{"id":8470,"date":"2011-11-07T13:56:56","date_gmt":"2011-11-07T19:56:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/?p=8470"},"modified":"2016-09-30T17:36:00","modified_gmt":"2016-09-30T21:36:00","slug":"show-me-the-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/2011\/11\/show-me-the-data\/","title":{"rendered":"“Show me the data”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Sister Mary Ann Walsh of the USCCB is continuing to hold HHS\u2019s feet to the fire, regarding the way it denied grants to Catholic organizations.<\/p>\n

The latest: <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

When Cuba Gooding Jr. and Tom Cruise yelled \u201cShow me the money\u201d in the movie\u00a0Jerry Maguire<\/em>, it was funny. When the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) cries \u201cShow me the data,\u201d it is serious.<\/p>\n

\u201cShow me the data\u201d is an urgent request from USCCB\u2019s Migration and Refugee Services. MRS has long worked with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help refugees, migrating children, and people trafficked to the U.S. for labor and the sex trade. The U.S. Justice Department recently lauded MRS in a brief defending HHS, which is being sued by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for working with Catholics. Said the Justice Department, as reported in the Washington Post, \u201cthe bishops have been \u2018resoundingly successful in increasing assistance to victims of trafficking.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite this, a recent anti-trafficking grant application from MRS to continue serving people caught in the 21st<\/sup> Century\u2019s version of human slavery was denied. MRS asks why?<\/p>\n

I have been informed that six organizations applied for anti-trafficking grants from HHS\u2019s Office for Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Four scored so low they did not make the cutoff when evaluated by an independent review board. Two applicants scored well. Heartland Human Care Services scored highest and MRS came in second, very close to Heartland, even after losing points for not being willing to refer for contraceptives and\u00a0abortions. Yet, after finagling by Sharon Parrott, one of three politically-appointed counselors to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, ORR awarded $4.5 million, spread across Heartland, which earned the award, and United\u00a0States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and Tapestri, groups that hadn\u2019t made the grade according to the independent review board.<\/p>\n

HHS denies any hanky-panky. Show me the data.<\/p>\n

Ambassador Johnny Young, who now heads MRS after a stellar career in the U.S. diplomatic corps, asked for data. Young, an African-American, has seen plenty of racial discrimination. Meeting with HHS\u2019s George Sheldon he noted that he recognized discrimination again \u2013 this time because of his Catholic faith. When Sheldon, Acting Assistant Secretary for HHS\u2019s Administration for Children and Families, denied the deck was stacked, Young said, in effect, show me the data. No answer yet.<\/p>\n

USCCB filed a Freedom of Information Act request to see how these decisions were made. Still no answer.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Read the rest. <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong><\/p>\n