Human Services News

Angela Glover Blackwell, founder and CEO of PolicyLink, will address the December 1, 2005, board meeting of the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA), in Baton Rouge. PolicyLink is the national nonprofit policy organization that works to advance equitable development policies and to ensure participation of people of color and low-income communities in planning for the redevelopment and revitalization of communities across the country. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:19 PM | TrackBack

Young children getting fewer hours of sleep

While it has been widely reported that older children, teens and adults aren't getting enough sleep, it turns out that younger children might be sleep deprived as well. A study by researchers at Bradley Hospital and Brown Medical School finds that children five and under get less than the recommended amount of sleep. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:11 PM | TrackBack

No separate changing rooms for boys and girls in one in five primary schools

One in five primary schools does not provide separate changing rooms for boys and girls, reveals a survey of primary schools in a study published ahead of print in Archives of Disease in Childhood. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:09 PM | TrackBack

First Lady Laura Bush Releases New Study Showing High Levels of Teen Volunteering; High Youth Volunteer Rate Linked to Teens' Ties to School, Family, Religion

First Lady Laura Bush today joined a group of local high school students at a service- learning project to announce a new federal study that finds 55 percent of American teenagers volunteered last year -- nearly double the rate of adults. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:52 PM | TrackBack

House Reconciliation Bill Targets Key Low-Income Programs In Ways And Means Committee's Jurisdiction

The House of Representatives narrowly passed a budget “reconciliation” bill (H.R. 4241) on November 17 that included a package of cuts approved by the Ways and Means Committee on October 26. The budget resolution that passed in April required the Ways and Means Committee to cut programs under its jurisdiction by $1 billion over the next five years, but the Ways and Means proposals would cut programs under its jurisdictions by $8 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
The Ways and Means package targets programs that provide critical supports and services to low and moderate-income families

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:45 PM | TrackBack

House Budget Reconciliation Bill Includes Highly Flawed TANF Provisions That Have Repeatedly Failed To Garner Support

The budget reconciliation bill that the House passed on November 18, H.R. 4241, includes a set of controversial provisions related to the reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant and the child care block grant. The TANF and child care provisions in the House bill would impose inflexible and expensive new mandates on states.
Those provisions would require states to operate large welfare-to-work programs without providing states either the flexibility to determine how best to help individual parents move from welfare to work or the resources needed to meet the new requirements. The Senate budget reconciliation bill, in contrast, contains no TANF or child care provisions.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:42 PM | TrackBack

Resiliency Is Not Enough: Young Children and the Rebuilding of New Orleans

The trauma and displacement of Katrina could cause lasting harm to young children, undermining their emotional security and school readiness. Poor children - especially those previously shaken by family instability or neighborhood violence - are particularly vulnerable. The children of New Orleans, already disproportionately poor and starting school deeply disadvantaged, can ill afford further damage.

Children can be astonishingly resilient, but not without steady emotional support and a return to relative stability and security. Parents are central to children's recovery, yet in the aftermath of Katrina, parents' own trauma and uncertainty compromise their ability to help.

Posted by Michael at 9:51 AM | TrackBack

November 29, 2005

School programs targeting antisocial behavior also can boost test scores, grades

With the No Child Left Behind Act increasingly focusing schools' attention on test scores alone, programs that stress behavior, social development and commitment to school have sometimes gotten left behind. But a new study indicates that schools adopting programs that target antisocial behavior are also likely to boost their students' academic performance.
The study of nearly 600 children by the University of Washington's Social Development Research Group found that risk factors such as substance use, delinquency and violence that can be identified and counteracted in elementary school also are good predictors of later academic achievement.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:25 PM | TrackBack

Study searches for deadly warning signs linking domestic violence victims

A new collaboration involving the University of Cincinnati School of Social Work, the Hamilton County Domestic Violence Death Review Panel and the Rape Crisis & Abuse Center of Hamilton County (formerly Women Helping Women) examines public information on intimate partner violence that ends in death. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:23 PM | TrackBack

Internet Discussion Group Provides Inspiring, Supportive Oasis for People With Diabetes, Joslin Study Shows; 'Cyber-Neighborhoods' Offer People Less Threatening Way to Discuss Sensitive Concerns

Although having diabetes can sometimes feel isolating to individuals, participation in an Internet-based discussion group offers hope, inspiration and encouragement as well as bolsters people's perceived ability to cope with diabetes, according to a new study from Joslin Diabetes Center. The study, which appears in the November/December issue of The Diabetes Educator, examined the impact of Joslin's online Discussion Boards (http://www.joslin.org/1863.asp) -- forums in which people with diabetes can find information and share thoughts and experiences on specific diabetes issues. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:17 PM | TrackBack

Three Museums, Three Libraries to Receive Nation's Highest Honor for Extraordinary Community Service; National Awards for Museum and Library Service Includes $10,000 and Ceremony in Nation's Capital

Mary L. Chute, acting director of the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, today announced the 2005 recipients of the National Awards for Museum and Library Service. This is the nation's highest honor for the extraordinary public service provided ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:19 PM | TrackBack

Institute of Community Health's Federally Funded 'Growing Healthy' Program Unites Cambridge and Somerville, Mass., Cities, Schools, Area Farms to Battle Childhood Obesity

The Institute for Community Health (ICH) received funding for a three-year study and outreach program to implement and evaluate a farm-to-school-to-home project that supports local agriculture and helps meet the nutritional needs of families in Cambridge and Somerville public schools. Both cities have high rates of childhood obesity. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:59 PM | TrackBack

A Brief Guide to TANF Reauthorization Issues in 2005

Congress has been debating reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and changes to related programs, including child care and child support, since the program first came up for renewal in 2002. In March of this year, the Senate Finance Committee passed reauthorization legislation (S. 667) which awaits consideration by the full Senate.
The House shortly thereafter passed a reauthorization bill (H.R. 240) through a subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee, but did not take further action on that bill, and instead included a modified version in a much larger "budget reconciliation" bill (H.R. 4241) passed by the full House in November. It remains to be seen whether the two chambers will resolve their differences through the budget reconciliation process, or whether TANF reauthorization will be addressed instead through stand-alone legislation either this year or at a future time.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:59 PM | TrackBack

House Budget Reconciliation Bill Includes Highly Flawed TANF Provisions That Have Repeatedly Failed To Garner Support

The budget reconciliation bill that the House passed on November 18, H.R. 4241, includes a set of controversial provisions related to the reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant and the child care block grant. The TANF and child care provisions in the House bill would impose inflexible and expensive new mandates on states. Those provisions would require states to operate large welfare-to-work programs without providing states either the flexibility to determine how best to help individual parents move from welfare to work or the resources needed to meet the new requirements. The Senate budget reconciliation bill, in contrast, contains no TANF or child care provisions.
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 9:57 PM | TrackBack

World AIDS Day 2005 Resources from the Kaiser Family Foundation

From The Kaiser Family Foundation:

This year, the theme of World AIDS Day on December 1, is “Keep the Promise,” which seeks to focus public attention of fulfilling commitments in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In recognition of World AIDS Day, the Kaiser Family Foundation has several new and updated resources, including: a new Kaiser Public Opinion Spotlight, updated fact sheets on the epidemic globally and in the U.S., a webcast of the United Nations event in New York City, updated information from the CDC on statehealthfacts.org, country-specific data on GlobalHealthReporting.org, and a timeline of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:19 AM | TrackBack

Poor health, poverty and minority status are major factors in depression

Preliminary results from the STAR-D project, one of the nation's largest studies of depression, show that chronic depressive episodes are common and are associated with poorer physical health, lower quality of life, socioeconomic disadvantage and minority status. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:05 AM | TrackBack

Future of Nation's Largest HIV/AIDS Program Will Highlight Town Hall Meeting on Dec. 1, World AIDS Day

The Ryan White ACTION Campaign - a coalition of four national HIV/AIDS organizations - will join more than a dozen Middle Tennessee organizations in hosting a World AIDS Day "Town Hall Meeting" at 11:00 pm - 1:00 pm (CST) on Dec. 1 at the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville at 250 Venture Circle. The meeting will bring together area civic leaders, policymakers, persons with HIV/AIDS, health care practitioners and service providers to highlight the impact the Ryan White CARE Act has in the State of Tennessee. The Act, which expired on September 30th, is the major source of funding for care and treatment to HIV/AIDS patients who otherwise could not afford it. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:03 AM | TrackBack

Sen. Ted Kennedy Blasts Politicians for Lagging on Social Justice Issues

In an address at Wheaton College today, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) criticized political leaders in Massachusetts and Washington for not working hard enough to improve access to education and healthcare and to eradicate poverty and injustice. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:01 AM | TrackBack

November 28, 2005

Family habits set drinking path

Teenagers are more likely to develop drinking problems if their mothers are depressed and drink regularly. The findings come from University of Queensland researchers who tracked alcohol related disorders of children through adulthood as part of one of the world's longest health studies. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:27 PM | TrackBack

National snapshot of children's development

Nearly a quarter of Australian children could be developmentally at risk, according to the findings of the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI), a national research project that measures children's developmental progress as they enter school. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:18 PM | TrackBack

Balance Is Key to Meaningful Holidays With Children, Says Director of University of New Hampshire's Child Study and Development Center

For families of preschool age children, the holiday gauntlet that now runs from Halloween through New Year's Day can bring great joy - and enormous stress, brought on by too many toys, too much candy, more parties and presents than young minds and bodies can manage gracefully. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:13 PM | TrackBack

November 27, 2005

Secretary Spellings Spoke at a Luncheon Recognizing the 30th Anniversary of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund

From Education Newsfeed:

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today addressed a luncheon in Washington recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Following are her prepared remarks:
Thank you. It's an honor to be here today on the 30th anniversary of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. I want to thank your chairman, Dr. Roger Benjamin. And let me also thank my good friend and your president, Sara Martinez Tucker, for inviting me today. Sara was recently named a distinguished alumna of the University of Texas. And she was inducted into the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame for her work in the private sector and at the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. I'm thrilled to have her on my new commission on the future of higher education. Sara's a woman who believes in setting high goals. And when she surpasses them, she just raises the bar even higher.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 8:37 PM | TrackBack

Secretary Spellings Announces Growth Model Pilot, Addresses Chief State School Officers' Annual Policy Forum in Richmond

From Education Newsfeed:

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced a pilot program where interested and qualified states can submit proposals for developing growth models that follow the bright-line principles of No Child Left Behind.
As part of the pilot, the Department will approve no more than 10 high-quality growth models in 2005-06. Secretary Spellings made the special announcement during an address to the Council of Chief State School Officers' (CCSSO) Annual Policy Forum in Richmond, Va. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 8:35 PM | TrackBack

President Bush's Flu Plan Repeats Katrina Flaw, Says National Medical Association

President Bush's $7.1 billion plan for preparing the nation for a flu pandemic reproduces "the same fundamental flaw" that led to the neglectful federal response to Hurricane Katrina, Sandra Gadson, M.D., president of the National Medical Association.
"A key misstep in the President's proposed strategy," said Dr. Gadson, "is its failure to take into account the higher vulnerability of minority communities to public health crises and well-documented racial and ethnic barriers to healthcare and public health services, including influenza vaccinations."

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 7:56 PM | TrackBack

November 23, 2005

An Introduction to TANF

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a block grant created by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, as part of a federal effort to "end welfare as we know it." The TANF block grant replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program, which had provided cash welfare to poor families with children since 1935.
Under the TANF structure, the federal government provides a block grant to the states, which use these funds to operate their own programs. States can use TANF dollars in ways designed to meet any of the four purposes set out in federal law, which are to: "(1) provide assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives; (2) end the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage; (3) prevent and reduce the incidence of out‑of‑wedlock pregnancies and establish annual numerical goals for preventing and reducing the incidence of these pregnancies; and (4) encourage the formation and maintenance of two‑parent families."

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 2:27 AM | TrackBack

Study Finds U.S. Math Students Consistently Behind Their Peers Around the World; Findings Challenge Conventional Wisdom About U.S. Math Success in Early Grades

Despite a widely held belief that U.S. students do well in mathematics in grade school but decline precipitously in high school, a new study comparing the math skills of students in industrialized nations finds that U.S. students in 4th and 8th grade perform consistently below most of their peers around the world and continue that trend into high school. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:27 AM | TrackBack

Top Texas Court Voids School Financing System

From NYT > National:

Texas school districts illegally use property taxes to pay for public education, and the state must find a new way to finance schools by June 1 or classrooms will not open for the fall term, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
The justices declined to offer their own solution, leaving it to the Legislature, which has repeatedly grappled with the issue.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 12:21 AM | TrackBack

November 22, 2005

PCMA: House Government Reform Committee Minority Analysis ofMedicare Drug Benefit Savings 'Flawed & Misleading'

Refuting a new Medicare drug benefit analysis released today by the minority staff of the House Government Reform Committee, seniors enrolling in the new Medicare prescription drug benefit are seeing substantial discounts -- an average of 31 percent at retail and 45 percent at mail -- on the 25 most commonly used drugs by seniors, according to a recent survey conducted by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA). PCMA is the national association representing America's pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:49 PM | TrackBack

14 States Win $52.8 Million in Grants for Longitudinal Data Systems

From Education Newsfeed:

The U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences has awarded a total of $52.8 million in grants to 14 state education departments for the design and implementation of statewide longitudinal data systems. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:49 PM | TrackBack

Making primary health care work: New research

Health reform needs to be championed by health leaders, responsive to community needs and securely funded, to be sustained and benefit the health of Australians according to a new research published in the Medical Journal of Australia. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:38 PM | TrackBack

Charter schools serving more disadvantaged kids, study finds

America's charter schools serve a larger percentage of minority and low-income students than do the nation's traditional public schools, according to a comprehensive new study of the growing charter movement.
That's partly because charters remain a predominantly urban phenomenon, the researchers found, with charter schools three times as likely as regular public schools to be in located in a big city.

"One of driving forces behind charter schools has been parent demand for new options among groups that seemed to be less-well served by traditional schools," said author Robin Lake, director of the National Charter School Research Project at the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Affairs.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:36 PM | TrackBack

Applications for the 2006 Kaiser Media Internships in Health Reporting Now Being Accepted

From The Kaiser Family Foundation:

Fifteen summer internships in print and television are available for young minority journalists interested in specializing in health reporting. The 12-week program begins in June and ends in August, and combines in-depth training in Washington, D.C. with practical experience reporting on health at a major metropolitan newspaper or television station around the country. The deadline for print applications is Friday, Dec. 2 and broadcast applications are due Friday, Jan. 6, 2006. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:36 PM | TrackBack

Congressional Budget Office Estimates Reveal Severity of Medicaid Cuts in House-Passed Reconciliation Bill

Edwin Park Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:28 PM | TrackBack

SeniorNet Appoints Scott Rains Director of Programs and Services

SeniorNet, the leading worldwide technology educator of older adults, today announced that Scott Rains, D. Min. has recently joined the SeniorNet staff as Director of Programs and Services. Dr. Rains has a strong history with non-profit organizations and specifically with developing Computer Learning Centers in affordable housing communities. For the past seven years he worked with Eden Housing to expand technology services in underserved areas. He has a solid background in recruiting volunteers, developing key community partnerships and securing donations. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:17 PM | TrackBack

Self-Medication the Norm for Some Young Adults

From Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco News:

A growing number of young Americans are self-medicating with various prescription drugs, whether or not the drugs were actually prescribed to them. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:16 PM | TrackBack

Youth Drinking Worse in Europe than U.S., Study Says

From Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco News:

European teenagers drink more alcohol more often than their American counterparts, and get drunk more frequently, as well, according to researchers from the PIRE Prevention Research Center. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:12 PM | TrackBack

U.S. Department Of Labor Announces $500,000 Grant to Assist Hurricane Katrina Evacuees in Tennessee

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a grant of $500,000 to the state of Tennessee to provide employment assistance and training to evacuees of Hurricane Katrina. The funds, awarded to the Tennessee Department of Labor, will assist approximately 700 ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:05 PM | TrackBack

Childcare reduces stress levels for kids with working mums

Low job satisfaction in working mothers increases the stress levels of their children, but spending longer in childcare can help overcome these effects, new research has shown. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:00 PM | TrackBack

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV

Placental microtransfusions as measured by placental alkalinephosphatase levels in cord blood are a risk factor for mother- to-childtransmission during vaginal deliveries. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:56 PM | TrackBack

High-sugar diet pushing some Latino kids toward type 2 diabetes

Overweight Latino children who consume lots of sugar-especially in sugary drinks-show signs of beta cell decline, a precursor of type 2 diabetes. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:45 PM | TrackBack

Daycare illness guidelines exist, but largely unknown

A new Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study shows that parents, pediatricians and child care providers are equally unknowledgeable about guidelines that recommend whether children should be excluded from child care due to particular illnesses. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:41 PM | TrackBack

Center for Prevention of Childhood Obesity Funded at Cal State Fullerton

Cal State Fullerton has received $396,800 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop an interdisciplinary center to promote obesity prevention and healthy lifestyles in children. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:37 PM | TrackBack

November 21, 2005

Still Going Strong: Head Start Children, Families, Staff, and Programs in 2004

From Center for Law and Social Policy:

by Katie Hamm and Danielle Ewen. As Congress considers legislation to reauthorize the federal Head Start program, this policy brief examines the latest data from the Program Information Reports that all Head Start grantees must submit to the U.S. Department of Health.
In 2004, Head Start continued to provide early education services and medical, dental, and mental health screenings for poor children, as well as comprehensive supports for families. The number of teachers with degrees grew substantially in 2004 - 65 percent of teachers had an Associate's Degree or higher. Less than half of eligible children, however, receive Head Start services. Pub No. 05-50. 8 pages. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:35 PM | TrackBack

New NCQA Standards Evaluate How Health Plans Measure Physician, Hospital Performance

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) today issued draft standards for "Physician and Hospital Quality," the third content area of its voluntary "Quality Plus" program. The standards focus on how health plans measure the quality and efficiency of care provided by network physicians and hospitals.
Efficiency and affordability have emerged as major issues in health care, with both employers and health plans pushing for more data in these areas. Beyond simply evaluating how plans measure quality and efficiency, the standards recognize plans for using such data in pay-for-performance efforts or to help inform consumer choice. The standards also assess how plans communicate about their measurement efforts to providers, and promote collaboration between plans in order to create a robust set of data for customers and streamline reporting for doctors and hospitals.
Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:13 PM | TrackBack

November 20, 2005

Elders with Alcohol Dependence Receive Less Aftercare

From Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco News:

This study found that older patients with alcohol dependence are almost half as likely as middle-aged patients to receive formal or informal aftercare. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 8:46 PM | TrackBack

Grants for Programs That Influence Youth Behaviors

From Substance Abuse Funding News:

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will award a total of $8 million to build the capacity of groups that wield influence over youth behaviors, including tobacco use. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 8:37 PM | TrackBack

Department of Justice: School Violence Rate Stable; Lowest Level in a Decade

Violent crime rates in the nation's public and private schools in 2003 remain unchanged and continued at about half those recorded in 1992, according to a joint study published today by the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and the Department ... Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 8:29 PM | TrackBack

President Bush Embraces House Budget: Official "Statement Of Administration Policy" Raises No Concerns About Cuts In Programs For Low-Income Families

The Administration has now released its official “Statement of Administration Policy” (or SAP) on the budget bill that passed the House of Representatives early this morning. In it, the Administration raises no concerns about any of the cuts in low-income programs contained in the House bill, including cuts that the Administration did not request and cuts that overturn earlier Administration initiatives, such as a House provision to terminate food stamps for 70,000 legal immigrants, most of them in working-poor families.
The SAP on the House budget bill stands in sharp contrast to the SAP that the Administration issued on the Senate budget reconciliation bill. In that SAP, the President threatened to veto the final reconciliation bill if it includes a Senate provision reducing excessive Medicare payments to certain managed care providers. Congress’ non-partisan expert advisory committee on Medicare payments, known as MedPAC, recommended in June that these payments be reduced because they create an unlevel playing field among Medicare providers and are wasteful and unnecessary.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 8:21 PM | TrackBack

November 17, 2005

Families Depending on Food Stamps at Thanksgiving Hardly Feast; Buying Minimal Meal Creates Food Budget Hole; Bread for the World 'Hunger Report' Shows Poor Families Cannot Afford Nutritious Food (UPDATE)

With hunger in America on the rise for the fifth straight year and Congress poised to throw nearly 300,000 poor people off food stamps, Bread for the World Institute's 16th annual "Hunger Report," Frontline Issues in Nutrition Assistance, shows that poor families using food stamps cannot afford to buy nutritious food, let alone Thanksgiving dinner.
"The faces of our nation's 24 million poor people receiving food stamps could hardly be included in Norman Rockwell's Thanksgiving portrait," said David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World. "They cannot afford a nutritious diet, let alone a Thanksgiving dinner. Congress should be increasing food stamp benefits, not throwing people off the program."

"A recent Boston Medical Center study shows that low income families even getting the maximum food stamp benefits cannot afford a diet consistent with our national nutrition guidelines," Beckmann said. "All that food stamp families can afford is cheap, high fat, high sodium, high starch food that fills you up."

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:47 PM | TrackBack

The House Reconciliation Bill's Provisions On Medicaid Co-Payments and Premiums: Are They Mild or Harsh?

The Medicaid part of the budget reconciliation bill coming to the House floor (H.R. 4241) makes major changes in the federal standards governing the charges that low-income Medicaid beneficiaries can be required to bear through co-payments and premiums. Some defenders of the House bill have sought to portray these changes in Medicaid rules as mild. They argue that the current requirement, under which beneficiaries may not be required to pay more than $3 for each health care service or medication, has not been changed in a number of years and seem to believe mistakenly that the bill would merely update the $3 charge level by raising it to $5 and then adjusting it for inflation.
Such a portrayal of the co-payment and premium provisions of the House bill, however, is inaccurate.

Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:35 PM | TrackBack

Activists: Tobacco Targets Hispanic Kids (AP)

From Yahoo! News: Top Stories:

AP - Anti-smoking activists are accusing the tobacco industry of increasing efforts to sell cigarettes to Hispanics, especially Hispanic youths with print ads featuring sexy young musicians. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:22 PM | TrackBack

Backing Away From Parental Responsibility: Child Support Budget Cuts Will Unravel a Decade of Progress

From Center for Law and Social Policy:

by Vicki Turetsky. Under the House of Representatives' proposed budget reconciliation bill, the child support program faces a 40 percent cut in federal funds over the next 10 years-funds the program uses to establish and enforce non-custodial parents' child support responsibilities to their children. The cuts threaten to reverse a decade of stunning progress in a program that serves two-thirds of all single-parent families in the United States and benefits more than 17 million children. This paper examines the importance of the child support program, the reasons behind its dramatic improvement in performance, and how these cuts would jeopardize families of all income levels. Pub No. 05-49. 8 pages. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 10:15 PM | TrackBack

House Budget Cuts Aimed At Low-Income Families Reduced Only Two Percent; 98 Percent Of Those Cuts Remain: Changes Made Today Are Very Small