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Here’s five interesting #SocInn links we’re clicking on today:

1. New Profit: America Forward Commends Congress for Workforce Legislation Announcement, Urges Swift Passage “America Forward applauds the bicameral, bipartisan agreement on the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) reauthorization deal announced earlier today and urges the swift passage of final WIA legislation in Congress. WIA was last updated the year that Google was incorporated (1998) and it is noteworthy that in this challenging political environment that legislators are coming together to recognize the importance of developing America’s workers, particularly those who need training to succeed in our economy. We are particularly happy to see the inclusion of the Pay for Success option that enables local boards to tie dollars to outcomes. America Forward and the America Forward Coalition worked closely with Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Michael Bennett (D-CO) and Representative Susan Brooks (R-IN) to develop this option and believe that when WIA is signed into law, this will result in a stronger, more inclusive workforce by ensuring that our limited workforce funds go to providers that deliver results.” America Forward is New Profit’s nonpartisan policy initiative.
2. The Atlantic: How Being Poor Makes You Sick A look at how some patients are being “prescribed” bicycles and groceries as doctors attempt to treat the lifestyle consequences of poverty, in addition to its medical symptoms. Health Leads is highlighted as an organization partnering with hospitals, where doctors are incorporating the treatment of poverty-related obstacles into their medical routines. “Today, Health Leads allows doctors in 20 clinics across the country to ‘prescribe’ services like healthy food or safe housing to their low-income patients. Health Leads volunteers (usually med students) set up card tables in clinic waiting areas and try to connect patients with prescribed services.” New Profit is a proud funder of Health Leads.
3. Mass Live: Viewpoint: Both liberal and conservative, Roca deserves a chance An opinion piece by Ron Chimelis, The Republican’s general columnist and opinion writer, where he weighs in on how Roca, Inc. appeases both parties: “It is a very liberal program, run by people who swear that no at-risk young man is a lost cause. It is a very conservative program, one that draws heavily from private sources and demands verifiable results for money spent on social programs. However this innovative project turns out, the undertaking by Roca, Inc., is a very American program. For that reason alone, everybody should be rooting for its success and supporting that it is even being tried.” New Profit is a proud funder of Roca.
4. The Tennessean: Nashville teachers, principals disagree on school conditions “An anonymous survey of 4,912 educators employed by Metro Nashville Public Schools found teachers have a much more positive outlook overall than last year. Metro school officials are glowing at this week’s results from its fourth annual district-wide survey called Teaching, Empowering, Leading and Learning, or TELL, conducted by the national nonprofit New Teacher Center. With marks improving on every single question from the year before — led by spikes on questions related to instructional practices, time and support — a contractor who led the survey called the results ‘phenomenal’…But there remains a sizable gap — albeit an expected one — between the perceptions of teachers and principals.” New Profit is a proud funder of New Teacher Center.
5. NationSwell: Two Wrongs That Make a Right Soon, five homeless veterans in Ogden, Utah “will be living with a roof over their heads, thanks to students who remodeled a home as part of the Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College’s YouthBuild program.” New Profit is a proud funder of YouthBuild.