Human Services News

For this reason, preschool is often also the time when learning and behavioral disabilities are first identified.

However, whether referrals to remedial or special education are based solely on cognitive disability or other factors has not been fully addressed.

A new study from the Elementary School Journal explores to what extent factors such as parental education and race indicate a high likelihood of referral to remedial or special education during the first years of school.

Emily Mann (Bridgewater State College), Kathleen McCartney (Harvard University), and Jennifer Park (National Center for Education Statistics) are the first to compare remedial and special education services, with remedial services encompassing tutoring provided within a classroom setting and special education referring to placement into a separate kindergarten or first grade.

Conversely, boys and children with unmarried mothers were associated only with high-level special education, and not remedial services.

Gender differences were also a factor in referral to or placement in special education, with girls about a third less likely than boys to be referred for high-level special education.

Posted by Michael at 11:15 PM

Bringing Health Care To Katrina's Uninsured

From washingtonpost.com:

The health fair is open to anyone from the New Orleans area but is specifically aimed at those who no longer have insurance, are unemployed or otherwise cannot pay for regular health care.

By the end of the week, 10,000 patients are expected to be seen.

The project is a collaboration by Pat Robertson's Operation Blessing International and Remote Area Medical, which organizes volunteer medical treatment in remote parts of the United States and the world.

While most people wouldn't consider New Orleans remote, the city is, "since Hurricane Katrina, extremely remote from a medical and health-care infrastructure," said Karen Wilson, executive director of the Remote Area Medical Foundation.

More than 400 health-care workers have volunteered for the health fair, including doctors, dentists and specialists.

Services include free prescriptions; dental fillings and teeth cleanings; eye exams and glasses; and specialized care, including pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, diabetic care and cardiology.

Posted by Michael at 10:26 PM

No One Strategy is Best for Teaching Reading

Proponents of phonics, the "whole language and meaning" approach and other teaching methods long have battled for dominance, each insisting that theirs is the superior strategy.

Now, a Florida State University researcher has entered the fray with a paper in the prestigious journal Science that says there is no one "best" method for teaching children to read.

Carol M. Connor is an assistant professor in the FSU College of Education and a researcher with the Florida Center for Reading Research.

Along with colleagues from FSU and the University of Michigan, she wrote "Algorithm-Guided Individualized Reading Instruction," published in Science's Jan. 26 issue.

Connor's paper shows that lots of individualized instruction, combined with the use of diagnostic tools that help teachers match each child with the amounts and types of reading instruction that are most effective for him or her, is vastly preferable to the standard "one size fits all" approach to reading education that is prevalent in many American elementary schools.

With this study, we sought to do just that --- to take a systematic approach to what works, what doesn't, and why" when teaching students to read.

A2i uses students' vocabulary and reading scores and their desired reading outcome (i.e. their grade level by the end of first grade) to create algorithms that compute the recommended amounts and types of reading instruction for each child in the classroom.

For the next two years, the center will focus its efforts primarily on improving the reading skills of K-3 students under President George W. Bush's "Reading First Initiative," which is aimed at helping the country's youngest students improve their reading skills.

Posted by Michael at 10:20 PM

Grants to Study Alcohol and Puberty

From Funding News:

The National Institutes on Health are offering research grants to study the relationship between youth alcohol use and the hormonal changes associated with puberty, and how each may affect adolescent brain development.

NIH will award $1 million in grants under the R21 mechanism, with each award capped at $200,000.

Governments, for-profits, nonprofits, and schools are among those eligible to apply.

Posted by Michael at 10:11 PM

Bush Outlined Misguided Health Care Proposal in State of the Union Address

From Economic Policy Institute:

President Bush set out in the State of the Union address a new health proposal that once again uses tax policy to encourage movement from employer-based health insurance system to one in which individuals buy health insurance on their own.

Yet, the administration's plan does little to insure the uninsured, help the low income, or aid the less healthy.

This Policy Memo discusses the problems with the Bush proposal.

Posted by Michael at 9:59 PM

Louisiana Residents Pull Back from Coast

From Yahoo! News: Top Stories:

More than 16 months after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita forced an unprecedented exodus from the Louisiana Gulf Coast, tens of thousands of homeowners have decided not to rebuild or have yet to make up their minds, an Associated Press analysis found.

The AP looked at applications to the federally funded Louisiana Road Home program, which dispenses up to $150,000 per homeowner to rebuild or sell out to the state.

Two-thirds of all applicants said they want to rebuild their damaged properties, while more than a quarter have indicated they want out or can't decide what to do.

But in dozens of towns and neighborhoods, particularly those closest to the coast, the percentages of homeowners on the fence or on the way out are higher than average, with as many as two out of three homeowners not committed to rebuilding.

Michael Kurth, a McNeese State University economics professor who has done research for the Louisiana Recovery Authority, said he is not surprised.

"With the scale of destruction that occurred in those coastal areas, it wasn't a matter of `Let's return in a month or in two months,'" Kurth said.

Louisiana demographer Elliott Stonecipher said it is safe to assume that those who were going to commit themselves to rebuilding would have done so by now.

He predicted residents eventually will be lured back: "People are infatuated with water.

Posted by Michael at 9:47 PM

As Aid Lags, Volunteers Shoulder Rebuilding on Gulf Coast

From washingtonpost.com :

While the national debate over the recovery has focused on the billions expected in federal aid and insurance, those sources have so far provided little for places such as Pearlington, Mississippi and charity efforts have constituted more than 80 percent of the home rebuilding completed so far, local and charity officials said.

Fewer than one in five families here are back in their homes, but nearly all of them have relied to some extent on charity groups.

The waves of volunteers typically come down for a week or two, work during the day and at night sleep on cots and bunks set up in places such as the old school library and huts on the community's football field.

In a county where nearly 11,000 homes were destroyed by the storm, the largest single home rebuilder is the local Habitat for Humanity project, which is undertaking the construction of 19 homes in the area, according to an official with the governor's commission on recovery.

National Center for Children in Poverty:

Posted by Michael at 9:40 PM

January 25, 2007

Promoting Effective Early Learning: What Every Policymaker and Educator Should Know

This brief provides a blueprint for state and local policymakers, early learning administrators, teachers, families, community leaders, and researchers to use effective preschool curricula and teaching strategies to help low-income young children close the achievement gap in early literacy and math to be ready for kindergarten like their more affluent peers.

It is part of a series of publications from the Pathways to Early School Success project of NCCP that addresses the question: "What will it take to ensure that young low-income children succeed in the early school years?"

Other issue briefs in the Pathways project have focused on the importance of strategies to promote social and emotional competence in infants, toddlers and preschoolers: Helping the Most Vulnerable Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families, and Resources to Promote Social and Emotional Health and School Readiness in Young Children and Families---A Community Guide.

For low-income preschoolers, increasing early literacy and math skills is vital to closing the achievement gap between them and their more advantaged peers.

New research shows that an intentional curriculum and professional development and supports for teachers are important components of effective preschool classrooms and programs.

A special focus on these strategies is important because many low-income children in early learning settings fall behind early and remain very much behind their peers in reading and math.

The key aspects of an effective intentional curriculum (see box) are consistent with a joint position statement on curricula issued by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Association of State Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education.

An intentional curriculum is directive without using drill and kill strategies; it is fun for young children and promotes positive peer and teacher interactions.

Posted by Michael at 3:02 AM

HUD Announces Nearly $9 Million to Assist Elderly, Disabled

HUD News Release:

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $8,796,564 in grants today to 32 public housing agencies and non-profit organizations across the country for supportive services that help elderly and disabled public housing residents.

"Thousands of elderly and disabled public housing residents rely on these grants to assist them in maintaining an independent lifestyle," said HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson.

"In some cases, these grants are the bridge to help our seniors and those with disabilities to live a life that allows them to fully participate in their communities and enjoy a wide range of opportunities."

The funding is from HUD's Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) Elderly/Persons with Disabilities Program, which public housing authorities, resident associations and non-profit organizations compete for annually.

The grants enable these entities to hire project coordinators to work with elderly residents and those with disabilities to link them with supportive services available in their communities, such as transportation, health and wellness programs, and nutritious meal services, allowing these individuals or families to live independently longer.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS.

The Department also promotes economic and community development, and enforces the nation's fair housing laws.

Posted by Michael at 2:58 AM

Children's Defense Fund Welcomes Health Coalition's Commitment to Covering Children First

Children's Defense Fund:

While applauding HCCU's stated goal to cover all children, CDF President Marian Wright Edelman noted that the details of the HCCU proposal fall significantly short of achieving this goal.

By contrast, the proposal released by CDF last week does provide health care coverage to all children.

"CDF welcomes the commitment to covering children first and is particularly pleased the HCCU proposal includes two key components: eliminating some of the barriers and red tape that block access for children who are currently eligible for coverage and eliminating the ceiling on federal funding to provide health care coverage for these children," said Edelman.

CDF supports the key reasons cited in the HCCU proposal for why it makes sense to focus on covering children first: there is strong public support for covering children; it is less expensive to cover children than adults; covering children will create the infrastructure needed to extend coverage to adults; and the timing is ripe with the reauthorization of SCHIP funding.

But while the HCCU plan takes modest steps to provide for currently eligible children, millions of additional children would remain uninsured.

CDF's plan would expand eligibility to all children with family incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level ($60,000 for a family of four).

Does not guarantee coverage for SCHIP children.

Does not eliminate other barriers to enrolling and continued enrollment.

"There are a number of other proposals to address these additional challenges and we need to combine the best of all to get the job done right.

Posted by Michael at 2:53 AM

Key Voices Unite to Expand Health Insurance Coverage

Families USA:

Most of the nation's largest health care organizations today announced that they have agreed on a proposal that would significantly expand health coverage for America's almost 47 million uninsured, starting immediately with expanded coverage for children in 2007.

Calling itself the Health Coverage Coalition for the Uninsured (HCCU), the group is made up of 16 influential, national organizations that have played leading roles in every federal health policy debate of the last 30 years, often on opposing sides.

Despite their divergent political and ideological views, the groups today committed to immediately and jointly press lawmakers to act on their historic, two-phased consensus proposal.

The agreement includes a balance of private and public initiatives and is the culmination of lengthy meetings among the groups over approximately two years.

It allows the new Congress to begin its work on health coverage from a proposal that already has the agreement of diverse advocates.

"This historic agreement transcends traditional political and ideological boundaries to break the gridlock about expanded health coverage for the uninsured," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA. "Our unprecedented agreement and coalition should serve as a model for Congress and the President to see that health coverage is expanded to as many people as possible as quickly as possible -- starting with America's children this year."

HCCU participating organizations include AARP, America's Health Insurance Plans, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, American Public Health Association, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Catholic Health Association, Families USA, Federation of American Hospitals, Healthcare Leadership Council, Johnson & Johnson, Kaiser Permanente, Pfizer, United Health Foundation and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Helping the millions of Americans who do not have health insurance is an issue that needs to transcend politics and partisanship, and that is why we worked together to give Congress a starting point that we can all support."

It calls for a "one-stop shopping" system whereby lowincome families could enroll uninsured children in SCHIP or Medicaid at the same time as they apply for other public programs, like reduced-cost lunches or food stamps.

Posted by Michael at 2:50 AM

Why We Still Need Public Schools: Public Education for the Common Good

Center On Education Policy:

In addition to preparing young people for productive work and fulfilling lives, public education has also been expected to accomplish certain collective missions aimed at promoting the common good.

These include, among others, preparing youth to become responsible citizens, forging a common culture from a nation of immigrants, and reducing inequalities in American society.

Most current efforts to reform public education have focused on increasing students' academic achievement---without a doubt, a central purpose of schooling.

Throughout the publication, quotations from the nation's founders and other historical figures illustrate how early advocates of public education linked public schools to the common good.

Public schools educate the vast majority of U.S. students and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Public schools are accessible in all parts of the country, including areas where few or no private schools exist.

education voted, compared with 56% of high school graduates and 78% of college graduates.

Preparing students for citizenship is also critical because studies suggest that young people have an inadequate degree of basic civics knowledge.

Both public and private schools contribute to the nation's well-being.

But Americans expect public schools to do more than private schools to address social problems.

Unlike private schools, public schools are expected to have programs to feed low-income children, provide before- and after-school care, prevent substance abuse and violence, and address health issues.

At a time when a significant number of children live in poverty and many communities suffer from a range of social problems, the need is as great as ever for a strong public education system.

Posted by Michael at 2:44 AM

Better Outcomes for All: Promoting Partnerships between Head Start and State Pre-K

Center for Law and Social Policy:

The authors conducted in-depth interviews with state pre-k program directors, Head Start collaboration coordinators, and providers of both Head Start and state pre-k programs in five states.

To promote access to high-quality early education programs, state and local policymakers have developed innovative partnerships that benefit from the best each program model has to offer. These partnerships integrate multiple program models and funding sources to improve quality by hiring teachers with bachelor's degrees and by offering comprehensive health and family-support services.

Collaboration between Head Start and state pre-k programs requires new relationships among state and regional administrators; among school superintendents, principals, and Head Start providers; and between teachers inside classrooms.

The interviews conducted for Better Outcomes for All: Promoting Partnerships between Head Start and State Pre-K captured the advice of several people who have made the commitment and created successful partnerships.

Investments in state pre-k programs have grown steadily over the last two decades, in part, because of the success of Head Start and in part because of increasing awareness of the value of early education.

Pre-K Now and CLASP are grateful to the pre-k and Head Start leaders from state departments of education, Head Start-state collaboration offices, and local Head Start and state-supported pre-k programs who generously shared their insights, challenges, and solutions.

Posted by Michael at 2:39 AM

Closing Achievement Gap at Philadelphia School

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today visited M. Hall Stanton Elementary School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to mark Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by commending students, teachers, and administrators for their success in narrowing the achievement gap.

"Your success is an example to this nation and I couldn't be more proud to be here with you today to celebrate Dr. King," said Secretary Spellings.

"His legacy of service and devotion are reflected in the hard work of Stanton Elementary's educators and the diligence of its students.

In fifth grade alone, the number of Stanton Elementary students reading on grade level increased almost six-fold since 2002 and the percentage of students doing math on grade level increased from 19 to 83 percent between 2003 and 2006.

Your progress proves that our No Child Left Behind goal of every student reading and doing math at grade level by 2014 is absolutely achievable and that every school can give its students the quality education they deserve and parents expect."

The teachers follow his example every day by giving of themselves to improve the lives of the children here.

Secretary Spellings honored sixth grader Kaitlyn Lindsay and parent Theresa Addison with the President's Volunteer Service Awards.

Kaitlyn Lindsay volunteers every Friday at the Clara Baldwin Nursing Facility visiting the patients, distributing medicine, and passing out magazines and snacks.

Posted by Michael at 12:46 AM

Support of American Business Leaders in Reauthorizing No Child Left Behind

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today met with business leaders of the Business Coalition for Student Achievement to thank them for their support of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and to discuss the shared goal of reauthorizing NCLB this year.

More than anyone, American business leaders understand that our education system must keep pace with the rising demands of the global knowledge economy.

They recognize that the goal of No Child Left Behind - every child reading and doing math at grade level by 2014 - is essential to ensuring our future competitiveness and the quality of life of all Americans.

By helping states and schools align educational goals with workforce needs, active, engaged business communities are making a meaningful difference in our schools.

Through high standards and accountability, No Child Left Behind is transforming education in America and helping to improve student achievement nationwide.

The business community has been a tireless partner every step of the way, playing a key role in the passage of the law, working hard on the President's American Competitiveness Initiative, and supporting our efforts to renew the law this year.

I look forward to continued work with the Business Coalition for Student Achievement and other leaders to ensure that every student has the skills and knowledge they need to build a strong future and keep America a global leader.

Posted by Michael at 12:42 AM

Priorities for No Child Left Behind Reauthorization

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today launched Building on Results: A Blueprint for Strengthening the No Child Left Behind Act.

On the heels of the President's call in his State of the Union Address for Congress to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act, which turned five this month, Spellings said, "There is no better time than this year to get the job done."

Building On Results is designed to provide additional tools to our schools and educators to help America's students read and do math at grade level by 2014.

It would strengthen efforts to close the achievement gap by giving states more flexibility to measure and increase student progress; encourage rigorous coursework, particularly in math and science, in our nation's high schools; and provide new options and choices for families whose children remain in underperforming schools.

"If we let this opportunity pass us by, the loss will be felt greatest by our nation's young people---the very individuals we will be counting on to keep America globally competitive and nationally secure," Spellings said.

Achievement gaps in reading and math between African-American and Hispanic nine-year-olds and their white peers have fallen to all-time lows.

"The government is now well-positioned to move expeditiously to invest federal dollars and inject good common sense to where it's most needed."

Posted by Michael at 12:36 AM

Brief Interventions Can Prevent Drinking During Pregnancy

Researchers report that a series of five brief counseling sessions was effective in getting high-risk women to quit drinking during pregnancy and start using birth control, Reuters reported Jan. 12.

A study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that women who took part in the counseling sessions and were interviewed nine months later were twice as likely to avoid risky drinking, use contraception, or both.

More than half were considered alcohol-dependent, more than 90 percent used illicit drugs, and more than 70 percent smoked.

The study was published in the January 2007 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Posted by Michael at 12:05 AM

January 24, 2007

Nonmedical Narcotic Use Among U.S. High School Seniors

According to data from the national 2006 Monitoring the Future study, nonmedical use of narcotic drugs is the second most prevalent illicit drug used among 12th graders. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:58 PM

Female Lawmakers and Laws Criminalizing Pregnant Women Who Drink

A new study from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation finds that states that have fewer female lawmakers tend to pass the harshest laws on alcohol use by pregnant women. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:55 PM

Study of Los Angeles County Neighborhoods and Their Impact on Children

Researchers are knocking on doors across Los Angeles County asking families to take part in the latest phase of a RAND Corporation study that is examining the impact neighborhoods have on children and families.

The effort is part of the second wave of the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey, a $12 million effort that is studying thousands of families to improve understanding of the factors that influence children's educational and social development around the United States.

Published results have examined whether Los Angeles youngsters are ready for school, probed neighborhood factors that may contribute to obesity, and provided the first concrete estimate of the number of undocumented immigrants who have health insurance.

Families that enroll will be asked to complete an interview covering topics such as neighborhood life, children's friends and activities, work and health insurance, child care, and residential mobility.

"Much of what we know about how neighborhoods affect the well-being of kids and adults comes from studies done in cities on the East Coast and in the Midwest," Sastry said.

Primary funding for the study is being provided by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Aging and the National Institute of Environmental Health Science.

Posted by Michael at 11:27 PM

Utah Moves to Address Meth Addiction Among Women

From Funding News:

More Utah women enter drug treatment for methamphetamine than alcohol, and female meth addicts outnumber males in public treatment programs. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:18 PM

Three Thousand Drug Prevention Leaders to Convene in D.C. to Address Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medicine Abuse Among Teens

From Ascribe Newsfeed:

CADCA's National Leadership Forum is the nation's largest training conference for community coalition leaders and substance abuse professionals, featuring more than 100 workshops on key drug prevention and treatment issues-ranging from prescription and over-the-counter drug use among teens to the latest science on drug use and the brain.

The theme of this year's conference is "Coalitions: The Road to Results," featuring a host of results-driven workshops, plenary sessions, and special events that will help participants achieve real change in their communities.

One of the new features of CADCA's Forum is the Technology Track and technology-focused pre-conference sessions, where coalition leaders will learn how to apply the latest media technology tools into their substance abuse prevention strategies.

Workshops will cover topics including blogging, writing for the web, podcasting, interviewing, using video to tell community success stories and more.

In addition, this year Forum participants will have an opportunity to watch a special sneak preview of a new HBO documentary entitled "ADDICTION" and hear from the experts behind the film.

This HBO program is a part of an exciting multi-platform campaign that HBO and its partners, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, have planned to educate America about addiction.

During the morning plenary, CADCA will also welcome William Cope Moyers, author of the memoir "Broken," a compelling account of his road from addiction to recovery.

Advocates will have a chance to bring their issues to the national forefront during a rally on Capitol Hill, which will highlight the need for substance abuse prevention funding.

- Federal Partner Town Hall Meeting-Wednesday, Feb. 14, 1:00-2:00 p.m. featuring: Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse; Dr. Eric Broderick, Acting Deputy Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); Dr. Mark Willenbring, Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Division of Treatment and Recovery Research; and David Hagy, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

- A news conference on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 10:30 a.m. to unveil a new partnership by CADCA and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association to tackle over-the-counter cough medicine abuse among youth.

Posted by Michael at 11:16 PM

January 21, 2007

Drug Treatment Seekers More Likely to use Needle Exchange

A new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health examined the connection between Baltimore City's needle exchange program and drug treatment programs.

The study highlights the need for treatment facilities to address co-occurring problems, such as HIV and mental illness.

In their analysis, the study authors included 440 injection drug users who were interviewed from 1997 to 2002 as part of the Self-Help in Eliminating Life-Threatening Diseases (SHIELD) study.

There is also a need for treatment services that have the capacity to address co-occurring health problems found among drug users in Baltimore City," said Latkin.

The study authors also point out the need to publicize the services offered by needle exchange programs beyond needle distribution and disposal.

Posted by Michael at 11:58 PM

Taking Middle Schoolers Out of the Middle

From New York Times:

This is the second article in a series that looks at changing theories of how middle school should be taught.

The two schools, in disparate corners of the nation's largest school system, are part of a national effort to rethink middle school, driven by increasingly well-documented slumps in learning among early adolescents as well as middle school crime rates and stubborn high school dropout rates.

The schools share the premise that the way to reverse years of abysmal middle school performance is to get rid of middle schools entirely.

Should the nurturing cocoon of elementary school be extended for another three years, shielding 11-year-olds from the abrupt transition to a new school, with new students and teachers, at one of the most volatile times in their lives?

K-8 schools, which prevailed 100 years ago, are the more popular alternative in this debate, cropping up from Philadelphia to Baltimore to Milwaukee to New York.

Posted by Michael at 11:38 PM

More Students Shun Cafeteria Junk Food

From Yahoo! News: Top Stories:

In fact, according to a survey of food service directors, french fries are decreasing in popularity and interest in carrots is skyrocketing.

As choices on the lunch line change, many children are accepting them, said Martha Conklin, an associate professor at Penn State University who conducts research about school nutrition programs and school food service.

"If you present these healthy offerings to children, they may turn them down the first time, but you can't give up," she said.

Among students in kindergarten through 12th grade, french fries dropped in popularity from 1998 to 2006, while carrots and fresh vegetables rose in popularity.

A 2004 wellness program requires school districts receiving federal reimbursements for school meal programs to develop policies that promote the health of students and address the growing problem of childhood obesity.

A New Jersey law requires that, by next fall, snacks and a la carte items sold or served contain no more than 8 grams of total fat per serving and two grams of saturated fat per serving.

Posted by Michael at 11:31 PM

Personal Health: 104 Teenagers Who Are Role Models for Weight Loss

From New York Times:

The problem is undeniable: American children, and especially American teenagers, are fatter than ever.

The prevalence of teenage obesity has tripled in the last 30 years, according to Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, the author of "I'm, Like, So Fat."

Fifteen percent of teenage girls and boys are overweight, and another 15 percent to 20 percent are at risk of joining them.

Furthermore, wrote Dr. Neumark-Sztainer, who studies teenage eating behaviors at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, dieting has been found to lead to weight gain among teenagers, and more than half of teenage girls and nearly a third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight-control behaviors, like skipping meals, smoking cigarettes, vomiting or taking laxatives.

Enter Anne M. Fletcher, author of the newly published "Weight Loss Confidential," a study of how 104 overweight preteens and teenagers --- 41 boys and 63 girls --- lost significant amounts of weight and maintained their losses for two years or longer.

They succeeded only after coming to terms with their self-destructive eating habits and sedentary ways, and making permanent changes in how they deal with food and how they move their bodies.

Posted by Michael at 11:26 PM

Housing Aid Extended For '05 Storm Victims

From washingtonpost.com :

The U.S. government will extend housing aid through August for hundreds of thousands of Gulf Coast residents still displaced by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, officials said yesterday, acknowledging that wide swaths of New Orleans and parts of coastal Mississippi remain uninhabitable nearly 17 months after the 2005 storms.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it would continue for six more months to pay for 130,000 households' trailers, mobile homes and apartments, aid that under federal law would have expired at the end of next month.

The Gulf Coast was hit hard by two massive hurricanes in the fall of 2005.

Officials in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas and advocacy groups had urged FEMA for a decision since December, saying the historic housing crisis triggered by the devastating storms had not subsided.

The new Democratic Congress also stepped up pressure, frustrated at the Bush administration's improvised policies and the slow pace of recovery in New Orleans.

Posted by Michael at 11:15 PM

New Data Reveal Unprecedented Income Inequality

From Economic Policy Institute:

Newly released data from two separate sources reveal just how skewed the distribution of economic growth has been over the current recovery.

Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis through the third quarter of 2006 show that a historically high share of corporate income is going into profits and interest (i.e., capital income) rather than employee compensation.

And a newly released Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis of household incomes shows that a greater share of this capital income goes to the richest households than at any time since the CBO began tracking such trends.

In other words, our economy is producing more capital income and that type of income is more likely to go to those at the very top of the income scale.

Since the upper 1% owns a disproportionate share of capital assets, this growth of capital income necessarily improves their income growth relative to the rest of the population, thereby fueling income inequality.

Get the facts at a glance in this week's Snapshot. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:07 PM

Poorer women more likely to get reduced chemotherapy dose, study finds

Breast cancer patients who have a lower household income and less education may be more likely to receive reduced doses of chemotherapy, according to a new study from a University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center researcher. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 11:06 PM

In-Depth Summary of Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006

From Center for Law and Social Policy:

The Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 (CFSIA) represents an important step toward providing crucial services to children and families involved or at risk of becoming involved with the child welfare system.

The specific funding levels are as follows: $305 million authorized in mandatory funds; $40 million authorized in mandatory, targeted grants; and $200 million in discretionary grants.

Requires states to describe how they actively consult with and involve physicians and other medical professionals in assessing the health and well-being of children in foster care and in determining appropriate medical care for the children.

Clarifies that another planned permanent living arrangement (APPLA) may include a residential education program, and thus that child welfare services are available to children and youth in such settings.

Requires that, by October 1, 2007, state plans include a description of the state standards for the content and frequency of caseworker visits with children who are in foster care.

Posted by Michael at 10:54 PM

January 20, 2007

Hundreds of Business Leaders Tell Congress to Raise Minimum Wage

Let Justice Roll

Business owners and executives across the nation are telling Congress that a $5.15 minimum wage hurts business, workers and the economy.

The House passed a clean bill to raise the minimum wage.

Speaking today at a Senate press conference, Lew Prince, co-owner of Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis, MO, says, "A minimum wage increase makes straightforward economic sense.

It means more money in the hands of people who are going to spend it."

"As a business owner, I know that keeping workers is easier and cheaper than finding and training new workers," Mr. Prince says.

"And the longer an employee stays with you, the more they know about your business and the higher their productivity."

Mr. Prince is one of hundreds of businesspeople who have signed the Business Owners and Executives for a Higher Minimum Wage statement released today.

Signer Kirsten Poole, co-owner of Kirsten's Cafe and Dish Caterers in Silver Spring, MD, says, "Trying to save money by shortchanging my employees would be like skimping on ingredients.

"Congress should know the facts are very clear versus the misinformation that's been spread over the years," says Adnan Durrani, president of Condor Ventures in Stamford, CT and venture partner in Blue Chip Venture Capital.

I have found that without exception in the successful ventures we've backed, providing sustainable living wages yielded direct increases in productivity, job satisfaction and brand loyalty from customers, all contributing to higher returns for investors and employers."

In a recent National Consumers League survey, for example, 76 percent of American consumers said "how well a company treats/pays employees influences what they buy."

Posted by Michael at 1:21 AM

January 19, 2007

What 5,000 Board Cafe Readers Think About Boards

Board Cafe:

Nonprofit board members felt the best about boards, closely followed by executive directors, giving "grades" of B to B-.

Makes us think: Maybe boards ARE doing a good job, but funders and consultants are convincing us we're not?

Reminder: let's not forget about being a safety net for the organization (but unless someone falls, who thinks about how good a job the safety net is doing?).

The overwhelming majority (80%) of Board Cafe readers are board members, of whom half have no paid connection to any nonprofit.

Most of us are on only one board of directors, and 54% of us are board officers (we're a committed bunch).

A third (36%) of us are nonprofit executive directors.

Posted by Michael at 3:42 PM

January 17, 2007

Building a Common Outcome Framework To Measure Nonprofit Performance

Urban Institute:

The work described in this report first provides suggested core indicators for 14 categories of nonprofit organizations and then expands the notion of common core indicators to a much wider variety of programs by suggesting a common framework of outcome indicators for all nonprofit programs.

This can provide guidance to nonprofits as they figure out what to measure and how to do it and will work to ease the looming reporting nightmare that will occur unless a common framework for outcome measurement emerges.

Nonprofit managers and staff, funders, board members, potential clients, and members of the public seeking information are often frustrated by lengthy academic evaluations and complex, meaningless statistical analysis.

At the same time, there is increasing pressure on nonprofits to account for and improve results.

Although classic program evaluation is one response, practitioners and funders also need the tools, capacity, and standards to track and measure their own performance.

With little actual information, practitioners base decisions primarily on narrative annual reports, anecdotes, related social science research and journal articles, IRS Forms 990, and administrative metrics (such as the percentage of budget spent on administration or fundraising).

Citing the diversity of nonprofit work, some scholars have even concluded that systemically measuring impact in the nonprofit sector is impossible.

The Panel recommended that, as a best practice, charitable organizations establish procedures for measuring and evaluating their program accomplishments based on specific goals and objectives.

Posted by Michael at 7:38 PM

Minimum Benefits in Social Security

Urban Institute:

In light of Social Security reform proposals that include provisions for minimum benefits, this paper considers the redistributive purpose of Social Security and whether a minimum benefit may reduce need among aged and disabled people more equitably or efficiently than current law structures.

We find that minimum benefits could help reduce poverty among the aged substantially, even in the context of benefit reductions to improve the program's long-term fiscal deficit.

In 1998, the bipartisan National Commission on Retirement Policy advanced a reform proposal that contained a minimum benefit within Social Security.

Little effort, however, has been made to develop the rationale for a minimum benefit or to examine alternative designs.

As a consequence, the design of a minimum benefit---or, for that matter, of almost all redistributive formulas within Social Security---has seldom been based on any theoretical or empirical notion of exactly what goals are sought and what types of formulaic adjustments would best achieve them.

We make roughly fiscally equivalent comparisons assuming a system that is reduced relative to scheduled benefits because of Social Security's long-term fiscal deficit (OASDI Board of Trustees 2005).

Posted by Michael at 7:33 PM

No Private Matter! Ending Abuse in Intimate & Family Relations

Changemakers:

This is the first in a series of Changemakers's Collaborative Competitions sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

RWJF's aim for this competition is to find innovative solutions and to catalyze a community of changemakers to help eliminate intimate partner violence in the United States.

RWJF's mission is to improve the health and health care of all Americans.

The innovations surfaced through this competition, and the discussion generated around them, will help to inform any future U.S. grantmaking we may do in this area.

The process begins with the "No Private Matter!"

The mosaic will serve as the framework for the collaborative competition and your participation.

The competition offers you the chance to showcase your ideas and your work, and it provides RWJF a uniquely valuable and rich opportunity to learn about what solutions hold promise for eliminating domestic violence in the U.S. As a part of Changemakers's global community of peer changemakers, we want you to help test and refine the ideas surfacing through the online review attached to each entry.

Posted by Michael at 7:26 PM

January 15, 2007

Secretary Spellings Announces Grants to Reward Effective Teaching and Leadership

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced the award of $42 million for 16 grants that will reward educators who take on tough jobs and show results in high-need schools.

The grants will be used to provide financial incentives to teachers and principals who improve student achievement in high-poverty schools and to recruit effective teachers to those schools, particularly for hard-to-staff subjects like math and science.

The grants are projected to be funded for five years for a total of some $240.6 million.

"Nothing helps a child learn as much as a great teacher-and research shows that rewarding teachers for results can improve student performance.

Great teachers who work in schools where they are badly needed deserve more than our thanks.

I am pleased to announce these Teacher Incentive Fund grants, which will encourage and reward more experienced teachers for working at high-poverty schools where they can make a real difference in raising student achievement," Spellings said.

Funded for the first time in 2006, the Teacher Incentive Fund program is President Bush's initiative to develop and implement performance-based teacher and principal compensation systems in high-need, disadvantaged schools, where at least 30 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

The goals of the program are to improve student achievement by increasing the effectiveness of principals and teachers, and, at the same time, increase the number of effective teachers for minority and disadvantaged students.

Posted by Michael at 11:42 PM

January 13, 2007

Alcohol Policies Really Matter

Disastrous social experiments in Finland, England and New Zealand are sobering reminders that policies about price and availability of alcohol really do matter, writes David Rosenbloom, director of Join Together.

Join Together reports on the deadly results of Finland's decision to slash alcohol taxes: after two years, alcohol related illness and accidents have replaced heart disease as the leading cause of death among men aged 18 to 65.

New Zealand lowered its legal drinking age to 18 a few years ago and watched alcohol-related car crashes and deaths among teenagers increase sharply, reversing years of steady decline.

When the United States raised the minimum drinking age to 21 between 1981 and 1984, there was an immediate drop in deaths from alcohol related accidents in young people; it has stayed near this lower level for 20 years, saving about 1,000 lives a year.

I urge all our readers to send Join Together reports about the mistakes in Finland, England and New Zealand to their state and local leaders, reminding them that they have the power to kill or save young people when they adopt new alcohol policies.

Posted by Michael at 10:08 PM

Physicians Need to be Advocates for Prisoners' Health

Physicians are an essential component of correctional institutions and have a responsibility to advocate for effective and humane treatment for inmates.

Citing the steady increase of incarcerated individuals in the United States that has resulted in record high inmate numbers, the authors point to the inadequate treatment of mental illness and addiction in the community as a source of the increase -- especially among women.

"The natural history of untreated addiction and mental illness often results in illegal activity, and persistently inadequate treatment perpetuates a cycle of crime and incarceration," says Rich.

The authors note that punishment is often favored over rehabilitation in many prisons, which may cause harm to a prisoner's physical and mental health.

Federal prisons echo this trend with reports stating that of the 63 percent of inmates being held for drug offenses, only 15 percent participated in prison-based drug treatment programs.

"Here, the basic requirements such as nutrition, shelter, and medical care would be provided, but in a more efficient, nonpunitive therapeutic setting.

Initial reports analyzing the effectiveness of California's Proposition 36 estimate that over 150,000 people benefited from the treatment and that it saved taxpayers about $1.3 billion.

Posted by Michael at 9:54 PM

Researchers Laud Cost-Effectivness of Tobacco Quitlines

Tobacco quitlines have a median per-capita cost of just 14 cents (and 85 cents per adult smoker), yet are effective in helping addicted smokers quit, a new study finds.

Researcher Paula Keller of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health said that, "when compared with the total economic cost of smoking of $3,931 per year, per smoker, estimated by the Centers for Disease Control, quitlines are really a bargain."

Quitlines -- most of which are state-supported -- provide a variety of services to callers, including self-help materials, counseling, and treatment referrals.

Posted by Michael at 9:08 PM

Rural America More Prepared for Disaster -- Also More Vulnerable

From winter storms, to earthquakes, to terrorism -- when a disaster strikes a community, who fares better, a rural community or an urban one?

A new study at the University of Illinois attempts to understand the differences in how rural and urban citizens across the US respond to disaster.

Courtney Flint, a rural sociologist and assistant professor at the U of I, and her student, Joanne Rinaldi, interviewed 20 coordinators of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) across Illinois to find out what they are doing, what disasters they are prepared for and what they do between disasters.

"What we've learned so far is that in rural communities there is a tradition of being more self-reliant," said Flint.

Flint said that people in farm communities say, "We're on our own.

Tornadoes, flooding, winter storms, and hazardous material accidents can strike a city as well as a farm.

But in urban communities they are faced with a heavier concentration of people and a social vulnerability -- neighbors don't talk to each other as much.

Flint and Rinaldi are discovering that in rural communities, the CERTs themselves plan as if they might be the first responders to a disaster, while in urban and suburban communities in Chicago, for example, the need for CERTs is different because those communities have extensive first responders in their police and fire departments.

Many of the CERT coordinators spoke about three broad categories of potential hazards: weather events, transportation accidents and hazardous materials, and terrorism.

"Before disaster strikes, CERTS can do a lot in a community to be proactive by building awareness, educating and training.

Posted by Michael at 8:49 PM

Young Drinkers Turn to Alcohol to Relieve Stress

One of the reasons that people who start drinking at a young age tend to become problem drinkers when they get older is that they are more likely to use alcohol for stress relief, the Washington Post reported Jan. 11.

Those who began drinking at age 14 or younger and reported six or more "stressors" in their lives drank five times more than those who started drinking at age 18 or older, consuming an average of six drinks per day.

Among early drinkers, alcohol consumption rose 19 percent for each stressful event reported, but consumption among later drinkers rose only 3 percent for each stressor.

The study, led by Deborah A. Dawson, appears in the January 2007 issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Posted by Michael at 8:44 PM

Study finds major variation in Medicare Rx drug costs

Soon, Congress may vote on whether to require the Medicare system to negotiate lower prices for medicines taken by millions of seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.

That change and others might save some seniors a lot of money, suggests a new study from the University of Michigan Medical School.

It finds tremendous variation in what Medicare enrollees in different states pay for the same medications, even with the lowest-cost Part D plans.

In fact, two people taking the same drugs but living in different states could face costs that differed by thousands of dollars -- even if each had chosen the lowest-cost plan available to them.

Such wide variation in prices means that Medicare prescription drug plans are substantially more affordable in some states than in others, the authors conclude.

In all, depending on which medicines they're taking and which plan they're in, people in one state might spend 10 percent of their annual income to pay for prescription drug coverage premiums and co-pays, while someone taking the same medicines in another state would spend 20 percent of their income, the study finds.

"The expected costs of even the least-expensive plans in each state varied by hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars," says Davis, an associate professor of general internal medicine and pediatrics at the U-M Medical School, and associate professor of public policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.

It's the first study to look at variation in Part D costs across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and is the first to use actual patient scenarios to examine prices across states for the same drugs.

One bright spot in the study came when the authors examined a scenario under which a diabetic patient who did not need insulin to control his blood sugar levels at the start of the year suddenly needed insulin added to his drug regimen.

Because Part D participants can only switch plans at the end of the calendar year, an unanticipated addition to their medications can result in unexpectedly high out-of-pocket costs.

"The people who can least afford to pay higher prices were the ones facing those higher prices," Davis comments.

Posted by Michael at 8:40 PM

Children's packed lunches: Are they even worse than Turkey Twizzlers?

Packed lunches taken to school by 7-year olds are even less healthy than school meals used to be before Jamie Oliver set out to reform them.

The Children of the 90s study, based at the University of Bristol, revealed today that in the year 2000, school meals were every bit as bad a Jamie Oliver suggested - but that children given packed lunches instead were even worse off nutritionally.

Dr Pauline Emmett, Nutritionist and Dietician, who is in charge of the nutritional part of Children of the 90s said: 'We compared nutrients in foods brought by hundreds of children in their packed lunches to recommendations and found that they fell short in important nutrients like potassium and zinc and were much too high in sugar and saturated fat.

"Children who ate school dinners had higher intakes of protein and most vitamins and minerals, and lower intakes of sugar and saturated fat.

"The Food Standards Agency recommends that packed lunches should ideally contain a starchy food, a protein food, a dairy item, a vegetable/salad and a fruit.

These food groups were also low in the cooked school dinners - something which Jamie Oliver's reforms have tried to address, not always with support from children and parents!

On average children were eating half the amount of fruit and vegetables that they need."

Dr Emmett suggests that "We need to be working towards a change of attitude to the foods we eat ourselves and particularly to the foods we are willing to give our children to eat."

Posted by Michael at 8:34 PM

Pacifier use assists in reducing the incidence of SIDS

Pacifier use often attracts negative attention for potentially harming children's oral health. There are positive effects of pacifier use, however. In addition to calming the infant, pacifier use can also assist in reducing the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, according to a report/study that appeared in the January/February 2007 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's clinical, peer-reviewed journal. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 8:31 PM

States Still Spending a Fraction of Tobacco Settlement on Prevention

From Funding News:

U.S. states are spending less than 3 percent of their share of the 1998 nationwide tobacco settlement on programs to prevent tobacco use, the Associated Press reported Dec. 6.

A new report from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids found that states are spending a combined $595 million on anti-tobacco programs -- a fraction of the $22 billion they've received from the settlement and just 37 percent of the spending recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In fact, the report notes, state anti-tobacco spending has actually declined in recent years, falling from $749.7 million in 2002, even as teen tobacco use rose and adult smoking declines flattened out.

Posted by Michael at 8:29 PM

Bullying can be reduced but many common approaches ineffective

School-based programs involving multiple disciplines reduce bullying in elementary school, junior or senior high schools according to a systematic review of over 2000 studies on bullying published in English.

The review was published in the January 2007 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

"We found bullying can be curbed, but that many common methods of dealing with the problem, such as classroom discussions, role playing or detention, are ineffective.

Whole school interventions involving teachers, administrators, and social workers committed to culture change are the most effective and are especially effective at the junior and senior high school level," says the paper's first author, Rachel Vreeman, M.D. She and co-author Aaron Carroll, M.D., M.S. are with the Indiana Children's Health Services Research section of the Department of Pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

Dr. Carroll is also an affiliated scientist of the Regenstrief Institute, Inc.

"Bullying is a complex health problem for both girls and boys.

Up to ten percent of children are bullied or are bullies themselves.

Bullying includes punching, pushing and other physically aggressive actions, malicious teasing, ganging up on other children, as well as other malevolent actions toward others.

For both sexes physical bullying peaks between ages 7 and 9 and becomes significantly less physical by high school according to Dr. Vreeman.

"As pediatricians, we need to ask about bullying and be advocates to get schools to effectively intervene to improve the environments where children study," she said.

The IU School of Medicine is located at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indiana's urban research and academic health sciences campus.

National Alliance to End Homelessness:

Posted by Michael at 8:25 PM

Lawmakers Propose New Miss. Stop-Smoking Group

From Funding News:

The long-running battle over Mississippi's smoking-prevention efforts has taken a new turn, with state lawmakers proposing the creation of a new Mississippi Tobacco Control Commission. Read more from this post.

Posted by Michael at 8:21 PM

January 11, 2007

First Nationwide Estimate of Homeless Population in a Decade Announced

There were 744,313 people homeless in January 2005 according to Homelessness Counts, the first national assessment of the number of homeless people in over a decade. The report was released by the Homelessness Research Institute of the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

This estimate, a compilation of point-in-time counts collected by local Continuums of Care, provides data on every state and community in the country. The data included in the study represent a point in time; therefore the estimate only presents a snapshot of the homelessness problem in the Unites States. Many more people experience homelessness over the course of the year.

Many more people experience homelessness over the course of the year.

Despite its limitations, this estimate establishes a baseline for the nation to assess not only whether the number of homeless people is actually increasing or decreasing -- something we have had had little objective data on to date -- but also for communities to analyze their progress, uncover trends, and to formulate solutions that address the needs of homeless people.

Increasing the availability of affordable housing to very low income people will prevent homelessness and will empty our nation's shelters."

56 percent of homeless people counted were living in shelters and transitional housing and, shockingly, 44 percent were unsheltered.

In total, 98,452 homeless families were counted.

Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, joined the National Alliance to End Homelessness in releasing the report.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan, mission-driven organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States.

The Alliance analyzes policy and develops pragmatic, cost-effective policy solutions.

Posted by Michael at 8:05 PM

Department of Education Seeks Nominations for American Stars of Teaching

U.S. Department of Education:

The U.S. Department of Education is seeking nominations for its fourth annual American Stars of Teaching project, which recognizes exemplary teachers who raise student achievement, use innovative classroom strategies and make a difference in their students' lives, Secretary Margaret Spellings announced today.

"Few people are as important to the future of our children and this nation as are our hard-working teachers.

Its overall goal is to engage some of the nation's best teachers and practitioners in sharing strategies for raising student achievement and informing teachers of the latest successful research-based practices.

The initiative also includes regional and district summer workshops for teachers, roundtables, regular e-mail updates and other professional development opportunities.

Teachers across all grade levels and disciplines will be honored this fall as 2007 American Stars of Teaching.

One teacher will be recognized from every state and the District of Columbia.

Colleagues, parents, students, school administrators or members of the community may nominate a teacher they believe has demonstrated the skills, talents and qualities that personify an American Star of Teaching.

Last year the Department received more than 4,000 nominations for the program.

Honorees were selected by a committee composed of former K-12 teachers who now work for the U.S. Department of Education.

As in the past, Education Department officials will again visit the schools of American Star teachers to congratulate them on their success.

Nominations for American Stars must be submitted to the Department by March 31.

The online nomination form and more information about the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative are available at www.ed.gov/teacherinitiative.

Posted by Michael at 5:04 PM

Quality in Community Health Centers

The Commonwealth Fund:

Although the quality of chronic disease care in community health centers (CHCs) compares favorably with care received in other settings, gaps exist, particularly for the uninsured, a study by Harvard Medical School researchers found.

In the future, this is likely to increase as a result of anticipated changes in Medicaid eligibility rules, the rising cost of private insurance, and federal legislation expanding the number of such centers, among other factors.

To gain a better understanding of the quality of care delivered in such facilities, the researchers examined medical records of more than 5,600 patients receiving care for one of three chronic conditions---asthma, diabetes, and hypertension---between 1999 and 2000 in a national sample of 64 publicly funded CHCs.

Less Than Half of Patients Receive Appropriate Care For 15 of the 22 indicators examined---including asthma management plans, annual foot exams, and beta blocker use---less than half of eligible patients studied received appropriate care.

Overall, the mean quality scores (measuring the number of applicable indicators met for each condition, with higher scores representing higher quality of care) were 37 percent for asthma, 37 percent for diabetes, and 59 percent for hypertension.

For example, white patients received recommended care for diabetes and asthma care more frequently than did black and Hispanic patients, while the uninsured received recommended diabetes and asthma care less often than those with public or private insurance coverage.

The study highlighted that newer centers (i.e., established less than 30 years ago) provided recommended care more frequently than did older CHCs (48% vs. 43% on a mean basis, respectively).

Posted by Michael at 5:00 PM

Food Stamp Participation in October 2006 Up Over Month

Food Research and Action Center:

In October 2006 food stamp participation at 26,294,464 persons was up over the month by 100,399 people.

The overall caseload for October 2006 was nearly 1.4 million persons lower than the prior October, when many Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims received disaster food stamp benefits.

At a time when more than 35 million people in the U.S. face a constant struggle against hunger, continuing to strengthen the reach of the Food Stamp Program is vital.

Food Stamp Program growth in recent years reflects continuing wage stagnation, state actions to improve access, the effects of the 2002 food stamp reauthorization implementation, and disaster relief.

Posted by Michael at 4:50 PM

New Report Shows Medicare Drug Plan Prices Are 58 Percent Higher than VA Prices

Families USA:

Medicare drug plan prices for the top drugs prescribed to seniors are 58 percent higher than the same drugs provided to veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), according to a report released today.

The new report, issued by the consumer health organization Families USA, was released shortly before the House of Representatives was scheduled to vote on a bill to end the current prohibition preventing Medicare from bargaining for cheaper drug prices.

The bill is a top priority for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her new Democratic majority.

For the top 20 drugs prescribed to seniors, the report examined prices charged by the VA compared to the prices charged by the five companies with the largest enrollment in the Medicare (Part D) drug program.

"These high prices devastate seniors who need to take multiple medicines, especially when they reach the coverage gap known as the 'doughnut hole,'" said Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA. "They are also a rip-off of American taxpayers, who pay for three-quarters of the costs of Medicare Part D."

For all of the top 20 drugs prescribed to seniors, VA prices were substantially lower than the lowest prices charged by the Part D insurers, according to the report.

The median price difference was 58 percent.

First, they claim that private market competition under Part D is more effective in reducing prices than Medicare bargaining; and second, they claim that Medicare bargaining would reduce prices so significantly it would harm research and development," said Pollack.

According to the report, the largest U.S.-based drug companies spent more than twice as much on marketing, advertising, and administration as they spent on R&D (13.9 percent versus 32.0 percent of revenues), and they retained more in profits than they spent on R&D (17.4 percent versus 13.9 percent).

VA pricing information was obtained from the VA's price schedules.

Posted by Michael at 4:46 PM

Children's Defense Fund Announces Plan to Cover 9 Million Uninsured Children

Children's Defense Fund:

The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) announced a proposal to provide all children in the United States with access to health care, including the more than 9 million children who are currently uninsured.

"This new Congress has a wonderful opportunity to do something real for our children," said CDF Founder and President Marian Wright Edelman.

As Congress considers reauthorizing children's health programs this year, it has a special opportunity to take the next logical, moral, and achievable steps to ensure health and mental health coverage for all children in America as a significant down payment on health coverage for all."

CDF offers its proposal as Congress prepares to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), a program that CDF championed in 1996.

Medicaid and SCHIP have made tremendous progress in improving children's health insurance in the past decade, currently providing coverage to over 30 million children.

Yet more than 9 million children in America are still uninsured, almost 90 percent of them living in households with at least one working parent.

Chronic budget shortfalls, often confusing enrollment processes, and dramatic variation in eligibility and coverage from state to state prevent millions of currently eligible children from leading healthy lives and realizing their full potential in school and life.

"Health care coverage for all children is indeed the smart thing to do and Washington has fallen behind what the country wants," continued Edelman.

The Children's Defense Fund's Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

Posted by Michael at 4:01 PM

Roundtable Discussions on Improving NCLB's Highly Qualified Teacher Provisions

Center On Education Policy:

The U.S. Department of Education required all states to submit "teacher-equity plans" by July 2006 that laid out the specific steps states are taking to comply.

These organizations and many others were invited to attend if they had concrete, written proposals for improving the Act's requirements for the equitable distribution of qualified, experienced teachers.

To structure the roundtable session, the Center on Education Policy asked participating organizations to submit proposals in advance with their ideas for improving the distribution of qualified, experienced teachers between high-need schools (those with high enrollments of low income or mi nority students) and lower-need schools.

In sum, many organizations said the federal government should provide incentives for states and others to collect data on teachers' qualifications and experience, foster increased collaboration between schools/districts and institutions of higher education, and encourage more transparent and accurate reporting systems.

The Center on Education Policy urges the Congress and U.S. Department of Education officials to consider these recommendations and the specific suggestions submitted by the roundtable participants as they begin their deliberations on reauthorization of No Child Left Behind.

Instead, we help citizens make sense of the conflicting opinions and perceptions about public education and create the conditions that will lead to better public schools.

We are grateful to The Joyce Foundation, The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and The Carnegie Corporation, for their support of our work on the No Child Left Behind Act.

Posted by Michael at 3:56 PM

Factors Influencing the Sequence of Marriage and Childbirth Among Disadvantaged Americans

Center for Law and Social Policy:

Is marriage an institution that helps its members achieve economic goals (e.g., owning a home or having a savings account) or an institution to be entered only after these goals are met?

This policy brief explores the attitudinal, experiential, economic, and social contexts in which disadvantaged parents have children and decide to marry or not marry.

In this view, the primary questions are about whether a potential partner has the economic, social, educational, and emotional skills necessary to be a good spouse.

Most people do not ask themselves what they believe the primary goal of marriage is when they meet a potential partner and have a sexual relationship with that person.

Nevertheless, the results of this debate permeate the culture in which people do make this decision.

Problems with drugs and alcohol are not unique to low-income men and women.

Study indicates that drug and alcohol problems are an identified barrier to marriage in a significant minority of disadvantaged couples (about 21 percent) with young children.22 Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas also identify this issue in their seminal work Promises I Can Keep.

The violence need not be with a current partner.

Data from the Fragile Families study suggests that as low-income men and women age, the chances that they will have non-marital children with more than one partner increase substantially.27 Some of this parenting may be the result of casual sex, some may occur in the context of a committed relationship that does not involve cohabitation, and some may occur in the context of cohabitation.

Posted by Michael at 3:51 PM

A $7.25 Minimum Wage Would Be a Useful Step In Helping Working Families Escape Poverty

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:

In the early 1990s there was basic agreement that parents working full time should not have to raise their children in poverty.

The yardstick used to measure achievement of this goal was whether a minimum-wage earner in a family of four earned enough (after subtraction of payroll taxes), together with the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and food stamps, to have an income at or above the poverty line.

As shown in included Table 1, this goal was reached in the late 1990s, as a result of an EITC increase enacted in 1993 and a minimum-wage increase enacted in 1996.

In 1998, a typical family of four with a full-time, minimum-wage worker had income above the poverty line when food stamps and EITC benefits were considered.

However, ten years of inflation have eroded the minimum wage to its lowest inflation-adjusted level in more than 50 years.

While an increase in the minimum wage would raise the earnings of many workers and lift some families above the poverty line, some minimum-wage workers would remain poor.

Low-wage jobs often have high turnover rates, and low-wage workers sometimes have to leave their jobs to care for an ill family member or when child care arrangements fall through.

Low-income working parents typically work close to full-time when they are employed, but have periods of joblessness over the course of the year.

The poverty line was established in the 1960s and was calculated by multiplying the cost of feeding a family by three, under the assumption that families spend, on average, one-third of their income on food.

Posted by Michael at 3:46 PM

Catholic Charities USA Supports Increase Minimum Wage

Catholic Charities USA:

Calling the current minimum wage inadequate for low-income families to meet their basic needs, Catholic Charities USA is urging Congress to adopt legislation to increase the hourly minimum wage.

Family economic security, including increasing the minimum wage, is vital to addressing the issue of poverty in the United States and is a key component of Catholic Charities USA's Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America.

Since the last increase in 1997, the minimum wage has been stagnant at a mere $5.15 an hour - $10,712 a year leaving a family of three approximately $6,000 below the federal poverty line.

"Over the last several years, our agencies have been coping with steady double digit increases each year in requests for emergency assistance because low-wage workers simply cannot earn enough to cover rent, child care, food, utilities, and clothing for their families," said Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA. Many people served by Catholic Charities agencies are poor despite full-time employment at the bottom of the labor market: cleaning houses and office buildings, harvesting and preparing food, and watching over children of working parents.

Posted by Michael at 3:39 PM

Catholic Charities USA Launches Broad Campaign to Cut Poverty in America in Half by 2020

Catholic Charities USA:

Catholic Charities USA announced a new multi-year initiative to cut poverty in half by 2020, urging Congress and the Administration to give a much higher priority to the needs of the poor in budget and policy decisions on issues such as health care, housing, nutrition, and economic security.

Poverty is a moral and social wound on the soul of our country and threatens the health and economic well-being of both families and our nation, Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, said at a briefing this morning on Capitol Hill.

The Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America is about who we are as a nation, Father Snyder said.

Catholic Charities USA is leading a broad effort that will involve partners in social service agencies, the faith community, and other groups in a sustained effort to convince government officials of the importance of making systemic changes in government programs to help the poor and most vulnerable in our society.

With more than 275 years of experience in serving those living in poverty, Catholic Charities has a unique understanding of this growing problem and its devastating impact on families and the nation.

Catholic Charities agencies provide help and offer hope to more than 7.4 million people each year, and in communities across the country, our agencies have been coping with a steady increase in demand for emergency assistance, primarily among working families,â¬ Father Snyder said.

Catholic Charities USA Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America will urge Congress and the Administration to improve programs and policies in four key issue areas: health care, affordable housing, nutrition assistance, and family economic security for the poor and vulnerable.

Good government is about making choices and setting priorities that serve the common good, and we will work in partnership in this campaign with Catholic organizations and other partners to encourage elected leaders to give greater priority to attending to the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable persons in society, Father Snyder said.

Maintain the integrity and strength of the Medicaid program.

Remove new restrictions to Medicaid that create barriers for low-income families.

Provide adequate funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) program to expand coverage for all eligible children.

Support policies that provide integrated mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Strengthen the Food Stamp Program to better assist the working poor and the elderly.

Posted by Michael at 3:35 PM

January 10, 2007

Grants to Prevent High-Risk College Drinking

From Funding News:

The U.S. Department of Education will award $2.32 million in grants to prevent high-risk drinking and violent behavior among college students.

Institutions of higher education are eligible to apply for 18 grants of up to $150,000 each.

The awards are intended to develop or enhance, implement and evaluate campus and community strategies to prevent high-risk drinking and violence.

For more details, call 202-205-5471 or see the grant announcement online.

Posted by Michael at 9:58 PM

Congress Should Take Action to Restore Flexibility Lost in 2006 Welfare Reauthorization and HHS Regulations

From Center for Law and Social Policy:

In January 2006, after over three years of short-term extensions, Congress reauthorized the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant as part of the consolidated Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA).

The legislative language that was incorporated into the DRA did not reflect the bipartisan welfare reauthorization bill that had been passed by the Senate Finance Committee, or even the bill that had been passed by the House Republicans. Many members of Congress did not have the opportunity to read the bill---let alone to debate and amend it---before they were required to vote on it.

Instead of rewarding states for their efforts to help welfare recipients achieve selfsufficiency, the new law acted as if the past decade of welfare reform had never happened.

It substantially increased effective work requirements, while providing only a minimal increase in funding for child care.

The regulations also put arbitrary restrictions on the educational programs that can count as vocational educational training, even beyond the existing statutory limits on the duration that participation in such activities can count.

The structure of the program creates strong incentives to cut welfare caseloads and to sanction off the families with the greatest barriers to employment.

When a state provides a required accommodation to an individual with a disability and the individual participates to the full extent that he or she is able, the state should receive full credit toward the participation rate.

There is strong evidence that education leading to a credential---whether a training certificate or a postsecondary degree---is an effective pathway to higher earnings.

Posted by Michael at 9:44 PM

January 8, 2007

Nutrition Studies' Conclusions Tied to Funding Source

Recent analyses have documented bias in pharmaceutical studies funded by industry.

Now, an analysis from Children's Hospital Boston finds a similar phenomenon in scientific articles about nutrition, particularly in studies of beverages.

The analysis -- the first systematic one performed on nutrition studies -- found that beverage studies funded solely by industry were four to eight times more likely to have conclusions favorable to sponsors' financial interest than were studies with no industry funding.

David Ludwig, MD, PhD, the study's senior author and director of the Optimal Weight for Life (OWL) program at Children's Hospital Boston, believes that bias in nutrition studies may have far greater effects than bias in pharmaceutical studies.

Not only do the findings of nutrition studies receive frequent media attention, but they influence governmental and professional dietary guidelines, the design of intervention programs, and FDA regulation of health claims on foods and beverages.

Another two investigators, who had no knowledge of the financial sponsors, and who were not told the article's author, title or journal of publication, classified the articles' conclusions as "favorable," "neutral" or "unfavorable."

A fourth investigator, who had no knowledge of the conclusions, determined the funding source (22 percent were funded entirely by industry, 47 percent had no industry funding, and 32 percent had mixed funding) and classified articles as to whether a favorable finding would be beneficial, negative or neutral to its funder's financial interests.

The study's first author was Lenard Lesser, MD, a Children's research assistant now in the Tufts University Family Medicine Residency.

More than 500 scientists, including eight members of the National Academy of Sciences, 11 members of the Institute of Medicine and 10 members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Children's research community.

Posted by Michael at 10:52 PM

California Governor Proposes Universal Health Coverage

From washingtonpost.com:

Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Monday proposed a system of universal health insurance for Californians that would make the nation's most populous state the third to guarantee medical coverage for all its residents.

"Prices for health care and insurance are rising twice as fast as inflation, twice as fast as wages.

"My solution is that everyone in California must have insurance.

Arnold Schwarzenegger discusses his plan to extend health coverage to nearly all Californians during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif.

Much of the opposition to Schwarzenegger's program, which requires legislative approval, is expected to come from his fellow Republicans, who object that the plan will be costly for small businesses.

Nearly one in five California residents does not have health insurance -- a total of 6.5 million people, many of whom seek expensive care in emergency rooms.

Nationwide, the ranks of the uninsured are growing.

Analysts say the California proposal is illustrative of the resurgence of interest among politicians at all levels in expanding health coverage to the uninsured and that it provides fresh evidence that, with Congress stalled on enacting comprehensive health-care reform, the states are beginning to take matters into their own hands.

Schwarzenegger also recommended expanding the state's existing program for children's health insurance to families that earn less than three times the poverty level, or about $60,000 for a family of four.

The governor also wants to force insurers to offer coverage to people with existing medical conditions.

Money for the program would come from new taxes on doctors (2 percent of their revenue) and hospitals (4 percent), federal funds, and county funds that now pay for emergency care for the uninsured.

Posted by Michael at 10:43 PM

NHLBI media availability: Overweight girls at risk for cardiovascular disease

Results from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Growth and Health Study of more than 2,300 girls suggest that girls as young as age 9 who are overweight are at increased risk for short-term and long-term problems that increase the chances of developing cardiovascular disease.

Those who were overweight were more likely to have elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels compared to girls who were not overweight.

The study also provides insight into differences between African-American and Caucasian girls.

Posted by Michael at 10:31 PM

Caregiving for those at End of Llife Rewarding Despite Challenges