CFK Weekly - May 9, 2005
Connect for Kids.org: Better Policies for Kids
May 9, 2005
Table of Contents. Click on heading to jump to that section.
NEW ON CONNECTFORKIDS.ORG
**Eureka Kids Program Links After-School and Community Action
**A Head Start Testimonial
**Foster Kids: From Their Mouths to Your Ears
**The Stake of Vulnerable Populations in Social Security
MAY IS FOSTER CARE MONTH
**May is National Foster Care Month
**Upcoming Foster-Focused Events
**Tune into PBS for the Film, Aging Out
FOSTER CARE AND CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING
**New CDF National and State Fact Sheets on Foster Care
**Former Foster Children Suffer PTSD at Twice the Rate of U.S. War Veterans
**Psychiatric Disorders Prevalent among Older Youths in Foster Care
**Examining Vstreet.Com, a Web Community for At-Risk Teens
**Testing AIDS Drugs on Children in Foster Care
**Talktime Live! Celebrates Foster Care Month
ACTION CENTRAL
**Child Care and Development Block Grant
**Violence in Girls’ Lives: Congressional Briefing
**Coalition on Human Needs Advocates' Meeting
**Education News Parents Can Use: Teaching and Learning Science
**National Neighborhood Day Film Contest
**Action Central Has Funding and Action Alerts for Activists
MOMS, DADS, AND PAID FAMILY LEAVE
**Expecting Better: A State-by-State Analysis of Parental Leave Policies
**Fathers’ Rights Groups Hit the Front Page
**Resources for Moms and Dads
**Building and Strengthening Father-Daughter Relationships
KIDS & POLITICS
**Faith Reflections on the Federal Budget
**The Child Support Program: An Investment That Works
FROM DOWNLOADING SONGS … TO A CRIMINAL RECORD?
**Nothing’s For Free, Except Maybe Over the Internet
**Music Madness
TEENS AND LIBRARIES
**Replay: Teens in the Library Conference
TECHNOLOGY IN SCHOOLS
**Congress Drops $6 Billion In Ed Funds
**Technology Counts 2005: Moving Technology Dollars in New Directions
**Winners from the Internet Science and Technology Fair
HEALTHY KIDS
**HHS Tackles African American Infant Mortality
**A Nation at Risk: Obesity in the United States
**How Healthy Are U.S. Children?
**What’s Health Got to Do With It?
**Kaiser’s Health Policy Site Updated
HUNGER AND NUTRITION
**Food Stamp Participation Nearly 25.3 Million Persons in February
**More Children Could Benefit from the Summer Food Service Program
EDUCATION
**Redesigning High Schools – A Teens-Eye View
**Parent Involvement, Interactive
**Quiet Kids Get Forgotten in Class
**Guide For Creating & Improving School/Business Partnerships
FEATURED FUNDING
**Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems
FOCUS ON THE STATES
** More Governors Propose Increased Investments to Pre-Kindergarten
**State-by-State News
**Eureka Kids Program Links After-School and Community Action
In Eureka, Arkansas, an ever-growing after-school program demonstrates that by supporting kids, a community can tap into an often-ignored source of strength: kid power. Elizabeth Bartlett reports on how Eureka Kids is creating teen leaders and community-minded young people.
http://www.connectforkids.org/node/3026
**A Head Start Testimonial
At age 30, the Head Start program is on the defensive, facing criticism and efforts to change its basic structure. But Head Start also has its passionate defenders—such as Jerrie deRose, who sent us this e-mail after seeing a profile of the Rosemount Head Start program in Washington, DC, on our Web site.
http://www.connectforkids.org/node/3027
**Foster Kids: From Their Mouths to Your Ears
Lots of people have fairly firm notions about the U.S. foster care system. But those notions aren’t always informed by what the young people involved have to say. With approximately 523,000 youth of all ages “in the system,” there’s a lot of inside knowledge of the situation. How can their expertise help us understand and improve foster care? In Connect for Kids’ latest Talktime Live! online chat, several foster youth will share their experiences, and take questions on what foster care is really like. Mark your calendar for the online discussion: Wednesday, May 11 at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT). Submit pre-questions for the kids to rob@connectforkids.org.
http://www.connectforkids.org/node/3021
**The Stake of Vulnerable Populations in Social Security
On May 2, CFK provided a field report on new research that indicates Social Security lifts approximately 1 million children above the poverty line.
http://www.connectforkids.org/node/3016
**National Foster Care Month: Get Involved
From Foster Parent Appreciation Banquets and art auctions to conferences, meetings, and tours of foster care agencies, communities across the country are sponsoring a range of events to spotlight the critical role foster care places in the lives of millions of families, and how we can all help strengthen the system.
http://www.fostercaremonth.org
Foster Care Month is sponsored by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, American Public Human Services Association, Child Welfare League of America, Black Administrators in Child Welfare, Connect for Kids, and others. Check out all the organizations dedicated to this important issue.
http://www.fostercaremonth.org/About/Partners/
**Upcoming Foster-Focused Events
During May, organizations all over the country will be holding events to recognize and honor foster parents and highlight the need for people who will get involved in foster care.
http://www.fostercaremonth.org/Events/
The National Foster Parent Association National Conference will be held May 9-14 in Garden Grove, California.
http://www.nfpainc.org/training/conference.cfm?page=4
The Pathways to Adulthood National Independent Living/Transitional Living Conference is open to social service professionals and youth involved in independent living and transitional living programs. It will be held May 18-20 in Atlanta.
http://nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd/npta05/npta05call.htm
The American Public Human Services Association/National Governors Association will hold a briefing on Capitol Hill about youth aging out of foster care. This May 19 forum will provide an opportunity for state leaders and youth to educate congressional staffers on issues facing youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood.
http://www.aphsa.org/home/news.asp
The International Foster Care Organization will hold its conference August 7-13 in Madison, Wisconsin.
http://www.fostering.us/ifco.htm
**Tune into PBS for the Film, Aging Out
On Thursday, May 26, Aging Out premieres on PBS stations across the country. The film follows young people as they leave foster care, chronicling the challenges they face -- including homelessness, early parenthood, and drug addiction -- and the resilience many have developed to succeed. The film was created by award-winning producers and directors Roger Weisberg and Vanessa Roth, with support from the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative.
http://www.jimcaseyyouth.org/agingout/film.htm
FOSTER CARE AND CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING
**New CDF National and State Fact Sheets on Foster Care
These Children’s Defense Fund fact sheets provide data on abused and neglected children, children in foster care, children who have left foster care, and children living with kin other than parents. They also show the proportions of child welfare funding coming from federal, state, and local sources, and highlight trends within the Title IV-E Foster Care program, the single largest funding source.
http://www.childrensdefense.org/childwelfare/financing/factsheets/default.aspx
**Former Foster Children Suffer PTSD at Twice the Rate of U.S. War Veterans
A new study by Casey Family Programs, Harvard Medical School, the State of Washington Office of Children's Administration Research, and the State of Oregon Department of Human Services shows that rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among adults who were formerly placed in foster care were up to twice as high as U.S. war veterans. Few studies have examined how children in foster care have fared as adults, and even fewer studies have identified what changes in foster care services could improve their lives. The Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study provides new information in both areas.
http://www.casey.org/MediaCenter/PressReleasesAndAnnouncements/NWAlumniStudy.htm
Learn more about the findings and recommendations in the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study in a conference call hosted by Connect for Kids, May 12, 2005 from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. ET (1:15 p.m. PT). RSVP to jan@connectforkids.org for call-in information.
**Psychiatric Disorders Prevalent among Older Youths in Foster Care
This study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, concluded that older youths in foster care had disproportionately higher rates of lifetime and past year psychiatric disorders. The findings support recommendations for initial and periodic mental health assessments for these youths and mechanisms to continue mental health services for young adults transitioning out of the foster care system.
http://www.jaacap.com/pt/re/jaacap/abstract.00004583-200501000-00012.htm;jsessionid=CB4O4oDzM211uWlDAFcDgw87AlJJBlHOMvAvWakgSqaosK6fFMCT!-1167919426!-949856031!9001!-1
**Examining Vstreet.Com, a Web Community for At-Risk Teens
This study evaluates Vstreet.com, a Web site for at-risk youth designed to teach life skills and build community. Published in the Child Welfare Journal, the findings were based on a sample of youth in the Job Corps and showed that the site was highly effective in increasing their knowledge of apartment-hunting skills, feelings of peer social support, and intentions of staying in touch with their agency.
http://www.cwla.org/articles/cwjabstracts.htm#0501
**Testing AIDS Drugs on Children in Foster Care
The National Institutes of Health funded HIV/AIDS drug trials involving hundreds of HIV-positive children in foster care in at least seven states, and "often" did not appoint independent advocates for the children, according to a review of the studies conducted by the Associated Press. The studies gave children access to top treatments, but also exposed them to the risks of research and potentially serious side effects of the trial drugs. The Kaiser Network has the details.
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=29843
**Talktime Live! Celebrates Foster Care Month
Young people in the foster care system will discuss their concerns, challenges and aspirations – and answer questions – in an online discussion on May 11 at 1 p.m. ET. Submit pre-questions to rob@connectforkids.org and join in the live chat!
Connect for Kids has gathered articles, Web links, and other resources in one easy-to-read place: our foster care and child protection topic page.
http://www.connectforkids.org/taxonomy/term/317
**Child Care and Development Block Grant
Children’s Defense Fund is asking concerned adults to call their Members of Congress on Tuesday May 10 to weigh in on an increase of $1 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) in the FY 2006 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill.
http://www.childrensdefense.org/mothersday/default.aspx
You can contact your Members of Congress through the US Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121, or by visiting http://thomas.loc.gov.
**Violence in Girls’ Lives: Congressional Briefing
On Wednesday, May 11, 2005 from 10-11 a.m. in the Capitol, Room HC-8, Girls Inc., and the Congressional Caucus on Women’s Issues -- including Representatives Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) and Hilda Solis (D-CA) -- will discuss the issue of violence in schools, communities, homes, and relationships. An update on the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and proposed provisions for girls will also be provided. To RSVP or for more information, please contact Lucy Melvin at 202/463-1881 or lmelvin@girls-inc.org.
http://www.girls-inc.org
**Coalition on Human Needs Advocates' Meeting
This meeting will take place on Friday, May 13, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. at the National Council of La Raza, first floor conference room (1126 16th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.).
http://www.chn.org/pdf/fams.pdf
**Education News Parents Can Use: Teaching and Learning Science
Of the 20 fastest-growing occupations projected for this decade, 15 require substantial math or science preparation. On May 17, from 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET, the US Department of Education is hosting an EdTV broadcast on the strategies schools are using to bolster science proficiency for all students, how teachers can include science skills across the curriculum, and how No Child Left Behind addresses science instruction and educator qualifications.
http://www.ed.gov/news/av/video/edtv/
**National Neighborhood Day Film Contest
Open to both professional and amateur filmmakers, this contest asks entrants to illustrate, through a film running five minutes or less, what their neighborhood means to them. Films will be judged by a panel of renowned filmmakers and community activists. K-12 students, as individuals, in groups, or through classroom projects, are invited to participate. There is no entry fee for the youth category, and the grand prize is $2,000. The deadline for entries is June 1, 2005. (National Neighborhood Day is celebrated each year on the second Sunday in September.)
http://www.neighborhoodday.org/film.asp
**Action Central Has Funding and Action Alerts for Activists
Connect for Kids’ Action Central is the place to find the latest action alerts and funding notices for the child advocacy community.
http://www.connectforkids.org/action_central
MOMS, DADS, AND PAID FAMILY LEAVE
**Expecting Better: A State-by-State Analysis of Parental Leave Policies
Parental care for very young children has been linked to improved brain development, social development, and overall well-being. But most American parents are left out in the cold when it comes to paid family leave. Low-income families are often without any sort of paid leave at all, maternal or otherwise. A new study by the National Partnership for Women and Families finds that no state gives all new parents both guaranteed job protection and benefits. California, Hawaii, the District of Columbia, and Oregon offer some support to families; nineteen states received failing grades for not providing a single benefit or program to help support families before and after the birth of a child.
http://www.nationalpartnership.org/portals/p3/library/PaidLeave/ParentalLeaveReportMay05.pdf
**Fathers’ Rights Groups Hit the Front Page
On Mothers’ Day, the New York Times Magazine profiled the growing ranks of fathers’ rights groups, and examined lawsuits filed in several states to change the way custody is awarded. Is what's best for Dad really best for the child? And what about what's fair?
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/08/magazine/08FATHERS.html
**Resources for Moms and Dads
Connect for Kids’ Family Roles & Structure page has links to organizations and campaigns working on behalf of mothers, fathers and other family caregivers.
http://www.connectforkids.org/taxonomy/term/334
The Fathers Network is another bookmark-worthy site. From practical information on advocating for a child with special needs, to links to news, issue areas and events, the Fathers Network helps dads stay connected.
http://www.fathersnetwork.org/page.php
**Building and Strengthening Father-Daughter Relationships
In addition to academic success, strong father-daughter bonds positively influence a daughter's self-esteem and sense of ambition, according to research cited in this PTA brief.
http://www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/
The Dads and Daughters organization also offers information about raising healthy, happy girls.
http://www.dadsanddaughters.org
**Faith Reflections on the Federal Budget
“The budget should reflect a commitment to the common good by ensuring that the basic needs of all members of society are met,” according to this inter-religious memorandum, produced by 20 faith-based organizations -- including the Episcopal Church USA, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the United Methodist Church, and the American Friends Service Committee. The current budget plans are “immoral,” according to this coalition, because they increase inequality, poverty, and injustice.
http://www.afsc.org/economic-justice/sos/documents/dhn-letter.pdf
**The Child Support Program: An Investment That Works
This 4-page paper from the Center for Law and Social Policy offers data that explains how child support helps children and increases families’ self-sufficiency. It also discusses the federal program’s performance and funding.
http://www.clasp.org/publications/cs_funding_042005.pdf
FROM DOWNLOADING SONGS … TO A CRIMINAL RECORD?
**Nothing’s For Free, Except Maybe Over the Internet
As the U.S. Supreme Court debates the legality of file sharing in MGM vs. Grokster, hip-hop artist and De-Bug youth writer Kefing Aperto-Berry shares how free downloading hurts independent artists. (Silicon Valley De-Bug is a collective of young adult writers, artists, organizers, and workers based in San Jose, California, sponsored by Pacific News Service.)
http://www.siliconvalleydebug.com/story/041905/stories/fileshare.html
**Music Madness
In 2003, CFK’s Robert Capriccioso asked some teens with musical ambitions about their take on downloading music for free.
http://www.connectforkids.org/node/504
**Replay: Teens in the Library Conference
With growing numbers of teenagers visiting libraries to socialize, do homework, and use computers as well as the Internet, libraries have found themselves pressed to address the needs of this group. Even if you missed the one-hour Web conference on May 5, you can stream it online and learn more about Chapin Hall's recent study New on the Shelf: Teens in the Library. You’ll also get local perspectives on how libraries can strengthen teens’ skills and their own capacity to work with teenagers and to establish closer connections to communities. Best of all, it was moderated by Connect for Kids’ own advocacy director, Jan Richter. Enter Replay number 1198154129 at sign-in.
http://www.communicast.com/replay
The Chapin Hall report is available online.
http://www.chapinhall.org/article_abstract_new.asp?ar=1380&L2=62&L3=106
Connect for Kids Editor Susan Phillips spoke with one librarian who participated in the Chapin Hall program about how worked in Baltimore -- see “Libraries Reach Out to Teens.”
http://www.connectforkids.org/node/3008
**Congress Drops $6 Billion In Ed Funds
The budget resolution passed by Congress on April 28, 2005 omits $6 billion in funding for the nation's schools and universities that was included in the Senate version. Keith Krueger, chief executive officer of the Consortium for School Networking, a nonprofit organization that helps the nation's schools make judicious use of technology, said he isn't giving up the fight to persuade Congress of the importance of more education dollars in the federal budget. (Must register to read article.)
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=5635
**Technology Counts 2005: Moving Technology Dollars in New Directions
In the past, most of the technology focus in schools was on personal computers and software for learning. Today, the emphasis is on technology as a tool for analyzing achievement data, according to Education Week’s eighth annual report on school technology. States are spending millions of dollars to build powerful data-management systems to track student achievement and other reporting requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind Act -- while potentially leaving students less prepared for 21st century work and life. This report includes in-depth articles on issues surrounding technology spending, state profiles, and the first-ever ranking of state technology leaders.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/05/05/35exec.h24.html
**Winners from the Internet Science and Technology Fair
Six student teams received top honors from among 250 student teams from ten states who competed in the eighth annual Internet Science and Technology Fair. Winners walked away with an award from the National Medal of Technology Program at the U.S .Department of Commerce. For four months, student teams worked on-line with scientists/engineers, adhered to content guidelines based on national science content standards, and presented their research results in a Web site format. Among the winning categories: environmental quality, living systems, information and communication, and transportation. From the sublime to the downright strange, check out these projects, online.
http://istf.ucf.edu/winners/
**HHS Tackles African American Infant Mortality
African American infants are nearly two-and-a-half times more likely to die before their first birthday than white infants. Low birth weight, premature delivery and other factors that increase the risk of infant mortality disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority babies. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ campaign, Know What to Do for Life, offers radio and print ads and community toolkits to increase awareness about the risk factors associated with infant mortality in the African American community. The toll-free number for information and materials is 1-800-444-6472.
http://www.healthgap.omhrc.gov
**A Nation at Risk: Obesity in the United States
The American Heart Association, in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, produced this free statistical sourcebook of facts about obesity, including specific information on childhood obesity. The free sourcebook is now available for order by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3030570
**How Healthy Are U.S. Children?
Standards used to measure adult health -- such as the absence of disease and premature death -- are inadequate for children, say researchers in the April 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Instead, a developmental perspective "with attention to the biological, environmental, social, and policy pathways that interact and are critical to the health of young children" is important. The text of the article is available from corresponding author Ruth Stein at rstein@aecom.yu.edu. (Thanks to Health in Schools for this update.)
**What’s Health Got to Do With It?
This Forum for Youth Investment publication looks at strategies for integrating health care access and awareness into programs for youth and teens.
http://forumflash.c.topica.com/maadthNabgANFbeMTmyeafpKXx/
**Kaiser’s Health Policy Site Updated
KaiserEDU.org -- which provides health policy materials for students, faculty members, and others -- has been redesigned to include easier topic navigation, new research tools, a journal browser, and a directory of health policy fellowships.
http://www.kaiseredu.org/
**Food Stamp Participation Nearly 25.3 Million Persons in February
In February 2005 (the most recent month for which data are available), more than 25 million Americans participated in the Food Stamp Program. These numbers represent an increase of 1.75 million people from February 2004, but are down for the second consecutive month.
http://www.frac.org/html/news/fsp/02.05_FSP.html
A new Government Accountability Office report shows that states have made some progress in reducing payment errors.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-245
**More Children Could Benefit from the Summer Food Service Program
In this opinion piece, Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children's Defense Fund, asks: what happens to the millions of hungry children enrolled in the National School Lunch Program when school is out for the summer? http://www.chicagodefender.com/page/commentary.cfm?ArticleID=663
**Redesigning High Schools – A Teens-Eye View
Want to know what works – and what needs changing – in America’s high schools? Go to the source. That’s what the National Governors Association (NGA) intends to do. As part of its “Redesigning the American High School” initiative, the NGA wants to survey 10,000 teens to gain insight into today’s high school experience, and capture voices that have been missing from the discussion.
http://www.rateyourfuture.org
**Parent Involvement, Interactive
We’ve teamed with KSA-Plus Communications to create a new online resource for parents looking to become more active participants in their children's education. This Web site offers links to a variety of articles (for example, "8 Tips for Reading Your School's Report Card"), organizations, and recommendations about parent leadership and activism, and ideas for improving the safety and health of students.
http://www.connectforkids.org/taxonomy/term/328
**Quiet Kids Get Forgotten in Class
Students who don’t speak out, or who aren’t comfortable participating in classroom discussions are sometimes judged as fearful, less intelligent, or even uncooperative. Teachers sometimes make the mistake of assuming that students who don't speak up have little to contribute. But “shyness” – or what is in some cases culturally appropriate conditioning -- often masks thoughtful studiousness. A Christian Science Monitor article makes the case for not overlooking the quiet kid.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0426/p11s01-legn.html
**Guide For Creating & Improving School/Business Partnerships
Through effective partnerships with businesses, schools can improve students’ academic, social, and physical well-being. There’s no one-size-fits-all format; the best strategies are tailored to tap the expertise and meet the needs of each partner. This how-to guide is the result of extensive research and personal interviews with individuals who have experience creating, implementing and evaluating successful partnerships.
http://www.corpschoolpartners.org/guide.shtml
**Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems
The U.S. Dept. of Education’s Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems Program provides grants to increase student access to high-quality mental health care by developing innovative approaches that link schools with local mental health providers. Eligibility: State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and Indian tribes. Maximum Award: $150,000-$350,000. Deadline: May 16, 2005
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-6744.htm
More funding alerts are available in Action Central on Connect for Kids.
http://www.connectforkids.org/action_central
** More Governors Propose Increased Investments to Pre-Kindergarten
This new Pre-K Now report praises the 20 Democratic and Republican governors who proposed increases to their states’ pre-kindergarten programs, despite overwhelming budget deficits. Connecticut, Illinois, and Washington led the pack. Still, it’s no time to sit back and relax, say the study’s authors – much work remains to be done to ensure kids in all states have access to high-quality pre-K.
http://www.preknow.org/documents/LeadershipReport.pdf
**State-by-State News
California
California ranks last in the nation with a Food Stamp Program participation rate of just 39 percent. Nationally, the downward trend in Food Stamp Program enrollment has been reversed in recent years, with a rise in participation in 44 of the last 49 months, according to the Food Research and Action Center.
http://tinyurl.com/exbcb
Connecticut
A poll conducted for the anti-hunger group End Hunger Connecticut! found that 70 percent of adults in the state would support a law that would bar schools from selling beverages other than water, milk and fruit juice to students. The poll also found that 80 percent favor increased physical activity for school children. Legislation is currently moving through the Connecticut state house that would require 20 minutes of daily exercise in elementary school and would eventually restrict the types of snacks available to students in all grades.
http://www.connpost.com/news/ci_2709454/ci_2687621
District of Columbia
The Sodexho Foundation, Sodexho USA's charitable organization, announced a grant in the amount of $75,000 to support an initiative that will seek to eradicate childhood hunger in the nation's capital. The initiative, led by D.C. Hunger Solutions, the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and Share Our Strength, will design and implement a 10-year strategic plan to end childhood hunger in the District of Columbia and ensure access to the nutritious food children need to grow, thrive and learn.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050504/clw060.html?.v=7
Florida
A bill, supported unanimously by the Legislature, would let children in state care extend the time they receive benefits by a year.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/11565936.htm
Georgia
More than 400,000 Georgians get too little food to eat and rely on food pantries and food stamps to keep food on the table, rent paid, and medicines purchased. In this op-ed piece, Bill Bolling, executive director of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and Pat Showall, executive director of Families First, urge Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, to protect the Food Stamp Program from block grants, waivers or budget cuts. http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0505/02edfood.html
Idaho
When it comes to childhood well-being, Idaho has a less-than-stellar record when it comes to children without health insurance, infant mortality, child death rate, and those not enrolled in pre-school. That’s according to the latest Kids Count data for the state.
http://bonnercountydailybee.com/articles/2005/05/04/news/news03.txt
Kentucky
Welfare reform worked in Kansas City, in that it cut the welfare rolls in half. But, according to an analysis co-written by Peter Mueser, a University of Missouri economist, it's more accurate to say that welfare reform worked to reduce taxpayer assistance - not to noticeably improve the economic lot of former recipients.
http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/business/columnists/11564906.htm
Louisiana
Sen. Kerry has backed a bill to expand health insurance for children.
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=29888
Maine
The governor has announced plans to expand the Dirigo Health Program to cover 10,000 additional parents.
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=29858
Maryland
Two groups have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in an attempt to block a new sex education curriculum -- which includes a condom use demonstration and a discussion of homosexuality -- from being taught in Montgomery County, Md., public schools.
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=29840
Massachusetts
Governor Mitt Romney proposes overhauls to the Massachusetts welfare system to increase the number of recipients who are employed -- but what about the 5,600 parents who say they are too physically or emotionally disabled to find a job? Until now, Massachusetts has given benefits to such parents for an unlimited time, with proof of their infirmities. This program may be abandoned by October, when the state is forced to comply with federal rules that require one of every two welfare recipients to meet work requirements -- or risk losing federal grant money.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/04/29/for_some_fear_over_welfare_changes?pg=full
Michigan
Comparisons may be odious, but sometimes they’re shocking enough to spur action. Consider the findings from the latest Kids Count in Michigan report: on eight of ten indicators, Detroit children face worse poverty levels and hardships than their peers in rural Mississippi.
http://www.freep.com/news/locway/kids6e_20050506.htm
Encourage your legislators to attend the Children's Caucus Luncheon on May 10 -- the bi-partisan, bi-cameral Children's Caucus is hosting a luncheon on Tuesday, May 10 at 11:30 a.m. in Room 810 of the Farnum Building for legislators and staff. The speaker is Dr. Joan Lessen-Firestone, Director of Early Childhood at Oakland Schools.
http://www.michiganschildren.org/page.cfm/82/
Minnesota
Many homeless teens in Minnesota shelters are former foster youth, according to the Amherst Wilder Foundation, a nonpartisan organization in St. Paul, Minnesota. On any given night, an estimated 500 to 600 youth are homeless and living on their own without parents. Seven out of 10 have spent time in some type of placement away from their family -- primarily in foster care, but also in group homes and other institutions.
http://www.wilder.org/research/reports/pdf/Youthreportsummary_2-05.pdf
Missouri
Two programs designed to encourage healthier eating -- the Senior Farmer's Market Program and the WIC Farmer's Market Program -- were cut this year as part of $14.9 million in cutbacks to the state Department of Health and Senior Services. http://www.examiner.net/stories/042705/new_042705009.shtml
New York
In New York City, participation in the Food Stamp Program has risen since 2002, with three-quarters of the increase due to increased enrollment of able-bodied or working people who are not using the TANF Program. This comes at the same time that TANF enrollment has dropped. The working poor now account for 40 percent of the city's 1.1 million food stamp recipients. The increase is due to city government's efforts to enroll eligible people, state regulations that eased access and food stamp offices that are more user-friendly. Despite these gains, enrollment rates for workers in the city lag behind the national average. http://www.citylimits.org/content/articles/weeklyView.cfm?articlenumber=1715
Ohio
Proposed changes to the dietary guidelines in the WIC Program were met with enthusiasm in Marietta, Ohio. The new guidelines help the WIC Program serve a more culturally diverse population and deal with obesity, which has emerged as a major health problem. Melayne Pritchett, an Ohio mother, says the program saves her 40 percent on her food bills every week and encourages her to avoid unhealthy foods; for example, she doesn't buy sugary cereals.
http://www.mariettatimes.com/news/story/052202005_new01wicchange.asp
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania gets a grade of "F" for its support of new parents because it lacks a single state law that guarantees job protection or benefits for new parents. That’s according to a new report by the National Partnership for Women & Families released for Mother's Day in cooperation with the Keystone Research Center. Pennsylvania's inattention to the issue is significant because the Federal Family & Medical Leave Act does not cover about 40% of the workforce.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/05-03-2005/0003539901&EDATE=
South Carolina
Gov. Mark Sanford's plan to give tax credits to parents who send their children to private schools died on the floor of the State House of Representatives in a 60-53 vote.
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/11562771.htm
South Dakota
YO! (Youth Outlook!) writer April McGill attended a youth summit with Youth Struggling for Survival (YSS) at Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota – home to 17,775 members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. In “Proud to be Native,” April shares how the culturally rich environment of the Reservation filled her with pride.
http://www.youthoutlook.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=f9274cb2d80cbbfbf8f20287126dd495%20%20%20
What issues concern you the most? Let us know. Send an email to weekly@connectforkids.org. Keep up the good work!
Caitlin Johnson, Sr. Writer, and the Connect for Kids team
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