Home Safety Guidance for Winter and Beyond

January 13, 2021

Winter season is upon us and COVID-19 cases are continuing to rise. With many families still having to work and manage virtual learning from home, there is no better time than now to evaluate the health of your home. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released Everyone Deserves a Safe and Healthy Home: A Stakeholder Guide for Protecting the Health of Children and Families.

Everyone Deserves a Safe and Healthy Home provides home safety tips to help vulnerable family members suffering from chronic illnesses who may be at risk when faced with common occurrences in the home such as mold, dust, toxins from lead, and old imbedded asbestos. It also provides guidance on everyday cleaning chemicals, as well as silent and odorless carbon monoxide and radon, which can pose health risks if not effectively treated and kept under control. Each topic is fully explained including what causes the problem and how to prevent and eliminate it. The publication provides a room-by-room safety checklist for conducting a complete healthy home assessment for your house or apartment.

Another popular home safety guide from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The Lead-Safe Certified Guide to Renovate Right, provides important facts about lead and how it can affect your family’s health. If you’re a property owner thinking about hiring a painting contractor or plumber, you will find this publication useful. It explains how best to choose a contractor, and, whether you’re a do-it-yourself type or not, how to prepare for a renovation or repair job. And finally, it tells you where to get more information about lead safety issues.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Trudy Hawkins is a writer and senior marketing specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Division supporting the U.S. Government Online Bookstore (http://bookstore.gpo.gov).

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Summer 2020: Staying Safe and Healthy at Home

June 23, 2020

Summer celebrations are going to be different in 2020 while the COVID-19 pandemic prevents Americans from enjoying the usual large holiday gatherings and travel. Many families will spend more of the summer at home than ever before. While in our safe havens, we need to make sure that our homes are free from other common hazards, inside and out.

To recognize the importance of our homes as it relates to our health, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has declared June National Healthy Homes Month. According to HUD, most people spend 70 percent or more of their time inside their home, even when not under stay-at-home restrictions. This statistic is reported in the HUD publication Everyone Deserves a Safe and Healthy Home: a Stakeholder Guide for Protecting the Health of Children and Families, available for sale from the GPO Online Bookstore. This book covers a full range of home safety issues including lead paint, allergens, mold, carbon monoxide, radon, unsafe drinking water, household chemicals, pests, and the dangers of slips and falls. Even a single one of these unhealthy housing problems can endanger residents, especially children and the elderly who are more vulnerable. This stakeholder guide is intended to assist health care professionals, teachers, religious leaders, and others who work with families, but it could also be used by anyone wanting to maintain or improve their residence. Each topic is fully explained including what causes the problem and how to prevent and eliminate it. Included is a room-by-room safety checklist for conducting a complete healthy home assessment for your house or apartment.

Everyone Deserves a Safe and Healthy Home: a Stakeholder Guide for Protecting the Health of Children and Families is also available from GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications in Spanish.

There is also a companion publication: Everyone Deserves a Safe and Healthy Home: Protect the Health of Children and Families: a Consumer Action Guide. The consumer action guide provides much of the same information as the Stakeholder Guide in a shorter version for homeowners and renters.

In July, Americans will be mark Independence Day with small, at-home celebrations. Due to COVID-19 precautions, many cities and towns have cancelled traditional Fourth of July fireworks shows. As you plan for the holiday, keep your outdoor activities fun and safe with these publications made available from GPO’s Catalog of Government Publications:

  • Fireworks Fact Sheet (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission). It might be tempting to plan your own fireworks this year, but even legal consumer fireworks can be dangerous. Sparklers burn at very high temperatures and can cause third-degree burns. Illegal fireworks can be deadly. This brochure provides information about using consumer fireworks safely and lists the different types of consumer fireworks permitted in each state.
  • Fireworks Annual Report (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission). For more in-depth study, the Fireworks Annual Report is available for years 2013 to 2018. Each annual issue describes injuries and deaths associated with fireworks during the calendar year, including statistics that break down injuries by age and gender.
  • Grilling Fire Safety (U.S. Fire Administration). This flyer has tips for keeping outdoor cooking in the safe zone. Also available in Spanish.
  • Summer Safety Tips (U.S. Fire Administration). Whether you are camping, swimming, or biking, this flyer will help you do it safely.
  • Summertime Burn Safety (U.S. Fire Administration). This is a quick checklist for preventing and treating the common burn injuries of summer. Also available in Spanish.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

For the free resources, click on the links above within this blog post.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Visit our Retail Store: To buy or order a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up(s).

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Caroline Hassler is a Supervisory Librarian in GPO’s Library Services & Content Management office.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

National Safety Month

June 28, 2019

June is National Safety Month, a great time to think about ways to improve the safety in your home, to keep your family aware of potential hazards, or, to consider possible existing hazards that could be affecting the health and comfort of your loved ones.

One of the most potentially dangerous and often forgotten causes of health-related problems, especially one affecting your children, is lead paint poisoning. And in older homes, lead paint poisoning is considered a high risk due to poor maintenance. It’s easy to forget the room you recently painted with your favorite color has covered over the original paint job that was done when the home was built many years ago. And just because you can’t see it anymore doesn’t mean the lead paint underneath isn’t affecting the places you’re sitting around the dinner table, watching your favorite team play, or catching a well-deserved good night of sleep.

The Federal government offers the following resources for maintaining a healthy and safe environment in your home.

Lead Paint Safety: A Field Guide for Interim Controls in Painting and Home Maintenance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  This booklet addresses the dangers of lead paint and the potential lead poisoning through home maintenance and renovation work. Even better, it is an illustrated hands-on resource. So you’ll have it handy on the next rainy day to review and decide if your home could have lead paint that needs your attention now.

Another resource to help keep your home healthy and free of hazards is the 2019 Healthy Homes Calendar. This colorful calendar filled with children’s artwork provides safety guidance on potential hazards that may be lurking around your home, each month of the year. For example, radon testing is a must for all households. January 2019 reminds you to test for radon and tips on how to do so. Protection against food poisoning and food safety is covered in July 2019. Other important tips include testing water as well as paint and soil around your home to determine the levels of lead that may be hazardous and much more.

A healthy home is a safe home, what better time than National Safety Month to promote the safety and well-being of your loved ones?

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Visit our Retail Store: To buy or order a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up(s).

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Trudy Hawkins is the the Sr. Marketing & Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Division supporting the U.S. Government Online Bookstore.

Home Safety image source rawpixel.com

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Homeowners & Landowners: The U.S. Gov Has You Covered!

April 26, 2016

Homeowners and landowners! The U.S. Government has several useful publications to help you make knowledgeable decisions about your habitat. Reduce the hazards of lead-based paint. Stop up energy-wasting air leaks. Know what you need to know about interstate natural gas projects. Read on!

Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home

055-000-00683-1Lead-based paint is hazardous. You probably know that. The older the building, the more likely the inside and outside surfaces contain the heavy metal (the chemical element, not the music). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development pulled together this brochure to help you identify the many sources of lead and eliminate risks.

First step: “The only way to find out if paint, dust, or soil lead hazards exist is to test for them.” For homes and childcare facilities built before 1978, you have cause to act even quicker. In fact, Federal law requires disclosure of lead-based paint information to prospective buyers and renters of pre-1978 properties. Protect your family from damaging health effects—check your home for lead!

A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Sealing and Insulating with Energy Star

055-000-00684-9Does Aunt Mabel often feel a draft when she’s visiting your home? Better patch up those leaks! The EPA offers this handy guide to locate and seal leaks, specifically in the basement and attic where most problematic leaks are hidden. Pesky leaks love to seek cover behind insulation.

To get started, make a rough sketch of your home’s floor plan. Spatial reference points will help you locate common household air leaks in wiring holes, plumbing vents, furnace flues, etc. Then follow the booklet’s guidance for plugging holes and caulking gaps. Enhance the performance of your insulation, reduce your energy bills, and make your home more comfortable—this government resource will get you there.

An Interstate Natural Gas Facility on My Land? What Do I Need to Know?

061-000-00967-1_Page_01If these are questions that keep you up at night, then grab yourself a copy of this Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) booklet. FERC is responsible for approving private natural gas pipelines projects. The agency assembled this concise, illustrative pamphlet to let consumers know:

  • How the Commission’s evaluation process works;
  • Landowner rights;
  • Issues involving project location and pipeline construction
  • Environmental, safety, and storage issues.

Bonus: a two-page graphic of a pipeline installation sequence gives visual context to what it takes to move natural gas across state boundaries. It’s quite the process. And FERC is here to tell you all you need to know.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE PUBLICATIONS?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

 Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Our guest blogger is Chelsea Milko, Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations Office.

Leave a Comment » | Consumer Product Safety Commission, Consumers, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Environment, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

The All-in-One Guide to All Federal Assistance Programs

March 27, 2014

Catalog-of-Federal-Domestic-Assistance_2013_cover imageDid you know that the U.S. Government offers more than 2,200 Federal assistance programs to the American public? It does, and these programs serve a variety of purposes and provide a range of benefits to state and local governments, non-profit organizations, institutions, and individuals.

The one characteristic shared by these Federal assistance programs is their goal of supporting the American public. The benefits available through these programs include, but are not limited to, financial assistance and the exchange of property or services.

With so many Federal assistance programs and services available, it can be understandably difficult to keep track of them all or know where to start when looking for assistance. That’s where the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance — known fondly as the CFDA– comes into play! The General Services Administration maintains a database of all of these programs and publishes a comprehensive guide to the programs annually.

The 2013 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance assists users in identifying programs that meet their needs and obtaining general information about the program-such as how to apply for assistance, the approval process, related programs, and contact information.

What categories of U.S. Government Federal Assistance Programs are there and what information is provided on each?

Some types of Federal Assistance funding are issued via grants. To search for and track all Federal Government grants, visit Grants.gov.

Some types of Federal Assistance funding are issued via grants. To search for, apply to, and track all sorts of Federal Government grants, visit the Grants.gov website.

Each program is detailed in the CFDA, and potential users can review the details including each program’s Objectives, Types of Assistance, and the rules for applying for and using this program, including Uses and Use Restriction and Eligibility Requirements for both the grant applicant and beneficiary(ies).

Each entry also includes any Credentials/Documentation required and the Application and Award Process that must be followed to apply for , from Preapplication Coordination and Application Procedures to Award Procedure and Deadlines for submitting your application (if required).

Types of Federal assistance programs run the gamut from Formula or Project Grants to Cooperative Agreements; Direct Payments for either a specified or unrestricted use; Direct Loans or Guaranteed / Insured Loans; Insurance; Sale, exchange, or donation of Federal property or goods; Use of Federal property, facilities, or equipment; even Investigation of complaints and Advisory Services and Counseling; plus many more.

Sampling of some of the Federal Assistance Programs available

Image: Break-down of CFDA program distribution for the top five issuing agencies by dollars provided. Source: CFDA Website

Image: Break-down of CFDA program distribution for the top five issuing agencies by dollars provided. Source: CFDA.gov Website

In order to demonstrate the broad scope of these Federal assistance programs a bit more, here’s a look at some of the more interesting programs offered by these top 5 agencies that provide the most program offerings:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

  • Nutrition Services Incentive Program
  • Mental Health Research Grants
  • Grants to Increase Organ Donations
  • Poison Center Support and Enhancement Grant Program

U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)

  • Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
  • American Battlefield Protection Grants
  • Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act Grants
  • Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • Collaborative Forest Restoration Project
  • Farmers’ Market Promotion Program
  • Animal Health and Disease Research Grants
  • Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)

  • Missing Children’s Assistance Grants
  • Community-Based Violence Prevention Program
  • Juvenile Mentoring Program
  • Economic High-Tech and Cyber Crime Prevention Grants

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

  • Housing Counseling Assistance Program
  • Appalachia Economic Development Initiative
  • Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grants
  • Veterans Homelessness Prevention Program
Veterans-Homelessness-Prevention-Program
This last program, for example, the Veterans Homelessness Prevention Demonstration Program, or VHPD, is a Project Grant type assistance program which has the following stated objective:
“The purpose of the Veterans Homelessness Prevention Demonstration Program (VHPD) is to explore ways for the Federal Government to offer early intervention homelessness prevention, primarily to veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The authorizing statutory language for the VHPD acknowledges the increasing number of female veterans, veterans with families especially with a single head of household, as well as those from the National Guard and Reserve who are being discharged from the military and whose unique needs should be more closely examined.”

The VHPD grant money funding is to be…

“used for short-term housing assistance, including security deposits, up to 18 months of rent assistance, rental and/or utility arrearages, or related housing assistance. Grantees may also use funding for appropriate services for veterans and their families, including, but not limited to, child care, family services and case management.”

As you can see, Federal assistance programs exist to benefit the American public in many different arenas and through a variety of methods. Whether the goal is to reduce veterans’ homelessness, to mitigate the impact of earthquakes, or to provide mentorship for young people, the 2013 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is the ultimate resource and all-in-one guide for learning about the programs that are available from the U.S. Government.

After all, the public needs to be aware of these programs in order to take advantage of what they have to offer!

How can I get these and other Federal Government publications on Federal Benefits?

In addition to clicking on the links in the article above to find the publications, you may find other benefits publications from the following:

About the Authors: Guest blogger Stephanie Jaeger is Sales & Marketing Coordinator for GPO’s Sales & Marketing Division that markets GPO’s publishing services to the Federal sector.

Government Book Talk Editor Michele Bartram is Promotions and Ecommerce Manager for GPO’s Publication and Information Sales Division in Washington, DC, and is responsible for online and offline marketing of the US Government Online Bookstore (http://bookstore.gpo.gov) and promoting Federal government content to the public.

 

4 Comments | Business, Children, Consumers, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health & Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of Justice, Department of the Interior, Family, Health care, Women | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Michele Bartram, U.S. Government Online Bookstore

Understand How the U.S. Government is Organized

January 13, 2014

The United States Government Manual 2013

United States US Government Manual 2013 ISBN: 9780160919510 Available from http://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/069-000-00216-1?ctid=38The Government Manual is an essential guide to the United States Federal Government, where one can find the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and information on every U.S. Government agency. This official handbook on the Federal Government is published annually by the National Archives and Record Administration’s Office of the Federal Register.

Two years ago, Government Book Talk featured the Government Manual with the post “Browsing the Government Manual”. Here, we will take another look at this ultimate resource on the U.S. Government.

The 2013 Government Manual begins with the country’s founding documents, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and then goes on to profile each agency, quasi-official agency, international organization in which the United States participates, board, commission, and committee found in the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive branches of the U.S. Government. The profiles include:

  • Organizational charts
  • List of principal officials
  • Summary statement of the agency’s purpose and role in the Federal Government
  • Brief history of the agency, including its legislative or executive authority
  • Description of its programs and activities
  • Information on consumer activities, contracts and grants, employment, publications, and contact information.

This organizational structure is beneficial for large executive branch agencies that have several departments each with their own mission and function.  For example, 20 pages of the manual are devoted to the nearly 40 different divisions, offices, and bureaus that make up the Department of Justice, which seems complex but pales in comparison to the Department of Defense and its behemoth structure.

The Government Manual concludes with the History of Agency Organization Structures. This section of the manual is arguably the highlight of this publication, as it provides a history of the lifetime and timeline of each agency as the U.S. Government grows with the country. For example, the Bureau of Immigration was created in 1891 as a branch of the Department of Treasury and cycled through to the Department of Commerce and Labor, the Department of Labor, the Department of Justice, and finally, after losing its name but keeping its functions, landed in the newly established Department of Homeland Security in 2002.

The Government Manual is not only a great resource on the United States Federal government and its functions, but also a goldmine of new information and interesting facts that are not commonly known about the U.S. Government and the country’s history.  So, if you would like  to understand how the U.S. Government is organized, then this is the book for you!

How can I get a copy of “The United States Government Manual 2013”?

About the Author: Our guest blogger is Emma Wojtowicz, Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Office of Public Affairs. Additional content provided by Stephanie Jaeger, Sales & Marketing Coordinator for GPO’s Sales & Marketing Division and is responsible for marketing GPO’s publishing services to the Federal sector.

10 Comments | African Americans, Congress, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Health & Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Department of State, Department of the Interior, Department of the Treasury, Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs, Executive Branch, Government Printing Office (GPO), Judicial Branch, Legislative Branch, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of State | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Stephanie Jaeger, U.S. Government Printing Office

Glad Dad: Best Books and Sites for Fathers

June 11, 2013

Fathers-day-in-multiple-languagesMany of our personal characteristics, such as where we are born, the color of our eyes, our native language—are due to luck. If we get good parents, this is due to luck, too. When we become parents ourselves, though, we need to rely on our own hard work. Being a parent is the happiest and hardest job I’ve ever had, and I know many people say the same. Any help you can get with that job, whether it is from your own parents, friends, your child’s teachers, parents of your child’s friends, is welcome. As the African proverb goes, it takes a village to raise a child.

Image: How do you say Father? Source: Craftionary

The Federal government wants to be part of that village, and provide parents with any assistance it can give. And with Father’s Day this Sunday, the Government Printing Office wants to highlight these terrific Federal publications and websites to help Dads be all they can be. Whether he’s called Papi, Papa, Pop, Baba, Daddy, Da, Abbu or just plain Dad, celebrate the fathers– and father figures– you know by sharing these resources with them.

National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse

Fatherhood.gov Despicable Me National Responsible Fatherhood ClearinghouseThe Government supports fathers in many ways; one of them is through the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse at Fatherhood.gov. Dads can check out this site to find fatherhood programs and resources, connect with mentors, read the latest blog posting on DadTalk, and take the Fatherhood Pledge.

Eleven Federal partners are involved in the Responsible Fatherhood Working Group: the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, Veterans Affairs, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The level of Federal investment shows how seriously the President and the Federal Government takes this initiative. Another way to reap the benefits of Federal support of fathers is to read Federal government publications prepared in support of responsible fatherhood.

Promoting Responsible Fatherhood

Hero poster for FatherhoodFirst.org Promoting Responsible Fatherhood: Every Father Taking Responsibility for His Child’s Intellectual, Emotional, and Financial Well-Being discusses the various programs and initiatives that President Obama has been promoting as part of his Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative, including the Head Start-sponsored Fatherhood First program (see poster on the left).

President Obama believes in the importance of fatherhood, as he said in 2009:

“I came to understand the importance of fatherhood through its absence—both in my life and in the lives of others. I came to understand that the hole a man leaves when he abandons his responsibility to his children is one that no government can fill” (p. 2).

To keep that void from opening, the Federal Government has started the aforementioned initiative, and the president has asked for Federal budget support for the Child Support Enforcement Program and to sustain funding for the Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood grants.

President Obama playing with daughters and new dog BoThis book discusses these and similar Federal Government programs started and/or supported by the Obama Administration, and what the programs have done to help fathers and their families.

Image: President Obama playing with his daughters Sasha and Malia along with then-new (and rambunctious) dog, Bo, on the White House lawn. Source: The White House

This volume is mostly a high-level program summary of interest to policy wonks, public policy workers, social workers, local government officials and students of those disciplines. However, the general public can also glean information about what resources they can get from the Federal Government to assist their families.

At the document’s end, there’s a list of things fathers, individuals, NGOs and places of worship can do to support fatherhood in their own communities as well. The document’s authors try to show how the Federal government stretches out a hand, but it ends on a note of helping oneself, much like the next volume.

Download an electronic copy of Promoting Responsible Fatherhood: Every Father Taking Responsibility for His Child’s Intellectual, Emotional, and Financial Well-Being for FREE from GPO. 

Dad’s Play Book: Coaching Kids to Read

Dad’s Play Book: Coaching Kids to ReadDad’s Play Book: Coaching Kids to Read is geared to get dads to help their kids to read, using case studies and helpful tips. The writers use two of the most important behavior modification tools at their disposal: we all want to be like our peers (hence the case studies) and men love sports (hence the extended coaching metaphor). Twenty dads are profiled on how they are helping their kids learn to read, giving their names, photos, occupations and ages, so they’re more relatable to readers.

The middle pages cover five skills that children need to have mastered to be readers by third grade; everyone who has responsibility for a pre-K through 3rd grade child should be taking some time to study this cheat sheet. Each tip has a paragraph subtitled, How Can a Dad Help? that gives specific suggestions for a dad to improve reading—for example, with fluency. This title is short but sweet; there’s a lot more to know about helping a child learn to read, but this friendly, picture-filled piece is definitely worth the time it takes not only to read it, but to study it and employ in your life as well.

You can either

How can I find these publications: Promoting Responsible Fatherhood: Every Father Taking Responsibility for His Child’s Intellectual, Emotional, and Financial Well-Being and Dad’s Play Book: Coaching Kids to Read?

About the author(s): Our guest blogger is Jennifer K. Davis from GPO’s Library Services & Content Management Division that supports the Federal Depository Libraries Program (FDLP). (Article was adapted by Government Book Talk Editor, Michele Bartram, GPO Promotions & Ecommerce Manager, from an original  post on the FDLP Community site blog by Ms. Davis.)

4 Comments | African Americans, Catalog of Government Publications (CGP), Children, Consumers, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Education, Department of Health & Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs, Executive Branch, Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), Health care, Libraries, Parenting | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Michele Bartram, U.S. Government Online Bookstore

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