Human Services News

With the Red Lake High School shooting this past spring having left 12 wounded and 10 dead, including the student-shooter, school administrators across the nation may be starting a new school year concerned about the potential for students to threaten and carry out acts of violence. School officials can turn for help to a new book, "Guidelines for Responding to Student Threats of Violence," by University of Virginia professors Dewey G. Cornell and Peter L. Sheras. In the first comprehensive manual of its kind, Cornell and Sheras, both clinical psychologists in the Curry School of Education, present a field-tested model approach that gives school officials a step-by-step decision-tree for assessing and resolving student threats. The threat-assessment approach represents a radical departure from profiling and zero-tolerance approaches, which are the most widely used practices in the nation's schools. Contrary to these approaches, the FBI and U.S. Secret Service have advocated the use of threat assessment.
"The FBI [in 1999] made a series of recommendations for schools to use a threat-assessment approach - as opposed to profiling or zero tolerance - to prevent student violence," Cornell said. "We used those recommendations, along with the Secret Service recommendations, to develop and field-test our threat-assessment guidelines."
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:38 PM

Case researchers find exercise, eating right and maintaining weight benefit oral health.

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University examined data from 12,110 individuals who participated in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) and found that individuals who exercised, had healthy eating habits and maintained a normal weight were 40 percent less likely to develop periodontitis, a gum infection that can result in loss of teeth. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:33 PM

Trauma of war hits troops years later

New Scientist has pieced together evidence showing that war veterans will be paying the price for decades to come. It is well recognised that soldiers returning home from combat with post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, suffer psychological problems such as insomnia and anxiety. What's less well known is that PTSD can also trigger poorer physical health. Recent and soon-to-be published research reveals that soldiers suffering from PTSD are more likely to develop heart disease, diabetes and even cancer later in life. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:17 PM

J-Learning.org: J-Lab Launches 'How-to' Site for Community Publishing

J-Learning.org, a how-to digital handbook for designing, launching and sustaining an online community news site was launched today by J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism at the University of Maryland.
The Web site offers 20 chapters and more than 60 subsections of basic skills training on how to plan a site, build it, use the latest off-the-shelf software to add online features, and then market it and track users.

"J-Learning is designed to be a comprehensive tool that any layman, student or fledgling new media person could use to launch a local news Web site," said Jan Schaffer, J-Learning.org's executive editor.
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:41 PM

Grants to Research 'Reduced Risk' Tobacco Products

The National Institutes of Health will award several grants to fund research into the efficacy of so-called "reduced-risk" tobacco products. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:27 PM

Sen. Reid, FHLBank San Francisco Work With Nevada Churches to Increase Affordable Housing

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) today joined Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in sponsoring a Las Vegas Symposium that discussed how to increase affordable housing for senior citizens, immigrants and low-income residents of Nevada. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:20 PM

High Stakes for the Housing Voucher Program in the 2006 Appropriations Bill

Since 2002, Congress and HUD have implemented a series of substantial changes in funding policy for the “Section 8” Housing Choice Voucher Program. These changes have been driven in part by concerns over the rising costs of the program. Those concerns have been overblown, according to an analysis of HUD’s recent voucher cost data. Moreover, the year-to-year changes in funding policy, along with a funding shortfall in 2005 and, at times, poor implementation by HUD, have produced a series of troublesome effects: funding instability and shortages among state and local housing agencies, a decline in the number of vouchers leased, and growing fears among landlords that the program is unreliable. The results have been damaging to the voucher program, as well as to the two million low-income families that rely on voucher assistance.
Congress’ challenge for fiscal year 2006 is to restore stability to the voucher program. This challenge includes two major goals: first, to restore funding for vouchers that have been lost in 2004 and 2005; and second, to implement a stable voucher funding policy that will distribute funding to public housing agencies equitably and efficiently over the long term.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:10 PM

The Impact of Repealing State and Local Tax Deductibility

How would the elimination of state and local tax deductibility affect taxpayers and the states in which they live? While taxpayers in all 50 states claim this deduction, the benefits are concentrated in relatively few states. These are states with a disproportionate share of high-income households and relatively high state/local taxes and also states with more people subject to the AMT. Disallowing the deduction for state/local taxes would lead to Federal tax savings of $669 billion for the period 2006-2015. We estimate that the average tax increase for households would be 3.5 percent in 2005, with the largest tax increases occurring for those earning over $100,000. By 2010 the actual tax increases will be lower for many households due to the effective elimination of this deduction by the AMT. Thus for many households, elimination of the deductibility of state and local taxes is already in place as part of the current tax system. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:05 PM

Immigrant children misdiagnosed as language-impaired

Immigrant children still mastering the English language risk being shuffled into special education services they don't need, because of errors in assessment for speech problems, according to a new University of Alberta study. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:57 PM

TV ads market junk food to kids, new study finds

For young Americans, the "food landscape" in television advertising is packed with junk food, according to a new study. The study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is the first to explore the nutritional composition of foods advertised to children using Nutrition Facts labeling. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:55 PM

August 23, 2005

Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program's Funds Suspended by HHS; Silver Ring Thing Program Uses Taxpayer Money for Religious Activity

The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS) is pleased by the decision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to suspend federal taxpayer dollars to the Silver Ring Thing (SRT), an abstinence-only-until-marriage ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:10 PM

Pew Charitable Trusts Announces New Center to Foster Creativity and Excellence Within Philadelphia's Arts and Heritage Communities

The Pew Charitable Trusts today announces the Philadelphia Center for Arts and Heritage, the new home to the Trusts' dance, theatre, visual arts, music, heritage, artist fellowships, and cultural management initiatives. In addition to the practical benefits of bringing the initiatives under one roof, the Center for Arts and Heritage will foster artistic creativity and excellence and keep Philadelphia on the leading edge of the arts world.
Over the past ten years, the Trusts has invested more than $150 million in cultural organizations and activities in the Philadelphia region to bring together artistic creativity with operational effectiveness and greater audience access. Since 1997, the Trusts has provided more than $50 million to support local artists and organizations through the cultural initiatives that now comprise the Center for Arts and Heritage, resulting in an average of 500 performances, exhibitions and other public programs each year. In the past year the Trusts' support for these cultural initiatives totaled approximately $7.8 million.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:40 PM

Community Technology Foundation of California Grants Awarded to Benefit California Service Organizations Serving People With Disabilities

The Community Technology Foundation of California (CTFC) awarded grants to increase awareness and participation in the Ticket to Work Program. The grants are intended to increase health care access and employment for people with disabilities in California. Approximately 275,000 beneficiaries in Northern California, Central Valley, Southern California and Inland empire regions are eligible to participate in the program.
"The Ticket to Work Program expands opportunities to obtain employment, vocational rehabilitation and other support services which enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities," said CTFC Vice President and Director Tim Wu. "CTFC is proud to support this effort to eliminate barriers to workforce participation. We are pleased to be working in partnership with The California Endowment on this program."

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:36 PM

APHA Calls Court Decision Supporting Youth Smoking Prevention Campaign a Victory for Public Health

Following is a statement from Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, executive director of the American Public Health Association:
The American Public Health Association applauds yesterday's court decision that vindicated the American Legacy Foundation's highly successful youth smoking prevention advertising campaign. A Delaware judge ruled that the truth(r) campaign does not violate the 1998 state tobacco settlement as the Lorillard Tobacco Company contended in a lawsuit, which threatened to end the campaign.

"The truth(r) campaign is one of our most effective and innovative tools against tobacco use among youth. In a study published in March 2005 in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers found that the truth(r) campaign was responsible for 22 percent of the decline in youth smoking between 1999 and 2002. Thanks to the campaign, there were 300,000 fewer youth smokers in 2002...

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:12 PM

The Distributional Consequences of Federal Assistance for Higher Education: The Intersection of Tax and Spending Programs

For nearly a decade, federal higher education subsidies have increasingly been delivered through the tax code rather than through direct spending programs such as grants, loan subsidies, and work study. This paper reviews the results of using new modules in the TRIM and Tax Policy Center microsimulation models to estimate the distributional impacts and expenditure and revenue effects of major federal higher education tax and spending policies. In addition, the paper reports estimates of the effects of some prototypical policy changes in the Pell Grant program as well as in the Hope and Lifetime Learning tax credits. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:10 AM

Beyond the Fiscal Silver Lining

This article analyses the Bush Administration's Mid-Session Review of the Budget, which paints a fairly optimistic picture of the budget situation in the next few years. There has been a surprising increase in revenues from both the household and corporate sector, while Congress has slowed the pace of discretionary spending. Entitlements have not been restrained, but the budget deficit should decline in the coming years and the debt/GDP ratio should stabilize by 2007. Nonetheless, the longer-term budget backdrop for the bond market is bleak. There is little chance of any meaningful social security or medicare reform in the next few years. Financial markets may one day wake up to fiscal disaster in the next decade, brought on by the aging baby-boom generation. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:56 AM

Improved 50 State Medicaid Benefits Database Includes 2004 Data

From The Kaiser Family Foundation:

A newly enhanced interactive database based on 50-state survey data provides easy access to information on health services provided by each state's Medicaid program. You can search the database by state or Medicaid benefit and compare benefit packages from 2003 and 2004. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:48 AM

AMA Urges Congress to Halt Medicare Cuts, Avert Medicare Access Problem for Seniors

The American Medical Association (AMA) today made a house call to Ohio to draw attention to an imminent access to care problem for Ohio's 1.7 million Medicare patients. If Congress does not act, payments to physicians are scheduled to be cut well below the ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:27 AM

Medicare Law Prompts a Rush for Lobbyists

From NYT > Washington:

To keep track of the new Medicare rules and to decipher their meaning is a full-time job for hundreds of lawyers and lobbyists. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:23 AM

August 22, 2005

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Child Development Lab Studies Misunderstood World of Kids' Imaginary Companions

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:52 PM

High Schools Address the Cruelest Cut (washingtonpost.com)

From Yahoo! News: Top Stories:

washingtonpost.com - He arrived 10 minutes before his fate, so Filip Olsson stood outside Severna Park High School and waited for coaches to post the cut list for the boys' soccer team. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:50 PM

Conn. Challenges No Child Left Behind Law (AP)

From Yahoo! News: Top Stories:

AP - Connecticut on Monday became the first state to challenge the No Child Left Behind law in court, arguing that the centerpiece of President Bush's education law amounts to an unfunded mandate from the federal government.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:48 PM

Connecticut Sues the U.S. Over School Testing

From NYT > Washington:

Connecticut said the federal government's testing requirement will not help children but will cost the state millions. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:46 PM

California Ruling Expands Same-Sex Parental Rights

From NYT > National:

The California Supreme Court ruled that both members of a lesbian couple should be considered their child's mothers even after their relationship ends. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:44 PM

Race and gender disparities persist in heart attack care and mortality

Despite a decade of initiatives to remedy health disparities in cardiovascular medicine, at least some aspects of the treatment of U.S. patients hospitalized for heart attacks continues to vary according to sex and race, according to a study by researchers at Emory University in collaboration with Yale University and other centers. The results found a consistent pattern of less intensive treatment offered to women and black heart-attack patients. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:02 AM

Twice as many adverts for unhealthy foods, cigarettes and alcohol in black and Latino magazines

Magazines aimed at African-American and Hispanic women publish twice as many adverts for potentially health-damaging products, such as alcohol or junk food, as mainstream magazines aimed mainly at white women. Black and Latino magazines also publish four times fewer adverts for healthy products. A study published in the open access journal, BMC Public Health, shows that the content of advertisements in black or Latino magazines may contribute to the lower health status observed in African-American and Hispanic populations in the USA. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:58 AM

Study finds that school-funding loopholes leave poor children behind

Federal funds found to subsidize the rich The nation's main program for educating the disadvantaged, Title I, is hampered by loopholes that prevent it from fulfilling its mission, according to a new study. The $13 billion Title I program, now the major funding arm of President Bush's No Child Left Behind act, must close the loopholes if it is to ensure that school districts channel the money to needy schools, said lead author Marguerite Roza, a research assistant professor at the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Affairs.
The new research documents how current rules allow the federal funds intended for low-income schools to be shifted – sometimes inadvertently – to affluent schools within the same district.
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:47 AM

Harvard Researchers Gather More Evidence Implicating Menthol in Health Disparities Between White, Black Smokers; Analysis of Menthol Cigarettes, Favored by Black Smokers, Finds More of the Additive in Brands Labeled 'Light'

From washingtonpost.com - washingtonpost.com - US government, national security, science and national news and headlines.:

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:26 AM

Death Rates Drop In Prisons, Jails

Inmate death rates for suicide, homicide and AIDS are showing substantial declines in jails and state prisons, the government says. The trend reflects improved medical care and closer attention to separating violent criminals from other offenders. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:20 AM

August 21, 2005

More Drugs in Schools, CASA Survey Says

A survey by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse finds that 28 percent of middle-school students say that drugs are available in their schools, up 47 percent since 2002. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:59 PM

SAMHSA Practice Improvement Grants for Nonprofits

SAMHSA is offering $1.9 million in grants to develop research capacity in community-based organizations that treat alcohol and other drug abuse and/or co-occurring mental-health disorders. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:44 PM

SAMHSA Conference Grants

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Knowledge Dissemination Conference grants are aimed at improving practices within the prevention and treatment fields. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:41 PM

What's a Youngster to Do? The Education and Labor Market Plight of Youth in High-Poverty Communities

From Center for Law and Social Policy:

by Linda Harris. Statistics show that many young adults in economically distressed communities are being left behind in educational systems and in the job market. This article highlights the magnitude of distress in selected communities and outlines a set of considerations for policy-making and action at the national and community level. Pub No. 05-40. 9 pages. August 2005. Pub No. 05-40. 9 pages. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:27 PM

Review of research shows that playing violent video games can heighten aggression

Violent video games can increase aggressive behavior in children and adolescents, both in the short- and long-term, according to an empirical review of the last 20 years of research. These findings are presented at the 113th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association in Washington, DC. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:26 PM

Recent State Efforts in Medical Child Support

From Center for Law and Social Policy:

by Paula Roberts. In August of 2000, the Medical Child Support Working Group issued a report recommending over 70 changes in medical child support that would facilitate the enrollment of more children being raised in single-parent families in public and private health care coverage. While efforts to implement the recommendations at the federal level have been slow, many states have moved ahead and developed innovative approaches to medical support establishment and enforcement. This memo updates state developments over the last two years. Pub No. 05-37. 8 pages. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:25 PM

Improving TANF for Teens

From Center for Law and Social Policy:

. by Jodie Levin-Epstein and Angie Schwartz, Skadden Fellow, Teens & TANF Project Director, National Center for Youth examines the capacity of the nation's welfare program to assist adolescents, delineates the special rules of TANF for teen parents, and offers recommendations related to both populations. Tips on ways that Legal Aid organizations can work with teens who need help - and are often overlooked - are also provided. This article first appeared in "Our Commitment to Youth" a special issue of Clearinghouse Review: Journal of Poverty Law and Policy, published by the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law in July-August 2005. Pub No. 05-39. 12 pages. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:20 PM

August 19, 2005

Urgent Need for Faster Improvement in Nevada Schools, Says WestEd Report; Near-Bottom National Rankings Can Be Corrected by Seven Crucial Statewide Actions

A new WestEd report details the reasons behind the current standing of Nevada's education system and recommends seven actions to spur needed improvements on behalf of Nevada's children and for securing the state's economic health.
Nevada continues to rank at or near the bottom in state-by-state comparisons for student achievement in reading and math. "Nevada's poor marks largely stem from the state's population boom, particularly in Clark and Washoe Counties, and this rapid influx of new students," says Paul Koehler, Director of WestEd's Policy Center. "Teachers face additional challenges from immigrant students who struggle to learn English at the same time they must learn math and science content."

Nevada also has one of the lowest high school graduation rates in the nation, as well as exceptionally low numbers of students going on to college - bad news for civic leaders wishing to diversify the Nevada economy. "It's difficult to entice new business development when we can't offer corporations a highly educated workforce," says Jim Hager, co-director of the Center for Education Policy Studies (CEPS) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. "There's a clear and unfortunate link between low paying jobs, a service- and tourism-based economy, and our low graduation rates." Nearly 60 percent of Nevada's jobs pay less than a living wage for a three-person family, and the resulting poverty correlates with low education achievement. Not surprisingly, Las Vegas, where these service and tourism jobs are concentrated, ranks last in level of education among all major U.S. metropolitan areas, even when factoring in highly educated workers recruited from other states.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:03 AM

Educational Program for Journalists in Detroit on September 7: 'Reporting on the Health Challenges of Black Seniors'

The National Press Foundation and the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research will present this no-cost seminar for journalists, September 7, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., in the Sophocles Room at the Atheneum Suite Hotel and Conference Center in Greektown, ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:59 AM

Black joblessness blamed on multilayered segregation

The first comprehensive study of the location of unemployed men in metropolitan areas, has found that jobless black men occupy a uniquely disadvantageous "ecological niche" that severely limits their potential for future employment. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:08 AM

August 17, 2005

AHRQ-Supported Study Finds Medical Disparities Narrowing

An increasing percentage of black enrollees in Medicare managed care plans are being screened for breast cancer or treated for diabetes or heart disease in accordance with nationally recognized quality measures, according to a new study in the August 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The study was supported by Health and Human Services' (HHS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Health Resources and Services Administration and by Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:09 PM

Overcoming Concentrated Poverty and Isolation

During the 1990s, the Department of Housing and Urban Development launched three rigorous research demonstrations testing alternative strategies for helping low-income families escape the isolation and distress of high-poverty, central-city communities. All three demonstrations were carefully designed to include rigorous controls and systematic data collection so that their implementation and impacts could be systematically evaluated. And all three are now generating provocative results that offer new insights for ongoing program experimentation and policy development. We draw ten broad lessons--including lessons about the potential for success, about the realities families face, about implementing complex strategies, and about obstacles to success. [View the Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:53 PM

A Good Report on AIDS, and Some Credit the Web

From NYT > Health:

Health officials have been scrambling to explain a significant decline in new H.I.V. infections among gay men in San Francisco. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:52 PM

Doctors Argue Against Higher Co-Payments for Medicaid

From NYT > Health:

Doctors warned a federal advisory panel that higher fees could deter some poor people from seeking necessary medical care. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:50 PM

Overcoming Concentrated Poverty and Isolation: Ten Lessons for Policy and Practice

From washingtonpost.com - washingtonpost.com - US government, national security, science and national news and headlines.:

During the 1990s, the Department of Housing and Urban Development launched three rigorous research demonstrations testing alternative strategies for helping low-income families escape the isolation and distress of high-poverty, central-city communities. All three demonstrations were carefully designed to include rigorous controls and systematic data collection so that their implementation and impacts could be systematically evaluated. And all three are now generating provocative results that offer new insights for ongoing program experimentation and policy development. We draw ten broad lessons--including lessons about the potential for success, about the realities families face, about implementing complex strategies, and about obstacles to success. [View the Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:50 PM

In Health Care, a Race Gap Persists

Black Americans still get far fewer operations, tests, medications and other life-saving treatments than whites, despite years of efforts to erase racial disparities in health care and help African Americans live equally long and healthy lives, according to three major studies being published... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:43 PM

New Initiative to Reduce Burden of Student Debt Announced by The Pew Charitable Trusts

American families today are facing extraordinary financial challenges on many fronts - the rising costs of health care and housing, the need to save for retirement, and the ability to pay for their children's college education. To pay for college, families are borrowing more. Two-thirds of all students now graduate with student loan debt, compared with less than half in the early 1990s. Debt per student has tripled over the last two decades, even after accounting for inflation. To respond to this growing concern of many American families, The Pew Charitable Trusts announces the Partnership to Reduce the Burden of Student Debt. The two-year, $3.5 million initiative joins the Trusts-funded Retirement Security Project as part of the Trusts' focus on issues related to family financial security.
"Families today are increasingly feeling the financial squeeze when it comes to saving for retirement and paying for a mortgage, health care, and their children's college education," said Rebecca W. Rimel, president and CEO of The Pew Charitable Trusts. "This initiative is aimed at reducing the financial burdens associated with earning a college degree, and thereby giving our young people the best chance at success while also strengthening our nation's competitiveness."

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 5:46 AM

Students Live in Retirement Center to Better Understand Aging Issues

If graduate students are going to study issues facing older adults, then the average 20- to 30-year-old has a lot to gain from living in a retirement center, says a Purdue University gerontology expert.
Two Purdue University students moved in July into Westminster Village, a retirement center north of campus, to spend the next year getting to know what health and social issues many 70- and 80-year-olds face.

"Many of the college students and scholars studying aging issues today find themselves decades apart from their subjects," says Gerry C. Hyner, professor of health and kinesiology and coordinator of the Purdue gerontology program. "While this living-learning arrangement exists in other universities' graduate programs, it is a rare opportunity for students because rooms in these facilities are at a premium, thanks to the growing older-adult population."

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 5:44 AM

Many Going to College Aren't Ready, Report Finds

From NYT > National:

Only about half of this year's high school graduates have the reading skills they need to succeed in college, a study has concluded. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 5:37 AM

Tobacco control and healthier diets are key to cutting heart deaths

Encouraging everyone to stop smoking and eat healthier is four times more effective at reducing heart deaths than current government initiatives that target patients who already have heart problems, finds a study published online by the BMJ today. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 5:23 AM

Child Care Centers, Child Care Subsidies, and Faith-Based Organizations: Preliminary Findings on Five Counties in 2003

Faith-based organizations play an important role in the provision and support of child care services. This document summarizes preliminary findings from a forthcoming study on the extent to which child care centers in five counties in four states across the country are affiliated with faith-based organizations, housed in buildings belonging to faith-based organizations, or provide religious instruction, organized prayer or worship services. The research also explores whether faith-affiliated child care centers appear to face any barriers to participating in child care voucher programs funded through the federal Child Care and Development Fund. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 5:21 AM

The Economics of Juvenile Jurisdiction

Commissioned by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice, this paper proposes methods for an economic analysis of the nation's separate system of juvenile laws and juvenile courts. Arguments about the value of juvenile justice versus criminal justice traditionally focus on legal principles, adolescent development, and the relative effects of prevention and punishment. This paper suggests adding a cost-benefit approach to the debate. Do the benefits of maintaining a separate legal system for young offenders outweigh the costs? What are those costs and benefits, and can they be measured? Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 5:19 AM

U.S. Officials Discuss Administration Strategy to Address National Meth Challenge, Announce New Initiatives

On Thursday, August 18 at the Davidson County Drug Court, U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt, and Director of National Drug Control Policy John Walters will discuss the Bush Administration's comprehensive ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 5:06 AM

DePaul University Studies Find Community-Based Recovery Homes Result in High Success Rates For Recovering Addicts; Evaluation of Oxford Houses Reveals Low Substance Abuse After 24 Months

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 4:40 AM

CBPP Briefing: Much at Stake for Housing Voucher Program as Congress Resolves Federal Housing Funding for Fiscal Year 2006

WHAT: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Conference Call Briefing: Much at Stake for Housing Voucher Program as Congress Resolves Federal Housing Funding for Fiscal Year 2006; Analysis of House and Senate Versions of Housing Funding Bill Includes State ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 4:39 AM

Families at prayer? Half of children with two religious parents reject church

Religious belief is declining faster than attendance at services in the UK, according to a new study funded by the ESRC which found that parents' beliefs, practices and affiliations have the biggest impact on children. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 4:30 AM

Oral meds good for controlling Type II diabetes in children

Oral medications may control symptoms of Type II diabetes in children just as well as insulin injections, a new study reports. According to the medical records of 26 children diagnosed with the disease, oral medications reduced levels of a compound in the blood called hemoglobin A1C by an average of 2 percentage points. A 2-percentage-point reduction is enough to decrease serious health risks and symptoms associated with Type II diabetes. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 4:26 AM

Walking to school encourages more physical activity

Adolescents who walk to and from school have higher overall physical activity levels throughout the day compared with those who travel by car, bus, or train. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 4:23 AM

August 16, 2005

Many Older Americans Engage in Caregiving Activities

This brief examines caregiving activities by adults age 55 and older using data from the 2002 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Nearly 40 percent of people 55 and older and about 50 percent of people 55 to 64 spent time caring for family members in 2002. The average caregiver contributed 580 hours of care to grandchildren, parents, in-laws, and spouses. While men and women were equally likely to give care, women devoted more hours to their families, mostly in grandchild care. The authors conclude with a discussion of the burdens of caregiving and some initiatives intended to ease them. [View the corresponding Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:01 AM

Older Adults' Engagement Should Be Recognized and Encouraged

This brief examines the types and intensity of engagement among adults age 55 and older using data from the 2002 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). The results show high levels of engagement, with 80 percent of older adults participating in formal or informal volunteer work, paid work, or caregiving. While engagement varies by age group, activity, and personal characteristics, older engaged Americans contribute an average of 1,300 hours annually to the above activities. The authors conclude with a discussion of the implications of the findings and recommendations for different initiatives that could further increase engagement. [View the corresponding Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:58 AM

Study Peers Behind the Scenes at Federal Funding of Faith-Based Groups

A new study concludes that Bush administration efforts to expand faith-based contracting via targeted initiatives are changing the nature of social services supported directly with federal funds far more than has legislation passed in the mid-1990s. The study is the first in-depth look at the major block grant programs in the Department of Health and Human Services with legislated Charitable Choice provisions, as well as at discretionary programs funded under the Compassion Capital Fund. [View the corresponding Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:57 AM

Updated Consumer Guide to Resolving Health Plan Disputes

From The Kaiser Family Foundation:

This new consumer guide from the Kaiser Family Foundation and Consumers Union provides detailed information about how consumers can resolve disputes with their health plans. It includes a new section about experiences with state external review programs and provides tips for avoiding some common mistakes that may prevent consumers from properly filing and successfully resolving disputes through external appeals. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:53 AM

Medicare and Medicaid at 40

From The Kaiser Family Foundation:

The Medicare and Medicaid health coverage programs were signed into law July 30, 1965. The Kaiser Family Foundation has produced some new resources that examine how the programs came into existence and how they have evolved, including video documentaries, interactive timelines, background data and information, and a webcast of an event featuring historian Robert Dallek and key government officials responsible for the programs over the past 40 years. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:51 AM

7-Eleven, AGs Reach Deal on Teen Tobacco Sales

Convenience-store chain 7-Eleven has agreed to tighten ID checks on tobacco buyers and take other steps to prevent sales to underage smokers. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:40 AM

Can CAFTA save apparel and textile producers?

From Economic Policy Institute:

Some proponents of CAFTA believe that it will stimulate apparel industryemployment in Central America and, as a result, the U.S. textile industriesthat supply them with raw material. Such arguments ignore one major factor that has derailed such strategies in the past--increased apparel importsfrom China. For the facts at a glance, read this week's Snapshot. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:20 AM

Federal Policy on the Ground: Faith-Based Organizations Delivering Local Services

This study examines the devolution of federal policies regarding faith-based involvement in three HHS programs covered by "Charitable Choice" provisions--Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT), and the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)--and in the Compassion Capital Fund (CCF). The study sites were Birmingham, Boston, and Denver. FBO contracting changed little since Charitable Choice, though perceptions about what was permissible in federal contracting had changed. Contracting with congregations and faith expression was more prominent in CCF. Implementation of the right to an alternative provider for welfare or substance abuse services is uncertain. [View the corresponding Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:17 AM

Who Receives Homeownership Tax Deductions and How Much?

Some of the costliest tax expenditures the federal government allows go to subsidizing homeownership. In 2004, the total tax expenditure value of the mortgage interest deduction was $70.2 billion while the value for the real estate tax deduction was $19.3 billion. Fifty-four percent of these sums went to taxpayers at or above $100,000 of income and 72 percent went to taxpayers at or above $75,000. Very few taxpayers receive these two subsidies at low incomes-as most low-income tax filers owe little tax, do not itemize, and are less likely to own a home-and very many taxpayers receive them at higher incomes. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 1:16 AM

August 15, 2005

Recovery Month PSAs Highlight Success of Alcohol and Drug Treatment

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration unveils Recovery Month PSAs which will highlight the need for alcohol and drug treatment and recovery, as well as honor treatment providers and people in recovery. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:57 PM

New study examines disadvantaged people and medical care

A new pilot study out of the University of Cincinnati takes a new look at how patients deal with disparities in patient medical care – disparities that have been documented in hundreds of studies in the past. This poll of approximately 1,000 people in Greater Cincinnati found that the more disadvantaged the patient felt in terms of race, gender or socioeconomic background, the more likely he or she worked on presenting a positive self image while seeking medical care.
The findings of new research was presented Aug. 15 at the meeting of the American Sociological Association in Philadelphia. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:55 PM

Disasters do not necessarily affect minorities disproportionately

While it has long been assumed in the disaster research community that individuals with fewer resources are more likely to suffer in a disaster -- and it is true that non-whites, the poor, and females often suffer more than their counterparts -- the race-class-and-gender trinity of variables does not capture the entire spectrum in which disaster affects society. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:18 PM

Childhood predictors of smoking in adolescence

The smoking rate among adolescents in the context of anti-smoking campaigns is troubling. Predictor of teenage smoking that are commonly cited are parental smoking during childhood, peer pressure during adolescence, and larger lung volumes. Becklake and colleagues investigated these and other possible predictors of teenage cigarette smoking and found that salivary cotinine, a measure of uptake of environmental tobacco smoke, was a significant predictor.
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:53 PM

As congregations shrink, half of children with two religious parents reject church

Findings of a new study by Dr David Voas of The University of Manchester, funded by the ESRC, suggest that religious belief is declining faster than attendance at services in the UK, and that parents' beliefs, practices and affiliations have the biggest impact on children. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:46 PM

New Study Links Childhood Poverty, Heart Attacks in Women

Women with disadvantaged childhoods are more likely to have a heart attack in old age, but men who grow up under similar conditions are not, according to a new study by Duke University sociologists.
The peer-reviewed study, funded by the National Institute of Aging, will be presented Aug. 16 at the American Sociological Association annual meeting in Philadelphia.

The link between childhood poverty and poor health in old age is well-established, but this is one of a handful of studies to find a difference in the way men and women respond - in part because it examines men and women separately.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:45 PM

Planning Community-Based Facilities for Violent Juvenile Offenders as Part of a System of Graduated Sanctions

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) announces the availability of "Planning Community-Based Facilities for Violent Juvenile Offenders as Part of a System of Graduated Sanctions." This 39-page Bulletin was written by Shelley Zavlek, M.Ed., J.D.

The Bulletin, part of OJJDP's online Juvenile Justice Practices Series, presents essential information regarding planning community-based or regional facilities to provide secure confinement for serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders and outlines a process for their development within a comprehensive juvenile justice plan.

Posted by Michael at 9:58 AM

August 14, 2005

Treatment Grants for Former Juvenile Inmates

About $19.2 million in grants over four years were awarded by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration for programs to treat alcohol and other drug abuse among juveniles and young adults returning from prison. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:06 PM

Anti-Gang Strategies Lack Unity (washingtonpost.com)

From Yahoo! News: Top Stories:

washingtonpost.com - Six months after he served more than a year in jail for disposing of a body in a gang-related killing in Montgomery County, Nelson Bernal was back on the streets, lying in wait outside a county high school -- preparing, police say, to attack members of a rival Latino gang.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 8:35 PM

Rulings Trim Legal Leeway Given Medicaid Recipients

From NYT > Washington:

In a series of rulings, federal judges are limiting the ability of poor people to turn to the courts to fight for Medicaid benefits.
The judges, following guidance from the Supreme Court, are ruling that Medicaid recipients cannot use the courts to enforce a provision of the law that says they should have the same access to health care services as "the general population."

While the federal courts are still full of Medicaid litigation, it is proving more difficult for beneficiaries to prevail.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 8:20 PM

Money can buy you happiness but only relative to your peer's income

Financially richer people tend to be happier than poorer people, according to sociological researcher Glenn Firebaugh, Pennsylvania State University, and graduate student Laura Tach, Harvard University. Their research is focused on whether the income effect on happiness results largely from the things money can buy (absolute income effect) or from comparing one's income to the income of others (relative income effect). Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 8:01 PM

Parents can help teens choose 'good' friends, study finds

While parents often worry about the influence peers have on their adolescent children, a new study indicates that they can play a role in helping their teens choose 'good' friends. The results showed teens are more likely to have good friends - ones who don't fight and who have plans for college, for instance - if they have a warm relationship with their parents and if their parents choose to live in a neighborhood with high-quality schools. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 7:50 PM

Prenatal alcohol exposure can lead to lasting changes in cognitive processing

Prenatal alcohol exposure is often linked to slower cognitive reaction times and poorer attention. A new study investigates cognitive function and speed as tasks become more complex.Findings indicate that alcohol-exposed children can perform as well as other children on simple tasks, but as tasks become more demanding and challenging, processing speed slows down significantly. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 7:48 PM

Family environment is a significant predictor of adolescent obesity

Parents have a strong influence over whether or not their children will become overweight or obese, and it's not just their genes that they pass on. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 7:47 PM

August 12, 2005

Smokers More to Blame than Tobacco Cos. for Illness, Americans Say

A Gallup poll released by CNN and USA Today found that despite years of revelations about deceptive marketing by the tobacco industry, many Americans still believe that smokers are more to blame for smoking-related illnesses. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:36 AM

Back-to-School Expert: Maryland Education Professor Sees Challenges, Opportunities This School Year

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:00 AM

August 11, 2005

AMA Joins Tenn. Physicians to Urge U.S. Congressional Action to Halt Medicare Cuts; Brings Medicare 'House Call' Campaign to Tennessee

AMA Joins Tennessee Physicians to Urge U.S. Congressional Action to Halt Medicare Cuts Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:27 PM

Key research findings show family therapy is an effective treatment tool for children

National Women's Law Center

Family-based treatments are effective for substance abuse and conduct disorders in children and adolescents, according to a new, ten-year research review. The treatment also helps reduce the behavior problems associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and shows promise in treating depression and anxiety. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:15 PM

Congress Considers Cuts to Vital Services and More Tax Cuts

As was reported in the May 4th E-Update, the 2006 Congressional budget resolution includes instructions to cut (through the reconciliation process) at least $34.7 billion over the next five years to vital supports like Medicaid and Food Stamps and to provide additional tax cuts of $70 billion over the same period of time. This fall, Congress will consider both of these bills – which could require the deepest sacrifices of low-income women and their families while expanding tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and corporations.

Not later than September 16, several House and Senate committees, including the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, which have jurisdiction over Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), and the Earned Income Credit and other vital supports for vulnerable women and their families, must report out bills that cut spending by at least $34.7 billion over the next five years. If committees fail to write bills that meet their spending cut targets by this date, the House and Senate budget committees will do it for them.

Posted by Michael at 1:15 AM

Risky Business: South Carolina's Medicaid Waiver Proposal

On June 7, 2005, South Carolina requested federal permission to undertake what would constitute the most radical changes ever made in a state Medicaid program. The request, which took the form of a proposed waiver of federal Medicaid rules, would affect more than 700,000 low-income South Carolina children, parents, seniors, and people with disabilities.
South Carolina proposes to replace Medicaid with a system of state-funded “personal health accounts,” which beneficiaries would use either to purchase health care services directly from providers or to enroll in private insurance plans or private health care networks.
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:33 AM

AMA Polls Underscore Teen Drinking Epidemic, Need for Community-Based Solutions

The Marin Institute is calling for a nationwide, community-based response to the country's underage drinking epidemic in light of two polls released today by the American Medical Association. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:28 AM

FIVE-STATE FOOD STAMP BLOCK GRANT PROPOSAL IN HOUSE WELFARE BILL

The House welfare reauthorization bill (H.R. 240) contains a proposal to allow five states to elect a food stamp block grant in lieu of the regular federal Food Stamp Program. A block grant, even if limited to five states, would likely cause damage to the Food Stamp Program and low-income families. The Food Stamp Program would lose its ability to respond to economic downturns in these five states and, as explained below, food benefits would necessarily be cut in these states.
In addition, states taking the block grant would have significant incentives to shift funds out of food stamps to help close state budget deficits, further reducing food benefits to low-income families. The Food Stamp Program also could fall prey to increased fraud problems since the federal government would no longer be responsible for investigating retailer fraud in these states.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:18 AM

The Superwaiver Would Cause Serious Damage To The Food Stamp Program And Place Benefits For Low-Income Families At Risk

The House of Representatives' TANF reauthorization bill (H.R. 240) contains a proposal to grant sweeping authority to the Executive Branch to waive, at a governor's request, most provisions of federal law related to a range of low-income and other domestic programs. This "superwaiver" proposal is identical to a provision that the House passed in 2002 and 2003. Though contained in TANF legislation, the superwaiver is not primarily about TANF: states could submit superwaiver proposals entirely unrelated to TANF that cover an array of other programs, including the Food Stamp Program, child care, job training, adult education programs, homelessness programs, and public housing. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:17 AM

Online Information About Key Low-Income Benefit Programs

Virtually all states have made information regarding the five main state-administered low-income benefit programs - food stamps, Medicaid, SCHIP, TANF and child care — available to the public via the internet. There is significant variation between what online information is provided across states. Some provide a simple description of each program on their agencies websites. Others offer additional information, such as application forms, eligibility screening tools, and policy and procedure manuals used by state agency caseworkers. A few states allow individuals to apply for certain types of benefits online.
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:16 AM

August 10, 2005

Instructional Coaches Mentor Teachers, Improve Student Achievement

When teachers in the Topeka Public Schools return to their classes this fall, they will have the benefit of coaches from the University of Kansas helping them to identify and use the best teaching practices available.
For the past six years, the KU program Pathways to Success, a part of the School of Education's Center for Research on Learning, has placed instructional coaches (ICs) in the teaching ranks of all the public middle and high schools in Topeka to partner with and guide the regular classroom teachers in everything from professional development to solving discipline problems in class. The results have been positive, according to Jim Knight, KU-CRL research associate and project director for Pathways to Success.

"Instructional coaches are onsite professional developers who teach educators how to use proven teaching methods," Knight said. "Instructional coaching and teaching quality has become an important issue since the No Child Left Behind Act became law. It has emphasized how important professional development can be. Our approach is different than just sponsoring a couple of workshops. ICs are in the classroom with teachers every day. The whole life of an IC is teaching other teachers."

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:55 PM

Civic Engagement Is Focus for Ursinus College New Student Orientation

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:52 PM

Genetics may affect how older adults respond to exercise

New research suggests why some older adults who exercise have better physical function than others. Surprisingly, researchers found that an enzyme involved in blood pressure regulation may also influence how the body responds to exercise. The findings, by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues, are reported today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:37 PM

Penn physician urges revision of HIV-testing policies

In a commentary piece in the August 10th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Scott D. Halpern, MD, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, calls for a revision of existing state laws so that HIV-testing may be carried out when patients are not able to give their direct consent for such testing. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:30 PM

Exercise aside, genes may ultimately dictate seniors' mobility

Of nearly 3,000 seniors studied, those who exercised stayed healthier than their couch potato peers, but those born with a certain gene benefited the most from physical activity. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:23 PM

Consumers Should Spend as Much Time Making Health Care Decisions as They Do Buying Automobiles, Says Consumer Reports Medical Guide

A new article at http://www.ConsumerReportsMedicalGuide.org discusses treatment choices in health care that are often controversial and confusing, and the need for patients to be integrally involved in decision making about treatments. While Consumer Reports is most known for reviews and ratings of automobiles and consumer products, the institution encourages people to be savvy consumers when it comes to their own health care as well.
The patient's personal values and principles should serve as one of three tent poles that create the most effective treatments. The other two elements are the best available clinical evidence, and the physician's own clinical experience.

But often, the physician you see and where you live can impact decision trends. For example, a man dealing with prostate problems has to weigh removing the prostate against the surgery's somewhat greater trauma and risk. However, Consumer Reports Medical Guide relays that the actual choice made often depends on whether that patient is working with a urologic surgeon or a radiation oncologist.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:17 PM

Childhood cancers strongly linked to air pollution in early life

Childhood cancers are strongly linked to pollution from engine exhausts, concludes research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:55 PM

New survey: Recent rise in whooping cough among teens great concern for school nurses

A new survey supported by the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) reveals that almost 90 percent of polled school nurses are concerned about the recent surge in pertussis (whooping cough) outbreaks among adolescents. In response, NASN today launched "Pertussis Tools for Schools," a campaign designed to educate school nurses, teachers, parents and teens about the signs and symptoms of pertussis. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:54 PM

August 9, 2005

What Does the Safety Net Accomplish? New Series of Reports With State-by-State Data

Public benefit programs cut the number of poor Americans nearly in half (from 58 million to 31 million) and dramatically reduce the severity of poverty for those who remain poor, while providing health coverage to tens of millions of people who otherwise would be uninsured, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The reports examine: Medicaid, The Earned Income Tax Credit, Supplemental Security Income, and Food and Nutrition Assistance.
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:37 PM

UC Berkeley Business School to Host Nation's Leading Research Prize in Socially Responsible Investing

The University of California at Berkeley's Haas School of Business, in partnership with the Social Investment Forum, announced today that the Moskowitz Prize - the only global award recognizing outstanding quantitative work on socially responsible investing - will come under the umbrella of the school's Center for Responsible Business.
The annual prize was launched in 1996 by the Social Investment Forum, the national trade association for the socially and environmentally responsible investing (SRI) industry, to recognize the best quantitative study of socially responsible investing. The Social Investment Forum will continue to serve as a consultant in prize awards.

The prize will retain its name, but will become part of a larger research effort known as the Moskowitz Research Program within the Center for Responsible Business. The program will include publishing abstracts of key studies in the field via the http://www.sristudies.org online database and hosting the SRINotes blog, a discussion forum for leading thinkers in the field of SRI.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:23 PM

Lower Costs Seen for Premium in Medicare Drug Benefit Plan

From NYT > Health:

The White House said the average premium for the new Medicare drug benefit would be $32.20 a month, about $5 less than previously estimated. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:50 PM

Community Service Learning Makes Strides at California State University

The California State University, a national leader in the field of community service learning, is a pioneer in developing a systemwide approach to the issue. Its effect upon the state is significant and growing.
Each year CSU student volunteers contribute nearly 30 million hours, both as part of their academic experience and as a university-encouraged service. This is the equivalent of a $200 million contribution to their communities, even at a minimum wage level.

In this past year, the CSU reached a new milestone: academic classes offering service learning elements are now reaching more than 15 percent of all CSU students. But the outreach is not limited to the academic side. As a result of the CSU's emphasis on community service, nearly half of CSU's 400,000 students are at work locally - bringing tutoring, civic outreach, and other service contributions to their neighbors.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:41 PM

No link between multiple childhood vaccinations and hospitalization for nontargeted diseases

New research does not support a belief that children receiving multiple vaccines increase their risk of hospitalization for a nontargeted infectious disease, according to a study in the August 10 issue of JAMA. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:33 PM

August 8, 2005

Mich. Law Forcing Young People to Take Alcohol Tests Challenged

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit to challenge the only state law requiring pedestrians under age 21 to submit to an alcohol test absent a police search warrant. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:54 PM

Lumina Foundation for Education Announces Second-Quarter 2005 Grants

Lumina Foundation for Education announced today 61 grant approvals totaling about $19 million to organizations across the country that expand college access and student success.
"The Foundation continues to address the multiple barriers that impede access to and success in postsecondary education, particularly among traditionally underserved groups," said Martha D. Lamkin, president and chief executive officer of the Indianapolis-based Foundation. "The Foundation supports research, programs, policy work and professional leadership aimed at expanding access to education beyond high school."

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:11 PM

American Institutes for Research Provides Guidance on Free Tutoring Offered Under No Child Left Behind Act; Releases New Toolkit for Parents and Community Leaders

The American Institutes for Research (AIR) has developed and released a new toolkit that offers parents and community leaders tips, tools, and strategies to learn more about free tutoring for students in schools designated as needing improvement under the No Child Left Behind Act.
These tutoring services, known as supplemental education services (SES), are easier to navigate with the help of the toolkit, which assists parents in signing up for the services and provides tips on how to pick a SES provider for their children. For example, the toolkit contains a checklist of questions that families can ask when choosing a provider to help them compare services. The checklist and other tools are provided in English and Spanish.

"SES in Action: A Toolkit for Parents and Community Leaders" was developed by the Supplemental Educational Services Quality Center, which is funded through a grant to AIR from the Office of Innovation and Improvement of the U.S. Department of Education.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:11 PM

August 7, 2005

Drug Court Judge Disputes Disease Model

An Indiana judge who oversees an eight-year-old drug court program commented during a Superior Court sentencing of a drunk driver that alcoholism is not a disease, The Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Ind.) reported July 29. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:09 PM

SAMHSA Awards Grants for Adolescent Substance Abuse Coordination

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has awarded 16 grants to various states for the development of better alcohol and other drug abuse treatment, prevention, and infrastructure. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:58 PM

Grants for Alcohol, HIV/AIDS Risk Reduction

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism along with the National Institute of Mental Health, is calling for applications to research structural interventions to reduce HIV/AIDS transmission by "changing the environment of alcohol use." Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:56 PM

CBPP to Hold Conference Call Briefing: Assessing South Carolina's Medicaid Proposal

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities will host a media conference call briefing on Wednesday, Aug. 10 at 1 p.m. (ET) to discuss two new analyses of South Carolina's request for federal permission to replace Medicaid with a system of state-funded personal health accounts.
Among the findings of the new CBPP report to be released that day:

-- South Carolina's plan would reduce health coverage for the state's most vulnerable residents.

-- The plan would increase costs and reduce health care services for beneficiaries, most of whom have incomes below the poverty line, including pregnant women and children.

-- South Carolina's proposal includes a method for determining the size of each individual's account that risks providing people with serious health conditions with insufficient resources to secure the health care they need.

-- The proposal assumes that a system of managed care plans and provider networks not currently in existence will emerge in the state to meet the needs of Medicaid beneficiaries.

The second new paper to be discussed during the call, from the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University, analyzes the effects of South Carolina's proposal on children in the state.

After opening remarks, the panelists will take questions.

To participate, please register by e-mailing spillane@cbpp.org, or calling the media team at 202-408-1080.

Register on-line at http://www.cbpp.org/confcall.htm
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:56 PM

Plaintiffs Score Major Victory in No Child Left Behind English Learner Lawsuit Against State of California

Today, United States District Court Judge William Alsup granted plaintiffs' motion to remand the No Child Left Behind English Learner assessment litigation back to State Superior Court in San Francisco. Plaintiffs, including a broad coalition of school districts ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:31 PM

August 4, 2005

MADD: Decline In Alcohol-Related Traffic Fatalities is Promising

The National Highway Traffic Safety Admin. reports alcohol-related traffic fatalities declined 2.4 percent from 2003 to 2004. Mothers Against Drunk Driving cites primary seat belt laws, law enforcement and .08 BAC as keys to progress. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:30 PM

New patient safety website launched

More people die as a result of medical errors than from other common causes of death including motor vehicle crashes, breast cancer, and AIDS. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:29 PM

On Its 12th Anniversary, Family & Medical Leave Act Is at Risk; Department of Labor Changes, Next Supreme Court Justice May Mean Fewer Americans Have Access to FMLA Protections