of various accrediting bodies is provided in the
Appendix. The Task Force, however, presents this material for informational purposes only; no endorsement is intended.
RECOMMENDATION
Texas should provide an alternative oversight mechanism for faithbased providers who, while committed to providing quality care,
believe a non-governmental entity can better accommodate and credential their program.
14
TEXAS CHILDREN: VALUING OUR GREATEST ASSET
IGNATIUS LOYOLA
15
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
COMBATING CRIME
AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Enlisting the faith factor to promote a safer Texas
Without God, anything [everything] is permitted.
FYODOR DOSTOYEVSKY
Freeing Faith-Based
Adult Chemical Dependence Programs
The Crisis of Drug Abuse: Two just-released studies underscore the
severity of our drug crisis. Teen drug use had hit its lowest point in 1992
after a decade of decline, but the National Household Survey on Drug
Abuse reports that teen drug use which portends more violent crime
has risen sharply:
overall drug use increased among 12- to 17-year-olds by 78 per
cent from 1992-95, 24 percent from 1994-95 alone;
10 percent of teens now use drugs on a monthly basis;
monthly cocaine use spiked up 166 percent between 1994-95;
marijuana use increased 105 percent from 1992-95, 37 percent
since 1994;
monthly use of LSD/hallucinogens rose 183 percent from 1992,
54 percent from 1994-95
Much of our drug war is waged on the supply side of the equation,
with government trying to stem the flow of drugs across our borders. But
there would be no flow to stem were it not for Americas steady demand.
The federal government has certainly stumbled in its duty to guard our
borders, but Texas must do better, too, at squeezing demand.
The Proven Efficacy of the Faith Factor: Treating addicts, of course,
is a vital part of our anti-drug efforts. And studies consistently show that
faith-based addiction programs are often superior to other programs.
A study published in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
found that participants attending religious programs were nine times
more likely to report abstinence from opium-based drugs like heroin for
one year after completing the program. A review of 20 published studies
on substance abuse found that 19 of them 95 percent reported that
Report Appendix p. 13
16
COMBATING CRIME AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
17
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
* February 1996 brought new bureaucratic hassles, courtesy of the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, led by former San Antonio mayor Henry Cisneros (who,
while mayor, praised Outreach founder Freddie Garcia as a benefactor of the community
who can work wonders). HUD requirements $5,000/year in rent, costly insurance coverage, etc. threatened to shut down Garcias drop-in center for troubled teens, operated for free in San Antonios public housing projects. (Secretary Cisneros recently waived
the rent requirement, but insisted on the other requirements for Garcia to continue offering
his free services to gang members, addicts, abused kids, etc.)
The Results: A reported cure rate for abusers of crack, heroin, and
alcohol of about 70 percent (compared with single digits for many
secular programs). An average cost of $25-30/day (compared
with several hundred dollars per day at other facilities). Over the
last three decades, more than 13,000 people have reaped sobriety
and spiritual renewal at Victory Fellowship, which has roughly
70 satellite centers across the country and around the world.
Teen Challenge: Like Victory Fellowship, Teen Challenge the largest
faith-based treatment network with 120 centers nationwide is a rehab
program that boasts great success. It, too, was almost shut down because
it didnt embrace the medical a/k/a/ addiction is a disease
model of treatment. Instead, it embraced a religious model that views
addiction as the result of underlying spiritual troubles that are eminently curable through moral teaching. (California recently hired the
University of California to determine whether its federally-funded treatment programs actually work).
The Philosophy: Addiction is the result of moral choices, a manifestation of larger problems brought about by sin and ill-fated
attempts to find meaning in life. Teen Challenge provides residential social care, offers a home environment, teaches work
ethics, helps clients secure their GED (if needed), teaches biblical
principles, etc.
11,800
7.1 million
1.85 million
944,208
One size doesnt fit all, and faith-centered programs may not work for
everyone. But Texas needs a diverse mix of treatment alternatives, including low-cost programs rooted in faith. Their impressive success merits
them a place of respect. As Texas looks for programs that work, it should
(i) applaud no-nonsense ministries like Victory Fellowship and Teen
Challenge that have a long history of saving lives, and (ii) do as other
states have done and dismantle the secular bias that crowds out such
valuable programs.
RECOMMENDATION
Modify existing law to better enable faith-anchored chemical dependence programs to reach adult Texans suffering from drug and/or alcohol addiction.
19
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
5. Permit faith-based programs (perhaps based on specific outcome criteria) to receive TCADA funds and provide services on the same basis
as any other nonprofit private entity, and forbidding the state from (i)
interfering with the definition, practice, or expression of a providers
religious beliefs, (ii) requiring that a faith-based provider alter its form
of internal governance or remove religious art, scripture, etc., or (iii)
requiring funded programs to jettison their requirement that employees adhere to the organizations religious and moral beliefs.
6. Recognize the legitimacy and effectiveness of proven faith-based
programs such that insurers are urged to include them within their
authorized provider pool.
7. Re-evaluate any education and credentialing standards that act to
deny federal drug treatment funds to faith-based facilities. Such standards should be removed so long as (i) the program has provided effective drug treatment for a reasonable period of time (i.e., at least three
years), and (ii) the requirements for education and training of personnel effectively bar the group from receiving federal funds.
8. Urge faith-based programs to form, on a private, associational basis,
a peer self-study and accrediting process to identify best practices
and performance standards, support training/technical assistance initiatives, etc.
CRIMINOLOGIST
20
COMBATING CRIME AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
21
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
was, far and away, the most important predictor of lower crime.
A 1993 study noted that religiosity reduced delinquency in
both highly and marginally religious settings even when adjust
ed for peer and family influence.
A 1985 study noted that religious black men living in poor
areas are more likely than nonreligious black men to leave the
areas and avoid crime and drug abuse.
Faith-Based Prisons and Rehab Programs? In Texas, there exist religious groups fully prepared to operate private correctional facilities (as
well as operate faith-based rehabilitation programs within existing State
prisons). These groups who see a bold new mission field rather than
a place of despair and anti-social values would be filled by adult
inmates nearing release (i.e., one or two years from parole eligibility or
mandatory release) who voluntarily choose to participate in the faithbased programming.
Such public-private partnerships privately financed and accredited
by the American Correctional Association would emphasize:
community responsibility;
strong moral and family commitments;
classroom instruction;
counseling and peer support; and
on-site vocational training.
The aim is change the basic attitudes of inmates, and to help them reenter society as contributing, self-sufficient citizens. And by paying the
inmate a prevailing wage, as some initiatives envision, the inmate can
contribute to his room and board, help support his family, make restitution to his victim(s), etc.
The inmate, who agrees to stay at least one year and fully participate in
all programs, services, and employment, would spend his last bit of
incarceration in a facility (i) dedicated to habilitation and reintegration,
and (ii) animated by moral and social values. Moreover, the programs
offer post-prison care for new outmates, such as mentoring and linking the inmate with a church family.
Programs of this nature have received accolades from leading law
enforcement and criminologists, business and religious leaders, advocates for both inmates and victims, and government officials at all levels.
Texas also boasts hundreds of other criminal justice ministries designed
to help ex-offenders find a spiritual base and re-enter society as responsible, contributing citizens. Out, But Not Free, for example, is a Dallas
faith-based, after-care program offering job training, family counseling,
educational assistance, and other support services. This post-release care
and nurturing program also brings together educational institutions,
businesses, churches, and the larger community to support ex-offenders
by bridging the gap between prison and the free world. OBNF leaders
say their goal is to help former offenders successfully reintegrate into
society and become spiritually whole, supportive of their families at
home and productive citizens at work. OBNF and hundreds of other
effective ministries are committed to ensuring that ex-offenders remain
ex-offenders.
22
COMBATING CRIME AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
RECOMMENDATION
The Task Force urges Texas officials to permit faith-based organizations to play a more significant role in the rehabilitation of criminal
inmates.
Today, when Texas criminals are freed often not for the first time
theyre generally given a bus ticket, $200, and the name of their parole
officer. More often than not, theyll commit more crimes, return to
prison, get released . . . and then repeat the cycle again.
Law-abiding Texans deserve better than a criminal population shuttling back and forth between society and jail (which many call graduate
schools for criminals). As for violent criminals, jail is where they should
be. Punishment ought to be swift, severe, and certain.
But in an age when it costs a small fortune to send someone to prison
and when most inmates will someday be back on our streets nonviolent offenders need to get changed, not just released. Anger at criminals is understandable. But we must act smartly if we want a less ominous future for Texas.
Info.:
23
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
24
COMBATING CRIME AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
RECOMMENDATION
The Crime Prevention Institute, funded by the state, has brought 328
employers into Texas prisons to help
coach inmates for job interviews
through its Project Re-Enterprise
program.
In an effort to transform lives and break the expensive cycle of criminal recidivism, Texas should examine and consider implementing
church-based mentoring programs, either in lieu of incarcerating
nonviolent offenders or as part of post-incarceration sentencing.
HEALTH CARE
Increasing access by protecting medical volunteers
The effect of faith on the health of individuals is significant,
but its potential impact on the health of communities is
astounding.
FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER
Increasing Access
by Protecting Medical Volunteers
Many of our rural and urban neighbors find it difficult or impossible to
access medical care. Its estimated that some 1.3 million Texas children are not covered by health insurance. Often, these children arent from low-income families, but from working blue-collar homes that simply cannot afford insurance. The Texas Health Commissioner estimates that it would cost close to
$1 billion to provide health benefits to all of Texas uninsured youngsters.
Unless a physician volunteers, financial reality often deprives care to
patients unable to afford it. Doctors and nurses who volunteer their services, though, increase their exposure to malpractice claims, thus boosting their insurance premiums dramatically. Professionals willing to help
simply cannot afford to take the risk. Sadly, many Texas caregivers find
it easier to serve the poor abroad than they do in our own neighborhoods.
Doctors and nurses who volunteer their expertise should be commended, not threatened with unreasonable lawsuits. By protecting them,
Texas would encourage the noblest impulses of medicine by making it
easier for doctors and nurses to provide charitable care.
Texas could certainly benefit from community outreach programs
designed to provide preventive check-ups and other medical care to lowincome families.
26
HEALTH CARE
27
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
RECOMMENDATION
Texas should provide legal protections to medical professionals who
provide charitable care to needy Texans who otherwise lack access to
quality medical services.
28
HEALTH CARE
29
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
SELF-HELP INITIATIVES
AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATIONS
STATE LEGISLATOR
30
COMMUNITY SELF-HELP INITIATIVES
Texas could benefit from a coordinated effort to highlight and demonstrate the vital importance of successful neighborhood groups. Lowincome neighborhoods need to be at the policymaking table, they need
training and technical assistance, they need synergistic, novel, and market-based partnerships between area businesses and service providers.
In short, they need an empowerment agenda that will do not just
study at least three things: (i) strengthen and empower self-help
groups that are beating poverty and leading people to self-sufficiency, (ii)
stimulate enterprise, investment, and job creation in poor communities,
and (iii) strengthen families and individuals. Grassroots leaders who
have been trained in the emergency rooms of civil society merit a
prominent place in the community-based battle against poverty.
Like the BRIDGES network in Detroit, a local faith-based clearinghouse could:
offer technical assistance and program development support
to religious groups
help such groups get access to training in community and
economic development
nurture partnerships between various state agencies and
church bodies
implement a computer communications network to provide
access to information
share the power and theology of faith-based development
provide resources to religious programs that strengthen
families and restore communities.
Voice of Hope
Voice of Hope is based in a poor, black area of West Dallas. It bears
all the usual trappings of a government-run community development
welfare program: job training, health clinic, home rehabilitation and
construction, thrift store, clean-up campaigns.
But Voice of Hope emphasizes the Bible and parental involvement.
Children who attend Bible classes also begin job training at the age of
nine. Teens and their parents are offered classes to learn computer
skills, music, math, bookkeeping, and art. In 13 years, the ministry has
grown to a more than $700,000/year endeavor that will change the lives
of 140 families in West Dallas this year.
Those changes wont all be comfortable for their clients, says founder
Mrs. Dudley. The intensity of the way we work with our families is very
high, she says. We work with a family for six months in our housing
program, helping them to set up a budget, helping them to start a savings account. We help them overcome credit problems, write letters to
creditors. We dont do it for them; we do it alongside them. The key is
to build people, not just houses.
Housing assistance should not dilute the human spirit of helpless tenants; it should encourage them to save and dream. CDCs, which serve as
economic development incubators, are doing this every day.
Todays public housing environment needs wholesale transformation.
Consider:
Public housing residents are three times more likely to be victims of violent crime then the average of households nationwide.
42 percent of public housing residents in one survey
said they had heard gunfire nearby. Nearly half of residents say
their neighborhoods are troubled by drug trafficking.
RECOMMENDATION
Texas should craft and embrace initiatives for low-income communities that empower grassroots organizations, stimulate economic activity, strengthen families, and foster self-sufficiency and independence.
32
COMMUNITY SELF-HELP INITIATIVES
HELEN KELLER
33
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
CONGREGATIONS IN ACTION:
Innovative programming
that makes a difference
diverse talents and vocations. Some may have a knack for mentoring
troubled teens while others may excel at battling drug abuse. There are
countless opportunities for service, and members of the faith community
must focus their energies on where they can be most effective. More and
more ministries are seeking outside guidance and support.
Religious Volunteer Coordinators: Some congregations are appointing
church members to serve as point-people for service opportunities in the
area. Coordinators of congregation-based volunteer efforts sometimes
convene across the country. The membership associations meet regularly, elect officers, and provide various professional development programs.
34
CONGREGATIONS IN ACTION
PARTNERS OF
RECOMMENDATION
Given the impressive efforts of the faith community across Texas to
meet critical needs combating child abuse, mentoring at-risk youth,
moving families off welfare, strengthening marriages, supporting caseworkers, etc. we respectfully encourage our fellow citizens to examine these groups diverse, important programming and consider adopting similar efforts where possible. Moreover, Texas should take active
and ongoing steps to facilitate the work of private social service
providers, including faith-based ones.
35
FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
3. Publish perhaps at the county level a comprehensive, up-todate directory of private and faith-based resources that would be disseminated to public welfare officials, community leaders, businesses,
criminal justice officials, recipients, police and neighborhood associations, etc. This information could serve at least two purposes:
Serve as a handy resource of participants in Texas charitable choice voucher system.
Provide a list of referral agencies to which public officials
and others could direct people needing assistance; this aid
could be rendered before the applicant seeks and receives publicly-funded benefits.
4. Link faith-based leaders and volunteers through the upcoming
TxServe on-line computer network. (TxServe is an interactive telecommunications network linking volunteer and community service leaders
across Texas and providing state-of-the-art information in volunteer
management and service delivery.)
5. Urge Texas to convene a summit among practitioners across Texas to
highlight the vital role of religious nonprofits and where faith-based
providers could share what works and why ideas, approaches, and
processes about how to set up a service initiative, etc. Participants
could share information, discuss barriers, and make further recommendations for policy innovations as well as the development of a peer
validation system.
36
CONGREGATIONS IN ACTION
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FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
APPENDIX
Governor Bushs Executive Order
2-3*
4-5*
6-8
10-12
2.
13
3.
13-14
4.
14-16
5.
16-19
6.
19-21
7.
21
22-25
25-27
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FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
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Childhood Educ. Accrediting Bodies
The ECCN process underscores the critical importance of high-quality education and care. In the past two years, ECCN has systematized the
self-study process in a National Council on Recognition (NCR). Today,
NCR coordinates a Mentor Assistance Program that provides trained
skilled mentors to self-study participants, reviews and evaluates completed self-study portfolios, and awards ECCN recognition to the congregations and early childhood programs that successfully meet the
goals and criteria of Congregations and Child Care and are accredited
by The Academy.
For info. about membership services, publications, and the self-study
recognition program:
ECCN
1580 N. Northwest Hwy., Suite 115
Park Ridge, IL 60068
(708) 298-1612
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FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
National Association
for Family Day Care (NAFDC)
NAFDC: (800) 359-3817
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Childhood Educ. Accrediting Bodies
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FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING
THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Child Abuse: Protecting Texas Children
Some have rightly described child abuse as the most devastating betrayal of the closest human relationship parent and child. Preventing abuse
is vital to childrens futures, and to ours, too. A child who suffers
abuse/neglect is 40 percent more likely to become delinquent.
Every year in America, there are millions of reports of suspected child
abuse and neglect. A child dies in America from abuse every four hours.
According to DPRS, there were 168,612 reports of child abuse/neglect in
FY 1995 (about 70 percent of investigations went unconfirmed that year).
The Alliance for Children of Fort Worth estimates that abuse/neglect
investigations cost about $420 million in 1995. DPRS estimates that
fully 25 percent of Texas children 1.3 of 5.3 million have been
abused/neglected or may be at risk of it. From FY 1991-95, the recidivism rate for abuse/neglect victims is about 34 percent.
While we all share the responsibility to ensure a safer world for children, the faith community is uniquely positioned to help prevent abuse.
Many effective interventions to safeguard children rest with churches
and other religious groups. Several churches are weighing in. At
Riverbend Church in Austin, the Angels Afoot program raised almost
$12,000 in two Sundays to buy playground equipment for a program
serving abused and neglected children. In April 1996, 40 church volunteers built a play area. Chairwoman Verda Berrys response was simple:
As needs arise, we will just take care of them as they come.
One impressive effort to combat child abuse is the Child Abuse
Prevention Coalition of Dallas (CAPCO), a group comprised of individuals and 18 agencies and churches. In May 1996, CAPCO published a
resource book for faith communities, Child Abuse: Everybodys Business, in
order to (i) inform people where to turn if they suspect child abuse, and
(ii) educate the religious community on steps it can take to protect children.
CAPCOs extensive resource book contains a notable 10-point plan
describing what the faith community can do, either as an outreach to others in the community or to fellow church members, to protect the physical and emotional safety of Texas most vulnerable citizens.
Below is a near-verbatim recap of CAPCOs impressive 10-point plan
describing what the faith community can do, either as an outreach to others in the community or to fellow church members, to protect the physical safety and emotional well-being of Texas most vulnerable citizens:
1. After-School Programs Research shows that having a safe place for
children after school can reduce the stress for the working parent and
enhance the life of the child. An after-school program can consist of homework help, crafts, games, field trips, and other learning-for-life activities.
The number of children accepted depends on the face available.
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Preventing Child Abuse
There are many organizations that can help set up after-school programs. For more information, contact the Greater Dallas Injury
Prevention Center: (214) 590-4461.
2. Day Care Some children are left at home alone or with an inappropriate caretaker while the parents work because affordable or accessible
day care is not provided.
CAPCO
Many faith communities already provide day care. A helpful idea
would be to provide some scholarship money for those who cannot
afford the price of day care. Local community centers can help to identify families who would need your help with day care.
Through day care centers, important information can be given to parents on child abuse prevention. Workers at the center can be trained on
recognizing and reporting child abuse.
The Child Care Group is a nonprofit agency specializing in child care:
(214) 630-7911.
3. Respite Care for Parents Parents of mentally, emotionally, or physically impaired children need some time away to regenerate their energy.
Often times there is nobody who is able or willing to care for a special
needs child. Congregations can provide one night once or twice a month
which is a respite night for these parents. Trained volunteers or paid professionals can provide a safe haven for the children while the parents are
out.
For more information, contact the Greater Dallas Injury Prevention
Center.
4. Crisis Nursery Some children are left alone or neglected when a crisis occurs to which the parents need to attend. Sometimes a parent is at
the stress point that they cannot stand another hour with the child. A crisis nursery is a place where the parent can go to leave the child until the
emergency passes. A congregation can provide such a nursery because
many already have a nursery for children during worship.
For more information, contact the Greater Dallas Injury Prevention
Center.
5. In-home Visitors Research shows that one of the most effective programs is one that starts in the hospital as the child is born. Trained volunteers get to know the parents in the hospital and then continue to visit
in the home. The mentor provides insight on parenting, answers the hard
questions, gives encouragement, and is a resource of information on how
to access agencies for further help. This is especially helpful when there
is no grandparent available to give guidance.
For more information, contact the Greater Dallas Injury Prevention
Center.
6. Parents Anonymous Parents Anonymous is a national organization
that allows parents the opportunity to talk to each other. Comfort comes
in knowing others are having similar experiences. Insight comes from
hearing one anothers perspective. Release comes from being able to
ventilate about emotional issues. We know that Parents Anonymous
works.
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FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
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Preventing Child Abuse
The Need for Role Models: This is a timeless truth: moral responsibility and character are keys both to individual success and social order.
Mark Fleisher, an urban ethnographer, reports that an abundance of
scholarly evidence shows that antisocial and delinquent tendencies
emerge early in the lives of neglected, abused and unloved youngsters,
often by age 9.
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FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
Sister to a youngsters life for one year cut first-time drug use by
46 percent, lowered school absenteeism by 52 percent and
reduced violent behavior by 33 percent.
Participants were much less likely to start using alcohol; less
likely to assault someone; more likely to do well in school; and
far more apt to relate well to others. The effects held across races
for boys and girls.
The Impact of Religion Specifically: Studies consistently show that
choosing religious peers has a tremendous influence on youngsters
behavior. The Justice Departments national youth study concluded that
friends who misbehaved or abused drugs wielded great influence over
their friends, influence that grew over time.
Other studies report similar results:
Three published studies found that the best predictor of youth
drug use is associating with drug-using peers.
A 1983 study found that ones religious views affect the selection of friends and enhances family stability two variables
closely linked with reduced delinquency.
A 1981 study showed that when youngsters enjoy a religious
friendship network, spiritual concerns are more prominent
and more part of everyday interaction.
Mentoring programs can play a key role in rescuing children before
they become trouble. The character-building work of such programs is
among the most important in the process of cultural renewal. Its essential that we reach at-risk children in Texas.
The urban crisis demands higher assistance. Well-intentioned government programs are, by definition, unable to tackle the spiritual poverty that often besets the poor and dispossessed. Those lacking faith and
hope, says sociologist Orlando Patterson, suffer a social death that is
fundamentally spiritual.
As mentioned in the Report, faith-anchored programs are particularly
good at insulating kids from various temptations. A powerful anti-violence and restoration effort is underway in Boston. Rev. Eugene Rivers of
the Azusa Christian Community and other black clergy in inner-city
Boston have launched a 39-church network to serve troubled and drugaddicted youth, perform neighborhood patrols, and counsel youngsters
on probation. The answer, they see, isnt just in protecting ourselves from
dangerous predators, but in rescuing those who are at risk. To do so,
churches must go through Samaria, through the mean streets that
proper religious folks often sidestep.
The key to all these efforts is the willingness to move our faith into the
streets. Neither big steeple churches
nor storefront congregations can afford
to wait on young people to come in their
doors. We must go to them. . . . In the
face of escalating urban violence, we
begin with the work of prayer and the
fervent conviction that our children are
worth fighting for.
JIM WALLIS, SOJOURNERS MAGAZINE
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Reaching Gangs and At-Risk Youth
JEAN SINDAB,
CHICAGO ANTI-GANG NETWORK
The centerpiece of Rev. Riverss vision is a 10-point proposal (also the work
of criminologist John DiIulio) that is designed to mobilize area churches in a
way to bring the peace of God to the violent world of our youth.
Below is the gang intervention plan, as described in Sojourners magazine, of the Ten Point Coalition:
1. To establish four or five church cluster-collaborations that sponsor
Adopt a Gang programs to organize and evangelize troubled youth.
Inner-city churches would act as drop-in centers providing sanctuary for
at-risk youth.
2. To commission missionaries to serve as advocates for troubled juveniles in
the courts. Such missionaries would work closely with probation officers, law
enforcement officials, law enforcement officials, and youth street workers to
assist at-risk youth and their feelings. To convene summit meetings between
school superintendents, principals of public middle and high schools, and
clergy to develop partnerships that will focus on the youth most at risk.
Churches would do pastoral work with the most violent and troubled youth
and their families. This is seen as a rational alternative to ill-conceived proposals to suspend the principle of due process.
3. To commission youth evangelists to do street-level one-on-one evangelism with youth involved in drug trafficking. These evangelists would
also work to prepare these youth for participation in the economic life of
the nation. Such work might include preparing for college, developing
legal revenue-generating enterprises, and acquiring trade skills and
union membership.
4. To establish accountable community-based economic development projects that go beyond market and state visions of revenue generation. Such
economic development initiatives will include community land trusts,
micro-enterprise projects, worker cooperatives, community finance institutions, consumer cooperatives, and democratically run CDCs.
5. To establish links between suburban and downtown churches and frontline ministries to provide spiritual, human resource, and material support.
6. To initiate and support neighborhood crime-watch programs within
local church neighborhoods. If, for example, 200 churches covered the
four corners surrounding their sites, 800 blocks would be safer.
7. To establish working relationships between local churches and community-based health centers to provide pastoral counseling for families
during times of crisis. The proposal also initiates abstinence-oriented
educational programs focusing on the prevention of AIDS and sexually
transmitted diseases.
8. To convene a working summit for Christian men in order to discuss the
development of Christian brotherhoods that would provide rational alternatives to violent gang life. Such brotherhoods would also be charged with fostering responsibility to family and protecting houses of worship.
9. To establish rape crisis drop-in centers and services for battered women
in churches. Counseling programs must be established for abusive men,
particularly teenagers and young adults.
10. To develop an aggressive minority history curriculum, with an additional focus on the struggles of women and poor people. Such a curricu-
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FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
Battling Poverty
and Building Strong Communities
The Numbers: About 750,000 Texans mostly those in single-parent
households headed by women receive basic welfare grants. Some 2.6
million get food stamps. Of Texas 4.8 million children, about one in eight
rely on welfare for food, clothing. and shelter.
The Need to Help Smartly: The faith community merits a rightful
place on the front lines of our anti-poverty efforts. But we should help
smartly, as Peter noted in Acts 3. The Bible a timeless poverty-fighting manual nowhere instructs us to redistribute wealth indiscriminately to every poor person who asks, no matter how idle he may be.
When a lame beggar asked for a handout, Peter didnt do the kindhearted (but weak-minded) thing and give him money. Nor, as Dr. Olasky
points out, did he proffer a job, the secular conservative solution (work
alone cannot redeem, either). Instead, he addressed the deeper problem
and told the man to arise and walk in Jesuss name. The man did, and
was transformed. The Good Samaritan of Luke 10 suffered with the
mugging victim, bandaging his wounds; he didnt picket the capital
demanding government action.
Welfare-Avoidance Efforts: To its credit, Texas has embraced a pilot
welfare avoidance project designed to steer people away from public assistance altogether. By providing emergency grant money as a first option,
followed by various other services, Texas hopes to divert people from
welfare entirely. This approach is working in Wisconsin. Under their
diversion instead of intake approach, the number of inquirees signing
onto welfare has fallen from 80 to 19 percent.
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Battling Poverty
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FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
You can plug into the Family Pathfinders program by calling 1-800-355PATH.
LIFT: A Non-Governmental,
Church-Based Response Worth Examining
OCBF provides:
GED and job-skills programs to help prepare people for
independence.
Free child care which makes it easier for people to attend
classes.
an alternative adult education program offering instruction in computers, literacy, business math, and communications.
a KEYS to Personal and Professional Success Class a 10week course required of all students enrolled in the churchs
alternative adult education program. KEYS is a Bible study
focusing on the importance of work, authority, integrity, responsible stewardship of time and money, and communication.
According to writer Amy Sherman, KEYS is at the heart of
OCBFs efforts to renew the minds of students with Bible centered alternative thinking.
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Battling Poverty
The neighborhood Village Oaks apartment complex has seen a transformation, too. Gone are the crack houses and staccato gunfire. The difference, to be sure, has resulted from many factors, including more police
and tough apartment management. But OCBF enjoys credit, too. In 1991,
Sherman writes, three church members moved into Village Oaks and
began offering Bible studies and counseling. They also opened a thrift
store and ministry office. Church members began visiting the complex,
and OCBF started after-school tutoring programs, weekend recreational
events for kids, and special summer programs.
The church has been very, very helpful. Theres a visible difference. .
. . Now, you can walk around alone, says Village Oaks manager Pat
Holmes. OCBF has teamed with TRC Staff Services to provide local companies with temporary employees earning $7-10 per hour; 80 percent of
the temps become permanent within a few months, gaining raises and
full benefits. TRC interviews applicants at OCBFs outreach centers.
Church volunteer and financial planner James Talley is designing a
multi-part, Bible-based course for welfare recipients to help renew minds
and foster self-sufficiency. The course will emphasize personal budgeting, job training, basic life skills, and consumer savvy.
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FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
In short, trained committees of community volunteers work with a nonviolent offender to help him become a productive citizen. This ecumenical program rests on (i) the willingness of local churches to become
involved, (ii) the courts determination to avoid prison overcrowding and
incarceration that does little to change behavior, and (iii) the offenders
desire to change and work for a better life.
History of the Program: Rev. Clyde Adams grew weary of watching
the nonviolent become violent, hardened criminals after serving time in
prison. He grew tired, too, of seeing destructive habits take root in kids
he had watched grow up.
In 1984, Rev. Adams acted. He quickly found pastors, lay people, and
law enforcement officials who shared his frustration. A core group of
concerned citizens met regularly to develop an innovative response.
Their study and in-depth discussions resulted in One Church-One
Offender, a nonprofit funded through support from businesses, churches,
foundations, individuals, and religious organizations.
Goals of the Program: The goals are three-fold:
to offer nonviolent offenders a better alternative than overcrowded, expensive jails namely, a re-adjustive program of
community-based advocacy, education, and spiritual nurture
Results of the Program: The program is only five years old, but early
results are promising:
50 churches have been trained since the programs inception,
resulting in 475 volunteers
of 775 individuals requesting participation, 112 have been
accepted because of their willingness to abide by program
requirements
the program has a recidivism rate of 15 percent compared with
a recidivism of 50 percent for the local county jail, and the 65 per
cent rate nationally for probation departments
costs of incarceration in Allen County are $14,600 and $20,805
for men and women, respectively, while the annual program cost
per client is $3,138
Adopt a Caseworker
and Adopt a Nursing Home
Many churches and community volunteers link with DPRS to adopt
and provide support for caseworkers responsible for abused and neglected children.
Through the Community Partners program at DPRS, churches and
other groups meet the needs of children by providing cribs, formula, eyeglasses, school supplies and clothes, birthday presents, uniforms for
sports and band, etc. Nancy Tasin, Travis County coordinator for the program, says as the tax dollars shrink . . . its going to become up to us as
government entities to reach out to whatever community resources are
available.
Caseworkers could be matched with churches or other community
groups, who would provide support for the caseworker. How? By helping
to meet the needs of abused and neglected children with formula, eyeglasses, school supplies, birthday presents, uniforms for sports and band, etc.
For more information on the Community Partners program, contact the
Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services at (512) 438-4800.
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FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
On June 25, 1996, Senator Dan Coats and Rep. John Kasich introduced
a bold new definition of public compassion that has helped drive an
important shift in our political debate about social policy. Their 16-point
package is rooted in the truth that legislation even great legislation
can only do so much to meet our social and moral challenges.
The Project isnt a government program to rebuild civil society. It is an
effort to support people and groups that are rebuilding their own communities.
* The Task Force extends its warm thanks to the office of Indiana Sen. Dan Coats for sharing its materials, from which this section of the Report is, with permission, largely drawn.
A-22
The Project for American Renewal
I. Effective Compassion
When asked this question If you
wanted to devote some of your
money toward helping the poor,
would you give it to local, privatelyrun charities, or would you give it to
the local welfare department? the
answer is always the same.
U.S. SEN. DAN COATS
The Charity Tax Credit Act This is the centerpiece of the Project.
This bill would give about 5-8 percent of federal welfare spending to private poverty-fighting charities through a tax credit to donors. (Taxpayers
can now deduct charitable gifts against their total income, but a credit is
a direct reduction in taxes owed.)
The Compassion Credit This measure gives a small $500 tax credit to
people opening their homes to care for our neediest citizens, including
battered women, abused women with children, women in crisis pregnancies, the homeless, and hospice care patients (including AIDS and
cancer patients).
The Medical Volunteer Act The prohibitive cost of liability insurance
dissuades many health care providers from volunteering their services to
the poor. This bill would extend federal malpractice insurance coverage
to medical volunteers providing free help to the poor.
Congress passed a version of this bill as part of its health care reform efforts.
The Community Partnership Act Like Mississippis Faith and
Families Program, the model for Texas Family Pathfinders, this bill
encourages states and communities to match welfare families and nonviolent offenders with churches, synagogues and mosques committed to
helping them achieve independence.
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FAITH IN ACTION: A New Vision for Texas
The Assets for Independence Act Government often seems to penalize the aspects of good character that lead people toward self-sufficiency
and promote stable communities: savings, home ownership, entrepreneurship, etc. Instead, we should focus on saving and building assets.
This proposal would reward individual savings by poor Americans.
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The Project for American Renewal
* The Task Force extends a special thanks to the offices of Representatives Jim Talent and
J.C. Watts for providing information about this important Act.
of these areas need lasting and genuine reform. Impoverished communities need comprehensive reform, not the piecemeal approach that scurries from one issue to the next. Indeed, studies show that a broad
approach to community development works best. Moreover, policymakers are seeing that local community-based programs which empower
citizens to become active, hands-on decisionmakers in their families
lives do a better job of attacking problems.
What Does the Bill Do? There are five primary elements. The first two initiatives apply only to the 100 renewal communities, economically depressed
areas created by the bill. The other three reforms apply nationwide.
1. Creation of 100 Renewal Communities
Through regulatory reform, tax relief, and savings incentives, this
reform would help restore economic vitality to our nations poorest communities and reduce urban unemployment by:
Giving federal, state, and local regulatory relief such as (i) a 100
percent capital gains exclusion on qualified assets help within a
renewal community for five years or more, (ii) a tax credit for
revitalization efforts in distressed areas, (iii) streamlined govern
ment requirement and regulations, (iv) anti-crime strategies, (v)
encouraging the donation or sale of land and other property to
local organizations, (vi) repealing or suspending non-health and
-safety regulations, etc.
Religious schools are included not because its the role of government
to advance religion, but because its governments role to fund the education of children, whatever the geography of the schoolhouse may be.
And its because, as former Education Secretary William Bennett puts it,
Education is the architecture of the soul.
Creating a solid moral foundation is or at least should be a vital
part of every childs education. That moral upbringing is vital to solving
our social ills is a simple and uncomplicated truth. Like Texas beneficiaries under the federal G.I. Bill and the Texas Pell Grant program, the children of Texas particularly low-income children trapped in poor
schools deserve a host of educational options.
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The American Community Renewal Act