Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • 'It's been my compass': helping the homeless failed by the government

    Two social enterprises in London are making significant strides in helping out the homeless and rough sleepers. One, named Beam, uses a crowdfunding platform to help finance training and qualifications for work for a variety of professions, from beauticians to electricians. The other, named Overstream Clean, hires the homeless to perform cleaning and gardening work, and they advertise themselves as a cleaning company rather than a social enterprise. Those who have gone through the programs say that they feel empowered and motivated by the help offered by their community.

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  • Taking Aim at Gun Violence, With Personal Deterrence

    To decrease the amount of gun-related fatalities, cities are focusing on joint efforts with their communities and police departments to target those most at risk for shooting or being shot on the streets. Known nationally as Ceasefire, this initiative aims to identify the individuals from this selected target group - and open a dialogue about their options and the consequences of gun-related retaliation. Nationally, the program has had some trouble sustaining when the cities rely too much on the police department, but when it works, shooting have decreased dramatically.

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  • Could venomous snails be part of the solution to the opioid epidemic?

    Patients who experience chronic pain are commonly prescribed opiates. Over time, their tolerance to the medication builds up and they must increase their dose to maintain the positive effects of opiates, often leading to addiction problems. A neurotoxin found in a venomous sea snail is proving to be more effective in relieving chronic pain because it works better over time and it is non-addictive.

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  • The Opposite of Gentrification

    A new program in a Philadelphia neighborhood is offering opportunities for locals to curb gentrification. Gentrification occurs when outside developers come to an area and change it without leaving room for locals to remain. The nonprofit Jumpstart Germantown provides training, mentoring, and loans to community members who want to learn to develop their own neighborhoods in an inclusive and sustainable way. So far, 235 people have graduated from the program, and the model has inspired other Philadelphia neighborhoods to start similar programs.

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  • Dentists at Asian Health Services Screen for Depression

    Dentists at the Asian Health Services Group in Oakland added a screening for mental health to their pre-appointment paperwork. Due to language barriers and cultural reluctance to acknowledge mental health issues, many Asians, especially seniors, were suffering from depression without help. Last year, the program referred 10 people to mental health services and Asian Health Services was contacted by a large dental provider to learn about the initiative.

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  • As opioids land more women in prison, Ohio finds alternative treatments

    The Ohio Reformatory for Women is a prison that offers inmates a chance to enroll in Tapestry, an inpatient drug treatment program that tries to delve into the deeper causes women turn to drugs. It also believes in connecting women who are addicts with one another because “on the outside there’s not enough support.” The 18 month program is “about healing mind, body and spirit.”

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  • An International Final Four: Which Country Handles Student Debt Best?

    In a March Madness bracket style competition between Sweden, the United States, Australia, and Britain, experts choose Australia as the country with the most effective student loan repayment system. Judges cite automatic collection of income-based payments as Australia's best feature and discuss what the U.S. can learn by "acknowledging that possible ideas for improvement don't stop at the border."

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  • How This Tribe Got Their Coastal California Lands Returned

    In 1915, the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians who lived off of the coast of Northern California had their land stripped away as United States territories formed. A century later, the tribe has successfully regained their land and ownership rights to it by forming relationships with organizations that respect the identity and cultural rights of the group.

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  • 'I have no thought of escaping': inside the Brazilian prisons with no guards

    In Apac prisons, inmates hold the keys. “By committing a crime, prisoners break the social pact,” says Ana Paula Pellegrino of Igarape Institute. “An Apac prison restores this by allowing inmates to work for the community.” Inmates contribute to local projects, follow a routine of work and study, and are addressed by name rather than number. The rehabilitation-focused approach is completely different from what happens in Brazil's mainstream prisons, a fact that motivates inmates to honor the rules.

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  • Farmers in Some of the Toughest Places to Do Agriculture Are the Ones Innovating for Climate Change

    It's not easy sustaining historical agricultural practices amidst a backdrop of climate change. Nate McCaffrey of eastern Colorado knows this all too well. So, instead of continuing the conventional ways of farming he had grown up to know, he decided to try out a no-till farming approach, and then went a step further and planted cover crops. Although not without its limitations, this switch in both mindset and practice has allowed him to cultivate healthier soil and save on fuel costs previously allocated towards his old tilling machinery.

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