Network News
FEBRUARY 2021 - I
NEWS & UPDATES
2021 NJHSA VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
Responsive. Resilient. Reimagining Together!
VOICES OF OUR CITY CHOIR - Closing Plenary

SUBMIT AN AWARD (2/26 deadline)

Participate in a premium designed, interactive virtual experience that provides lots of opportunities for you to connect with other attendees in small break out rooms, in chats, and throughout the conference around topics of importance to the Jewish human service sector. Together, we are always better.
We can’t wait to come together in 2021! 
NJHSA Receives Funds for
Older Adult Care Isolation

NJHSA is proud to announce a grant from The JFNA Center for Aging and Trauma. With funding support from the US Administration for Community Living (ACL), the JFNA Center on Aging and Trauma has allocated grants to provide person-centered trauma-informed services for older adults in need. Launched in 2020 to support 300 isolated Holocaust Survivors, the NJHSA program will be expanded with this new grant in 2021 to serve over 800 older adults with a history of trauma. Read the entire press release.
Internal Inventory of Mental Health & Wellness Services Supporting Children, Adolescents Young Adults and their Parents

NJHSA in partnership with the Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Funder Collaborative and JFNA, is leading the Resiliency Roundtable initiative to bridge the gap between Jewish education and engagement work and to address the mental health and wellness needs of the Jewish community. This project plans to train up to 1,000 professionals who engage with Jewish youth (ages 12-22), so that they are more aware of mental health concerns and are better able to connect individuals and families to needed services. Learn more here.
Welcome New Member Cleveland Chesed Center

Please welcome Cleveland Chesed Center to the Network! The Cleveland Chesed Center, a joint project of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and private philanthropists, in partnership with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, assists individuals and families in the Jewish community with food, clothing and many of their household needs. Cleveland Chesed Center relies on donations from the community to keep their ship running. Thanks to their donors, they are able to make the lives of neighbors, teachers, and friends who are struggling just that much easier! Learn more here.

Non Profit Technology Readiness Cohort Application Closes on February 10th

Nonprofit Technology Readiness (NTR) is a six-month cohort program from NTEN, a nonprofit focused on the strategic and racially equitable use of technology. This NTR cohort will include 20 Network member agency staff from any department who want to gain new skills, build capacity for their team and organization, and receive dedicated coaching on their most urgent technology needs. The NTR cohort for the Network will focus specifically on organizations who are navigating the plans and implementation for virtual service and program delivery.
There is no cost to apply or participate. Learn more here.
A Study of US Leaders in Jewish Life Today

NJHSA is pleased to invite CEO’s and Board Chairs of NJHSA US member agencies to join with other leaders of US Jewish organizations to participate in a new study of leaders in Jewish life today.

The study asks several key questions: Who are today's leaders – both lay and professional? How were they educated and how did Jewish education play a role in making them the leaders they are today?

The study also seeks to understand the role of non-Jewish professional and lay leaders. Learn more here.
2021 Leading Edge Employee
Experience Survey

NJHSA is excited to invite North American agencies to participate in the 2021 Leading Edge Employee Experience Survey, which will be offered at the end of April 2021. Learn more here. The purpose of the survey is to give you insight into your employees' experiences at work, and to provide you with information and tools to help your agency become an even better place to work. The survey focuses on a wide range of topics including employee experience with their teams, leadership, and internal communication, among others. You will receive access to detailed reports that fully protect the confidentiality of your employees while revealing important themes about your workplace culture.
The HR Implications of the COVID Vaccine
Hosted by the NJHSA Human Resources Affinity Group
February 9th | 12pm ET
Participate in a webinar presented by Anita Patton, Director, Human Resources, C&A Benefits Group.
  • Are employers able to mandate that staff take the vaccine?
  • What policies should employers consider?
  • How can employers support those employees who choose to not take the vaccine?
People with Disabilities at Work
February 10th | 1:30pm ET
A Resource Guide to Achieving Economic Independence and Inclusion Through Employment and Entrepreneurship

Please join RespectAbility as they roll out their newest, comprehensive employment resource. Developed by Ollie Cantos, People with Disabilities at Work is a brand-new resource to support the aspirations and accomplishments of students with disabilities, jobseekers, entrepreneurs with disabilities, and their families. Learn more and register here.
NETWORK CALENDAR

View the NJHSA Calendar for a complete list of calls and webinars.

Visit the Calls & Webinars page in the Members Only section for registration links.

All presentations are recorded. Video and audio recordings as well as presentations and additional resources can be found on in the Resource Library in the Members Only section.
MEMBER AGENCY OFFERINGS
What does inclusion mean, and what does a truly inclusive community look like? Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and Jewish Residential Services on February 24th at 5:30pm for an inspirational online conversation with longtime national disability advocacy and inclusion expert Matan Koch from RespectAbility. Learn more here.
In Celebration of JDAIM 2021, Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month, the Cummings Centre is proud to present two Free Musical programs that will get you moving and grooving this February. Learn more here.
Jewish Family Service of Houston is hosting a Corporate DEI event pre-ReelAbilities Festival called ReelWorkplace. It's designed to focus on Disability Inclusion, but will probably touch on all aspects. Learn more here
Disability Pride vs. Disability Fix
Join Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley on February 28th for a moderated panel discussion on pride vs, fix. How is the rise of the disability pride culture shifting the prevailing norms away from the cured focused model? This discussion will be moderated by a representative of the disability community and feature two people with disabilities: one a bioethicist, and one a disability advocate. The discussion will cover a wide range of thought-provoking topics. Learn more and register here.
Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis’ Jewish Inclusion Program will host a virtual screening of the documentary, “Living Art” at 3 p.m. CST Sunday, Feb. 21, in honor of Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). Learn more here.
Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service invites community members to attend a free virtual workshop from the Melvin J. & Claire Levine LifePlanning® program about how assistive technology can facilitate daily life across the lifespan, including school work and home, on February 24th at 2pm. Learn more here.
As a trusted partner of the Zero Project – an Austrian-based organization researching and sharing innovative practices and policies from across the globe - Israel Elwyn is thrilled to be hosting a session within their annual virtual conference (#ZeroCon21) on February 11th, 2021. Join them for an exciting panel discussion on “Zooming-in” on Employers During Changing Environments with their partners. Learn more here.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Working for a Jewish human service agency is a highly rewarding career.

A listing of open positions at member agencies can be found HERE.

Member agencies are welcome to post career opportunities with the Network as a benefit of membership. Positions will be posted for 90 days.
Want to post your available jobs on CareerHubs too? Learn more here.

Non-members may post positions for 60 days for a fee. Contact Megan Manelli for more information.
ADVOCACY
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Medicaid Relief for States Expanded by the Biden Administration
Just three days after taking office, the Biden Administration issued a letter to Governors expanding the Public Health Emergency designation from a 90 day interval (initially set to expire on April 20th) to December 31, 2021. This means that Medicaid will keep its 6.2% FMAP increase to states until the end of the calendar year and play a key role in stabilizing state budget planning for the first half of Fiscal Year 2022. Learn more here.
2021 Special Marketplace Enrollment Period in Response to the COVID-19 Emergency

In accordance with the Executive Order issued by President Biden, the Department announced a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for individuals and families for Marketplace coverage in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which has left millions of Americans facing uncertainty and exceptional circumstances while millions of Americans have experienced new health problems during the pandemic. Learn more here.
An Introduction to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program for Faith-Based Organizations
February 11th | 3pm EST

Next week, JFNA and the Secure Community Network will be holding a webinar intended for the whole faith-based community, and specifically for those organizations that have never applied for the NSGP or that have limited experience doing so. The webinar is designed to provide a basic introduction and overview of the NSGP and what is required to apply. Learn more here.
Jewish Disability Advocacy Month
Jewish Disability Advocacy Month starts this week and in addition to the incredible lineup of educational programs, we want to draw your attention to three special networking opportunities. Join us and NJHSA Member RespectAbility for a series of convenings for advocates throughout North America. Learn more here. Sign up.
Latta: Bipartisan TREAT Act Removes Barriers to Fully Fight COVID-19
Congressman Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green, and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI12), both members of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, along with Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) re-introduced legislation that allows any health care professional in good standing with a valid practitioners’ license to render services— including telehealth — anywhere for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. Read the entire article here.
NETWORK AFFINITY GROUPS

Join NJHSA’s Member Agency ONLY affinity groups. There are more than 20 professional groups that meet over Zoom video conferencing where participants have the opportunity to connect, learn, share and support each other. Whether it be to resolve specific agency challenges or define larger Network projects, the affinity groups bring like professionals together on a regular basis.

Contact Lisa Loraine Smith, to learn more about the groups or visit the Affinity & Facebook Groups page in the Members Only section of the NJHSA website.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Special Hope Foundation
Adults with developmental disabilities

The Foundation was created to provide financial support to organizations that promote the establishment of comprehensive health care for adults with developmental disabilities designed to address their unique and fundamental needs. Award max.: $40,000
Upcoming grant cycles: March 1, 2021; July 1, 2021; November 1, 2021. Deadline: Open
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects Program: Employment of Individuals with Disabilities (Development)

The purpose of Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) is to plan and conduct research, demonstration projects, training, and related activities, including international activities, to develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities, especially individuals with the most severe disabilities. Deadline: 29 March 2021. More information.
Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies | networkjhsa.org | 201.977.2400