E-Newsletter for December 12, 2006

In this issue:

• Conference Examines Key Partnerships Between Government and Faith Groups
• Some Faith Bills OK’d, Others Fade Away, As Congress Wraps Up
• Digest of Federal Grants with Faith-Based and Community Organization Eligibility
• Digest of Current Faith-Based News Stories

An update from the Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy, an independent research project
of the Rockefeller Institute of Government. The public policy research arm of the State University of New York.

Conference Examines Key Partnerships Between Government and Faith Groups

At its annual conference, held Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C., the Roundtable on Religion and Social
Welfare Policy looked at the status of some key government partnerships with religious groups.
"Partnering with Faith: Assessing Government Alliances with Religious Groups in Key Service
Areas" examined the work of religious charities in substance abuse treatment, abstinence education,
job training, and supplemental educational services. The information supplements the Roundtable's
continuing efforts to provide the latest data on the performance of faith-based social service providers.

The conference kicked off with a perspective of such partnerships from Jay Hein, appointed
Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in August. Hein said
his office and centers within other federal agencies have created a fundamental change in government.

Then the Roundtable's nationally recognized constitutional law experts provided their annual
update on the legal cases affecting relations between church and state. Prison programs,
government chaplaincies, and capacity building grants were among the hot topics.

Then four separate sessions examined particular service areas. Each panel included top government
officials, faith-based social service providers, researchers and skeptics. They discussed such topics as
the important role that religious groups play in these fields, as well as the need for proper oversight
and training to improve faith-based organizations' performance.

Below you'll find links to the conference program, stories on the sessions and session transcripts.

For more information on the comparative effectiveness of faith-based social services,
click here for the Roundtable's resource page on that topic.

Conference Program:

Click here for a copy of the conference program schedule, including an overview of the sessions.

Conference News Coverage:

• New Faith-Based Director Sees Fundamental Change in Government

  Six years after President George W. Bush called for an increased role for religious organizations in
  providing government-funded services, the President's new director of that effort spoke last week in
  Washington, D.C. about the past, present and future of the initiative and its role in civil society. "On
  numerous objective measures one thing is abundantly clear - the federal government has been
  fundamentally changed as a result of this initiative," said Jay Hein, director of the White House
  Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, established by the President in 2001. In an
  overview of the initiative, Hein described the "pioneering work" that departs from the historical
  agendas of previous presidents both in scope and the larger role of religion in the public square.

  Click here to read more by Roundtable Washington Correspondent Anne Farris.
  .

• Faith-Based Initiative Stirs Major Court Controversies in 2006

  President George W. Bush's Faith-Based and Community Initiative continues to face legal challenges
  nearly six years after the program was instituted to increase the social service work provided by
  religious groups in partnership with government. The most significant cases in 2006 were those
  concerning prison programs, government chaplaincies, and capacity building grants to help faith-
  based organizations increase their ability to attract and manage funding through government
  contracts and other sources, according to a report released last week by the Roundtable on Religion
  and Social Welfare Policy. The annual "State of the Law" report was authored by the Roundtable's
  co-directors of legal research, George Washington University law professors Ira C. Lupu and Robert
  W. Tuttle, who presented the findings Dec. 5 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

  Click here to read more by Roundtable Correspondent Anne Farris.

  Click here to download the report.

  Click here for the news release on the report.
   

• Faith-Based Organizations Serve Important Role, But Need Guidance

  Private religious charities can play a vital role in providing services to the needy - even when
  taxpayers foot the bill - but they need guidance and supervision to ensure they operate with
  competence and within the law. That was the conclusion that seemed to emerge from a Dec. 5
  conference hosted by the Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy and focusing on
  partnerships between government and religious charities. Even the "skeptics" of such alliances - or
  at least those voicing caution - agreed that faith-based organizations should be eligible to receive
  government money for providing social services. Religious groups, conference panelists said, often fill
  a social service niche unmet by other providers, provide a supportive community environment, and
  can support service recipients in a holistic way - expanding the need for employment, for instance, to
  include personal supports. But, most panelists agreed, there also need to be limits on what faith-
  based organizations are allowed to do, as well as guidance about and enforcement of those
  restrictions. When there was disagreement - in one instance, when sparks flew - it was over the
  extent to which that guidance and oversight needs to be more rigorous.

  Click here to read more by Roundtable Correspondents Claire Hughes and Anne Farris.

Conference Transcripts:

Welcome, Opening Remarks & Opening Plenary Session: "State of the Initiative, State of the Law"
Click here to download the transcript (PDF document).

Morning Plenary Session: "Saving them from Addiction? Faith-Based Organizations and Substance Abuse Treatment"
Click here to download the transcript (PDF document).

Luncheon Program: "Pre-Wedding Vows to Say No: Faith-Based Organizations and
Abstinence Education"
Click here to download the transcript (PDF document).

First Afternoon Plenary Session: "When Career Skills Alone Fail to do the Job: Faith-Based Organizations
and Employment Services"
Click here to download the transcript (PDF document).

Second Afternoon Plenary Session: "Teaching with a Mission: Faith-Based Organizations and Supplemental
Educational Services" and Closing Reflections
Click here to download the transcript (PDF document).

New! Some Faith Bills OK'd, Others Fade Away, As Congress Wraps Up

Congress ended its 109th session Dec. 9 by passing several bills that relate to faith-based organizations,
including a wide-ranging $51 billion tax, trade and health care bill with provisions of interest to religious
groups active in social services. The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 was introduced in the final
week of the session and passed by both the House and Senate within a matter of days. The massive, catchall
bill included an extension of grants and payments for sexual abstinence education programs, an expansion
of eligibility for students receiving school vouchers in the District of Columbia, and tax incentives for
hiring current welfare recipients.

Congress also sent to the President to be signed into law: The Sober Truth on Preventing Underage
Drinking Act, the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act, and the Ryan White
HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act.

Click here to read more by Roundtable Washington Correspondent Anne Farris.

Weekly Digest of Federal Grants with Faith-Based and Community
Organization Eligibility

The grant opportunities this week for community and faith-based organizations are through
programs administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department
of Justice, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Potential applicants should be aware that some grant programs may require specific technical
expertise, or experience with particular foreign countries.

Click here for the grant digest, compiled by Roundtable Correspondent Allison Sarnoff
with Lisa Montiel.

Roundtable Digest of Current Faith-Based News Stories

Pentagon looking into generals' video promotion of Christian group
AFP

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5694

Megachurches Migrating to Charles; Boom Mirrors Population Growth
The Washington Post

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5698

Homework club helps Hispanic kids
Indianapolis Star (Indiana)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5699

Kids' Club author inspires at-risk youngsters to excel
Spartansburg Herald Journal (South Carolina)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5700

Verdict due on online schools STATE AUDIT REPORT
Some fear that problems at Hope Academy will result in bias and hurt all such schools. Others want more oversight.
The Denver Post

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5697

Agency to revive program publicity Service workers aid poor students
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5701

Lawyers requesting UGA change policy for student groups
Athens Banner Herald (Georgia)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5695

Inquiry Sought Over Evangelical Video;
Defense Department Asked to Examine Officers' Acts Supporting Christian Group
The Washington Post

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5675

Center aids young mothers; Ultrasounds, other services offered for free
The Daily Democrat (California)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5676

Leading the way home; Sister of Mercy works with business executives to house the poor
Des Moines Register

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5677

Auditor blasts online schools
Denver Post

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5678

USDA Awards Nearly $1 Million in Food Stamp Outreach Grants to Faith-Based and Community Organizations
United States Department of Agriculture

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5679

Senate Passes Hunger Free Communities Act
Muncie Free Press (Indiana)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5673

Kansas Sen. Brownback Weighs Presidential Bid
National Public Radio (NPR)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5674

Shelter exec sets record straight
Star Telegram (Texas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5688

Federal lawsuit against county is in discovery phase
The Daily and Sunday Review (Tonawanda, Pennsylvania)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5680

State officials pitch new ideas in budget requests
The Associated Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5690

Religion for Captive Audience, With Taxpayers Footing the Bill
The New York Times

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5681

Prison Fellowship Appeal Could Have Impact on Other FaithBased Programs
WDC Media News

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5682

"Should Federal Funds Aid The Faith Based Initiative?"
WKRN.Com (Nashville, Tennessee)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5683

Nixed sex-ed assembly still making waves
The Union Democrat (California)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5684

Presidential Candidate Stays in the Pen
The Associated Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5685

United in embracing differences; Women go beyond faith for common good
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5686

CRIME; Using all the tools available
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5687

More free clinics open doors
The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5689

Minister acknowledges shelter violates city ordinance
The Associated Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5668

Orlando, 3 counties invite homeless to 'one-stop shop'
Orlando Sentinel (Florida)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5669

Speaker identifies leadership role for fathers
Catholic Explorer

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5670

Drop-Outs Flock to Private High School; Crossings Set to Expand
WNDU (Indiana)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5671

Locals provide aid to hurricane victims
The Cannon Falls Beacon (Minnesota)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5672

Mentoring program helps children of jailed adults
Northwest Explorer News (Arizona)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5654

New tack on teen justice: a push away from prisons;
Illinois leads a wave of states focusing on rehabilitation as a cure for the high number of repeat offenders and costly jails.
The Christian Science Monitor

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5666

Legal wrangling dogs faith-based initiatives
UPI

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5696

Conference, report highlight ongoing legal wrangling over faith programs
Associated Baptist Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5667

Inmates work to create halfway house for other inmates;
Facility to help those leaving prison, overcoming drug abuse
The Shreveport Times (Louisiana)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5651

An affordable answer arises; Church, housing group score HUD grant
The Lake Oswego Review (Oregon)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5652

Churches Make Space to Shelter the Homeless;
Joint Effort Offers Beds and Help With Multiple Social Problems
The Washington Post

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5653

Christian frat sues UGA, claiming discrimination
The Associated Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5661

Faith at work is no longer a taboo subject
Newswise

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5646

Ministry Leader DOJ Findings Show Need for FaithBased Prison Programs
USA Religious News

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5647

RNS Daily Digest
Religion News Service

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5648

Giving Back; Woman happy to help others;
Carolyn Jacobs lends her hand to church and community projects.
Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5655

Loudoun County coalition presses for shelter for homeless
The Washington Post

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5656

RNS Weekly Digest - Humanists File Suit to Stop Voting in Churches
Religion News Service

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5662

Wisconsin-area group contests Bush initiatives
Badger Herald-University Wire

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5663

Inquiry Begins On Hart Program; Aids Prevention Classes Targeted
The Daily News of Los Angeles

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5664

Daily Bread group offers food and more
San Antonio Express-News (Texas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5657

Cold Snap Keeps Shelters Full; Groups Asked To Expand Facilities' Capacity
Monterey County Herald (California)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5658

Ministry renews lives; Local program presents successes to Loris church
The Myrtle Beach Sun-News (South Carolina)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5659

Drug, alcohol addicts make a 'Fresh Start'
The News-Star (Monroe, Louisiana)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5660

Democrats inspect faith-based initiative 2 call for probe to determine use of taxes
The Boston Globe

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5649

Outreach Group Brings Churches Together; Uniting To Fight Aids In Africa
The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5650

Supreme Court to Hear Case Related to Faith-based Initiative
Religion News Service

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/newsletters/article.cfm?id=5665

Weekly Opinion Roundup -12/12/2006
The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/12-12-2006_opinion_roundup.cfm