While February means tax time for all American citizens, for patrons in college or with college-age children, it also means FAFSA time. FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is how students apply for loans and grants for college. It is an all-in-one document for applying for loans both from the federal government and from the state. The form is submitted to the federal government. FAFSA is based on the income of the applicant or the income of the applicant’s parents, if the student is still a dependent. Patrons will therefore need their 2008 income tax return, so it is important to have filed for taxes early.
While the federal deadline for FAFSA is June 30, 2009 for the 2008/2009 school year and June 30, 2010 for the 2009/2010 school year, many states have earlier deadlines. In Indiana, students must have filed for FAFSA by March 10, 2009 for the 2009/2010 school year. The deadline for 2008/2009 has passed. Individual schools may have even earlier deadlines, so it is important for students to check with their universities. Students can apply for FAFSA online. The website is broken down by steps to take before filing, during filing and once the process is completed. The Department of Education has an additional site dedicated to helping students prepare for college. In addition to information about how to finance higher education, it also gives advice on choosing a school and the application process.
FAFSA: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana: http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2403.htm
DOE: http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp
NATIONAL WISE HEALTH CONSUMER MONTH
How smart are you when it comes to taking care of your health? Your family’s health? Do you know where to get trustworthy health information on your own? Sometimes it’s difficult to know exactly which health information to believe, and what can be ignored or discarded. The federal and state governments have many free resources aimed at providing reliable health information to consumers. It’s ok to question the facts if they don’t sound right. Remember to ask yourself – Where is this information coming from? Is the source authoritative? Keep looking (and encourage your patrons) if the level of service isn’t quite the quality that you expect. You’ll find reliable information at many of the following websites:
National Institutes of Health, main consumer page: http://health.nih.gov/
Medline Plus, online health encyclopedia: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
Consumer.gov, Health page: http://www.consumer.gov/health.htm
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services http://www.health.gov/default.asp
Indiana Department of Health, Consumer Reports: http://www.in.gov/isdh/23432.htm
National Institute on Aging, Choosing a good doctor: http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/choosing.htm
Your Guide to choosing quality health care: http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/qualguid.pdf
HEART TO HEART!
Red is not only the symbol of love and romance, it’s also a reminder for women to remember to take care of their heart health and inspire them to take action. 80 percent of women ages 40-60 have one or more risk factor for heart disease. Indiana’s First Lady, Cheri Daniels, has partnered with the State Department of Health Office of Women’s Health: http://www.in.gov/isdh/18061.htm to focus on heart disease. The Heart to Heart Program encourages women to have heart-to-heart conversations about heart disease. Heart disease is the number one killer of women, particularly affecting Indiana women each year. http://www.in.gov/gov/firstlady/2465.htm. Heart to Heart encourages women to take proactive steps to remain heart healthy. The first step begins by taking the pledge: http://www.in.gov/gov/firstlady/2435.htm. For information on staying heart healthy and learn more about the disease, here are a list of websites that can help.
Indiana State Department of Health: http://www.in.gov/isdh/18953.htm
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov//educational/hearttruth/
Indiana State Department of Health Office of Women’s Health: http://www.in.gov/isdh/18061.htm
American Heart Association: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200000
NATIONAL CANCER PREVENTION MONTH
You and your patrons can help prevent cancer, a leading cause of death in the U.S. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) State Cancer Facts, for every 100,000 men and women in Indiana, on average, approximately 446 were diagnosed with cancer and approximately 199 died from it in 2004. In the U.S., the top cancer sites for males of all races 2004 were 1) prostate, 2) lung & bronchus, and 3) colon & rectum. The top cancer sites for females of all races were 1) breast, 2) lung & bronchus, and 3) colon & rectum. (This data is from the United States Cancer Statistics (USCS) 1999–2004 Cancer Incidence and Mortality Data.)
The CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC) helps in a nationwide effort to “ease the burden of cancer” by collecting data, conducting research, educating, and building partnerships with areas across the U.S. Some of the programs the CDC has developed include the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, the National Program of Cancer Registries, and the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network. Learn how your risks for cancer can be controlled by visiting the following websites.
Cancer prevention overview: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/prevention/overview
Cancer prevention – 7 steps to reduce your risk: http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/cancer-prevention/CA00024/METHOD=print
Cancer prevention and early detection worksheets
For men: http://tinyurl.com/d4g9rf
For women: http://tinyurl.com/c2f3nt
Cancer Facts and Figures: http://www.in.gov/isdh/files/factsfigures2006.pdf
Indiana Department of Health, Cancer fact sheet: http://www.in.gov/isdh/19590.htm
DTV DELAY ACT
Patrons who were worried about the upcoming television switch to digital can breathe a sigh of relief. On February 4, the House of Representatives passed the DTV Delay Act, thus delaying the required switch to digital until June 12, 2009. The intent of the delay is to allow those who were unable to acquire government-sponsored coupons or to purchase a converter box to get a little more time in which to do so. While broadcast companies are no longer required to switch to a digital signal, a new provision in the bill that went to the House allows them to do so earlier if they would like.
Patrons without cable will still need to eventually purchase a digital converter box if they wish to watch television after June. For more information on the program and how to get a coupon, they should visit the FCC’s website on Digital TV.
This is the second time that the Senate has approved a bill to extend the deadline. However, the House blocked the bill the first time. Changes were made in the new version before it passed in the House. For details on the differences between the original bill and the bill that actually passed, see Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s website. To see how your Representative voted, Govtrack has compiled a breakdown of voting available for viewing.
DTV Delay Act: http://tinyurl.com/bv9cxl
FCC DTV: http://www.dtv.gov/
Pelosi: http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/legislation?id=0276
Govtrack: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2009-52
Indy Star Article: http://www.indystar.com/article/20090205/LOCAL/902050427
by Katharine Springer & Elisabeth O’Donnell