Veronica Gonzalez, LMSW

June 7th was the 59th anniversary of Griswold v. Connecticut, a landmark case in reproductive rights history. In light of this, Dr. Zsanai Epps, our Senior Director of Reproductive Justice Initiatives, attended the White House Gender Policy Council's Convening on Access to Contraception. The discussions underscored several critical actions that align with our commitment to shaping reproductive justice policy. These include: ✅ Advocating for expanded ACA benefits for comprehensive reproductive health services. ✅ Combating misinformation and disinformation in reproductive health. ✅ Educating the public on the differences between over-the-counter birth control, emergency contraception, and abortion pills. ✅ Pushing for person-centered reproductive health research. ✅ Developing metrics to measure the effectiveness of programs and policies in addressing unmet community needs. This past week, the Senate blocked the Right to Contraception Act. As the 2024 elections approach—with 33 Senate seats in play—your vote becomes ever more vital. This November offers a critical opportunity to influence policies affecting reproductive freedoms and beyond. #MaternalHealth #ReporductiveRights #BlackMaternalHealth #HealthcareForAll

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“As people increasingly face the threat of deportation and family separation, $64.2 million for immigrant legal services fails to address New Yorkers’ current need for a humane response and practical solutions.” — Shayna Kessler, associate director for advocacy for Vera’s Advancing Universal Representation initiative #Today: Lawmakers allocated $64.2 million for immigrant legal services in the Fiscal Year 2025 New York State budget. While this is a much-needed investment, it falls short of the $150M required to ensure the long-term well-being of New Yorkers facing deportation and family separation, particularly as the state has welcomed additional asylum seekers and the number of people who have been left to fight deportation alone has more than doubled. This allocation fails to address New Yorkers’ current need for humane response and practical solutions. That is why are doubling down on our campaign this session for the passage of the #AccessToRepresentationAct to ensure the right to legal representation in immigration cases is enshrined in state law. Our full statement: https://lnkd.in/ehnX_kfe

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New York's Grieving Families Act Passes Legislature Again The time to approve this legislation is now! The Grieving Families Act is crucial for extending justice and support to families who have lost loved ones. Let's ensure these families receive the compassion and fairness they deserve. Read more about this significant development and its impact in the article below. https://lnkd.in/e3V4xHyn

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Who? Anyone working in youth centered, human service, and education spaces. What? Restorative Justice Using Restorative Practices: Strengthening Relationships institute. Where? Brooklyn Friends School. When? July 31–August 2. Why? So that we may explore the engagement of restorative practice as a focus on building community through the power of circles, looking at classrooms as communities, co-creating agreements, engaging authentic presence and communication with the emphasis on relationships, understanding, and empathizing in community. How: https://lnkd.in/gKTwWtzT

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At least 1 in 6 men have been sexually abused or assaulted but only 15% of men report sexual assault to the police. The NYC Gender Motivated Violence Act (GMVA) opens up a two-year lookback window, similar to the Adult Survivors Act, that gives NYC survivors a second chance. Conversations around sexual assault typically center on female experiences but it’s important to remember that men can be survivors too. Our latest blog post dives into some of the reasons people, specifically men, may choose to not report their experiences as well as some common myths about men and sexual assault. Read the post here: https://lnkd.in/eyuZx79z

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Yet, pathways & collateral consequences of incarcerating women different than men, considering that two-thirds of incarcerated women are mothers & primary caregivers for young children. NJRC Women's Report & Resource Manual directs to NJRC partners. https://bit.ly/4bbheT3

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Teaching a course on #substanceusedisorders this fall? This book draws upon the experts' experiences working with marginalized communities and provides guidance on how to provide more culturally competent care. Preview the first chapter: https://lnkd.in/e67ap6pw

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NEXT WEEK: #DAAHR Forum on Plan to Change Disability Evaluations! On Monday, June 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. ET, Disability Advocates Advancing Our Healthcare Rights (#DAAHR), a coalition organized by Boston Center for Independent Living and Disability Policy Consortium, will hold a virtual forum to discuss MassHealth’s plan to establish a centralized evaluation for services for people with disabilities. The proposed Independent Assessment Entity (#IAE) will evaluate individuals on MassHealth, One Care, and Senior Care Options (#SCO) for Personal Care Attendant (#PCA) services, adult foster care, group adult foster care, day habilitation services, and the #PACE program. Historically, evaluations have been conducted by disability service organizations because providers understand disability and independent living—they are culturally and linguistically competent. Advocates are concerned that a single centralized entity might exacerbate red tape; remain faceless, intransparent, and removed from community members' lived experience; be driven by perverse incentives; and reduce service offerings for disabled consumers. However, the Commonwealth believes its plan will improve the current evaluation system and even increase access to services. Attend the forum to learn about the IAE and voice your opinion on whether you want to be evaluated by one entity statewide. MassHealth Director Mike Levine will be in attendance. Register Here: https://lnkd.in/eMuQdSSf. For more information, contact Bill Henning at bhenning@bostoncil.org. #ADA #Accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. To submit a request, contact Susan Smith at ssmith@bostoncil.org or (617) 338-6665. Please include a description of the accommodation you need, with as much detail as possible. Provide your contact information in case we need to collect more information from you. When possible, please allow at least seven days' advance notice. Last-minute requests will be accepted, but they may be difficult to fulfill. Your input is vital. Together, we as a community can shape the future of MassHealth. #AboutUsByUs

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"Among Bostonians, police harassment isn't just predictive of distrust and feelings of community safety. Police harassment is also predictive of symptoms of trauma, especially so for Boston's Black men." Check out the full report, "Bias, Distrust, and Trauma Racial Disparities in Boston Residents’ Experiences with Law Enforcement and Related Outcomes" to learn more https://buff.ly/4b2EmTp

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🔈🙋‍♀️👩🏽‍🏫 🙌 In continuing to raise awareness and support survivors for Sexual Violence Awareness Month, we’re inviting NYC service providers to join us on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, 10 am – 12 pm, for our VIRTUAL TRAINING, “Domestic and Gender-Based Violence: What it is and how to support Survivors." We will discuss: - How to identify different forms of domestic and gender-based violence. - How we can support survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. - How systemic oppression and personal biases can impact our responses to survivors. Check the link here: https://lnkd.in/eg5MtN65 or scan our QR Code to register! #SupportSurvivors #SVAM #AwarenessHelpHope

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Uncover the harsh realities of prison labor in New York and why advocates are fighting for change. Read the full article by Nia Prater to learn more about the No Slavery in New York Act and its impact on incarcerated workers: https://lnkd.in/dP29k4mF

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There's still time to register for the last session in our "Emerging Issues in Harm Reduction: Family and Community Work" webinar series for social workers, in partnership with National Harm Reduction Coalition and NASW-MA Chapter. Join us this Tuesday, 6/25 at 12pm for "Navigating Risk: Strategies for Social Workers in Harm Reduction". This session is FREE and participants can earn 1.5 continuing education credits. Open to social workers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island! NASW-RI Chapter Register: https://lnkd.in/ebgb9m2f #harmreduction #socialwork #socialworkers #opioidusedisorder #substanceusedisorder #overdosecrisis #continuingeducation #continuingeducationunits #MASocialWorkers #RISocialWorkers

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HUD's game-changing reform could rewrite the narratives for homeless people and individuals with conviction histories. Dive deeper into the battle against bias and the fight for second chances. 👉 https://lnkd.in/eUxYarV2

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What are the promising strategies for identifying and addressing equity needs in communities seeking to prevent child maltreatment? Check out this new brief from Abt and our partners at OPRE and Child Trends that describes the strategies that Child Welfare Community Collaborations (CWCC) projects applied to promote equity: https://lnkd.in/eDzbF-66

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What is Mental Health Court? New York State’s Mental Health Courts (MHCs) seek to improve safety, court operations, and the well-being of justice-involved individuals living with mental illness by linking them with court-supervised, community-based treatment. Think you or someone you love may be eligible for Mental Health Court? Tune in next week, as we discuss Mental Health Court eligibility! #criminalcase #needalawyer #nyclawfirm #defendant #criminaldefendant #criminaldefense #criminaldefensefirm #formerprosecutor #litigator #smclawfirm

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