Human Services News

Many low-income parents are trying to find quality child care that will help their children develop to their fullest potential, but they're not getting enough help from their employers, government and communities, Purdue child development experts found in a study to be presented April 7 at an international conference.
"While we know quality child care is important for low-income children while their parents work or go to school, little is known about what types of child care are actually being used and whether reasonable quality standards are being met," said James Elicker, associate professor in child development and family studies. "We completed one of the first explorations of child care for low-income working families after welfare reform. We discovered child care is not what it should be, and children from these families appear to be at risk."

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:55 PM

Missed Opportunities: The Possibilities and Challenges of Funding High-Quality Preschool through Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act

by Danielle Ewen, Jennifer Mezey, and Hannah Matthews. This paper provides general background on the legislation behind Title I and provides an overview of the available data on the use of Title I funds for preschool, as well as illustrative examples of how a few states and local communities have used Title I funds for these programs. It also examines the U.S. Department of Education's statutes, regulations, and guidance on the use of Title I funds for preschool and raises some unanswered questions. Finally, it discusses how the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act may affect the availability of Title I funding for preschool programs. Pub No. 05-16. 24 pages. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:54 PM

House Budget Resolution Would Require Much Deeper Cuts In Key Low-Income Programs Than Senate Budget Plan

The budget resolutions passed by the House and Senate in mid-March differ sharply in the size of their cuts in key "mandatory" (or "entitlement") programs that assist low-income families with children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. The House Budget Resolution calls for an estimated $30 billion to $35 billion in cuts over the next five years in Medicaid, food stamps, and low-income programs under the jurisdiction of the House Ways and Means Committee, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, foster care and adoption assistance, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, and child care.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:53 PM

HIV testing should be routine part of primary health care for sexually active

Primary health care providers should incorporate HIV testing into routine patient care for all sexually active individuals, regardless of risk factors, say a group of physician/researchers at Emory University School of Medicine, Brown Medical School, and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. HIV testing also should be offered routinely in emergency departments, jails and substance abuse centers, the researchers say. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:09 PM

Patients newly diagnosed with HIV are more likely to enter outpatient care with case management

Patients recently diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are significantly more likely to seek medical treatment if they are followed even briefly by a case manager, according to findings of the national Antiretroviral Treatment Access Study (ARTAS). Physician/researchers at four sites evaluated individuals recently diagnosed with HIV and found that patients who worked with case managers were 40 percent more likely to visit an HIV clinician in the outpatient setting at least twice within the first year following diagnosis. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:08 PM

Major Study to Improve Health Through Physician, Patient Education; Goal Is to Reduce Treatment Disparities

The University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Bon Secours Baltimore Health System are investigating the effectiveness of education to improve the health of patients diagnosed with either hypertension or diabetes. The study, called the Baltimore Cardiovascular Partnership, will evaluate whether physician training in the latest treatment guidelines, combined with intensive instruction for patients makes a difference. The institutions have each received $3 million grants from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute for the five-year study.
The study will focus on African-Americans, who are at high risk for hypertension and diabetes. The goal is to help them gain better control of their disease by promoting early diagnosis and comprehensive treatment.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:05 PM

Judge Blocks Rule Allowing Companies to Cut Benefits When Retirees Reach Medicare Age

A judge blocked a Bush administration rule that would have allowed employers to reduce or eliminate health benefits for retirees when they reach age 65. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:02 PM

Violent crime surges hurt businesses most in low-crime areas

When violent crime surges in low-crime areas, retail businesses there seem to suffer more than do their counterparts in areas with normally high crime rates, new research has found. When the number of homicides increased dramatically in low-crime rate zip codes, there were significant reductions in the growth rate of new retail and service businesses, and employment in existing businesses. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:56 PM

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Stanford Supreme Court Litigation Clinic's Case Expands Age Discrimination Protection

Stanford Law School today released the following.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that workers over 40 do not have to show intentional discrimination by employers to recover damages under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).

The 5 to 3 ruling held that the ADEA permits lawsuits under a disparate impact theory, the same rule that applies under federal law for claims of race and gender discrimination. The decision affects the rights of an estimated 70 million workers, about half the nation's work force. The Court, however, rejected the plaintiffs' claim that the particular policy they challenged violated the ADEA.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:55 PM

Solving sleep problems helps epileptic children

National Priorities Project:Where Do Your Taxes Go 2005

Epilepsy has long been thought to cause excitability and contrariness in children. But researchers with the University of Florida's McKnight Brain Institute believe the real reason some of these children cannot sit still or pay attention is because they don't get enough shut-eye. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:49 PM

March 30, 2005

Information and Market-Based Community Development

Two complementary papers from the Brookings Institution examine the role of information resources in spurring markets and creating investment strategies to boost urban neighborhoods. Together, both papers offer a framework for market-based community economic development, presenting business-planning tools for inner city communities.

To learn more visit - http://www.brookings.org/metro/umi.htm.

Posted by Michael at 1:08 PM

Where Do Your Taxes Go 2005

When Tax Day comes on April 15th, taxpayers should know that 30 cents of each federal income tax dollar they paid supported military and defense, while four cents went to education, according to the National Priorities Project (NPP), a non-partisan, non-profit research group.

Where Do Your Tax Dollars Go?, NPP's just released publication, provides a detailed breakdown of how the federal government allocated the average household's 2004 tax dollars in each state and 193 towns, cities and counties at www.nationalpriorities.org/taxday05.

The average U.S. household's 2004 federal income tax payment was $6,296. Of that amount, $1,887 went to the military and defense, while $1,171 went to interest on the debt. The breakdown also includes: $1,276 to health care; $231 to education; $216 to veterans' benefits; $135 to housing, and $25 to job training.

Posted by Michael at 9:49 AM

Kids Today Take Fewer Risks than Parents, Study Says

Today's youth do less drugs and binge drinking than their parents and also commit fewer crimes, but many eat poorly and are overweight, according to the Child Well-Being Index. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 4:42 AM

Bullying among sixth graders a daily occurrence, UCLA study finds

Nearly half the sixth graders in two Los Angeles area public schools were bullied by classmates during a five-day period, UCLA researchers report in the first study of daily school harassment. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 4:08 AM

UW study shows blacks and Latinos are more satisfied with physicians of the same race

Black and Latino patients who perceive racism in the health care system prefer and are more satisfied with physicians from the same race or ethnicity, according to a University of Washington study published in the Annals of Family Medicine. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 3:58 AM

Study Shows Problems With Drug Companies' Charitable Programs

A new study shows that while free medication programs offered by the pharmaceutical industry help some low-income patients without drug coverage, health care providers report substantial barriers for patients who could otherwise benefit from these programs.
The study, which will be published in the April 1 issue of the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, surveyed "safety net" providers serving primarily low-income patients. Funded by the California HealthCare Foundation and conducted by researchers independent of the drug industry, the study comes shortly after the California launch of a $10 million effort by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) to promote its charitable programs. PhRMA will announce a similar national effort on April 5.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:57 AM

New Poll Gauges Cleveland's Jobs Situation; Attracting New Business, Improving Education are Top Priorities

Clevelanders cite local hospitals and the superb quality of the area's colleges and universities as key selling points for job creation and economic development. But they also express concern about public education and the need to attract new jobs to the ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:50 AM

Public Transportation Ridership Up by 2.11 Percent in 2004

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced that 9.6 billion trips were taken on U.S. local public transportation systems in 2004, an increase of 2.11 percent over the previous year. This growth rate was faster than highway vehicle travel, ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:49 AM

Only the ethical need apply

From Christian Science Monitor | Work/Money:

The "great global brain drain" is how futurist Richard Samson describes it. As the century progresses, he predicts, more and more jobs will be sucked up by technology and sophisticated computers, forcing humans to hone skills machines can't duplicate - at least not yet.
Qualities such as ethical judgment, compassion, intuition, responsibility, and creativity will be what stand out in an automated world.

With ethics issues spiking into the news almost weekly, the idea of a work world in which individual ethical acumen is viewed as an essential job skill is far from outlandish. The signs are already here.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:46 AM

Law Enforcement Has Impact on Youth Alcohol Sales, Study Says

Year-round compliance checks on alcohol sellers can help cut sales to minors, according to a new study. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:44 AM

SAMHSA Program Aims to Divert Inmates to Treatment

From Substance Abuse Funding News:

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will award funding under its "Targeted Capacity Expansion Grants for Jail Diversion Programs." Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:40 AM

High Court Supports Title IX Protection

From washingtonpost.com - Nation:

The Supreme Court ruled that the law prohibits not only unequal treatment of girls and women at school, but also official retaliation against anyone who blows the whistle on unequal treatment. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:36 AM

March/April 2005 Annals of Family Medicine tip sheet

Highlights from the March/April 2005 issue of Annals of Family Medicine, including new research and an an accompanying editorial on the family's contribution to health status. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:01 AM

Teens' Risky Behavior Down Since 1993 (AP)

AP - In many ways, children today are doing better than their parents did. They take fewer drugs, commit fewer crimes and have fewer babies. If they would just lay off the chips and soda. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:56 AM

March 29, 2005

Social Security and the income of the elderly

From Economic Policy Institute:

The current Social Security program ensures workers and their families a basic quality of life in retirement or in the event of disability or death. Social Security is of particular importance to Americans age 65 and older, 15 million of whom rely on these benefits for over half their income. A new EPI Issue Brief explains how the elderly can ill-afford to risk their Social Security income by depending on privatization plans, including a breakdown of Social Security reliance in each state. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:38 AM

Protecting children from industrial chemicals in the environment

An article published in the premier open-access journal PLoS Medicine argues that the existing requirements in the United States for toxicity testing and regulation of pesticides and industrial chemicals are inadequate to safeguard children. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:30 AM

Tax Reform and Fairness for Families: Presentation to the President's Advisory Panel on Tax Reform New Orleans, LA

Tax reform affects many areas of policy--children, charitable contributions, federal policy toward states and localities, health care, retirement policy, and business--to mention only a few. Tax reform cannot dodge these important issues, but must come to grips with how each of these areas of policy should be treated under a reformed system. In this powerpoint testimony, Gene Steuerle outlines many of the ways that current policies violate norms of simplicity, fairness, and efficiency and suggests possible means of improvement. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:05 AM

New Website for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Information

Designed to help journalists, researchers, policy makers and NGOs efficiently sort through the latest and most accurate information on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, this new website provides the latest news, information and data on the three diseases, information by country and reporting resources for journalists. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:56 AM

Element of Medicare Trustees' Report Could Spell Trouble For Beneficiaries In Future Years

Robert Greenstein, Richard Kogan, Edwin Park Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:54 AM

Schools, Tobacco Companies Battle over Students

Cigarette companies have stepped up their marketing to college students, but some schools are fighting back. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:52 AM

Housing Grants for Homeless Alcoholics

From Substance Abuse Funding News:

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is funding a program that offers housing and supportive services to recovering homeless alcoholics. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:50 AM

Hepatitis C and health-related quality of life

According to a new systematic review, patients with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) have a significant decrease in their health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL), although treatment success can mitigate this negative effect. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:04 AM

March 28, 2005

D.C. Response Slow in Life-And-Death Cases (AP)

AP - Though Congress rushed to intervene in the case of a brain-damaged Florida woman, those lobbying on life-and-death medical issues that affect thousands or even millions of people often find themselves struggling to get lawmakers' attention. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:54 PM

New Ad Campaign to Target Tax Hiking Republican, Red State Dems on Social Security

The Club for Growth, the nation's leading free-market political advocacy organization, will hold a conference call on Tuesday, March 29, to discuss a new television ad campaign in three states, including one that criticizes a sitting Republican Senator for ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:43 PM

Medicare Applications Sent to Low-Income Americans

Advocates for low-income people said the form for Medicare's new prescription drug benefit was so complex that they expected fewer than 5 percent to respond. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:38 PM

Study provides new estimates of the causes of child mortality worldwide

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) have developed the most accurate estimates to date of the causes of death of children under age 5. The estimates will help guide public health policies and programs that address child mortality worldwide. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:38 PM

Do you know where you are? Body and self not the same

Normally, we think of our selves as being located in our bodies. Hugging a child brings the child both closer to one's body and closer to one's representation of self. Researchers Arthur B. Markman of the University of Texas, Austin and C. Miguel Brendl of INSEAD in France found that "people's representations of self are distinct from their representation of particular aspects of their body." Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:30 PM

Disability Awareness Coloring Book

Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital has created a coloring book for children that addresses the awareness and acceptance of individuals living with disabilities and emphasizes the respect and dignity of all people, regardless of their physical appearance or ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:29 PM

Trends in Higher Education Report Published by Society for College and University Planning Is Available Online

The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) publishes a quarterly report on trends in six key areas effecting higher education: demographics, economy, environment, learning, politics, and technology.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:16 AM

Brady Campaign: NRA Calls for More Guns in Schools

The incoming president of the National Rifle Association told the Associated Press that in order to prevent school shootings like last week's horror in Red Lake, Minn., we should arm teachers with guns, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:12 AM

NYU College of Dentistry study equates poor oral health with preterm birth risk

Pregnant women with high levels of an oral bacterium associated with tooth decay and caries (cavities) are at risk for delivering preterm low birth weight (PLBW) babies, according to a study that was published today in the Journal of Periodontology. The study marks the first time that preterm delivery has been associated with oral bacteria other than those which cause infections of the gums (periodontal disease). Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:11 AM

Cultural and social factors influence prostate cancer treatment

Researchers say social and cultural factors play a significant role in patients' prostate cancer treatment decisions. A new study finds non-medical variables, such as marital status, high school education, and race/ethnicity may play a larger role in patients' treatment decisions than previously believed. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:55 AM

NY Legislature's Health Budget Keeps Access & Affordability High on List for Older New Yorkers; AARP Commends Legislative Leaders for Rejecting Hurtful Medicaid Proposals and Proposing Consumer Friendly Preferred Drug List

New Yorkers concerned about accessing long term care services such as nursing home and home care had reason to rejoice yesterday after seeing the State Legislature's Joint Subcommittee report on Health, Medicaid and Aging. The Legislature's budget report ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:53 AM

Green Mountain College Awards Full Scholarships to 10 Who 'Make a Difference' in Their Communities

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:42 AM

CBPP Briefing: State-By-State Impacts of Cuts in Programs for Low-Income Families

WHAT: Conference call briefing on state-by-state impacts of cuts in programs for low-income families: A comparison of the house and Senate budget resolutions Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:35 AM

New study links colic, maternal depression to family problems

Some families with new babies face excessive infant crying, or colic. And some new mothers go through maternal post-partum depression (PPD) following childbirth. Neither situation is considered healthy, but a recent study published in the Infant Mental Health Journal has found that the combined impact of colic and PPD can have a highly toxic outcome. Researchers have linked colicky babies and maternal depression to decrease in overall family functioning. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:27 AM

Illinois' Only Statewide Children's Health Foundation Announces 2005 Requests for Proposals

The Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation (ILCHF) today announced its 2005 "Requests for Proposals". Nearly $6 million dollars is available for grants through the Foundation's annual review process. The deadline for submission of letters of ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:25 AM

March 25, 2005

Who Graduates in California?

This policy bulletin presents a new analysis on high school graduation rates for California. Graduation rates are calculated using the Cumulative Promotion Index, a widely reported statistical indicator developed at the Urban Institute. Although the state's overall graduation rate of 71 percent falls near the national average, large disparities exist among different racial and ethnic groups. A slight narrowing of this graduation gap has occurred over the past several years. In addition to detailed statewide statistics, the bulletin includes results for the 10 largest districts in the state. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:38 AM

Policy Challenges and Opportunities in Closing the Racial/Ethnic Divide in Health Care

This brief reviews the issues and the evidence underpinning five broad areas of policy initiatives that flow from recommendations made in the Institute of Medicine's 2002 report, Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:21 AM

Kaiser Conversations on Health - Tommy Thompson

During this "Kaiser Conversations on Health" on Thursday, March 24, former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson provided an assessment of his tenure as HHS Secretary and discussed the challenges ahead in federal health policy, including implementation of the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS at home and abroad, and bioterrorism preparedness efforts. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:20 AM

Stability and Change in Child Care and Employment

From MDRC:

In a study of over 3,500 women in welfare-to-work programs in three states, child care instability did not appear to be a major cause of employment instability. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:50 AM

Nearly half of middle schoolers report daily incidents of harassment

This study found that almost half of 6th grade urban middle school students were harassed by their peers within two weeks. Peer harassment was related to negativity towards school, as was witnessing their classmates being subjected to peer harassment. Findings were based upon two samples of 95 to 97 sixth graders who rated their moods and described incidents of daily peer harassment. The results indicate a need to extend violence prevention efforts to all students. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:25 AM

Higher Education Association Announces Closing

After nearly four decades leading the national movement to improve higher education, the American Association for Higher Education (AAHE) Board of Directors announced today that the Association will cease operations later this year.
In a statement to AAHE members, board chair Bernadine Chuck Fong, president of Foothill College, said, "Despite vigorous efforts, president Clara M. Lovett and the board concluded that the organization no longer has the resources to continue its historic leadership role in higher education."

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:21 AM

CTA Institute for Teaching Embarks on Effort to Improve High School Education; Gates Foundation Sponsored Program to Select 8 CA High Schools For Grants

The California Teachers Association's (CTA) Institute For Teaching (IFT), through a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, today kicked off its multi-year High School Outreach Program with a workshops and seminars in Los Angeles. The program is ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:20 AM

Survivors of High School Rampage Left With Injuries and Questions

Survivors of the violence that ripped through Red Lake High School in Minnesota face an added question: Why them? Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:17 AM

Improving access to healthy food has little effect on diet

Improving food shopping access for people living in deprived neighbourhoods has little effect on diet and health, says an editorial in this week's BMJ. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:10 AM

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Study Shows Consumers Want Info to Help Them Make Healthcare Treatment Decisions; RAND Report Shows Consumers Are Seeking Greater Knowledge to Support Treatment Decisions and How Info Changes Behavior, Saves Money

More than 60 percent of American consumers have searched for information to help them make treatment decisions in the last 12 months with about onethird saying the information they found affected their treatment choices or their choice of a healthcare facility, ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:05 AM

Long-Term Care Leaders Speak to Medicare & Medicaid Cuts That Would Threaten Progress of Quality Care Improvements in Maine's Skilled Nursing Facilities

National and State Long-Term Care Leaders Speak to Severe Medicare and Medicaid Cuts That Would Threaten Progress of Quality Care Improvements in Maine's Skilled Nursing Facilities Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:04 AM

Report Emphasizes Shortfall in Medicare (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - The two independent trustees overseeing Social Security and Medicare broke with the Bush administration's trustees yesterday, saying Medicare's financial problems far exceed Social Security's and are in urgent need of attention. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:02 AM

A Study Ties Loss of a Child to Mental Ills

From NYT > Health:

The death of a child not only alters a family but also sharply increases the risk that parents will later be hospitalized for a mental illness, researchers said. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:59 AM

Cost-Cutting Medicare Law Is a Money Loser for States

From NYT > Health:

As states do the arithmetic on the new Medicare law, many find that they will have to give back most of the savings to the federal government. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:58 AM

Retirement communities need to do more to help residents cope with loneliness and depression

As the nation's population ages, greater numbers of people will be moving to old-age/retirement communities. Moving to one of these communities can trigger depression in many individuals. Mental health professionals in these communities must become more alert to signs of depression and devise strategies for treating it. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:54 AM

Smart borders may be failing the people and countries they seek to protect

While politically appealing, the new securities policies complicate problems in border communities and between the US, Canada, and Mexico in general. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:52 AM

Republicans Consider Slowing Benefits Growth for Most

From NYT > Washington:

President Bush and other officials are gingerly promoting the idea of reducing future Social Security benefits as a way to cut costs. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:48 AM

Child care may affect entire community's risks of infection

Any parent knows how quickly a cold or a cough can spread between children who play together. However, child care may also affect an entire community's carriage of potentially dangerous bacteria known as Streptococcus pneumoniae, according to an article in the April 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:39 AM

The best way to get teens to learn

When a teenager knows that learning something will help them attain an intrinsic goal, they are more likely to be interested in learning it. The study was based on adolescents who were told that their learning would either be good for their health (an intrinsic goal) or make them more attractive (an extrinsic goal). This research suggests that intrinsic goals enhance conceptual learning, so teachers should point out the intrinsic value to students learning material. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:39 AM

Tell children racial prejudice is wrong: They'll be less likely to be prejudiced

When children under 10 are aware that racial prejudice is wrong, they are more likely to suppress it in their peer group. New evidence shows that once children are older than 10, they are less likely to suppress such prejudice. The studies explored in this paper show different results in controlling racial bias when children are held accountable for their actions, and underscore the need to reduce children's racial prejudice before the age of 10. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:38 AM

Scratch a nurturing mom, find a mom who was nurtured herself

Women raised in households with a pattern of positivity, cohesion and communication throughout preschool, childhood and adolescence have been seen to express similar parenting styles when raising their children. These same effects were not seen with men. This research comes out of a long studied sample of individuals born in the 1970's and followed into parenthood. Although research has often addressed outcomes from negative parenting, this study focuses on outcomes of positive parenting. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:37 AM

Quality of mom's time, not quantity, most important in early infant development

Actions Speak Louder: Make sure your values are reflected in the 2006 Federal Budget

A recent study found no differences in the social and intellectual development in the first three years of life between children whose mothers spent a lot of time with them and children whose mothers' time was limited by working outside of the home. The findings indicate that the amount of time spent with babies and at work are not the critical determinants of strong, positive relationships between mothers and children. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:36 AM

March 24, 2005

Federal Budget 101

How does the budget process work, anyway?

An excellent document from the Center for Community Change provides a month-by-month breakdown of key steps in the process used by Congress to pass its budget resolution. It also includes, at each step of the way, recommendations for what grassroots organizations may do to impact the congressional budget process.

Posted by Michael at 2:38 PM

OJJDP Annual Report 2003 - 2004

Describes the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's activities and accomplishments during fiscal years (FY) 2003 and 2004. During this period, OJJDP implemented significant changes in its programs resulting from the reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The Office also completed a reorganization that integrated research and other critical functions with program-related activities.

OJJDP addressed a broad array of problems during the past 2 years. Priority areas included child sexual exploitation, female delinquency, gangs, and truancy.

Publications

Posted by Michael at 11:10 AM

Impact of Tsunami Disaster Relief Efforts on Nonprofits

Commulinks of Colorado conducted a nationwide survey to determine the projected impact of tsunami disaster relief efforts on the nation's nonprofit community.

This special report will summarize survey findings, and it includes a link directly to the survey data.

CommUlinks of Colorado

Posted by Michael at 11:04 AM

Statement on Social Security & Medicare Trustees' Report

3/23/05 The new trustees' report provides further evidence that Social Security more closely resembles a house with a leaking roof in need of repair than a house that is built on quicksand. Social Security will be able to pay 100 percent of promised benefits until 2041 (the year in which the trustees predict the trust fund will be exhausted) and 74 percent of promised benefits thereafter.
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:16 AM

FDA Tobacco Regulation Bill Reintroduced

A bid to empower the federal Food and Drug Administration to regulate the sale and marketing of tobacco products has been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:15 AM

Supporting Cross-Program Integration: Some Recommendations for Federal Policy and Practice

by Mark Greenberg and Jennifer L. Noyes. This brief is based on the paper Increasing State and Local Capacity for Cross-Systems Innovation. Drawing on the papers' findings and consultation with a range of state and federal policymakers, the brief provides the authors' recommendations for federal action on cross-program state and local service integration efforts. This brief was written as part of a collaborative effort between the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Hudson Institute, and CLASP. Pub No. 05-15. 4 pages. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:09 AM

Increasing State and Local Capacity for Cross-Systems Innovation: Assessing Flexibility and Opportunities under Current Law

by Mark Greenberg and Jennifer L. Noyes. This paper was written as part of a collaborative effort between the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Hudson Institute, and CLASP. The authors analyze the flexibility, opportunities, and barriers under current federal law with respect to cross-program integration and collaboration. Pub No. 05-14. 48 pages. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:08 AM

To Have and To Hold: Congressional Vows on Marriage and Sex

by Jodie Levin-Epstein. This paper discusses what the government has already done to promote abstinence-unless-married programs and marriage, and what it proposes to do with the reauthorization of the welfare law. The article then discusses the relationship between marriage and pregnancy prevention, including research findings on the influence of childbearing on marriage. It concludes with some welfare reauthorization recommendations for Congress on this topic. A condensed version of this paper appears in the April 1, 2005, SIECUS Report, Vol. 33, No. 1. Pub No. 05-12. 17 pages. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:07 AM

Testimony of Mark Greenberg on TANF Reauthorization

. This testimony, presented to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness of the U.S. House of Representatives on March 15, 2005, focuses reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. This testimony discusses the work and child care provisions of the 1996 welfare law, pending reauthorization proposals, and CLASP's recommendations. Pub No. 05-13. 14 pages. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:06 AM

March/April 2005 CLASP Update

. Article topics include: the relationship between public benefits rules and marriage; the emergence of pre-kindergarten delivered in community-based settings; CLASP written testimony on TANF; and CLASP analyses of proposed child care and adult education budget cuts. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:05 AM

March 23, 2005

Findings by American Institutes for Research Experts Are at Core of Debate Over Adequacy of New York Public School Funding

Findings by experts for the American Institutes for Research is serving as the basis for information being used by leaders and the public in New York as they address the issue of adequate state funding for public school children.
New York State Supreme Court Justice Leland DeGrasse ruled that New York City schools must receive an annual increase of nearly $5.7 billion, along with $9.2 billion in capital projects in order for the state to provide "a sound, basic education." His ruling was based upon the results of a 15-month study, "Determining the Cost of Providing All Children in New York an Adequate Education."

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:56 PM

Soc. Sec. Report Changes Numbers Slightly (AP)

AP - A new report on the financial health of Social Security changed the numbers only slightly and the terms of the political debate even less so. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:50 PM

Report Says Medicare Is in Poor Fiscal Shape

From NYT > Washington:

A report predicted that the monthly Medicare premiums paid by almost all Americans 65 and older would rise by another 12 percent next year. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:49 PM

Fewer Employers Totally Cover Health Premiums

From NYT > Health:

As old-line American companies struggle in global markets, fewer and fewer of them are able to shoulder 100 percent of workers' health insurance premiums. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:47 PM

Mental health service costs offset by savings in other public sectors

Penn State researchers have found that reduced expenditures for inpatient hospitalization, the juvenile justice system, the child welfare system and the special education system offset the costs of the improved mental health services delivered to youth through the system of care approach now being tried in communities in every state in the U.S. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:33 PM

States Worry About Meeting Requirements of Education Law

From NYT > Washington:

States have doubts about their ability to meet the No Child Left Behind Act, especially when it comes to helping students in struggling schools. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:29 PM

Career Academies

From MDRC:

Career Academies produced substantial and sustained improvements in earnings of young men after high school, without limiting opportunities to attend college. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:10 AM

SAMHSA to Award $6.3 Million for Drug Courts

From Substance Abuse Funding News:

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration invites state, county, and other drug courts to apply for its FY 2005 treatment drug courts grants program. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:53 AM

Element of Forthcoming Medicare Trustees' Report Could Spell Trouble For Beneficiaries In Future Years

Robert Greenstein, Richard Kogan, Edwin Park Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:44 AM

Steroids? Alcohol is the Real Problem

Instead of devoting a whole day to hauling in baseball stars and executives, Congress should focus on the promotion of alcohol use by college and professional sports, says columnist Joan Ryan. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:38 AM

Implications of the Bush budget for people over age 55

From Economic Policy Institute:

The Bush Administration's budget proposal effectively denies the government enough revenue to continue current income support to retirees through 2030, guaranteeing a financial loss to many people ages 55 and older. For an analysis of the effect that President Bush's proposed budget will have on the income of people age 55 and older, see the March 16 Snapshot. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:23 AM

Preventing School Shootings May Require Rethinking Individual Liberties

Monday's shooting rampage by a teen-ager in northern Minnesota points to the limitations of how American society currently deals with an epidemic of dysfunctional youth and violence, says a Duke University legal scholar and author of the book "Fixing Columbine: The Challenge to American Liberalism."
"Adding metal detectors in schools, profiling suspicious students, enacting anti-bullying policies and changing curricula to protect the school community and to teach children rewarding and responsible values are all positive steps," says Doriane Lambelet Coleman, a professor at Duke Law School. "But that is only a partial solution."
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:03 AM

March 22, 2005

Abuse and HIV status linked to suicide risk

According to a new study by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, George Washington University and St. Michael's Hospital, in Toronto, Canada, women who are HIV-positive or are abused are more likely to think about or attempt suicide. The study sheds new light on the extent to which being in an abusive relationship compounds suicide risk for HIV-positive women in particular. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:40 PM

Gingrich Proposes Healthcare Changes at NMA's Sixth National Colloquium on Health

Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich, during an appearance at the National Medical Association's Sixth National Colloquium on African American Health, said that transforming the American healthcare system requires major change ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:37 PM

Welfare-to-work reform didn't help children, study shows

Poverty itself matters at least as much as the parents' source of income.
Welfare reforms haven't helped poor children, study shows
Welfare reforms have made no substantial difference to the development of Canadian pre-school children living in poverty, according to a new University of Alberta study.

While the study confirmed previous research findings that impoverished children do better developmentally when their family income comes from the labour market rather than from social assistance, the University of Alberta study also showed that the school readiness of pre-school children living in poverty did not improve at all after the introduction of welfare reforms in the mid-1990s, said study author Dr. Deanna Williamson, professor of human ecology.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:13 PM

Understanding Ethnic Disparities in Health Care

This national initiative was designed to raise physician awareness about racial and ethnic disparities in medical care, beginning with cardiac care. A report highlights the evidence on the scope and causes of disparities in cardiac care.
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:18 AM

Promoting Work in Public Housing

From MDRC:

Can a multicomponent employment initiative that is located in public housing developments help residents work, earn more money, and improve their quality of life? The Jobs-Plus Community Revitalization Initiative for Public Housing Families (Jobs-Plus, for short) sought to achieve these goals at selected public housing developments in six cities: Baltimore, Chattanooga, Dayton, Los Angeles, St. Paul, and Seattle. Jobs-Plus was conducted as a research demonstration project from 1998 to 2003 with sponsorship from a consortium of funders, led by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Rockefeller Foundation. The program — which was targeted to all working-age, nondisabled residents of selected public housing developments and implemented by a collaboration of local organizations — had three main components: employment-related services, rent-based work incentives that allowed residents to keep more of their earnings, and activities to promote neighbor-to-neighbor support for work. This final report on MDRC’s evaluation of Jobs-Plus describes the program’s impacts, that is, the difference it made for residents in Jobs-Plus developments in comparison with residents living in similar developments who did not receive the program.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:05 AM

Study Sees Rise in Alcohol Deaths, DUI in College

Alcohol-related injury deaths and drunk driving both increased among college students over the past few years, according to a new report from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:34 AM

Seamless Network of Services Needed to Help Ex-Prisoners with Health Problems Begin Anew in Cincinnati

Former prisoners with serious physical or mental health problems and health care and social service providers in the Cincinnati area agree: a seamless transition from care inside the prison walls to care on the outside must take place if released prisoners are to make it back in society. [View the corresponding Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:24 AM

Amendment to Senate Budget Would Move Up Medicare Insolvency By Four Years

An amendment to the budget that the Senate adopted yesterday would move up by four years — to 2015 — the point at which the Medicare Hospital Insurance program becomes insolvent. In addition, with passage of the amendment, the final budget plan the Senate approved would increase deficits by $217 billion over five years. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:14 AM

In Need of Help: Experiences of Seriously Ill Prisoners Returning to Cincinnati

This research brief presents findings from an exploratory study of the health care needs and experiences of seriously ill prisoners returning to Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2004, Urban Institute researchers interviewed 81 male prisoners with serious mental or physical health problems as they prepared for release. After their release, respondents participated in focus groups about their experiences with health care and other services in the community. Focus groups were also conducted with health care and social service providers serving former prisoners. Former prisoners with serious physical or mental health problems and health care and social service providers agreed that a seamless transition from care inside the prison walls to care on the outside must take place if released prisoners are to be successful in their return to the community. [View the corresponding Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:11 AM

March 21, 2005

VolunteerMatch Records 2 Millionth Volunteer Referral

Jessica O'Connell, an English teacher and Honor Society Adviser made history on March 16 when she volunteered to help with a fundraiser in New York City. O'Connell found an opportunity with the Huntington's Disease Society on VolunteerMatch, and by offering to help she became the 2 millionth volunteer referral. A regular user of VolunteerMatch, she relies upon the free service to assist National Honor Society students at the Bronx Leadership Academy in Manhattan. With O'Connell's guidance, VolunteerMatch has helped the students find out about opportunities to serve in their neighborhoods, as well as in the rest of the city.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:56 PM

New colorectal cancer screening recommendations for African Americans

New recommendations from the American College Gastroenterology urge healthcare providers to begin colorectal cancer screening in African Americans at age 45 rather than 50 years using colonoscopy as "first line" test. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:38 PM

Study shows use of budesonide reduced the risk of asthma related events by 40% in children

New data indicated that earlier intervention with once-daily budesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid delivered by dry powder inhaler to children with mild persistent asthma, significantly reduced the long-term risk and frequency of severe asthma-related events as well as the need for other inhaled medication. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:37 PM

Pushy parents can be bad for their children's health

Well intentioned, but pushy parents, intent on exercising their rights as healthcare consumers, can be bad for their children's health, suggests a small study in Archives of Disease in Childhood. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:33 PM

Cavity prevention tips for pre-school age children

Providing proper care and oral hygiene during preschool years can mean a lifetime of good oral health, according to a recent article in the January/February issue of General Dentistry, clinical, peer-reviewed journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), an organization of general dentists dedicated to continuing education. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:30 PM

Strengths and failings of U.S. health care 'system' are driven by embedded vested interests

Medical sociologists examine how American social, cultural, and political-economic contexts govern the structure, efficiency, and operational nature of U.S. health care delivery in a special issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior (JHSB), a scholarly publication of the American Sociological Association (ASA). Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:28 PM

Employment prospects good for most cancer survivors -- but not all

Only one of five cancer survivors surveyed in a Penn State study were disabled or out of work four years after treatment, but a minority suffered lasting effects that prevented them from working. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:13 PM

National Social Work Month Kicks Off Campaign Focusing on the Many Faces of the Social Work Profession

Professional social workers help people of all ages, incomes and situations cope with some of life's most difficult challenges. This is what the MA Campaign for America's Professional Social Workers (MCAPSW) wants people to know as they launch an effort to ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:12 PM

University of Virginia Study Traces Transition From Student to Scientist

A University of Virginia professor is tracking how a student makes the shift from being a consumer of knowledge to being a producer of knowledge - such as an independent researcher who might win a Nobel prize or patent a new vaccine - thanks to a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

Amid growing concern that too few American students are pursuing science careers and the nation is losing its dominance in this area, Robert H. Tai, assistant professor of science education at U.Va.'s Curry School of Education, wants to figure out how a science student learns to work on the edge of human understanding and cross the brink of discovery. He will use the NSF grant to tap the minds of award-winning, active scientists and science novices to gather data on what steps or experiences make up this critical transition period on the path of the science profession. The study, called "Project Crossover," could lead to improvements in the teaching of science at earlier grades, as well as in the research training of scientists at the doctoral level.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 4:35 AM

Expert Commentator: How Will Cuts Affect Medicaid?

Comments by Richard G. Stefanacci, DO, MGH, MBA, AGSF, CMS, Founding Executive Director, Health Policy Institute, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (USP), in response to the House passing budget with Medicaid cuts:
"Seniors that currently receive their prescription drugs through Medicaid, which applies to most nursing home residents, will see a major reduction in their access to needed medications as a result of the planned federal cuts in Medicaid."

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 4:16 AM

NHS stop-smoking services are insufficient to deliver national smoking targets

NHS Stop-Smoking Services are insufficient to deliver national smoking targets, and Government smoking targets are themselves insufficient for the poorest communities, says a study published online by the BMJ today. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 4:07 AM

Invasive pneumonia and antibiotic resistance decreased after childhood vaccine introduced

The problem of increasing antibiotic resistance in cases of Streptococcus pneumoniae, a major cause of pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis, was dramatically reversed following the licensing and use of a new conjugate vaccine for young children in February 2000, Researchers also found a significant decrease in the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease in both vaccinated children and unvaccinated adults after the vaccine was introduced. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 3:56 AM

Virginity pledges do not reduce STD risk: May encourage high risk sexual behavior

Young adults who take virginity pledges as adolescents are as likely to be infected with sexually transmitted diseases as those who do not take virginity pledges, Yale and Columbia University researchers report in the March 18 issue of Journal of Adolescent Health. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 3:56 AM

Court Tackles Town's Role in Child Safety

From washingtonpost.com - Nation:

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Monday in a case that advocates for victims of domestic violence are calling a crucial opportunity to put teeth into the country's domestic violence laws. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 3:53 AM

March 18, 2005

College Alcohol Problems Exceed Previous Estimates

New research shows that unintentional fatal injuries related to alcohol among U.S. college students and the number of students who drove under the influence of alcohol increased between 1998 and 2001. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:29 AM

HUD Data Show Housing Voucher Costs Leveled Off Starting In 2003 As Rental Market Cooled

The Administration has pointed to "spiraling" costs for the Housing Choice Voucher program to justify radical changes in the program’s funding structure and the elimination of many key protections for low-income families. HUD and Treasury data indicate, however, that far from spiraling, growth both in the average cost of a voucher and overall expenditures under the Section 8 program (which includes the voucher program and a separate "project-based" assistance program) have eased considerably since peaking in 2003. The housing voucher program helps about two million low-income households - most of them senior citizens, people with disabilities, and working families - to rent modest housing in the private market.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:56 AM

Senate Backs Budget Defying Bush on Medicaid (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a $2.6 trillion budget rejecting President Bush's planned spending curbs for Medicaid and nearly doubling its tax cut plans, setting up a fight with the House of Representatives over the record budget deficit. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:23 AM

Report: Wal-Mart Has Highest Number of Employees on Welfare in Homestate; Retail Giant's Ongoing Media Blitz Fails to Hide Company Record

In Arkansas, the birthplace and headquarters of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the state's Department of Human Services released damning figures yesterday stating that the retail giant leads the list of top 10 employers whose workers are receiving state welfare. Arkansas ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:17 AM

March 17, 2005

In emergency, flu vaccine could be made quickly in existing facilities

In an emergency such as a pandemic outbreak or last year's vaccine shortage, the influenza vaccine could be produced twice as fast using cell cultures in existing biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, according to Henry Wang, a University of Michigan professor of biomedical and chemical engineering. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:37 AM

Teenage highs and lows

What risk factors influence teenagers to start experimenting with marijuana or to move from experimental to regular use? Involvement with other substances (alcohol and cigarettes), delinquency and school problems have been established as the three most important risk factors in identifying teenagers at risk of continued involvement with marijuana by a Cardiff University scientist, in collaboration with a colleague in the USA. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:34 AM

Small schools make rural communities more prosperous

Cornell University sociologist Thomas Lyson finds that rural villages with their own schools are significantly more prosperous and stable than villages without schools on almost every measure of economic and social well-being. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:13 AM

Explosion of child obesity predicted to shorten us life expectancy

NCCP | Children, Social Security, and Private Accounts: 10 Questions for Policymakers

It's been assumed that U.S. life expectancy would rise indefinitely, but a new data analysis, published as a special report in the March 17 New England Journal of Medicine, suggests that this trend is about to reverse itself - due to the rapid rise in obesity, especially among children. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:07 AM

March 16, 2005

Children, Social Security, and Private Accounts: 10 Questions for Policymakers

Social Security has provided a retirement safety net for the elderly for more than six decades. But the program also provides working parents with valuable—and irreplaceable—insurance protection for their families against the tragedies of serious disability and death.

Given the importance of the survivor and disability components of Social Security, any responsible proposal for changing the program must address how the children and spouses of deceased workers, and disabled workers and their families would be affected.

Posted by Michael at 10:31 AM

Disparities in Knowledge of the EITC

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), administered through the federal income tax system, is the largest cash assistance program for low-income families. Data from the 2001 National Survey of America's Families (NSAF) show large disparities in who knows about the EITC amongst families with income below twice poverty. Only a small portion (27.1 percent) of low-income Hispanic parents know about the EITC-significantly less than their peers of other races and ethnicities. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:44 AM

Agreement Sends Wrongfully Expelled Minority Students Back to Berkeley High

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:28 AM

Dealing with conflict in caring for the dying patient

How can a dying patient's family members and physicians get along when faced with difficult decisions on end-of-life treatment? In the March 16 Journal of the American Medical Association, Robert M. Arnold, M.D., from the University of Pittsburgh and Anthony L. Back, M.D., from the University of Washington, Seattle offer recommendations on how to identify conflict, avoid common pitfalls and make resolutions that is in everyone's best interests. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:02 AM

American Medical Association and Gay and Lesbian Medical Association Announce Commitment to Include LGBT Issues in Health Disparities Effort

Officials of the American Medical Association (AMA) emerged from a meeting with the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) on Saturday, March 12 with a commitment to fully include the health concerns of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:56 AM

Forthcoming wealth transfer among African-Americans projected in new report

A report from the Boston College Center on Wealth and Philanthropy provides new information on wealth and wealth transfer within the African-American community in the U.S. Researchers project between $1.1 trillion and $3.4 trillion will be transferred via these estates by 2055. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:45 AM

Balance and better interactions between primary-care and specialist physicians improve US health

New research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and New York University found that communities with more primary-care physicians have lower mortality rates. They also found that having more specialty-care physicans in the community did not have the same positive impact on health. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:43 AM

Sen. Sarbanes, Reps. Frank and Shays Support NLC Effort to Save CDBG

NCCP | Why Social Security Matters to Children and Families: What Every Policymaker Should Know

Members of Congress joined local elected officials from across the country today in urging the House and Senate to continue to fund the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program at current levels and support keeping this vital program in the Dept. of ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:39 AM

March 15, 2005

Why Social Security Matters to Children and Families: What Every Policymaker Should Know

Social Security has provided a reliable retirement safety net for the elderly for more than six decades. But the program also provides working parents with valuable—and irreplaceable—insurance protection for their families against the tragedies of serious disability and death.

Over 5 million children benefit from Social Security—as dependents of workers who have died or become disabled, or as family members in households where an adult relies on Social Security. The program provides more benefits to children than any other social program.

Posted by Michael at 10:28 AM

'Power Hour' a Dangerous Ritual for Young Drinkers

A drinking game that requires players to drink as much liquor as they can in an hour to celebrate their 21st birthday can lead to coma or death. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:13 AM

Policy Workshop on Formularies and Medicare

The Foundation hosted a policy workshop on the use of drug formularies in the private sector and their potential implications for beneficiaries under the new Medicare drug benefit, set to go into effect January 1, 2006. The workshop involved an expert panel, including perspectives from a health plan, a pharmacy benefits manager, a physician, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and policy experts. A Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:54 AM

Study Finds Poor Performance by Nation's Education Schools

Nine of every 10 principals consider the graduates unprepared for what awaits them in the classroom, a new survey has found. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:14 AM

Finances, not having a dentist are primary barriers to seniors receiving needed dental care

To say that health-care professionals have to fight tooth-and-nail to provide dental services to senior citizens is not much of a stretch. A survey of 415 senior citizens in Western New York, conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo's School of Dental Medicine, found that more than half faced barriers to seeing a dentist. Not surprisingly, the most serious barrier reported was cost. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:09 AM

Dental practitioners can be instrumental in preventing their patients' eating disorders