State grants to fight obesity, an audit of the Texas food stamp eligibility system, covering preexisting conditions in children, and much more are featured in our round-up of the week's news. Also, with the beginning of Child Abuse Awareness Month came word that national efforts to combat child abuse and neglect continue to make a difference.
Effective programs to prevent and address abuse, combined with higher awareness and growing prosperity over the last dozen years, helped child abuse and neglect rates to decline more rapidly than ever before. A report to Congress earlier this year said child maltreatment rates fell 26% between 1993 and 2006, and this week the U.S. Health and Human Services Commission reported further declines in child maltreatment in 2008.
Clearly, we have learned a lot about what works to protect children. Just as clearly, though, we have further to go. Even with the decline, 772,000 kids nationwide were victims of abuse or neglect in 2008, and many advocates worry that 2009 numbers will not be as good (times of economic strain are correlated with about higher levels of child abuse). More must be done to ensure every child is safe at home. Learn what you can do.
News and Reports Weekly Round-Up
Child and Maternal Health
4.2.10 Schools and Nonprofits Can Apply by April 16 for Anti-obesity Nutrition Outreach Program Grants (Texas Department of Agriculture)
4.1.10 Study: Small Soda Taxes Don't Dent Obesity, But Larger Levies Likely Would (Associated Press)
3.31.10 Insurers Directed to Cover Preexisting Conditions in Children (Texans Care Newsroom)
3.30.10 Racial Health Gap Noted Among Children (United Press International)
3.29.10 New E.P.A. Scrutiny Is Set for a Chemical in Plastics (New York Times)
3.27.10 Holding the Line on Medicaid and CHIP: Key Questions and Answers about Health Care Reform's Maintenance of Efforts Requirements (Georgetown Center for Children and Families)
More Health News...
Child Protection
4.1.10 HHS Releases 2008 Statistics on Child Abuse and Neglect (Children's Bureau Express)
3.29.10 Protect Our Children (Lufkin Daily News)
3.29.10 Texas has April Events Planned to Spread Child Abuse Awareness (Texarkana Gazette)
More Protection News...
Family Financial Security Headlines
4.1.10 More Homeless Families in Texas (KUT)
3.31.10 Audit Finds Applying for Programs in Texas Often Overwhelming (Texans Care Newsroom)
3.29.10 Senate Agriculture Committee Approves Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (Voices for America's Children)
3.29.10 U.S. Can Learn from Britain's Battle Against Child Poverty (MediaNewswire)
3.29.10 Schools Will Again Offer Summer Meals (San Angelo Standard Times)
More Financial Security News...
Juvenile Justice Headlines
3.26.10 Report Reviews Cost-Effective Approaches to Juvenile Justice (Texas Insider)
More Juvenile Justice News...
Child Mental Wellbeing Headlines
3.30.10 Mental Health Services for Children and Youth Involved with Child Protective Services (Texas Children's Mental Health Forum)
3.29.10 Mental Health Experts Applaud Focus on Parity (New York Times)
More Mental Health News...
More About Kids
3.30.10 Census Director Concerned about Texas (Texas Tribune)
3.30.10 Texans Returning Census Forms at Rate Below the National Average (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
3.29.10 The Present Value of Producing Future Taxpayers (Economix blog)
