麻州一華人被控破壞軍隊安全罰監禁6個月

（Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導）麻州聯邦檢察官五日公佈，曾在中國人民解放軍部隊服務Westfield居民陳偉，安檢時說謊，損壞了美國陸軍的電腦，罰居家監禁6個月，緩刑五年，罰款8,000元。

62歲的陳偉在2015年12月時承認犯罪，做了不實申報，損壞了一部美國陸軍電腦。春田市聯邦法官 Mark G. Mastroianni 判他居家監禁6個月，緩刑五年，罰款8,000元。

陳偉移民來美，並於2006年入籍成為公民之前，在中國人民解放軍服務。2010年中，他向一個國防部合約商申請必須取得機密級安全檢查的電腦系統管理員工作。為得到這安全檢查資格，他填了一份表，聲稱他了解填報不實會被罰入獄。但是他在填寫表格上有關他是否曾在外國的軍隊中服務這問題時，他虛假的填了“沒有”。陳偉在表格上撒謊，因為他相信如果如實回答，會減少他取得為國防部作合約商所需安全檢查資格的機會。

填交有不實資訊的表格後，陳偉獲得了有機密級別的安全檢查資格，並被派到美國陸軍設在科威特的Buehring營，做系統管理員。

2013年6月15及16日，陳偉把他自己的拇指大小閃碟，連到Buehring營李和陸軍未列為機密的網路連接起來，然後做了掩飾及隱藏違反安全行為的動作。尤其是他清除了拇指大小閃碟連接到網路伺服器的紀錄。他還從屬於他那機密級別的電腦上，整理出一疊包括存下來的電子郵件，文件等電腦檔案，轉存到他的拇指大小閃碟上。

 美國聯邦檢察官歐提姿（Carmen M. Ortiz），聯邦調查局總管波士頓組的特別探員 Harold H. Shaw，以及波士頓戶外組，以及美國陸軍刑事犯調查指揮部電腦犯罪調查主任Daniel Andrews等人一起宣佈了這一起訴案件結果。此案是由美國助理檢察官 Adam Bookbinder ，以及歐提姿的刑事犯小組成員 B. Stephanie Siegmann 一起檢控的。

FORMER ARMY CONTRACTOR SENTENCED FOR

MAKING FALSE STATEMENT AND DAMAGING COMPUTER SYSTEMS

 

        BOSTON – A Westfield resident who previously served in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Springfield for lying on his security clearance form and damaging U.S. Army computers.

 

Wei Chen, 62, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to six months of home confinement, five years of probation and a fine of $8,000.  In December 2015, he pleaded guilty to making a false statement and damaging a U.S. Army computer. 

 

Prior to immigrating to the United States and becoming a citizen in 2006, Chen served in the People’s Liberation Army.  In 2010, Chen applied for a job as a computer system administrator for a Department of Defense (DOD) contractor, which required him to have a Secret-level security clearance.  To obtain that clearance, Chen completed a questionnaire on which he certified that he understood that a false statement could be punished by imprisonment.  Nonetheless, in response to the form’s question about whether he had ever served in a foreign country’s military, Chen falsely answered, “no.”  Chen lied on this form because he believed that a truthful answer would reduce his chances of receiving the security clearance he needed to work as a DOD contractor.  After submitting the form with false information, Chen received a secret level security clearance and was assigned to work for the U.S. Army as a system administrator at Camp Buehring in Kuwait. 

 

        On June 15 and 16, 2013, Chen connected one or more of his own thumb drives to computers at Camp Buehring that were connected to the Army’s unclassified network and the classified Secret-level network.  Chen then made an effort to cover his tracks and hide his security violation.  Specifically, he cleared network logs on the server that would have documented the connection of the thumb drive to the network server.  Chen also copied a computer file, containing saved e-mail and documents, from his Secret-level workstation onto his thumb drive.

 

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Daniel Andrews, Director of the Computer Crime Investigative Unit of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, made the announcement.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Bookbinder and B. Stephanie Siegmann of Ortiz’s Criminal Division.

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR WALSH AND MARK MILES, CEO OF INDYCAR'S PARENT COMPANY, HULMAN & COMPANY

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR WALSH AND MARK MILES, CEO OF INDYCAR'S PARENT COMPANY, HULMAN & COMPANY

BOSTON - Thursday, May 5, 2016 - Below is a joint statement from Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Mark Miles, CEO of IndyCar's parent company, Hulman & Company: "Boston has an open door for new and innovative ideas that will benefit the city's future. While it is disappointing that IndyCar will not race in Boston this year, we look forward to continuing our work together to bring IndyCar to Boston in the future. Boston has always been a great partner for IndyCar and we are confident that with a strong local promoter the race can be a great success."

新英格蘭中文教師網 5/14 辦研討會

The New England Chinese Language Teacher Network Seminar

On Saturday, May 14, 2016, the China Program Center and theConfucius Institute at UMass Boston will host the 29th New England Chinese Language Teacher Network Seminar in collaboration withSTARTALK Programs at UMass Boston, CLASS (Chinese Language Association for Secondary-Elementary Schools), and the Fulbright-Hays Chinese Culture Enrichment Program.

The 2016 Spring seminar theme: Recent Accomplishments in Teaching Strategies for Mandarin will report on up-to-date national advancements in the teaching of Chinese language. Presenters will provide numerous examples of delivering instruction to meet the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages. Strategies and materials from Confucius Institute and STARTALK supported programs, and practical classroom application will be shared.

The second focus: Exploring Student-Centered Instruction and Classroom Management Using Technology will continue to emphasize the themes of The China Center’s 2016 programs of integrating technology and assisting Mandarin instructors to produce a student-centered learning environment by employing strategies to shift the focus of instruction from teacher to student.

Conference Agenda

Time	Event
9:00-9:15am	Check-in Registration
9:15-9:30am	Recent Accomplishments in Teaching Strategies for Mandarin Director’s Welcome Wanli Hu, PhD, Director, The China Program Center, College of Advancing and Professional Studies
9:30-10:00am	UMass Confucius Professional Development and Resources Baifeng Sun, Director, UMass Boston
10:00-10:45am	Part 1: National Update for the Teaching of Mandarin in the U.S. Yu-lan Lin, PhD, Executive Director, CLASS (Chinese Language Association for Secondary-Elementary Schools) Report on current nnational advancements in the teaching of Chinese, which will provide numerous examples of delivering instruction to meet the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages.
10:45-11:00am	Break
11:00am-12:00pm	Part 2: Classroom Practices: Testimony of Teacher Preparation Wei Li, Chinese Language Teacher, Sharon Public Schools A 2015 Summer Institute participant reports on learning and implementing theories, practice, and preparation
12:00-1:00pm	Lunch (provided)
1:00-3:15pm	Part 3: Exploring Student-Centered Instruction and Classroom Management Using Technology Yu-lan Lin and Yixing (Star) Lew, Chinese language teacher, Newton Public Schools Demonstrating the themes of the 2016 UMass-STARTALK program of integrating technology and assisting Mandarin instructors to produce a student-centered learning environment by employing strategies to shift the focus of instruction from teacher to student.
3:15-3:30pm	Seminar Evaluation and Closing Remarks

三台灣民俗藝師 5/8~13 訪波士頓

台灣民俗藝師到訪波士頓支援文化導覽教學 5/8-13

三名台灣民俗藝師，王宏隆藝師(團長、中華舞獅技藝、創意書法)，鄭秀花藝師(中華傳統

民俗技藝:捏麵人、吸管編)、洪若崴藝師(中華傳統民俗技藝:彩繪獅頭、子指畫人像速寫、客家貼布)將於5/8到5/13，在大波士頓地區支援各中文學校及美國主流學校傳揚中華文化。

新英格蘭中文學校協會將居間協調，有意邀請藝師們訪問的學校，可洽該會會長陳式儀。

藝師們將於 5/7 在波士頓僑教中心參加 牛頓台灣日活動，在現場製作，展售台灣民俗藝術品。

僑教中心地址為 90 Lincoln St. Newton, MA 02461

波士頓公校總監張欽棠就學校內飲水器發表聲明

Statement from Boston Public Schools Superintendent Tommy Chang:

"We are confident that all active water fountains meet state standards and are fine for students and faculty use. All active water fountains were tested in April, and the results have been triple verified by Boston Public Schools, Boston Water & Sewer Commission and a third-party contractor. There is nothing more important than the health and well-being of our students and staff.

Two BPS Facilities Department personnel have been placed on administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation." 

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAMS TO SERVE NEARLY 12,000 BOSTON STUDENTS

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAMS TO SERVE NEARLY 12,000 BOSTON STUDENTS

Reaches City's Ambitious Goal One Year Ahead of Schedule

BOSTON - Thursday,  May 5, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today joined Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Tommy Chang and community leaders today to announce that 11,976 Boston students are expected to participate in data-driven summer learning opportunities this year, nearly doubling the number of students served last year. Last July, Mayor Walsh and Superintendent Chang set an ambitious citywide goal to expand the Boston Summer Learning Community, challenging program leaders to enroll 10,000 school children in 100 summer learning programs by 2017. With the addition of 41 new program sites over recent months, the city is positioned to surpass this goal one year ahead of schedule. "Summer learning creates brighter futures for our young people and helps us build a stronger city," said Mayor Walsh. "The overwhelming response to our challenge proves that our community sees the need and shares our vision for high-quality learning opportunities for all young people. I thank all of the organizations that have stepped up this year to meet our ambitious goals." Research shows that, on average, students lose knowledge and skills over the summer months, and that this phenomenon - known as "summer slide" - has a disproportionate, cumulative effect on low-income youth. The Boston Summer Learning Community was launched in 2010 by Boston After School & Beyond and the Boston Public Schools, with support from the Boston Opportunity Agenda. Last year the initiative served 5,626 school children in 79 summer programs across the city. The Mayor and Superintendent made the announcement at Berklee College of Music, surrounded by representatives from 120 committed summer sites. A new summer partner for this year, Berklee College of Music operates City Music Boston, a renowned after-school and summer program that provides comprehensive music education to 4th through 12th graders in underserved communities. "Summer learning helps slow the summer slide and helps boost critical skills that are needed for college and career success," said Superintendent Chang. "The depth and breadth of these new programs and offerings is truly inspiring and will bring new opportunities for our students to learn year round. Unlike traditional summer school programs offered exclusively in school facilities, the Boston Summer Learning Community immerses young people in new, exciting, local environments - such as natural preservations, the Harbor Islands, college campuses, and workplaces - with an explicit focus on building skills in addition to academic content. Other new program sites for 2016 include Mass Audubon's Boston Nature Center, Northeastern University's Bridge to Calculus program, and St. Stephen's Youth Programs in the South End. The Boston Summer Learning Community will support specific groups of students, including English language learners, recent immigrants, off-track high school students, youth assigned to mandatory summer school and rising 9th graders. A subset of these programs will participate in the Superintendent's "5th quarter" initiative - an effort to align summer learning to school-year priorities and to strengthen students' college and career readiness skills.  "The Mayor and Superintendent deserve enormous credit for setting this ambitious goal and drawing in the right partners to make this a huge success," said Chris Smith, executive director of Boston After School & Beyond. "Boston has become a model for the state in prioritizing summer learning and our students will see the results." This landmark announcement comes on the heels of recent statewide legislation and rigorous research that shows that high quality summer learning programs can improve student outcomes. In March the Joint Committee on Education reported favorably on H.4033 - An Act to increase access to high quality summer learning opportunities. At the committee hearing, education and municipal leaders from around the state - including Mayor Walsh, New Bedford Schools Superintendent Pia Durkin, and former Education Secretary Paul Reville - advocated for favorable consideration of this bill. Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty and Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll also submitted written testimony in support of the legislation. Aiming to close the persistent achievement and opportunity gaps across the state, this bold new legislation would establish a pilot grant program to expand research-based summer learning in districts across the Commonwealth with high concentrations of low-income students.

Allurion Technologies’ Elipse™ Intragastric Balloon Receives Prestigious SAGES Innovation Award

Allurion Technologies’ Elipse^™ Intragastric Balloon Receives
Prestigious SAGES Innovation Award

New Weight Loss Device Now Available in the United Kingdom, Italy and France

Wellesley, MA, USA, May 5, 2016 -- Allurion Technologies announced today that its flagship product, Elipse, has received the prestigious Emerging Technology Innovation Award from the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES).  Elipse is the world’s first procedureless™ intragastric balloon:  it is placed and removed without surgery, endoscopy or anesthesia.  It is the first intragastric balloon to receive this award.  Elipse received European Union CE marking in late 2015 and is now available at leading weight loss centers in the United Kingdom, Italy and France.  Plans for commercial expansion within Europe and in the Middle East are underway.  Elipse is not yet approved by the FDA and is not available in the United States.

Elipse was one of 13 technologies chosen to present to an expert panel of gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgeons.  The panel voted Elipse the top emerging technology of SAGES 2016 following a presentation by Allurion Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Shantanu Gaur.  “We are honored that our novel approach to weight loss has been recognized by the physicians of SAGES,” said Dr. Gaur.  “This award adds to our momentum as we expand awareness of Elipse among physicians and consumers.”

"The medical community has been looking for innovative tools like Elipse to aid in the fight against overweight and obesity” said Jonathan Wecker, Chief Executive Officer of Allurion.  “Without the cost and invasiveness of surgery, endoscopy and anesthesia, this new option vastly expands access to intragastric balloons.”

Allurion Co-Founder and President Dr. Samuel Levy added that “physicians and consumers involved in our initial European launch have been extremely pleased, and we look forward to continued success as Elipse is rolled out to new weight loss centers and new geographies."

About Elipse

Elipse is a procedureless intragastric balloon:  it is placed and removed without surgery, endoscopy or anesthesia.  It is offered by physicians in conjunction with a medically supervised weight loss program.  The Elipse balloon is made of a thin, flexible polymer film.  The device is swallowed in a capsule and filled with liquid through a thin delivery catheter, which is then detached.  Elipse remains in the stomach for approximately four months after which the balloon opens, allowing it to empty and pass naturally from the body.  A clinical study of Elipse in individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 27 and 40 showed an average weight loss of 10 kilograms (22 pounds), with participants losing 39 percent of their excess weight and eight centimeters from their waist circumference.  Participants also saw improvements in their triglycerides, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and quality of life.  Learn more and see an animation of Elipse in action here.

About Allurion Technologies

Allurion Technologies is dedicated to developing less invasive treatments for overweight and obese individuals. The company's flagship product, Elipse, is an intragastric balloon that resides in the stomach, enabling weight reduction.  Allurion is funded by private investors and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.  Learn more about Elipse and Allurion online at www.allurion.com or on Twitter @alluriontech.

Statement by the President on Holocaust Remembrance Day

Statement by the President on Holocaust Remembrance Day

Today, on Yom HaShoah, we solemnly remember the six million Jews and the millions of others murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

On this day, we honor the memory of the millions of individuals - the mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, friends and neighbors - who lost their lives during a time of unparalleled depravity and inhumanity. We reaffirm our ongoing responsibility as citizens and as a nation to live out the admonition, "Never forget. Never again." And we commit ourselves to preserving the memories of those who lived through the horrors of the Shoah, so that their experiences are not forgotten by our generation or by our children or grandchildren.

We also honor those who survived the Holocaust, many of them spared from death because of the righteous individuals who risked their lives to save Jews and other victims from Nazi persecution. The stories of these survivors and their protectors remind us to confront persecution wherever it arises, and that silence can be an accomplice to evil. They remind us of our duty to counter the rising tide of anti-Semitism, bigotry and hatred that threaten the values we hold dear-pluralism, diversity, and the freedoms of religion and expression.

Today, and every day, we stand in solidarity with the Jewish community both at home and abroad. We stand with those who are leaving the European cities where they have lived for generations because they no longer feel safe, with the members of institutions that have been attacked because of their Jewish affiliations, and with the college students forced to confront swastikas appearing on their campuses. And we call upon all people of good will to be vigilant and vocal against every form of bigotry.

When we recognize our interconnectedness and the fundamental dignity and equality of every human being, we help to build a world that is more accepting, secure and free. This is the best way to honor the legacy we recognize on Yom HaShoah and to fulfill our responsibilities to repair our world from generation to generation.

SALEM MAN CHARGED IN HOME DEPOT FRAUD SCAM

SALEM MAN CHARGED IN HOME DEPOT FRAUD SCAM

 

BOSTON – A Salem man was charged today in U.S. District Court in Boston with a scheme to defraud Home Depot of over $35,000.

 

Robert Dooley, 56, of Salem, Mass., was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of wire fraud.  He was arrested this morning and will appear before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Jennifer C. Boal at 2:15 p.m.

 

The complaint alleges that between January 2016 and February 2016, Dooley engaged in a scheme to defraud Home Depot by “returning” items he never purchased from the store to receive store credit.  On each occasion, Dooley, entered Home Depot stores empty handed and gathered merchandise totaling $500 to $900.  At the returns desk, Dooley falsely claimed that he previously purchased the items, but did not have a receipt.  When he provided this driver’s license number to the clerk, Dooley often varied the number so the “return” would not immediately be detected as fraudulent.  Dooley was then issued a Home Depot card for the fraudulent return.  According to the complaint, Dooley perpetrated the scam over forty times at Home Depots stores in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Maine, racking up over $35,000 in fraudulent returns.

 

In 2007, Dooley was convicted of federal wire fraud charges arising out of a nearly identical scheme in which he defrauded Home Depot in excess of $330,000 from July 2004 through October 2005.  In that case, he was sentenced to five years in federal prison. 

 

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

 

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Ortiz’s Public Corruption Unit.

HUD MAKES MORE THAN $37 MILLION AVAILABLE TO FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION

HUD MAKES MORE THAN $37 MILLION AVAILABLE TO FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION

Grants to support fair housing testing, education, enforcement activities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it is making $37.3 million available to fight housing discrimination under HUD's 2016 Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) Notice of Funding Availability(NOFA). This year's three funding notices support a variety of important fair housing activities, including fair housing testing in the rental and sales market, public education efforts, capacity building, and education and outreach activities.

Each year, HUD makes funding available to support organizations interested in the enforcement of fair housing laws and policies as well as educating the public, housing providers, and local governments about their rights and responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act.

“The work HUD's fair housing partners do every day is critical to our efforts to ensure that every family in America has an equal shot at finding the home that is right for them,” said HUD's Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Gustavo Velasquez. “These grants help to provide the critical financial resources they need to do their work.”

The categories of grants announced today are:

• Education and Outreach Initiative grants (EOI) – $7,450,000 available. HUD awards these to groups that educate the public and housing providers about their rights and responsibilities under federal law or state and local fair housing laws that are equivalent to the Fair Housing Act. This year's funds include $1,250,000 toward a national media campaign; $250,000 toward tester coordinator training; and the rest for general regional, local and community based programs.
   
• Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI) – $500,000 available. HUD awards these to help build the capacity and effectiveness of non-profit fair housing organizations, particularly organizations that focus on the rights and needs of underserved groups, such as rural and immigrant populations.
   
• Private Enforcement Initiative grants (PEI) – Total PEI multi-year funding is $29,375,000. However, $22,452,542 has already been reserved for FY 2014 and FY 2015 multi-year grantees, making $6,922,458available for FY2016 new awardees. This year's PEI funds also include $975,000 to address lending discrimination. 

Applicants who are interested in applying for funding under the NOFAs should go to www.Grants.gov and search for the three “FHIP” NOFAs, forms, instructions and other application material. Additional information can be found on HUD's website at www.hud.gov, and here.

Applications must be received by June 23, 2016.

People who believe they have been denied a reasonable accommodation request may file a complaint by contacting HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 (voice) or (800) 927-9275 (TTY). Housing discrimination complaints may also be filed by going to www.hud.gov/fairhousing.

Federal Support for the Flint Water Crisis Response and Recovery

Federal Support for the Flint Water Crisis Response and Recovery

The President and his Administration are committed to doing everything possible to assist local and state efforts to help the people of Flint in this crisis. At the direction of President Obama, there has been an all-of-government response to this crisis: from the over 9 million liters of water and 50,000 filters distributed by FEMA, to the expansion of Medicaid, funding for Head Start and local health centers by HHS, to water testing and technical expertise by EPA, and helping to provide help for the local economy to recover by SBA, HUD and others. The federal government will continue to offer expertise and technical assistance to state and local agencies for as long as needed to support in the community's recovery and resilience.

On January 16, 2016, President Obama issued an emergency declaration for the State of Michigan and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions in Flint, Michigan, affected by contaminated water. The President's action authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide water, water filters, water filter cartridges, water test kits, and other necessary related items; assistance with those commodities has been extended through August 14, 2016.

Additionally, the President offered assistance in identifying other Federal agency capabilities that could support the recovery effort but do not require an emergency declaration. On January 19, the President designated the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as the lead Federal agency responsible for coordinating Federal support for response and recovery efforts in Flint. Dr. Nicole Lurie, the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and currently the Federal Government's senior response official in Flint, is coordinating the efforts of all the Federal agencies, including: HHS agencies, FEMA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Labor (DOL), the Department of Commerce (DOC), and the Department of Education (ED). Federal agencies are providing water and filters to the State of Michigan, testing water in Flint residences, and supporting health and community outreach.

Federal agencies will continue to offer expertise and technical assistance to state and local agencies for as long as needed to support the community's recovery and resilience.

Ensuring Access to Safe Water

Federal officials have worked with state and local partners to improve access to bottled water and water filters.

* FEMA has provided over 9.3 million liters of water to the state for distribution, over 50,000 water and pitcher filters, and over 243,000 filter replacement cartridges.

* HUD has worked with the Flint Housing Commission to ensure 100% installation, the future upkeep of water filters in every unit of public housing, and HUD's Federally-assisted and HUD-insured properties.

* In addition, HUD is working with local partners to ensure that seniors and disabled residents in public housing receive and have continuing access to clean water.

Protecting Health

Blood Lead Testing

The Federal Government is working to make blood lead testing available for Flint residents, especially children under the age of six.

* HHS continues to work with healthcare providers and local officials to offer blood lead testing to as many children and residents as possible.

* To assist with the testing initiative, USDA temporarily authorized blood lead screening at clinics for participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

* HUD is working with a local provider to offer onsite blood lead testing for children in public housing.

The U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps cleared a backlog of approximately 800 blood lead level screening results and prepared test result notifications for parents and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

Rash Investigation

EPA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) experts continue to support the state's investigation of rashes and other skin concerns affecting Flint residents to help identify potential causes. Lead is not known to be a skin irritant.

Services for Children

The HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded Medicaid coverage for children and young people up to age 21 and pregnant women in Flint impacted by lead exposure. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services expects to begin enrollment in May.

* Approximately 15,000 additional children, young people, and pregnant women will now be eligible for Medicaid coverage, and 30,000 current Medicaid beneficiaries in the area are eligible for expanded services.

* This comprehensive health and developmental coverage includes blood lead level monitoring, behavioral health services, and targeted case management. Targeted case management services will include assistance to help impacted residents gain access to needed medical, social, educational, and other services.

HHS provided $250,000 in emergency supplemental funding to both the Hamilton Community Health Network and Genesee Health System to hire new staff and provide additional services. In the first 30 days after receiving the funds, the health centers reportedly provided outreach services to more than 2,600 patients to help prevent continued lead exposure, tested more than 1,600 patients for lead, referred 28 patients with elevated lead levels for follow-up appointments, including 27 patients younger than six years old, and provided behavioral health services for almost 450 patients.

Since February, Federal nurses have assisted Genesee County Health Department with enrolling children with elevated blood lead levels into Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services Lead Poisoning Prevention Program for case management. Federal nurses from the CDC, the U.S. Public Health Service, and the HHS Health Resources and Services Administration have made 377 homes visits and phone calls to Genesee County families to help enroll children in the program and provide lead prevention education. 

The HHS Administration for Children and Families provided guidance to the state on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, with the goal of helping families in the program access bottled water, gas cards, and bus passes to reach water distribution sites or healthcare facilities.

One-time HHS emergency funding of $3.6 million helped Head Start grantees expand early childhood education, behavioral health services, health services, and nutrition services. Grantees have:

* Opened three additional classrooms beginning March 2016 through June 2017 for children in the most affected areas. These classes were filled by March 28.

* Lengthened the current school year by three weeks and lengthened the school day from seven hours to seven-and-a-half hours.

* Provided Head Start comprehensive services to preschoolers already enrolled in the school's special education program.

* Enrolled two dozen additional children in the home-based model.

An assistant surgeon general with the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps worked with the mayor's office as a health advisor to help develop health goals for a community recovery plan and to help identify a permanent health advisor for the city.

Nutrition

Foods rich in calcium, iron and vitamin C helps mitigate lead absorption in children. USDA increased access to these foods by:

* Providing summertime nutrition assistance through a Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer pilot program for the more than 15,000 Flint children who live or attend schools in the area affected by lead-contaminated water. These students are eligible to receive a $30 benefit package each summer month for nutritious foods that may help mitigate lead absorption. Nationwide, the pilot program will provide $26.9 million for summertime nutrition assistance this year.

* Encouraging all eligible Flint Community Schools and other Flint-area schools to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision, a program that ensures universal access to healthy, school meals.

* Providing an additional $62,700 to help schools purchase fresh fruit and vegetable snacks. Four additional schools serving more than 1,200 students are now participating in this program.

Allowing eligible mothers of non-breastfed infants to use WIC benefits for ready-to-feed infant formula, which does not need to be mixed with water.

Behavioral Health

HHS behavioral health teams provided basic psychological first-aid skills training to 183 people. They conducted stress management training with 247 healthcare providers and responders and taught a "Train the Trainers" for 32 local providers to enable them to teach basic psychological first-aid training. HHS also sponsored Spanish and English versions of the training materials tailored to the Flint water crisis to be shared with the community.

HHS also facilitated development of a long-term mental health recovery and resilience plan in coordination with Genesee Health System and other community partners to help improve the behavioral health system as the community recovers. This plan will be implemented by the community with technical assistance from the HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Restoring Flint's Water System

EPA is conducting water testing to monitor restoration of the city's water system. Results show the system is recovering.

* Diagnostic Lead Sampling: EPA is conducting lead sampling upon request and in homes that are identified as being at risk for high lead levels to help determine if lead is coming from the house or the service line. Most sampling teams are accompanied by community engagement staff to ensure that residents can ask questions and receive plain-language answers about sampling. EPA has evaluated over 4,500 samples in more than 650 homes and other properties. These results are available via an interactive map at >www.epa.gov/flint< 

* Lead and Copper Rule Sampling: In accordance with the administrative order that EPA issued to the State of Michigan, EPA reviews Michigan's Lead and Copper Rule compliance sampling plans before they are implemented. EPA may also collect samples at some of these locations to gather more information about the impact of lead in the water.

* Testing Lead Filters in Homes: EPA has taken nearly 400 samples of drinking water in approximately 200 homes at residents' request and in households with known lead levels of 100 parts per billion or higher to test the effectiveness of filters at removing lead at high concentrations. Filters distributed in response to this water crisis are rated at 150 parts per billion. EPA's sampling results confirm that the filters are effective in removing lead from drinking water at levels higher than 150 parts per billion. As a precaution, bottled water is still considered the safest option for vulnerable populations, including pregnant and breast-feeding women, infants, and children under six years old whose water tests higher than 150 parts per billion. Everyone else should use filtered water for drinking and cooking. Pets should also drink filtered water.

* Overall Water Quality Testing: EPA is collecting water samples from locations throughout Flint to evaluate the levels of fluoride, other compounds, and pH. As part of this assessment, EPA is analyzing the overall stability of water quality throughout Flint's distribution system. EPA is also testing to be sure enough chlorine is in the water. Chlorine is used to disinfect drinking water and prevent the growth of bacteria and other pathogens. At locations where chlorine is low, EPA follows up with additional testing for bacteria.

* Flush for Flint Initiative: EPA, the City of Flint, and the State of Michigan launched the Flush for Flint campaign to encourage residents to run water from their kitchen sinks and bathroom tubs for 5 minutes each day for 14 straight days during the month of May.  More water flowing will help flush out additional lead particles in the water system. The State of Michigan is paying for the program and credit will be added to residents' water bills.

Economic Recovery

The Federal Government is providing economic development assistance to help Flint recover from the crisis and continue to grow its economy. 

* The U.S. Department of Labor is providing a National Dislocated Worker Grant for up to $15 million to assist with humanitarian and recovery efforts resulting from the water crisis in Flint. The $7.5 million released initially is providing temporary employment for eligible individuals to assist with recovery work, as well as offer career and training services to help them find permanent work.

* SBA provided approximately $400,000 in additional funding through a number of programs, including $100,000 in Microloan capital, an additional $100,000 available for training and technical assistance to Flint entrepreneurs, a $100,000 increase in existing technical assistance for small businesses in the area, and $100,000 in supplemental funding to the Kettering University Small Business Development Center. SBA also approved a state request for low-interest disaster loans for small businesses within the greater Flint area.

* The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) determined properties may still qualify for FHA-insured mortgage if the individual water purification system meets all Federal, state, and local standards. This helps homebuyers in Flint secure FHA-insured loans.

* HUD allowed $325,000 of an existing lead-paint hazard grant for public housing in Flint to be applied to this crisis.

* Technical and capacity-building assistance to Flint through the White House Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) initiative has been extended through 2016. Co-chaired by HUD and the Domestic Policy Council with the involvement of 19 federal agencies, this program focuses on economic development in economically distressed communities. Flint has a federal team lead embedded in city hall coordinating Federal resources to support the city in three core areas: public safety, blight elimination, and economic development.

Connecting the Community to Public Health Resources and Services

* EPA has partnered with local non-profit organizations on a door-to-door canvassing effort to educate residents on safeguards they should employ to protect themselves from high lead exposure. To date, EPA has collaborated with these organizations to reach more than 10,000 homes.  In addition, EPA staff have made more than 500 visits to approximately 450 locations around Flint to inform and engage residents regarding the federal government's response efforts and related resources.

* HUD, the Flint Housing Commission, and more than a dozen local partners collaborated on a Lead Testing and Informational pilot outreach event.   More than 250 public housing residents participated to learn more about the water situation in Flint, lead testing, available health services, and general public health information.

Building Capacity through National Service

* The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which administers AmeriCorps, recently announced $1.3 million in new AmeriCorps commitments >www.nationalservice.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2016/national-service-agency-announces-13-million-new-americorps-commitments< to support state and local efforts addressing the water emergency, blight, and public safety in Flint. On May 2, nearly 20 AmeriCorps NCCC members arrived in Flint to support water distribution, resource coordination, and blight elimination efforts. CNCS is expanding Operation AmeriCorps to support a total of 55 AmeriCorps members in the Flint Community School Corps to provide before, during, and after-school and summer learning activities for K-7 grade students, including tutoring, health education, conflict resolution, service-learning, and access to social services. In total, more than 120 AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers have been deployed to Flint in response to the water crisis.