Washington Informer

The District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (DOES) has announced the graduation of 17 transgender individuals from its Project Empowerment, and according to Mayor Vincent C. Gray, the event underscores the city's commitment to reduce employment barriers among District residents.

"The District of Columbia has the distinction of being the only local, county or state jurisdiction in the nation to provide coaching, counseling, resume writing and other employment-related services specifically for the transgender community," Gray said in an Oct. 7 statement. "City government is supposed to meet the needs of all residents and that is what we intend to do to ensure that every resident of the District of Columbia who wants a job has the skills and training necessary to get a job."

A 2009 survey revealed an estimated 42 percent rate of unemployment in the District's transgender population. Nationally, transgender people experienced double the rate of unemployment than the general population as well as significant job losses and extremely high rates of on-the-job harassment and maltreatment, according to a recent survey by the National Transgender Center for Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

"Our hope is that by providing services to the transgender community we will reinforce how dedicated we are to serving all segments of our population and helping them find jobs," said DOES Director Lisa M. Mallory.

Research suggests that Black males are still facing discrimination when it comes to hiring./Courtesy PhotoAfrican-American males continue to be adversely affected when it comes to hiring, even though employers have added an average of 72,000 jobs in the past five months.

Currently, unemployment among African Americans (in general) hovers at 16.8 percent -- the highest since 1984 -- and according to an Economic Policy Institute study, racial bias figures prominently. 

The study also points to employer discrimination as being "the only convincing reason" black males remain underrepresented in high-paying jobs.

"Certainly [racial discrimination] is part of it," said Hilary Shelton, director of advocacy for the Washington, D.C. bureau of the NAACP. "The residuals of old school employment discrimination are alive and well, meaning that's one thing black males in particular still have to contend with."

Nearly 20.5 million people -- including 35,000 District of Columbia residents -- with Medicare reviewed their health status at a free Annual Wellness Visit or received other preventive services with no deductible or cost sharing this year, according to a recent report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

In addition, between January and August of this year, nearly 1.8 million people with Medicare received discounts on brand-name drugs in the Medicare Part D coverage gap, also known as the "donut hole. More than 1,300 of the recipients have included D.C. residents.

Also, through August of this year, the total amount of discounts to District residents with Medicare in the donut hole was just over $732,000, with an average savings of $553 per person.

"Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more people with Medicare are getting preventive services like mammograms for free," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "The new health care law is also making prescription drugs more affordable for millions of seniors and people with disabilities."

Some of the free preventive services available to people with Medicare include mammograms and cervical cancer screenings, cholesterol and other cardiovascular screenings and colorectal and prostate cancer screenings.

While pregnancy rates among D.C. teens between the ages of 15 and 19 are down, when compared to national statistics, the District's numbers remain a standout.

To that end, Councilmember Michael A. Brown and colleagues will join with the DC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy for a press conference at noon on Tuesday (Oct. 11) to shed light on the challenges D.C continues to face with teen pregnancy and its impact on the economic well being on both residents and the city.

According to a statement from his office, Brown -- who believes every young person deserves a chance at success -- will discuss his commitment to encourage teens to act responsibly, live healthy and make informed choices.

Facts overwhelmingly show that the burden of teen pregnancies fall on taxpayers. More than 50 percent of people who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) started their families when they were teens. Also, 76 percent of children placed in foster care were born to teen parents, and sons of teen mothers are three times more likely to enter the criminal justice system.