The Hispanic Access Foundation Juntos Podemos Contra El Cancer workers prepare outreach initiatives.

The Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF) was founded with the goal in mind of improving opportunities for Hispanics in the United States in all aspects of life, from citizenship and financial stability to the reduction of health disparities. The non-profit organization strives to improve overall quality of life through efforts based on responsibility, respect, integrity, innovation, and diversity.

“Hispanic Access Foundation, a national 501c3 nonprofit organization works to promote responsible citizenship, educational attainment, and active engagement in the improvement of the health, environment, and financial well-being of Hispanic families in the United States,” Maite Arce, CEO, told Saludify.

Among the many initiatives of the organization, Arce explains the Juntos Podemos Contra El Cancer program (Together We Can Defeat Cancer), is one of the Hispanic Access Foundation’s most popular initiatives, and is designed to be a national cancer awareness program for Latinos.

“The Juntos Podemos Contra El Cancer program is an innovative, evidence-based, scalable, and cost-effective model for changing attitudes and behaviors about colorectal and breast cancer prevention among the Hispanic community,” explained Arce.

The project, according to Arce, raises awareness about cancer, provides more detailed information to encourage informed choices, motivates people to action, and connects individuals to resources and services in the community where they live. This project is active in McAllen, TX; Houston, TX; Miami, FL and New York, NY.

Among the reasons the Hispanic Access Foundation’s cancer initiative is so critical to the Hispanic community is health is one of their top concerns, Arce told Saludify. HAF has combined the strength of mass media, targeted media, and grassroots partnerships with innovative technology tools that increase efficiency, decrease cost, and improve communications.

“True social change happens when multiple supporting factors come together,” said Arce. “Poor health outcomes, unfortunately, are a common reality in the Hispanic community. From lack of health insurance and access to care to high-risk environments, there is a significant need to educate Hispanics on health prevention and to empower them to become advocates for their own well-being.”

Since its inception, health has been a priority focus for the Hispanic Access Foundation. The Juntos Podemos Contra El Cancer program is a highly collaborative, culturally, and linguistically appropriate project, which has made a positive impact in the lives of many, but there is still much work to be done.

An increased understanding of preventative health and improved access to care, absent of language barriers, needs to be the common reality among Hispanics – not the poor health outcomes that pervade our community, Arce said in conclusion.

To that end, the Hispanic Access Foundation had continued to bridge the gaps between Hispanics and medical providers, promoting effective health-seeking behavior among the community, and linking Hispanics with important health centers, hospitals, health screening initiatives, migrant health centers, health issue specific hotlines, national organizations, and community-based health promoters across the country.

“Prepárate Para Un Futuro Mejor” (Prepare Yourself for a Better Future) includes more than 150 free “Tax Talk” seminars across the nation. It emphasizes the importance of building an accurate tax history, provides tools to protect against fraud and misinformation in the tax preparation process, and outlines how to meet the demands of the Affordable Care Act and potential immigration rule changes.

“Hispanics need to have their taxes in order so they don’t miss out on potential benefits,” said Maite Arce, president of HAF. “Since the project’s launch in 2010, we have helped tens of thousands of Hispanics with tax issues, and now they are even more vigilant about building an accurate tax history.”

Starting in 2014, many people who do not have health insurance may be able to receive a subsidy based on their household income and family size to help with the cost. Eligibility for assistance can be determined from an individual’s 2012 tax return, which can also streamline the insurance plan enrollment process with a health insurance exchange. With the individual mandate requiring nearly everyone to have health insurance in 2014, a key component of Affordable Care Act is the health insurance exchange— a marketplace where consumers can shop for a health insurance plan.

As for immigration reform, it is expected that both political parties will support a reconciliation of unpaid taxes as a prerequisite on the path to legal residency or citizenship. While plan details are still being discussed, it will likely require individuals to submit tax documentation for multiple years – an individual will need to provide an accurate tax history as part of the application process.

“With the rapid expansion of the Latino population, it is essential to provide accurate information and access to bilingual tax experts in order to fully integrate Latinos into the tax system,” said Arce. “Our community wants to contribute our fair share. With a better understanding of the process, we can strengthen our families, communities and nation.”

The free “Tax Talk” seminars are scheduled in multiple cities across the country. A complete list of dates and locations is available at www.pormifuturo.org. For more information about HAF visit www.hispanicaccess.org.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/03/28/5299568/taxes-key-for-hispanics-on-health.html#storylink=cpy

Hispanic Access Foundation provides free tax education workshops around
the country to help Hispanics navigate the U.S. tax system.

By: Javier Sierra

Remember: the deadline to submit your tax return documents is April 15. And there is a lot at stake for Latinos, regardless of your immigration status.

It’s not only the satisfaction of fulfilling your civic duties. Filing and paying your taxes is also a legal obligation that must be met with strict regularity.

If you are a legal resident, and you fail to declare your taxes, you can be deported. If you are a citizen, it can cost you heavy fines or even a prison term. In any instance, it can make your life very complicated.

“When applying for a loan, the tax return is required in the process. If you want to send your kids to college, the first thing financial aid providers will ask for is the tax return documents for that year,” says Helen Orosz, a tax advisor.

And if you are looking to legalize your immigration status, “it is a requirement to provide proof that you have paid your taxes during the last few years,” she adds.

“If you fail this test, they will not approve your application,” says Orosz. “If anyone wishes to legalize their situation, they need to start paying taxes right now if they have not done so in the past.”

To meet this prerequisite to achieve legal status, the first thing you need to do is request an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Remember this advice especially now that the U.S. Congress is debating immigration reform, which could make the path to legal residency and citizenship much easier for millions of Latinos in the country. But, current and accurate tax documentation will be one of the first prerequisites.

And don’t be afraid to request this crucial number from the IRS. You will have no immigration questions asked.

“The IRS is one the most powerful government agencies in Washington,” says Orosz, “but, it does not share information with Citizenship and Immigration Services. The IRS does not look at or determine immigration eligibility. Their job is to make sure that all tax obligations are met.”

There is another important aspect. Your tax return will be used to determine your situation regarding the Affordable Care Act, which requires that practically all of us have health insurance coverage by 2014.

If you cannot afford health insurance, your tax return this year will help establish your eligibility to receive a government subsidy to fulfill this requisite. But if you are indeed capable of buying this insurance, then the situation changes.

“If you fail to get insurance, then you will have to pay a fine, any amount between $50 and $950,” says Orosz. “Undocumented workers are also liable to pay a fine and won’t be eligible to receive any subsidies until they legalize their situation.”

And finally, your retirement is also at stake. When you pay your taxes, the IRS sets aside contributions to Social Security (your retirement money) and Medicare (medical help for seniors).

If you are an undocumented worker, “you won’t lose that money because the moment you legalize your situation and notify the IRS, you automatically become eligible to receive it,” adds Orosz.

Regardless of your immigration status, you must declare and pay your taxes to make a more prosperous future for your family.

For more bilingual information about your taxes, visit pormifuturo.org or call toll free 800.206.9096.

Javier Sierra comments about issues of national relevance for Latinos.

The percentage of U.S. citizens screened for cancer remains below national targets, with significant disparities among racial and ethnic populations, according to the first federal study to identify cancer screening disparities among Asian and Hispanic groups. The report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, was published Jan. 26 in the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

In 2010, breast cancer screening rates were 72.4 percent, below the Healthy People 2020 target of 81 percent; cervical cancer screening was 83 percent, below the target of 93 percent; and colorectal cancer screening was 58.6 percent, below the target of 70.5 percent, according to the study, “Cancer Screening in the United States – 2010.”

Hispanics were less likely to be screened for cervical and colorectal cancer (78.7 percent and 46.5 percent, respectively) when compared to non-Hispanics (83.8 percent and 59.9 percent, respectively).

“It is troubling to see that not all Americans are getting the recommended cancer screenings and that disparities continue to persist for certain populations. Screening can find breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers at an early stage when treatment is more effective,” said Sallyann Coleman King, M.D., an epidemic intelligence service officer in CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control and lead author of the study. “We must continue to monitor cancer screening rates to improve the health of all Americans.”

Some guidelines:

• Women aged 50-74 years should be screened for breast cancer with a mammogram every two years.
• Women who have been sexually active for three years or are aged 21-65 years should be screened for cervical cancer with a Pap test at least every three years.
• Colorectal cancer screening is recommended for average-risk men and women aged 50-75 years, using high-sensitivity fecal occult blood test (FOBT), done at home every year; sigmoidoscopy every five years, with high-sensitivity FOBT every three years; or colonoscopy every 10 years.

To assess the use of currently recommended cancer screening tests by age, race, ethnicity, education, length of residence in the United States, and the source and financing of health care researchers analyzed data from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey, which tracks progress toward the achievement of  Healthy People 2020 objectives.  For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.

Significant findings include:

• Screening rates for breast cancer remained relatively stable and varied no more than 3 percent over the period 2000-2010.
• From 2000-2010, colorectal cancer screening rates increased markedly for men and women, with the rate for women increasing slightly faster so that rates among both sexes were nearly identical (58.5 percent for men and 58.8 percent for women) in 2010.
• From 2000-2010, a small but statistically significant downward trend of 3.3 percent was observed in the rate of women who reported getting a Pap test within the last three years.
• Considerably lower breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening use was reported by those without any usual source of health care or health insurance.

The authors note that this study reinforces the need to identify and track cancer screening disparities. Additionally, the report provides guidance for the development programs to increase the use of screening tests in order to meet Healthy People 2020 targets and simultaneously reduce cancer morbidity and mortality.

Hispanics were 13.4% less likely to receive colorectal cancer screenings & 5.1% less likely to receive breast cancer screenings than non-Hispanics.

“Healthy People objectives are important for monitoring progress toward reducing the burden of cancer in the United States. Our study points to the particular need for finding ways to increase the use of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening tests among Asians, Hispanics, as well as adults who lack health insurance or a usual source of health care,” said Carrie Klabunde, Ph.D., an epidemiologist inNCI’s Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences and a co-author of the study.

According to the authors, the Affordable Care Act is expected to reduce financial barriers to care by expanding insurance coverage. Other efforts are needed such as developing systems that identify individuals eligible for cancer screening tests, actively encouraging the use of screening tests, and monitoring participation to improve screening rates, they say.

Center for Disease Control

Through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, CDC provides low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women access to timely breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, five U.S. territories, and 12 American Indian/Alaska Native tribes or tribal organizations. The CDCs Colorectal Cancer Control Program funds 25 states and four tribal organizations to implement population-based approaches to increase screening among men and women aged 50 years and older. Population-based approaches include policy and health systems change, outreach, case management, and selective provision of screening services. For information about CDC efforts to prevent cancer, visit www.cdc.gov/cancer

National Cancer Institute

NCI leads the National Cancer Program and NIH’s effort to dramatically reduce the burden of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers. For more information about cancer, visit www.cancer.gov or call NCI’s Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

“CDC works 24/7 saving lives, protecting people from health threats, and saving money through prevention. Whether these threats are global or domestic, chronic or acute, curable or preventable, natural disaster or deliberate attack, CDC is the nation’s health protection agency.”

For the original CDC press release, click here.

The Hispanic Access Foundation is committed to helping Hispanic Americans live better, healthier lives. We provide a searchable online database of healthcare services for Hispanics in communities across the nation. Search our database for healthcare services near you.

From latinodecisions.com

In the wake of the 2012 presidential election, the Latino vote in states like Colorado has been held up as a critical and influential factor. Latino voters turned out in record high numbers and their 75% vote for President Obama nationally set a new high for a Democratic presidential candidate. While much of the attention has been on changes to immigration policy, Latino voters, like all voters, are paying attention to a wide variety of issues. In Western states like Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona protecting the environment is an issue that Latino voters care very deeply about, and they expect politicians to take action to protect the environment.

Following the election, President Obama and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced a new and balanced approach to energy development in the West, with respect to oil shale development and research. While some had called for unrestricted and unfettered oil shale development, many environmental leaders, including prominent Latino leaders called for a plan that balanced energy needs and protecting the environment. The new plan opens up new land for oil shale development, but only after research is carried out to prove the viability and potential impact on water resources.

Maite Arce, executive director of the Hispanic Access Foundation stated very clearly: “We needed a smart approach to oil shale development and Secretary Salazar deserves credit for making this a priority for Colorado, and for the state’s Latinos, which make up a significant portion of the state’s population and depend on Colorado River and water supplies for their quality of life and economic opportunity. Costly, water-hungry oil shale speculation would put western families’ health and safety at risk.”

According to polling by Latino Decisions and Nuestro Rio, Latino voters in Colorado strongly agree with an approach. When asked about the best approach to oil shale development, 70% of Colorado Latinos said the federal government should require companies to complete research and prove they can produce oil shale in a way that will not harm water and air resources. Only 17% of Latino voters opposed these federal guidelines.

What’s more, when asked how this would impact their possible vote when evaluating two competing candidates, by a 3-to-1 margin, Latino voters in Colorado said that they prefer a candidate who wants oil companies to research the issue and prove it won’t harm the environment. While 60% support a candidate who wants a research first approach, just 20% support a candidate that wants to let oil companies get started right away without the extra review.

In a statement released just after the announcement by Salazar, Colorado Senator Mark Udall presented a view consistent with what Latino voters in Colorado are saying. Udall, who faces re-election in 2014 praised the new decision, saying ”I am glad the Interior Department is taking measured steps to encourage research and development of our oil shale resources. With water being one of our most precious commodities in the West, I have concerns about the potential impacts of commercial oil shale development. Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing this technology explored further.”

Not only do Latino voters support government role in protecting the environment, they rate environmental protection as among the most important issues they face. While issues like the economy and immigration reform tended to dominate the media coverage of Latino voters, when we asked how important protecting the environment was to their vote, almost 40% rated it as “one of the most important issues in 2012″ and another 38% said it was fairly important. Combined, well over 75% of Latino voters in Colorado identify environmental protection as a salient issue to their vote. Only 2% of Latinos said the environment was “not at all important”

According to Andres Ramirez, Director of Nuestro Rio, the connection between Latinos and protecting the environment is clear: “The Colorado River doesn’t just run through the southwest; it runs through our culture and it nourishes our lives.Saving the Colorado River is about protecting our Latino heritage and promoting our future.”

Even beyond Colorado, polling by Latino Decisions found that government involvement in protecting the environment was a top priority for Latino voters in other Western states including Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona. Across all four western states, over 70% of Latino voters saying protecting rivers and lakes is “very important” and an additional 20% or so who say it is “somewhat important.” For nearly all Latino voters across these key battleground states in the West, there is a strong belief that the federal government should play a role in protecting the environment and natural water resources. Further, Latinos are strong supporters of conservation. When asked if we should divert more water out of rivers and lakes so we can use it now, or be more efficient and careful with the water we already have, eight in ten Latino voters favor conservation. By any measure, polling data from Latino Decisions clearly finds Latino voters in Colorado and other Western states to be very strong supporters of protecting the environment.

Gabriel R. Sanchez is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Assistant Director of the RWJF Center for Health Policy at the University of New Mexico, and Research Director for Latino Decisions

Paying your taxes is not only an obligation for all those working in this country, but also one of the best ways to show your generosity and loyalty to the country that has welcomed you.

Without an efficient tax system, a modern society cannot exist. But, like about everything else in life, there are many out there ready to take advantage of other people’s goodwill and good heart by scamming them through fraudulent tax schemes.

These scams can cost your dearly, not only in money but also in problems with the authorities. That’s why I want to share with you some of the most common tax-related scams and how to defend yourself against them.

The most common one is identity theft. The criminal manages to get a hold of your personal information —such as your social security number (SSN), address and even your bank account information— to file a tax return with the IRS. The criminal then manages to receive the refund that legally belongs to you.

Usually, the victim finds out after filing his or her tax return. If you have been subject to a tax scam, immediately contact the IRS by calling 800-908-4490. The entity or firm that helped you prepare your filling, as long as you trust them completely, can help you in this process.

But prevention is always the best antidote. Never carry your social security card with you. Never give out your SSN or your individual tax identification number (ITIN), unless it is a legal requirement. Check out your credit report at last every 12 months. And never give out your personal information over the phone, fax or email unless you started the initial contact.

In fact, another way of illegally obtaining your personal information is by phishing, a scam usually carried out by unsolicited emails or websites requiring the victim to provide personal or financial information. Remember, the IRS will never contact you via email to request your personal information.

If you receive a suspicious email, do the following: Do not open it. Do not open any attachments. Don’t click on any links. Forward the email to the following IRS email: phishing@irs.gov. After forwarding it, delete it. Do the same if you get any suspicious texts or SMSs.

Phishing can also be conducted by phone. If you get a call from the IRS and you suspect it can be a scam, request from the caller his or her phone number and his or her IRS badge number. Call the IRS to verify it is a legitimate call. And if you are convinced it is, then call back.

In these times of crisis, tax-related scams have increased remarkably. Some criminals try to convince their victims to file for a rebate, a refund or a tax credit they really are not entitled to.

The great majority of tax preparers are honest people who are only trying to help people fulfill their civic obligations. But too many of them cheat on their clients by promising impossible refunds or by charging them abusive fees for services that are offered by the IRS or its volunteers for free.

The preferred victims of these wolves in sheepskin are seniors and the poor, whom they promise fictitious refunds from their social security payments or end up stealing from them by using deceptive information or inflated numbers in their tax returns.

Beware of flyers or brochures promising free money from the IRS by showing little or no documentation. This scam has been spotted often in churches in the South and mid-West, where criminals take advantage of the goodwill and credibility of pastors and priests.

Remember: taxes are your contribution to the common good. Don’t let these wolves in sheepskin tax your generosity and sense of good citizenship.

For more bilingual information about your taxes, visit pormifuturo.org or call 800-206-9096.

Javier Sierra comments about issues of national interest for Latinos.

By: Maite Arce

For Latinos, the 2012 tax return presents significant opportunity. In fact, the potential impact of key legislative changes for the nation’s fastest growing population is unprecedented.

Starting in 2014, many people — not just Latinos — who do not have health insurance may be able to receive a subsidy based on their household income and family size to help with the cost. Eligibility for assistance can be determined from an individual’s 2012 tax return, which can also streamline the insurance plan enrollment process with a health insurance exchange. With the individual mandate requiring nearly everyone to have health insurance in 2014, a key component of Affordable Care Act is the health insurance exchange — a marketplace where consumers can shop for a health insurance plan.

Latinos are by far the least insured demographic in the nation. For 2011, the U.S. Census estimated that 30.1 of Latinos are uninsured, compared to just 11.1 percent of whites. This lack of coverage is compounded by the fact that Latinos are 165 percent more likely to live in areas where environmental concerns can lead to greater health complications, according to the American Lung Society.

As for immigration reform, it is expected that both political parties will support a reconciliation of unpaid taxes as a prerequisite on the path to citizenship or legal residency. While plan details are still being discussed, it will likely require individuals to submit tax documentation for multiple years — an individual will need to provide an accurate tax history as part of the application process.

Unauthorized Latinos have long been chided for not filing taxes. But what is often overlooked is that state and local taxes paid in 2010 by households headed by unauthorized immigrants totaled $11.2 billion, according to the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy.

For the majority of Latinos, however, it’s not a question of not wanting to pay taxes (many do!) but rather a lack of understanding, not having an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), concern about immigration status or fear of the process. In fact, many Latinos who we meet have paid into the system for years, but never filed taxes.

In several of the countries from which our Latino immigrants come, the tax system is a wholly different process or not even enforced at all. Others have worked with unskilled tax preparers who miss even the most obvious deductions or those who add fraudulent deductions to inflate returns. Language barriers only exacerbate these issues.

This is why our campaign, “Prepárate Para Un Futuro Mejor (Prepare for a Better Future),” to educate Latinos on the U.S. tax system has been so successful. This tax season we will hold over 150 free tax seminars in coordination with Latino faith leaders as partners within the community and provide access to bilingual tax experts. Since 2010, we’ve provided tax education and information to over 50,000 Latinos. Our emphasis is on the importance of building an accurate tax history and being a good contributor.

By looking at future economic factors, the importance of this education becomes evident. Latino buying power is expected to reach $1.5 trillion in 2015, according to a recent Nielsen report. The U.S. Census estimated that there are more than 2.3 million Latino business owners contributing more than $350 billion to the nation’s economy.

Furthermore, the Latino population is expected to double to 100 million by 2050, and tax contributions will grow along with it. Affordable health care and immigration acceptance may be incentives for Latinos to file taxes, but the benefit will help our nation’s tax income grow and improve the lives of many.

“Sally Jewell is an excellent choice for Interior Secretary. Protecting our parks and public lands, as well as securing clean air and water, is a top issue for Latinos. And it’s one that Ms. Jewell understands on both personal and economic levels.

“As CEO of REI, Ms. Jewell built a track record for fostering the passion of the outdoors in youth and Latinos throughout the country. Her vision to engage Latinos in nature and conservation programs is one that we hope she advances in this new role.

“Ms. Jewell shares the commitment of organizations such as Hispanic Access Foundation to protect the places that matter to our communities and our families. We look forward to working with her to preserve our heritage for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.”

Since its founding in 2010, HAF has made building environmental awareness among Latinos, going outdoors and empowering advocates a top priority. The organization has initiated several projects on the environment including its recent effort to raise awareness about extending protection to Browns Canyon in Colorado and exposing Latinos to the outdoors. As part of that project, HAF took over 60 Hispanic youth to that area for a weekend of camping and rafting, and then brought a dozen youth to Washington to speak with legislators, the White House and the National Park Service director.

Cortes , a 17-year-old twelfth grader from Chicago, was born in Puerto Rico and is now deciding on her college, which is between Occidental College, Northwestern University, Boston University, University of Miami and the University of Iowa.  She would like to become an editor or possibly an author after graduation.  She fondly remembers reading her first book with her mother and the bond that formed between them.  She would like to help others to experience that too. 

Cortes was made awared of the New Futuro opportunity by Chicago Scholars, which provided transportation for her and her mother to Navy Pier for the event.

“I would like to thank the 1,463 Facebook friends who liked my picture and for their encouraging comments.  I would also like to thank the Hispanic Access Foundaion for his amazing opportunity!” said Cortes.  “It is so much help and one less thing to worry about as an entering college freshman.  My family and I can’ thank you enough.”

Hispanic Access Foundation participated in the New Futuro college prep fairs because, even though families place a high value on college education, Hispanics are not graduating from college at the rates this country needs for its economic future and prosperity.

How else has Hispanic Access Foundation been involved?

•  Executive Director Maite Arce served as an expert panelist on a televised Spanish-language discussion with parents and students regarding meaningful access to college.
•  HAF Board Member, Marta Sanchez and Liz Neuenschwander, HAF’s operations manager, gave presentations to parents and students titled, “Family Involvement in Education” and “Pathway to College.”
•  H&R Block sponsored HAF’s involvement in the New Futuro events.