The UFT's Member Assistance Program (MAP) has trained professional counselors who can guide you through the problems that can affect your mental health and potentially put your job in jeopardy. Our services are free, confidential, professional and voluntary. As a UFT member, you may receive short-term counseling with a trained licensed mental health professional through MAP. If you would like to set up an appointment with a counselor, receive a referral for outside mental health resources or learn how MAP can support you, please contact us at 212-701-9620 or via email at mapinfo@uft.org. Learn more about available services at the link in comments. (fb)

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have passed a major budget bill that puts in jeopardy federal funding streams that our schools and communities rely on. The legislation, which now moves to the U.S. Senate, would slash taxes, steer more money to the military and border security, and pay for some of this with cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, education and clean energy programs while adding trillions of dollars to the federal deficit. The Medicaid cuts in the budget bill would lead to 7.6 million people going uninsured, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. (fb)