Howard's Sermons and Article Clippings.

Howard's Sermons and Article Clippings.

About Me

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Im a Mainline protestant minister who loves serving in multicultural and urban contexts. I'm very interested in how liberation theology and existential-humanistic psychology are applied to the praxis of pastoral care and counseling. My most profound encounters with God come as we sojourn as brothers and sisters seeking the inbreaking of God's reign, here and now.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Lack of Medicaid coverage hurting Nebraska babies

Lack of Medicaid coverage hurting Nebraska babies

BY JoANNE YOUNG / Lincoln Journal Star JournalStar.com |
Posted: Saturday, November 20, 2010 9:00 am


Rebecca Rayman described it simply: The change in Medicaid coverage for about 1,500 pregnant Nebraska women has drastically affected mothers, infants, doctors and medical clinics.

At Rayman's Good Neighbor Community Health Center in Columbus, four babies have died in utero, two in the final four weeks of pregnancy. In the previous six years, the clinic had not lost any unborn babies after five months gestation.

Until the Medicaid coverage change, no women getting prenatal care had ever inquired about abortion.

Andrea Skolkin, CEO of OneWorld Community Health Centers, said the full impact of the lost Medicaid coverage is just beginning to unfold.

One baby delivered at 20 weeks, whose mother did not have prenatal care, did not survive. The mother had come to the center fearful of going to the hospital, in case she was not in labor.

The center has had nine premature births to uninsured women, compared to five for those with insurance, she said.

While the health center used to see 85 percent of patients on Medicaid, they now see 9 percent on Medicaid and 66 percent uninsured, Skolkin said.

Moms can qualify for emergency delivery care, but it is a lengthy process, she said.

Rayman and others testified Friday at a Health and Human Services Committee interim hearing on the costs and effects to women and infants -- and the state -- of Medicaid not providing services to certain low-income women, including undocumented mothers, since March 1.

"I fear that in five to 10 years from now the state is going to have an ongoing expense it cannnot stop because of the decisions made," said Sen. Arnie Stuthman of Platte Center. "Children are going to be needing help for 20 years, and it's going to be an expense of the state."

Rayman, executive director of the Good Neighbor Community Health Center in Columbus, said that since the Medicaid change March 1 at her health center:

* The number of women seen per month has doubled, from 53 in January to 109 in October. Seven to nine pregnant women are calling each week for first-time prenatal appointments.

* In October, the clinic provided prenatal care to women from 13 counties, some of them driving as far as from 156 miles away. They say they cannot get care in their towns or counties without insurance and cannot afford to pay for it themselves.

* In 2007 and 2008, over 80 percent of patients entered prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy. In 2010, with Medicaid changes, 32 percent of women are being seen in the first trimester.

* The percentage of low-birth-weight babies has gone from 7.26 percent of all infants to 10 percent, with some months at 20 percent.

With the increase in prenatal patients, and the decrease in reimbursement from Medicaid, the clinic has had to shift away from mental health care. Rayman said the community has seen more mentally ill people getting in trouble and being arrested.

Dr. Paul Welch, an obstetrican-gynecologist in Columbus, said his practice is not getting reimbursed even for the emergency obstetric care it is providing, costing about $100,000, mostly because women are not able to fill out the paperwork properly.

Doctors also are facing increased exposure to malpractice because of the high-risk population they are treating.

Preventive care is the foundation of medicine, he said.

"And yet, inexplicably, the state of Nebraska has done just the opposite," he said. "And I believe that continuation along this course will result in a financial and human course that will make any short-term savings appear minor by comparison."

"It is mind boggling to me as a health care provider," he said.

John Cavanaugh, executive director of Building Bright Futures, said he had not heard one word of testimony on the positive impact of the Medicaid change in policy.

"This is very destructive in terms of consequences for the state of Nebraska," he said.

The Rev. Howard Dotson of Westminster Presbyterian Church in south Omaha came to the hearing to tell of his concern about women in his area considering abortion and the babies dying and suffering because of the loss of Medicaid coverage.

"Each life is sacred. And those four babies that we talked about in Columbus and the one baby in Omaha should break our hearts," he said. "These babies are innocent, and we're punishing them for the documentation status of their mothers."

Dotson said people need to stand up to the anti-immigration sentiment and racism in the state. These children are the casualties, he said.

Lincoln Sen. Kathy Campbell, who introduced the interim study resolution, said she and other senators who supported a bill in the last session to restore the coverage must gather more statistics on the effect of the loss of Medicaid for these women.

"Anecdotal information is important to the issue, but we need actual numbers" before any future legislation on the issue is introduced, she said.

Reach JoAnne Young at 402-473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com

Immigration reform hope shared

Immigration reform hope shared
By Sarah Reinecke
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

South Omaha's Tree of Life sculpture at 24th and L Streets is a symbol of immigrant heritage.

Gathering under that symbolic tree Tuesday were people of different races and ages who spoke, prayed and sang in Spanish and English, urging changes in federal immigration policy.

Omaha faith leaders joined in the national campaign of fasting and prayer for immigration reform. This week has been designated as Nebraska's week of action.

The campaign is a response to Arizona's new immigration law, which makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally.

It also comes just days before Fremont, Neb., residents vote on a proposed ordinance that would require businesses to take steps to ensure the identity of new employees and restrict landlords from renting to people without verified documents.

Maria Teresa Gaston, director of the Creighton University Center for Services and Justice, said the goal is to get federal leaders to create a new immigration policy that makes the legalization process easier for immigrants.

“If they are here, they should have a path to become citizens, and there is not a path for the majority of them,” Gaston said.

“We are not trying to say we shouldn't have borders and policies to regulate borders. We're talking about reasonable policy. ... We can work things out in humane and just ways.”

More than 50 people took part in the vigil.

Bright orange day lilies were held by many participating in the vigil. Gaston said the flowers were an expression of “what is blooming today” and represented how immigrants are helping Omaha and Nebraska to grow and flourish.

The Rev. Howard Dotson spoke of how much Latinos contribute to society and how everyone deserves dignity and human rights.

Immigrants “seek the American dream, but the reality is that dream has become a nightmare,” Dotson said. “We need to learn from our mistakes and turn a new page.”

Contact the writer:

444-1543, sarah.reinecke@owh.com

Fremont City Council Suspends Illegal Immigration Ordinance

Fremont City Council Suspends Illegal Immigration Ordinance
Posted: Jul 27, 2010 10:02 PM CDT

FREMONT (KPTM) – The Fremont City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to delay implementing a new illegal immigration ordinance.

The council also voted to appoint well–known, national immigration attorney Kris Kobach to defend Fremont against two pending lawsuits in federal court. Kobach, one of the architects of the Arizona immigration law that has sparked widespread debate, is said to be offering his services pro–bono. He would be the lead attorney for Fremont on the case.

The votes by the council are just the latest chapter in an illegal immigration debate that's captured national attention and divided the community 25,000.

It comes just five weeks after Fremont voters passed the ban on hiring or renting to illegal immigrants and some see it as another attempt by the city to block the ordinance altogether.

It was council members who initially narrowly rejected a similar ban in 2008 and it took supporters circulating petitions to get the measure on the ballot.

The ordinance requires employers to use a federal online system to check if someone is authorized to work in the United States. Landlords who knowingly rent to illegal immigrants could also be fined $100.

Supporters say it's necessary because the federal government isn't doing its job when it comes to illegal immigration. "This idea of everything printed in Spanish as well as English, I think it's a bunch of baloney. It's not right and we need to take our country back," said Fremont resident Leon Rabe.

Headed into the meeting, some were already angry with the council's action. "It's very frustrating to know that they are taking our voices away from us and people who live here, work here and voted and it's just not the American way, it's really isn't," said Fremont resident Johnny Pry.

Others are greeting the news with relief. The ACLU, one of two groups who will argue the ban is unconstitutional in federal court, says the council has made a "responsible decision" that will prevent additional hostility until the matter is resolved in court.

Some say discrimination against Latinos has already scared folks in the community. "There hasn't been confirmed reports, because no one will come forward to file a report. A house was shot with BB guns, and another person had a person knock on their door screaming, 'The ordinance is in effect, you need to move now,' and people don't know someone's documentation status," said Rev. Howard Dotson.

Brian Hendrickson asked: "Why can't we have two Catholic churches in this town? Why can't have Latinos and others living side by side? Instead of building walls, we need to be creating more bridges."

Support boosts spirits at clinic

Support boosts spirits at clinic
By Cindy Gonzalez
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER


It won't be a cure-all, but the moral and financial support flowing into a south Omaha clinic has buoyed staff spirits and should temporarily help fill a gap in prenatal services to illegal immigrants.

Just days ago, staffers at OneWorld Community Health Center were feeling a bit beleaguered and disappointed, said medical director Dr. Kristine McVea.

They were even fielding some threatening calls from people angry that OneWorld was urging state officials to restore government-funded prenatal care for poor and illegal immigrant women.

“It's an odd position to be put in as a physician,” McVea said. “You don't usually think of caring for pregnant women as being controversial.”


The governor and state lawmakers have not restored the Medicaid coverage.

OneWorld staff, however, has been re-energized by other recent events.

Members of the public have donated $20 here, $100 there to help the clinic continue prenatal services to those who lost them.

A group of churches is organizing a June 13 fundraising concert. The Nebraska Association of Social Workers also is raising money.

“It can be disheartening, so you've got to find constructive channels to be part of the solution,” said the Rev. Howard Dotson of Westminster Presbyterian Church, who is helping coordinate the concert.

Fremont Suspends New Law

Fremont suspends new law
By Cindy Gonzalez
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER


FREMONT, Neb. - The Fremont City Council voted Tuesday night to suspend its controversial immigration ordinance until lawsuits challenging it are resolved.

No council debate or sparks preceded the 8-0 vote that took place before a packed council chamber holding about 80 spectators. Several police officers were stationed at entrances.

Council President Scott Getzschman said the decision does not mean the council is disregarding the results of the June 21 public vote to ban the housing and hiring of illegal immigrants in the city.

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Rather, he said, the council is anticipating a court order to temporarily block enforcement of the law anyway. He said suspending the ordinance could hold down legal fees.

“Truly, the temporary restraining order was imminent,” Getzschman said after the vote. “We were advised that if we actually suspend the ordinance ahead of those legal proceedings, we’d have an opportunity to possibly reduce costs.”

When pressed on how much might be saved, he said, “Costs are costs, and it’s saving money we don’t have.”

If the experience of other cities facing similar legal challenges is any indication, the Fremont ordinance that was to take effect Thursday now could be up in the air for years.

The cities of Hazleton, Pa., and Farmers Branch, Texas, both adopted similar ordinances. Their laws have yet to be enforced because they’ve been in costly court battles for four years.

Pointing to Hazleton and Farmers Branch, Fremont officials have estimated that it would cost taxpayers up to $1 million a year to defend the law. They said the city would have to spend $200,000 annually to cover the staffing to enforce it.

Two civil rights organizations the American Civil Liberties Union and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) have filed federal lawsuits against the Fremont law.

The groups say the ordinance usurps the federal government’s authority to make immigration laws and discriminates against Latinos and renters.

But supporters of the law say it is needed because the government has been lax and selective on immigration enforcement.

While several people testified against suspending the ordinance, even a man who led the petition drive in favor of the measure urged the council to delay implementing it.

“We should delay it and get it done the right way,” said John Weigert.

He noted that Kansas City attorney Kris Kobach, who helped draft the Fremont ordinance and the Arizona immigration law, had recommended suspension as well.

Kobach told The World-Herald earlier that a delay would save money and some legal maneuvering. It also would allow the court to move more swiftly to a judgment on the full merits of the case.

Terry Flanagan of Fremont told the council that it should not ignore the voters’ wishes.

“We put you in charge of the store,” he said. “But you don’t own the store.”

As the Fremont ordinance is written, every potential renter must give personal information and $5 to the Police Department to obtain an occupancy license.

Police then would submit information on noncitizens to the federal government or check federal databases themselves.

If a renter’s legal status is found to be in question, the landlord is notified. If not remedied in two months, the occupancy license would be revoked.

Employers would be required to check the immigration status of applicants by using E-Verify, an electronic verification system.

Despite the City Council’s decision, attorneys say a hearing Wednesday in federal court to temporarily block enforcement of the ordinance was still on.

Shirley Mora James, a Lincoln attorney who is co-counsel of MALDEF, said the group can’t be assured that the Fremont council won’t vote later to implement the ordinance.

“They could pass a resolution next week to change their mind,” said Mora James.

The ordinance has divided this town of 25,000 west of Omaha ever since the City Council first considered the measure two years ago.

After the council’s vote, a group of about 20 people led by an Omaha Presbyterian minister and a police escort walked 11⁄4 miles to a trailer park inhabited by mostly Latino residents. They delivered roses of “compassion and solidarity.”

The Rev. Howard Dotson said he had learned of a few incidents of alleged harassment since the ordinance was approved by voters. He said a house was shot at by a BB gun. Someone knocked on another Latino resident’s door and said they were not welcome in town.

“This is ground zero for anti-immigrant sentiment in Nebraska,” Dotson said.

Arizona law hinders safety

Midlands Voices: Arizona law hinders safety
By The Rev. Howard Dotson

The writer, of Omaha, is faith community liaison for Equality Nebraska.

Some people may wonder why I, as an urban Presbyterian minister, am so opposed to the Arizona immigration enforcement legislation possibly coming to Nebraska.

Over these past five years, I have seen the urban violence that gang members have afflicted on many of my Latino brothers and sisters — shell casings, crime tape and caskets.

As urban churches, we seek to preserve public safety in our communities by fostering good community relations between our neighbors and law enforcement. This Arizona law threatens to compromise this relationship.

When people are too afraid to interact with the police, the gang members in our midst will use this to their advantage. Gangs will feel emboldened to act with impunity. They will prey on my Latino brothers and sisters who live in the shadows.

Even in Los Angeles, which is officially a sanctuary city, the LAPD struggles to foster good community policing relations with its Latino residents.

On one fateful night in L.A. in September 2008, blocks from the church I was serving, an 18th Street gang member wanted to make a lesson out of a street vendor who refused to pay his rent to the gang. Shots rang out and baby Garcia, a 23-day-old infant, was struck and killed by a stray bullet as he rested in his stroller.

To date, this remains my most difficult days in ministry: Walking his tiny casket down the church aisle as a pallbearer. Holding up his mother, Daniella, at the grave site as she convulsed with sobs of grief.

I stand opposed to this Arizona immigration enforcement law as part of our legacy to preserve the memory of this precious baby I buried. The tears of these bereaved Latino moms are what drive me to stop this Arizona law from coming to Nebraska.

Many Latinos have moved to Omaha from Los Angeles seeking better lives for their children. How tragic it would be if this same violence that we saw in Los Angeles came to the streets of Omaha.

Community policing is our best measure of crime prevention. We need for there to be a healthy relationship between our Latino community and law enforcement. This Arizona-style immigration enforcement law will compromise our peacemaking efforts in our streets.

Anything we can do to prevent another mom from having to bury her child is worth our time and effort.

Lake Phalen: Ugly bat attacks raise fear and resolve

Lake Phalen: Ugly bat attacks raise fear and resolve

As police look into the two Lake Phalen beatings, East Siders vow "to take back the park."

By ANTHONY LONETREE, Star Tribune

Last update: August 5, 2008 - 11:06 PM



When the assailants swung their bats, they meant business, aiming for the head in two attacks that occurred three days apart at St. Paul's normally peaceful Lake Phalen.

"Wannabe gangsters" targeted a 49-year-old woman battling cancer -- hoping to live long enough to see her son graduate in two years -- and an 18-year-old man out walking with his wife, police said Tuesday.

Seven people were in custody Tuesday, but no one is charged yet, as investigators from three police units explored possible connections between the assaults -- the second of which occurred Monday night as a vigil was held for the first victim.

"It's not just brazen and cold, it's worse. It's sick," said Sue McCall, a block club coordinator for the city's District 2 Community Council during a National Night Out gathering Tuesday at a Boys and Girls Club near the lake. "You just don't understand that type of behavior."

Charges could be filed today, a spokeswoman for the Ramsey County attorney's office said.

Police spokesman Peter Panos said Tuesday that investigators had yet to determine whether any of the suspects were involved in both assaults.

As the investigation continued, police weighed sending additional patrols to the area and park security officers stepped up their rounds of Lake Phalen.

"Neighbors want to take back the park," said Brad Meyer, a Parks Department spokesman.

Panos said that despite the back-to-back nature of the attacks, police consider the attacks to be "very isolated" incidents.

Safety in a community

At Tuesday's National Night Out event at the Boys Club, Police Chief John Harrington, whose family lives near the lake, said the area is safe.

"The more we're out together as a community, the safer we are," he said.

Earlier, two friends sitting under a tree near where the first attack occurred said they never felt unsafe at Lake Phalen. "It's real cool riding around here," said Sarah Boedigheimer, 18, of St. Paul, whose mountain bike lay in the grass nearby. "Real calming."
But her friend, Shawn Trudeau, 34, also of St. Paul, was a bit unnerved to learn that it was behind that tree where three assailants allegedly hid about 12:30 a.m. Friday, each with a bat. They left the 49-year-old victim, identified only as Tammie, with her hands and left forearm broken, and her left middle finger torn off.

Said Trudeau, "It may be the first and last time I stop at this tree."

Pam McCreary, St. Paul's National Night Out coordinator, said the attack "brought a lot of fear out of people. They're asking, 'What can I do to make this place safer?'"

Exploring gang ties

Just to the south of Lake Phalen, the East Side has witnessed new investment in the form of the Phalen Boulevard transportation and economic development initiative. There is new housing, as well as a new Cub Foods store under construction.

At Arlington Hills Presbyterian Church, people gathered before 7 p.m. Monday, preparing to march from the parking lot to the bent tree where Friday's attack occurred.

Then, sirens wailed.

About that time, a married man and woman, both of them 18, were walking on the east side of the lake, Panos said, when a youth ran by them, with four others chasing him. One pursuer continued on, he said, but the other three stopped and asked the married man whether he was a member of a specific gang.

He told them he wasn't, Panos said, but a fight ensued during which both the man and woman were punched, and a bat raised. The man managed to prevent the bat from striking his head, Panos said, but he was struck on the upper body. The injuries were not serious.

When police sirens sounded, the three suspects ran, and they eventually were nabbed on a path in a nearby wooded area. An aluminum bat was recovered, Panos said.

The remaining four suspects were arrested after witnesses said they believed a white minivan was connected to the incident. That van was stopped about three hours later, and three juveniles and a 22-year-old adult were arrested.

All seven suspects are associated with a gang, Panos said.

Among the witnesses to the second attack was Tammie's sister, who with her four children was headed to the vigil.

The Rev. Howard Dotson, who organized Monday's vigil, said traumatic incidents can either force people inside their homes or "bring them together to be productive."
He's hopeful, he said, that the East Side will be coming together.

At the National Night Out party on the East Side with five of his kids, James White, 50, echoed a similar sentiment.

"We all live here," he said. "We can't be scared."

Staff writers Terry Collins and Tim Harlow contributed to this report. Anthony Lonetree • 651-298-1545

Peacemaking in St Paul (2008-2009)

Another violent attack along the shores of a popular Twin Cities lake



Authorities are investigating the attack of a runner at a popular Twin Cities lake, and whether it's related to other assaults.

The latest attack happened around 6:30 last night. Maplewood police say a woman was running along the west side of Lake Phalen when a man came up from behind and knocked her to the ground.

The suspect began beating the woman, hitting her in the face and grabbing at her clothes. The suspect was eventually scared off when other people walked towards them. Fortunately, the victim was not seriously injured.

The suspect is described as:

•black male
•approximately 5'11"
•170 lbs
He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and jeans.

Authorities want to hear from anyone that may have witnessed anything last night.

Police say they do not have any evidence to connect this attack to other recent assaults along Lake Phalen over the course of several months. Still, they have not completely ruled out a connection.

On March 11th, two attackers kicked and punched a 25-year-old woman who had been jogging and stole her iPod. One week earlier a 45-year-old man was attacked while walking his dog.

Last August, a couple and a woman were assaulted by groups of teens with baseball bats. One of the victim's fingers was severed, and she suffered multiple broken bones in her hands and a wrist.

All of these crimes have motivated a couple community leaders. Rev. Howard Dotson and Larry Simpson are actively trying to organize community walk groups. They say it's critical to keeping the community safe.

"I just worry that folks on the East Side are going to get demoralized and they're going to stay inside, and that's the last thing we want to happen," Dotson said.

The police can't do it all, bless their hearts," Simpson said. "Citizens have to take to the streets, but they have to do it in an effective and safe way."

Simpson and Dotson encourage anyone interested in joining a patrol group to attend a meeting, at 6:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month, at the headquarters of the St. Paul Police Department's Eastern District, located at Payne and Minnehaha Ave..

Meantime, police encourage people to be aware of their surroundings and to consider running or walking with a friend.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Maplewood Police through the Ramsey County Emergency Communications Center at 651-767-0640.