Law Commons^™

Legislative Hearing On Ma Foreclosure Mediation Program Bills: Written Testimony To The Joint Committee On The Judiciary, Susan Jeghelian, Madhawa Palihapitiya

Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration Publications

The inability of homeowners to communicate with holders of securitized mortgage obligations has been a significant barrier to completing affordable loan modifications that might prevent foreclosures or minimize losses and keep more homeowners in their homes. Increasingly, legislators and the courts are looking at mediation as a potential solution to the problem.

In a little over a year, from mid-2008 to mid-2009, more than 25 distinct foreclosure mediation programs were launched in fourteen different states. State legislatures, state supreme courts, and local courts played roles in creating these programs. Mediation is being favored over litigation due to concerns such as …

Science Tools To Implement Ecosystem Based Management In Massachusetts (Draft), Mrag Americas, Incorporated, Massachusetts Ocean Partnership, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

In this report we provide a framework for implementing ecosystem based management (EBM) and suggest a range of science information tools and their appropriate application to the decision making process. These tools can be broadly classified as modeling tools, decision analysis tools, and indicators. Modeling tools allow the user to organize data, communicate scientific findings to management and stakeholder audiences, and test alternative management scenarios. When used unwisely, however, models can preclude options, present unusable scenarios, generate results in scales that differ from management needs, and impose huge time, data, and technical requirements (Manno et al., 2008). Decision analysis tools …

Institute Brief: Advancing Parent-Professional Leadership: Effective Strategies For Building The Capacity Of Parent Advisory Councils In Special Education, Heike Boeltzig, Matthew Kusminsky, Susan M. Foley, Richard Robison, Barbara Popper, Marilyn Gutierrez-Wilson

The Institute Brief Series, Institute for Community Inclusion

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, last amended in 2004 (IDEA 2004), encourages parents and educators to work collaboratively, emphasizing that as a team they are uniquely suited to make decisions that help improve the educational experiences and outcomes of children with disabilities. The Advancing Parent-Professional Leadership in Education (APPLE) Project was funded to develop the leadership skills of parents individually and within their communities. The project took place in Massachusetts, where school districts are required to have a special education parent advisory council (SEPAC).

Lifelines For Elders Living On The Edge: How Elder Support Programs Compare To Living Costs. The Elder Economic Standard Index™ For Massachusetts, Laura Henze Russell

Gerontology Institute Publications

This report examines the array of federal and state support programs for elders in Massachusetts. It asks how well the lifelines - the support programs that have been set up to help low- and modest-income elders meet basic needs when costs exceed incomes – work in today’s economy. Which programs are serving elders well? Have they kept pace with inflation? Which lifelines are frayed, or about to rupture? Do seniors know about the programs, and use them when needed?

The Massachusetts Elder Economic Security Initiative, Gerontology Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Wider Opportunities For Women

Gerontology Institute Publications

The Massachusetts Elder Econamic Security Initiative offers concrete tools to shape public policies and programs to promote the economic well-being of elders. The Initiative uses the Elder Economic Security Standard Index (Elder Index) to reveal the economic vulnerability of older adults on a county-by-county basis. The Elder Index will change the way we address the economic needs of Massachusetts' older adults.