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**Children,
Youth & Families
Environmental Inequities Cluster to Harm Poor Children
A Cornell University researcher finds that low-income children are exposed
to some two dozen physical and psychosocial risk factors that can combine to
compromise their health and welfare and may impact the rest of their lives.
http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/April04/poor.kids.world.ssl.app.html
Toddlers
Who Can’t Sleep May have Higher Risk of Becoming Teens who Smoke, Drink or Do Drugs.
A long-term study from the University of Michigan
Health System has found a significant connection between sleep problems in
children's toddler years and the chance that they'll use alcohol, cigarettes
and drugs early in their teen years. Young teens whose preschool sleep habits
were poor were more than twice as likely to use drugs, tobacco or alcohol.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-04/uomh-atw040904.php
Teens
Seek Financial Information and Independence
A poll conducted by Junior
Achievement and The Allstate Foundation reveals that teens realize economic
realities, including the importance of achieving financial independence.
Although teens are not as heavily impacted by the economy as their parents or
guardians, survey results indicate that teens wield strong influence on
household buying decisions (67.6 percent) and more than a third receive an
allowance (35 percent). Today's teens are willing to work around the house for
their wages; nearly three quarters of teens receiving an allowance indicate
that it is tied to household chores or other family-oriented responsibilities.
http://www.ja.org/about/about_newsitem.asp?StoryID=189
HHS Awards Additional
$9 Million to Help States Develop Aging and Disability Resource Centers
The
Department of Health and Human Services 12 grants totaling nearly $9 million to
support state efforts to create "one stop" centers to help consumers
learn about and access long-term supports ranging from in-home services to
nursing facility care. These new grants
represent the second round of funding of Aging and Disability Resource Center
Programs. A total of 24 states have now received HHS grants to develop
streamlined access to long-term support services under this program.
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2004pres/20040416a.html
**Civil Society/Civic
Engagement
Immigrants'
Literacy Skills a Human Capital Concern
According to a new report
from the Educational Testing Service and Northeastern
University’s Center for Labor Market Studies, the vast majority of
immigrants lack the most basic literacy skills, which are correlated with
strong wages, less dependency on government aid, and civic engagement.
http://www.nupr.neu.edu/4-04/immigration_april.html
INDEPENDENT SECTOR Urges
FEC to Protect Rights of Charities to Participate in Policy Process
INDEPENDENT SECTOR and 80
major nonprofit organizations and foundations urged the Federal Election
Commission to protect the rights of charities to speak out on important public
policy issues and to encourage citizen participation in elections. The coalition opposes the FEC's
proposal to expand the definition of "political committees" to
include 501(c)(3) organizations because it would severely limit their
constitutional right to petition government on issues and curtail their efforts
to inform voters.
http://www.independentsector.org/programs/gr/FECopinion.html
Community
Development
American
Dream of Home Ownership Turns Sour for Many Low-Income Buyers
According to a new study from
researchers at the University of Washington, despite federal government policies
encouraging home ownership among minority and low-income families, more than
half of them left their houses and returned to renting within five years. One third of the families returned to renting
in the first two years.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-04/uow-ado041204.php
HUD Raises Fines for Lenders
who Fail to Assist Troubled Borrowers
The
Department of Housing and Urban Development published a proposed rule that
would triple the amount of damages HUD can seek against a FHA lender that fails
to engage in loss mitigation techniques. Loss mitigation options can enable
many homeowners who are in default on their FHA mortgage to remain in their
home. In recent years, HUD has strived
to ensure that lenders work with FHA-insured homeowners in default to see how
they may qualify for one of HUD's loss mitigation options.
http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr04-037.cfm
**Education
Rewards,
Not Sanctions, Help Schools Succeed Under Accountability Programs
A new study from Ohio State
University finds that one problem with the "No Child Left Behind" Act
may well be that it punishes schools and teachers when students don't meet
standards, rather than rewarding educators when students succeed. The study suggests that rewarding schools may
be more successful. The research was done in six southern states, some of which
have state accountability programs similar to that found in the more recent
federal "No Child Left Behind Act."
http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/nochild.htm
Innovative Schools 'Break
Through' to Educate Older, Out-of-School Youth
In "From the Prison
Track to the College Track," Jobs For the Future reports on four types of
new school programs that effectively move low- income, out-of-school youth,
ages 16-24, toward completing high school and postsecondary education and
training, and gaining access to real employment opportunities. The programs
make school success possible for young people whom the traditional system has
failed.
http://www.jff.org/jff/newsroom/PR/2004/PR_4_14_2004.html
Joyce Foundation Commits
$15 Million to Improving Teacher Quality
The Joyce Foundation is
announcing a three-year, $15 million commitment to improve the quality of
teaching in Chicago, Cleveland and Milwaukee schools. Grants will support
research and policy initiatives to attract, support and retain talented
teachers in low-performing schools in those districts. A long-time funder
of school reform efforts in the Midwest, the Foundation has worked to boost the
educational performance of low-income and minority children and narrow the
achievement gap between those children and their generational peers. The new
commitment is part of that effort.
http://www.joycefdn.org/about/content/announcements/edu0404.html
**Health
Community
Screenings Uncover Hidden Diabetes Risk
According to a new report
from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine, blood tests done in churches,
community centers, shelters and busy street corners of the Bronx reveal that
nearly a quarter of those tested had previously undiagnosed diabetes or were at
high risk for developing the disease.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-04/cfta-csu041304.php
**Substance Abuse
97 Percent of Kids Believe
They Have Enough Information to Make the Right Decision About Drinking
The Century Council finds
that parents and children report having enough information to make a
responsible decision regarding alcohol. Yet, the numbers tell a different
story. Nearly one-third of youth under 21 killed in traffic crashes died in
alcohol-related crashes during April, May, and June-prom and graduation
season-according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In 2002 alone, 2,902 youth under the age of 21 died in alcohol-related crashes,
and 711 died during the months of April, May, and June, clearly a particularly
dangerous time for our nation's youth. It is critical that parents engage their
children in direct and factual conversation about the dangers of underage drinking
early and often during this perilous time of year.
http://www.centurycouncil.org/press/2004/pr2004-04-01a.html
Kids
Heed Anti-Smoking Messages from Schools, Parents
According to a new report in
the American Journal of Public Health, when parents tell their children not to
smoke and schools teach anti-smoking lessons, teens are listening.
http://www.cfah.org/hbns/news/kidsheed04-15-04.cfm
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