Connect for Kids / Child Advocacy 360 / Youth Policy Action Center - Health

Virginity Pledges May Help Postpone Intercourse

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:39:23 -0500

Making a virginity pledge may help some young people postpone the start of sexual activity, according to a new RAND study. It also found that adolescents who make the pledge, but eventually have sex, do not report lower condom use.

Health Care for America Now Campaign

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:29:20 -0500

On July 8, 2008, a broad coalition of child- and youth-focused organizations kicked off this national grassroots campaign promoting access to affordable, quality health care for all. Events took place in 52 cities, including 38 state capitals, and a launch is planned for Washington, DC.

Evaluation Exchange: Building the Future of Family Involvement

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:24:00 -0500

The Spring 2008 issue of Evaluation Exchange from the Harvard Family Research Project looks at promising practices in family involvement.

KIDS COUNT 2008: A CFK Overview

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:47:35 -0500

To make positive change for kids, you need to know where things stand, what’s working and what needs to be improved. The annual KIDS COUNT Data Book offers both data and context for 10 indicators of child well-being—and drills down to a state and local level. This year’s essay offers a “roadmap for reform” in juvenile justice. CFK summer intern Maria Allen attended the June 2008 launch event in DC and has this overview.

Child Nutrition Blog from FRAC

Tue, 27 May 2008 17:07:25 -0500

Check out this blog from the nonprofit Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) for the latest happenings in child nutrition, with easy-to-digest writing about policies, research and what we can all do to help kids eat and live more healthily in and out of school.

Addressing the Health Care Needs of Foster Care Children

Tue, 27 May 2008 19:25:55 -0500

Children who have been abused or neglected often have a range of unique physical and mental health needs and developmental delays, far greater than other high-risk populations. In fact, studies suggest that nearly sixty percent of children in foster care experience a chronic medical condition, and one-quarter suffer from three or more chronic health conditions.

Youth with Disabilities in the Foster Care System: Barriers to Success and Proposed Policy Solutions

Tue, 06 May 2008 13:54:32 -0500

At least one-third of children in foster care have physical or mental disabilities and are at higher risk for poor educational, employment and well-being outcomes. This report from the National Council on Disability finds that federal investments are undercut by lack of coordination across programs and agencies.

Drugs4Real

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:47:15 -0500

Drugs4Real is a free Web-based prevention program that teaches early adolescents (ages 11 to 14) about the influence of alcohol and other drugs, and strengthens their commitment to avoid taking these substances.

ParentingTeensOnline

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:08:06 -0500

ParentingTeensOnline is a free monthly e-magazine for parents of teens ages 12-19. It offers practical, expert-guided advice and support on teen health, media and technology, drugs/alcohol, education, volunteering, sports, social issues, babysitting, sexuality ...

On the Move: Helping Young Adults with Serious Mental Health Needs Transition into Adulthood

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 16:29:07 -0500

Young people with emotional or mental illness risk an abrupt interruption in or loss of services when they age out of the child mental health system at age 18 or 21. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Partnerships for Youth Transition Initiative brought together systems and resources in five sites to serve transition-age youth.

“Stop the Silence” to End Child Sexual Abuse: a Small Nonprofit takes on a Big Issue

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 19:45:21 -0500

Seven years ago, a piece of paper on a desk started Pamela Pine on a quest to understand and spread the word about child sexual abuse. In this column, Pine shares how she turned her concern into a vibrant, dynamic nonprofit organization—with an annual international awareness-raising foot race in Washington, DC, every April.

Youth Movement: The Extreme Version

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 09:49:14 -0500

There aren’t many physical challenges that measure up to running a marathon. In Los Angeles, volunteers have helped thousands of low-income middle and high school students train for and complete the L.A. marathon each March, changing some lives along the way. Holly St. Lifer reports.

Campus Kitchen Project Leadership Conference

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 11:53:44 -0500

Start: Oct 5 2006 - 9:00am

End: Oct 7 2006 - 5:00pm

Timezone: Etc/GMT+5

The Campus Kitchen Project (CKP) will mark its fifth anniversary with a leadership conference on October 5-7.

Engaging Youth on the Environment

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:51:46 -0500

Located just a few blocks away from the U.S. Capitol, the Earth Conservation Corps is far removed from the world of legislators, lobbyists and policymakers. ECC provides a striking example of a program that engages young people in protecting the environment while learning valuable lessons about life in the process. CFK intern Kate Carta profiled the organization.

A Fine Line: How to Teach Kids About Sexual Assault

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:26:15 -0500

There's good news on the rates of rape and sexual assault in the U.S.—a big decline in the rates of these crimes since the 1970s. Still, parents and other adults who care about children have a responsibility to educate kids about the dangers—and many of us feel inadequate to the task. Tamekia Reece took a look at some of the more effective programs in use to raise awareness appropriately and in ways that kids can understand.