CFK Weekly—Apr. 16, 2001

We encourage distribution of this information! If reprinting in whole or part, please attribute it to Connect for Kids (www.connectforkids.org).

Access past issues in the Archives

NEW ON CONNECT FOR KIDS
**Artists Set High Standards in Class
**Growing Through the Arts
**Weekly Updates Online!
**Does Bush's Budget Leave Children Behind?

KIDS AND POLITICS
**2000 Nonpartisan Congressional Voting Record!
**Bush Budget Scorecard
**National Education Debate

KIDS GET A BAD RAP
**Off Balance: Youth, Race and Crime in the News
**Juvenile Crime, Juvenile Justice

KEEPING KIDS OUT OF POVERTY
**Untapped Potential: State Earned Income Credits and Child Poverty Reduction
**Social Service Organizations and Welfare Offices
**Screening and Assessment in TANF/Welfare to Work: Ten Important Questions
**Evaluating Welfare Reform in an Era of Transition
**Three-City Findings Reveal Unexpected Diversity Among Welfare Leavers and Stayers

BUILDING FAMILY-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES
**Comeback Cities
**Dealing with Neighborhood Change: A Primer on Gentrification and Policy Choices

PUBLIC OPINION
**Ready, Willing and Able: Citizens Working for Change
**Public Torn on Faith-Based Initiatives
**Share Your Story on Bullying

BY THE NUMBERS
**Manifestations of Poverty and Birthrates Among Young Teenagers
** Food Stamp Participation Down Despite Continuing Need

FAMILIES AND DIVERSITY
** The 'Nuclear Family' Rebounds, Census Bureau Reports
**Segregation: Causes, Effects, Possible Cures
**How are Hispanic Children and Families Faring?

REDUCING LEAD HAZARDS
**Scorecard Maps the Data
**New National Data for Lead in U.S. Housing
**New Legal Advocacy Tool for Medicaid Screening and Treatment

FOCUS ON THE STATES
**Reproductive Health Services for Adolescents Under the SCHIP
**State-by-State News

NEW ON CONNECT FOR KIDS

**Artists Set High Standards in Class
A program that connects artists with teachers plays a vital role in today's arts education environment. In this month's column, Nick Geisinger explores.
http://www.connectforkids.org

**Growing Through the Arts
More than just pastimes, the arts help kids learn and develop, and strengthen neighborhoods and communities across the country. Here's a look at the articles, links and multi-media clips in our Arts and Youth Development feature.
http://www.connectforkids.org

**Weekly Updates Online!
The Connect for Kids Weekly, your source for breaking news in kids' issues, is now online. Read the latest edition, or browse the archives.
http://www.connectforkids.org

**Does Bush's Budget Leave Children Behind?
The new administration has promised to ?leave no child behind? -- the trademark of the Children's Defense Fund. Founder Marion Wright Edelman looks at whether the President's proposed budget meets that goal.
http://www.connectforkids.org

KIDS AND POLITICS

**2000 Nonpartisan Congressional Voting Record!
Which members of Congress voted consistently to ?Leave no child behind? this year? The Children's Defense Fund's nonpartisan Action Council graded legislators based on 10 votes in the Senate and 10 in the House of Representatives that affected millions of children. The scores showed that 34 Senators and 48 House members earned 100 percent, but 47 Senators and 108 House members scored below 50 percent. Order a free copy by e-mail  <mbsalomone@childrensdefense.org> or call 202-662-3576.
http://www.cdfactioncouncil.org

**Bush Budget Scorecard
In a single chart, the National Priorities Project compares the federal FY 2001 budget with President Bush's FY 2002 budget proposal for major funding areas and a few selected programs, including those affecting children and families.
http://www.nationalpriorities.org/budget/budgetcomp0102.htm

**National Education Debate
Along with negotiating the specifics of tax cuts and discretionary spending for FY 2002, Congress will address the reauthorization the Elementary and Secondary Education Act when it returns from its April recess. Stateline.org education reporter Tiffany Danitz explores the underlying struggle between the federal and state governments over control of education funding and policy.
http://www.stateline.org/story.cfm?StoryID=122685

Learn how the federal budget and tax cuts can affect children in Connect for Kids' Moms Vote feature.
http://www.connectforkids.org/content1550/content.htm

KIDS GET A BAD RAP

**Off Balance: Youth, Race and Crime in the News
Is the messenger part of the problem? A new report prepared for the Building Block for Youth initiative by the Justice Policy Institute and the Berkeley Media Studies finds that print and TV crime coverage has increased despite declines in crime rates, that race and crime are unduly linked in news stories and that the media under reports on youth as victims and over reports on youth as perpetrators. Check the ?Calls for Action? section for ideas on how local groups can encourage news media to act more responsibly.
http://www.buildingblocksforyouth.org

**Juvenile Crime, Juvenile Justice
Neglectful parenting, counterproductive school policies and communities with high unemployment are all risk factors for juvenile delinquency, according to this review from the Panel on Juvenile Crime: Prevention, Treatment and Control of the National Academy of Sciences. The report documents how states have stiffened laws relating to juvenile offenders, and questions the absence of empirical evidence to justify increasing reliance on ?get-tough? measures in the 90s.
http://www.nap.edu/books/0309068428/html/

KEEPING KIDS OUT OF POVERTY

**Untapped Potential: State Earned Income Credits and Child Poverty Reduction
The federal Earned Income Tax Credit currently lifts some 2.5 million children out of poverty with a refundable tax credit for low-income working families. This new study by the National Center for Children in Poverty concludes that 1 million more children could be lifted from poverty if the twelve most populous states offered refundable state earned income credits set at 25 or 50 percent of the federal level.
http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/nccp/cpr/cp3release.html

**Social Service Organizations and Welfare Offices
Looking at what's happening in Cleveland, Los Angeles, Miami-Dade and Philadelphia, Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation finds that local social service agencies and welfare offices need more information about specific timetables and eligibility rules to help welfare families avoid sanctions and access benefits. Many food banks, soup kitchens and homeless shelters are at capacity and uncertain how they will meet increased demand due to these sanctions and time limits put in place by welfare reform.
http://www.mdrc.org/Reports2001/UC-SocialService/UCSocialServicesOrg&WelReform.htm

**Screening and Assessment in TANF/Welfare to Work: Ten Important Questions
State and local welfare agencies and their affiliates can use the screening and assessment questions in this Urban Institute report for their strategic planning to address the obvious and hidden barriers that ?hard-to-serve? welfare recipients face in moving into employment.
http://www.urban.org/pdfs/screening_and_assessment_TANF-WtW.pdf

**Evaluating Welfare Reform in an Era of Transition
As federal reauthorization of the welfare reform legislation approaches, the nation will face a serious gap in information and analysis, according to a report from the National Research Council of the National Academies of Science. While numerous research studies are monitoring the progress of families leaving welfare, evaluation research that measures the effects of specific welfare reform policies in sufficient detail to guide future policymaking is lacking.
http://books.nap.edu/books/0309072743/html/

**Three-City Findings Reveal Unexpected Diversity Among Welfare Leavers and Stayers
Conventional wisdom has been that those who have managed to leave the welfare rolls are likely to be the better skilled, less troubled families who have found stable employment. An in-depth study of selected families in Boston, Chicago and San Antonio, however, indicates that the most troubled, most disadvantaged families are also among those exiting welfare, due to sanctions and agency terminations.
http://www.researchforum.org/cfm/newsletter.cfm

BUILDING FAMILY-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES

**Comeback Cities
In the late 50s and early 60s the idea that America's cities would face decay and decline was unthinkable. In the early 90s it was unthinkable that inner cities could make a comeback. Paul Grogan identifies the forces that are transforming once devastated communities into places of hope and opportunity for families.
http://www.pew-partnership.org/whatsnew.html

**Dealing with Neighborhood Change: A Primer on Gentrification and Policy Choices
Gentrification pressures play out differently in Atlanta, Cleveland, Washington, DC and the San Francisco Bay Area. This Brookings report includes recommended policies and strategies that can advance equitable development by optimizing the benefits of neighborhood change while minimizing or eliminating the downsides of such change in dislocating low-income families.
http://www.brookings.edu/es/urban/gentrification/gentrificationexsum.htm

You'll find helpful resources for building family-friendly communities on the Community Building topic page on the Connect for Kids.
http://www.connectforkids.org/benton_topics1544/benton_topics.htm

PUBLIC OPINION

**Ready, Willing and Able: Citizens Working for Change
According to a survey conducted by the Pew Center for Civic Change, respondents regard local organizations, like police departments, churches and nonprofit organizations as more helpful in solving local problems than the federal government, even though their top concerns would likely require government action. Respondents cited as their top concerns their community's lack of living-wage jobs, along with access to affordable health care, illegal drugs, affordable housing and a feeling that too many children and adolescents go unsupervised.
http://www.pew-partnership.org/newsroom/rwa(pr).html

**Public Torn on Faith-Based Initiatives
Public attitudes toward religion and public policy, including whether faith-based organizations should receive government funding are complex, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press released April 10, 2001. The public is most sharply divided over which groups ? government agencies or religious organizations -- could do a better job of mentoring young people, counseling teens about pregnancy and treating drug addiction.
http://www.people-press.org/rel01rpt.htm

**Share Your Story on Bullying
Kathy Noll, author of ?Taking the Bully by the Horns,? is working with a number of documentary and talk programs on bullying and its effects on kids. She is looking for parents and children who have had first-hand experience and are willing to be interviewed. For more information, e-mail <kthynoll@aol.com>.

Public opinion polls and information on effective language for talking about kids' issues are available in Connect for Kids' Topics A-Z.  http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1543/index.htm

BY THE NUMBERS

**Manifestations of Poverty and Birthrates Among Young Teenagers
In an analysis of specific zip code areas in California, researchers found that poverty is by far the most important predictor of the birthrate among young teenagers in the area, followed by the proportion of college-educated adults aged 25 or older. Race and ethnicity were only weakly related to birthrate.
http://www.agi-usa.org/pubs/journals/3306301.html

**Food Stamp Participation Down Despite Continuing Need
Food Stamp Program caseloads were down by over 8.6 million in January, 2001, compared to January 1996, according to an analysis by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). FRAC argues that some improvement in the overall unemployment rate has contributed to Food Stamp Program caseload declines in recent years, but less positive factors, including program changes, interactions with a changed welfare system and lack of information explain much of the drop.
http://www.frac.org/html/news/fsp/01jan.html

FAMILIES AND DIVERSITY

** The 'Nuclear Family' Rebounds, Census Bureau Reports
This report by the U.S. Census Bureau examines the diversity of children's living arrangements in American households. The report shows that the proportion of children living in a traditional nuclear family with both biological mother and father increased from 51 percent in 1991 to 56 percent in 1996. About 6 percent of all children were living in a household with one or both of their grandparents, and 3 percent lived with only their father, a proportion similar to that of over 100 years ago.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/child/la-child.html

**Segregation: Causes, Effects, Possible Cures
The Mumford Center's analysis of 2000 Census data finds that the combined growth of minority populations and the absence of improvement in segregated living patterns has meant that Hispanic and Asian families now live in more isolated settings than they did in 1990, with a smaller proportion of white residents in their neighborhoods.
http://mumford1.dyndns.org/cen2000/report/page1.html

**How are Hispanic Children and Families Faring?
Following news from the 2000 Census of the rapid growth in America's Hispanic population, Child Trends presents a fact sheet to Hispanic children and families, reviewing statistics on education and workforce preparation, adolescent risk-taking, family structure, health and safety and poverty.
http://www.childtrends.org/PDF/Hispanicfactsheet2.pdf

REDUCING LEAD HAZARDS

**Scorecard Maps the Data
Lead poisoning is the foremost environmental health threat to U.S. children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost 1 million children -- 4.4 percent of all preschoolers -- have enough lead in their blood to reduce intelligence and attention span, cause learning disabilities and damage permanently their brain and nervous system. Find state data on the numbers of children with elevated blood lead levels, housing units at high-risk of lead hazards and maps of other pollution hazards for children.
http://www.scorecard.org

**New National Data for Lead in U.S. Housing
The National Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning reports that some 38 million housing units contain lead-based paint and 25 million of these units have ?significant? lead-based paint hazards, according to the National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing.
http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/index.cfm (scroll down to publications).

**New Legal Advocacy Tool for Medicaid Screening and Treatment Available
The Medicaid Lead Screening and Treatment Tool Kit, prepared by the National Health Law Program, can help state and local organizations and individuals who have an interest in improving children's access to blood lead screens and follow-up services. The tool kit includes an issue development outline, a legal theories memorandum, a model complaint declaration questionnaires and a model complaint, along with supporting documents and a bibliography.  Cost: $10. Call 310-204-6010 or e-mail <nhelp@healthlaw.org>.

Violations to the disclosure rule should be reported to the local EPA Region Office or the Lead Information Clearinghouse at 800-424-LEAD.

Find out more about environment threats to children from the Environment topic page on Connect for Kids.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1543/index.htm

FOCUS ON THE STATES

**Reproductive Health Services for Adolescents Under the SCHIP
Based on their survey of state children's health insurance programs, researchers from the Alan Guttmacher Institute conclude that states are providing nearly comprehensive coverage of reproductive health services, but are inconsistent in guaranteeing the information, confidentiality and flexibility in choosing providers that is critical to adolescents' ability to access care. In addition, many states have failed to creatively use strategies to target uninsured adolescents for enrollment, although new initiatives are under way to correct this problem.
http://www.agi-usa.org/pubs/journals/3308101.html

**State-by-State News
Check out news about kids in your state in the ?state-by-state? section of the Connect for Kids Web site. Here's a sample of this week's additions to our state pages.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1576/index.htm

Arkansas
The Arkansas Kids Count Data Book has the most complete data about the condition of children in Arkansas.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=380

California
An analysis by the California Budget Project shows that the wealthiest one percent of California taxpayers will receive half of the total benefits of the Bush tax cut received by California taxpayers.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=381

California ? San Jose
The counties of Alameda, Kern, Santa Clara, Solano and Santa Cruz and the cities of San Francisco, Oakland and St. Louis all have filed or joined suits against the manufacturers of lead pigment.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=1661

Colorado
Mathematica researchers evaluated the Free to Grow substance abuse prevention initiative operated in low-income communities across the country, including Colorado Springs.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=382

Connecticut
A report from the Jobs First evaluation examines the characteristics, employment status, welfare receipt and Food Stamp use of people who have left cash assistance -- and whether people left because of Connecticut's time limit on welfare.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=383

District of Columbia
DC Act is offering Budget Advocacy: When Money Doesn't Grow on Trees, a manual for advocates on how to influence the District's budget for children and families. (202-234-9404).
The Washington Post reported that about 45 percent of people who are homeless in the metro DC area live in the suburbs, and a quarter of the homeless are children.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=385

Florida
Florida's Medicaid program is set to expand for children.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=386

Georgia
To educate Georgians about what quality child care looks like and why it is important to parents and to business, Georgia kicks off its fifth consecutive annual statewide public education program, "Choose To Care: Georgians for Quality Child Care." http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=387

Illinois
The Family Care initiative (House Bill 23) would help as many as 200,000 working parents pay for insurance offered by their employers or obtain coverage under KidCare. http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=390

Iowa
Mathematica's ?Iowa Families That Left TANF: Why Did They Leave and How Are They Faring?? finds that one year after leaving welfare, the percentage of families that escaped poverty and the percentage that remained in poverty were about the same. http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=392

Kentucky
Mathematica researchers evaluated the Free to Grow substance abuse prevention initiative operated in low-income communities across the country, including Owensboro, KY.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=394

Maine
WMPG-FM in Portland and its partner, City of Portland Public Health, are utilizing radio to deliver child health-care information to several local immigrant communities in their native languages, including Spanish, Russian, Serbo-Croat and Vietnamese.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=396

Massachusetts
Massachusetts Citizens for Children released the country's first comprehensive State Call To Action on April 3, 2001, urging the Commonwealth and its citizens to support a broad scale effort to end child abuse and neglect in the state.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=398

Michigan
Michigan child advocates are sending policymakers a ?message in a bottle,? a baby bottle to be exact, to drive home the importance of adequate federal funding for programs and services that benefit young children.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=399

Minnesota
Minnesota's sixth annual Kids Count Data Book, documents an overall decline in child poverty rates and a reduction in children committing violent crimes in the state.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=400

Missouri
St. Louis is filing a lawsuit against the lead pigment manufacturers.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=402

New York
A new report discusses results of an empirical study to examine the type of child care information given to parents by their caseworkers.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=409

Ohio
With budget specialists saying that tax revenues may come in $800 million below projections over the next two years, Ohio is under pressure from the state Supreme Court to pump a lot more state dollars into schools.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=412

Rhode Island
A court ruling is allowing Rhode Island's lawsuit against the lead paint industry to continue.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=417

Texas
Two school districts in Houston are filing lawsuits against the lead pigment manufacturers. http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=421

Virginia
The 2001 Virginia Kids Count database and data book are available, with county and city data and narratives on topics like homelessness, mental illness, injuries and developmental disabilities.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=424

Washington
Religious and community leaders will meet with service providers, community organizations and concerned citizens on April 28 for a meeting in Seattle. http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=425

Wisconsin
Milwaukee's Common Council passed legislation to take legal action against the lead industry and is in the process of preparing its suit.
http://www.connectforkids.org/homepage1667/index.htm?state_id=427

Keep up the good work, everyone!

Jan Richter, Outreach Specialist and the Connect for Kids team
Jan@benton.org