CFK Update: July 15, 2009

Bringing you relevant news, research and policy updates
affecting children, youth and families.

July 15, 2009

In This Issue

New on CFK [1]

Health Care Reform [2]

PolicyWatch: DC [3]

Poverty, Preparation & the Workforce [4]

Better Practice, Better Outcomes in Out-of-School Time Programs [5]

Focus on Community [6]

Early Care & Early Learning [7]

Making Sure America's Kids are Well Fed [8]

Grants & Funding [9]

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Quick Links

Connect for Kids [11]

Forum for Youth Investment [12]

Youth Policy Action Center [13]

Editor's Note

There is plenty of hard-to-take news this week -- especially from reports on rising food insecurity and unemployment among vulnerable families.

But there's good news, too -- on the federal budget for kids, health care reform and a new initiative to strengthen community colleges and the role they play in preparing young people for the workforce.

This year may be a turning point for kids and the federal budget. First Focus documents decades of kids losing "market share" in the competition for federal dollars [14], but the Obama administration's Fiscal Year 2010 budget calls for higher investments in children -- and the Congressional appropriations committees appear to be following President Obama's lead.

On health care, three House committees have introduced a plan for health care reform, while Senate committees continue working out details of their version. Advocates see this year as critical to turn around two dangerous trajectories -- rising health care costs and increasing numbers of families without access to affordable, quality health care.

In a global economy, preparing a skilled workforce is key to shared prosperity. A new White House initiative to strengthen community colleges is an important step.

Amid growing poverty and projections of poorer health outcomes for future generations, many are taking a closer look at our food supply -- how scarcity is derailing family health and how mass production affects food choices in the kitchen and cafeteria. What can we all do to make sure our nation's kids are well fed?

Finally, as most of you know, Connect for Kids is merging with the Youth Policy Action Center, National Youth Development Information Clearinghouse and Child Advocacy 360 to become SparkAction -- a one-stop spot to share news, ideas and opportunities for action to improve the lives of children, youth and families. Coming to a computer near you in the fall!

Heads up: the July 29 Update will focus on funding opportunities for your work.

Jan Richter, CFK editor emeritus

jan@connectforkids.org [15]

CFK gathers, synthesizes and promotes the best news, research, and stories from the child and youth field. To suggest content, email weekly@connectforkids.org [16].

[17]New on CFK

No Falling Behind this Summer: Dispatches from DC [18]
These lazy, hazy, crazy days don't have to be quite so hazy. CFK's talented young interns have been following some key policies that you'll want to be aware of and have written succinct summaries of a few recent events on and around Capitol Hill:

The Scoop on the White House Community College Initiative

"Hunger after the School Bell" -- Advocates Gear Up for the Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization

The Real Measure of Child Poverty, and What We Can Do About It -- a Congressional Briefing

Case Study: How MomsRising uses Social Media to Get its Message Out [19]
by Ray Schultz, Child Advocacy 360
Sure, social media can make or break movies -- witness this week's Twitter-fueled Harry Potter frenzy or the drop in Bruno ticket sales -- but can it help fuel a social change movement and engage concerned adults and young people around issues? Here's what MomsRising.org is learning.

Health Care Reform

Today: the Senate health committee approved its version [20] of health care reform, the Washington Post [21]reports. The House has introduced its plan [22], hoping for a vote before the August recess.

Health Care Reform Should Include Legal Immigrant Children [23]
The National Immigration Law Center warns that, so far, there are no proposals as part of health care reform to remove the five year waiting period and other barriers to Medicaid for most legal immigrants, including children.

First, Do No Harm [24] Health Reform Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

[25]
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that proposals being considered by the Senate Finance Committee to change subsidies that help low and moderate-income families afford health insurance could push more poor families out of the system.

Take Action: The Fair Way to Pay for Health Care Reform [26]
The Coalition on Human Needs says that if Congress is considering health care reform proposals that scale back benefits or eligibility, it is because Congress is hearing from special interests and not enough from constituents. Ultimately, getting health care reform right depends on raising revenues in a way that spreads the burden fairly. You can tell your Senators and Representatives to do health care right, with CHN's online letter campaign.

PolicyWatch: Washington, DC

Budget and Poverty on the Line
Kids have been steadily losing their share of the federal budget over the last four decades -- FY09 was no exception to this troubling trend. But FY10, the budget currently being drafted in Congress offers hope for a turn-around.

The Children's Budget [27]
First Focus has a comprehensive guide to federal spending on children going back five years, along with descriptions of more than 180 programs, graphs and made-to-your-specifications analyses. It's cool!

House "Labor-H" Bill in Motion [28]
On July 10, the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education ("Labor-H") appropriations subcommittee voted on Chairman Obey's plan. The full committee markup is scheduled for this week.

Reauthorizing WIA: A Downpayment on a Workforce Development System for the 21st Century [29]
First passed in 1998, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) is up for reauthorization. Jobs for the Future has specific recommendations to strengthen a modernized workforce development system. This system should be powerful enough to build and maintain a 21st century workforce, multifunctional to meet the needs of youth, workers, employers and communities, and flexible enough to adapt to a dynamic, competitive global economy.

[30]Also, the Workforce Alliance will discuss the ongoing challenges and innovative solutions associated with career pathway strategies on the state and local level and address how WIA reauthorization can help low-skilled workers move into middle-skill careers in a Recovery to Reauthorization Audio update [31] July 24th at 1 p.m. EDT.

Poverty, Preparation and the Workforce

Parents in the workforce are facing a double-whammy these days -- a recession that is cutting jobs and a future job market demanding more skilled than unskilled workers. Keeping doors open to higher education, raising the minimum wage for unskilled workers and supporting parents who lose their jobs are key parts of a family-friendly agenda.

Businesses Report New Hires Lack Basic Skills [32]
New hires often lack the basic skills they need to do the job and efforts on the job to help them fill the gaps are only moderately successful. This report from Corporate Voices for Working Families argues that corporate America needs to strengthen partnerships with community colleges to prepare entrants before they enter the workforce.

Tax Dollars at Work for College Students [33]

[34]
Today's college graduates are saddled with high debts and poor job prospects, but legislation enacted in 2007 is taking effect just in time to help. Thanks to the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, federal student-loan payments can be adjusted for income, those in public-service jobs can have their loans forgiven after 10 years of payments and Pell Grants will rise to $5,350 this fall, reports the Washington Times, featuring the work of Mobilize.org and other advocacy groups.

Minimum Wage Hike Takes Effect July 24 [35]
Minimum-wage workers will get a raise to $7.25 an hour beginning July 24. The Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign [36]says this is a good time to celebrate and speak up in support of the minimum wage.

Mothers' Unemployment Jumps 17 Percent in 3 Months [37]
The National Women's Law Center reports that unemployment among women who maintain families -- who have no other income to fall back on and are especially vulnerable -- jumped to 11.7 percent, an increase of 17 percent in three months.

Better Practice, Better Outcomes in Out-of-School Programs

[38]Making Every Day Count: Boys & Girls Clubs' Role in Promoting Positive Outcomes for Teens [39]

In this analysis Public/Private Ventures found that teens who participated more often each week in their Boys and Girls Club showed positive change on 15 of 31 measures. More important than specific programming, interview data suggest that the overall Club environment -- the safe place it provides and supportive interactions with adults and peers were crucial in helping promote teens' positive development.

How Program Administrators Can Support Out-Of-School Time Staff [40]
From recruitment to ongoing training and troubleshooting, this Child Trends brief argues that good management is key to maintaining well-trained and well-prepared frontline staff in after-school programs. Good directors create a positive climate and supportive environment for participants and staff and they use relevant data to set new goals.

Take Action: Rural Afterschool Programs Act
Erik Peterson, the Afterschool Alliance's new Policy Director, is working to build support for Investment in Rural Afterschool Programs Act, legislation that could greatly assist rural afterschool program efforts. The Afterschool Alliance is seeking endorsing organizations. For more info, contact Erik [41].

Focus on Community

Ceasefire: An In-Depth Look at Using Street Outreach Workers to Stop Youth Violence - July 23 [42]
This National League of Cities audioconference on July 23 will highlight city partnerships with community-based organizations that employ and train street outreach workers, staff who are often former offenders or gang members. Register online [43].
Turning the Lights on

[44]

"Turning the Lights On Returns Park to Neighborhood" [45]
The New York Times reports on a Los Angeles effort to drive gangs away from neighborhood parks by keeping them lit at night. Program leader Rev. Jeff Carr says the program uses public assets like parks, rec centers and schools "to create social connections that replace gangs."

Neighborhood Characteristics Can Help Reduce Obesity Rates [46]
When it comes to helping reduce obesity rates, neighborhood parks, school playgrounds that are accessible on weekends and interactive communities all seem to promote exercise and help reduce the risk of obesity, reports RAND.

Early Care and Early Learning
High Price of Child Care

[47]
Parents and the High Price of Child Care: 2009 Update [48]
Child care is costly -- the average price for a year of full-time care for an infant was as high as $15,895 in 2008; the price for part-time care for a school-age child was as high as $10,720 a year.

Also, the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) has released its 2008 data on child care costs. To improve access to affordable, high-quality child care for all families, NACCRRA is calling on Congress to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), the primary public source of child care funds for states to help pay for and improve the quality of child care.

Stimulus Dollars Saving State Special Ed Services for Infants and Toddlers [49]
Research clearly shows that early intervention for infants and toddlers with developmental delays can be effective, but many cash-strapped states are considering eliminating such programs. Federal stimulus dollars may be coming to the rescue, reports Ed Week -- but only as a short-term fix.

New Initiative Needed to Improve Early Childhood Math Education [50]
This National Research Council report recommends that young children, especially low-income children, need more high-quality mathematics instruction early on to take advantage of their natural curiosity and provide a foundation to help address long-term gaps in math learning.

Make Sure America's Kids are Well Fed

Food Scarcer in Young Families [51]
Here's more evidence of how the recession is hurting young families. Between 2007 and 2008, low-income families with very young children in the Children's Healthwatch sample experienced the biggest jump in food insecurity in four years -- a jump from 18.5% to 22.6%.

Childhood Hunger by 2015: The Essential Strategies for Achieving the President's Goal [52]
The Food Research and Action Center believes we can strengthen income security and end childhood hunger by 2015 -- and offers a seven-point strategy to do so.

What Are Your Kids Eating? Fresh Movie

[53]
If you think most of your food comes from some kind of wholesome family farm, think again. Better yet, watch FRESH: the Movie [54]. Organizations are holding community showings of this engaging documentary that tracks the transformation of our food production system from small, diverse family farms to huge mega-farms that run like factories, relying on multiple antibiotics and artificial feed to quick-grow crowds of chickens and other livestock.

Share your Action Ideas for Better Nutrition
It's hard to fight against tighter budgets, prepackaged food service and poor eating habits. How do we turn things around so kids and families can eat fresh, nutritious food again? Has your community made progress in improving food choices in the school cafeteria? Got any tips for how to get it done? Email me (jan@connectforkids.org) [55].

Grants & Funding

To help you and your work get ready for the fall and upcoming application deadlines, the next CFK Update on July 29 will be all funding, all the time!

Janis Richter and Thaddeus Ferber
Connect for Kids and the Forum for Youth Investment