Policy Brief Addresses the How, What, Where, and Who of Family Supports for Children with Special Health Care Needs

Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Family Supports discusses the cultural factors that may impact the resources, services, and other assistance provided to families of children with special health care needs and the policy implications of promoting and sustaining cultural and linguistic competence in the provision of family supports. The policy brief, produced by the National Center for Cultural Competence at Georgetown University with support from the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau, addresses the need for family supports, definitions of family supports, and the rationale for cultural and linguistic competence in family supports. To read the full brief, go to: http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/nccc/documents/final%20pdf%20fspb.pdf.

More Disabled Kids Live with Single Women

Children with disabilities are more likely to live with a single woman - whether she is a mother, grandmother or a female foster parent - than other children, according to a new study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and published in the Journal of Marriage and Family. Organizations aimed at helping disabled children must also consider the particular problems faced by the single women who often care for them, said Philip Cohen, PI and associate professor of sociology at the university. The study examined 2000 Census data on 2.3 million children ages 5 to 15. More than 130,000 were reported to have mental disabilities, physical disabilities, or both. It found that while 62 percent of children without disabilities live with a married, biological parent in a two-parent home, only 46 percent of disabled children do. Single mothers care for 17 percent of children without disabilities, but 24.5 percent of those who are disabled. Fewer than 5 percent of disabled children live with a single father, about the same percentage of non-disabled children living with fathers. In homes where no biological parent is present, Cohen said disabled children were more than twice as likely to be cared for by a single woman than were children without a disability. For more information, go to: http://tinyurl.com/la5ps.

Helping California Youths with Disabilities Transition to Work or Postsecondary Education

Public high schools may not be doing enough to help students with disabilities transition to work or college. This June 2006 Government Accountability Office (GAO) study gathers lessons from California and finds that there are still too few vocational and work opportunities in high school, especially for students who will not go on to college. Among existing services, there is little coordination and collaboration - for example, students can't take school-provided assistive technology to help them in college or work. The report includes best practices and policy recommendations. For more information, go to: http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-759SP.

Marriage and Family Strengthening for Incarcerated Individuals

The number of individuals in the nation's prisons has increased dramatically over the last decade, from 850,000 inmates in 1992 to 1.4 million inmates in 2002. As a result, more and more families are now affected by the incarceration of a parent or spouse. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than half of incarcerated individuals in state prisons, the vast majority of whom are men, are the parents of minor children. Nearly one quarter of parents' currently serving time in a state prison are married, while another 28 percent are divorced or separated from a spouse. For children and families with an incarcerated family member, the prolonged period of separation caused by a prison sentence may lead to a range of problems, including financial insecurity, the weakening of family bonds, and potential disruptions in healthy child development. According to a study by Western and McLanahan (2000), the high rate of incarceration of low-income men is one of the factors leading to a rise in single-parent households in poor communities. In addition to the effects of spousal separation, Western and McLanahan found that the stigma of incarceration and related labor market challenges can negatively affect an individual's ability to serve as a responsible spouse and parent upon release from prison. To read the full report, go to: www.financeproject.org/Publications/marriageandfamilyRN.pdf.

FREE! Marriage & Family Relationships Online Course

This is an introductory course on marriage and family, intended to present a more balanced understanding than your own personal experience might give you, and to help you better understand what you personally want in your future family and relationship experiences. This course is offered for free online by Utah State University and was developed by James P. Marshall, Ph.D. The course has sections on finances, sexual relations, personal interests and more. Each section has things to read and exercises to try and the course is good for people considering marriage and those wishing to strengthen their existing marriage. For more information, click here.

What Do We Know About Couples and Marriage in Disadvantaged Populations?

In this paper, a researcher and a policy analyst examine recent research on couples and marriage through the lens of economic disadvantage, to find out implications for program design and policy. It turns out that we know a lot more than we did a decade ago, but there's still much to learn. The paper was first presented at the Annual Research Conference of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management. For more information, go to: http://www.clasp.org/publications/couples_marriage_disadvantaged.pdf.

Reducing Unwed Childbearing: The Missing Link in Efforts to Promote Marriage

Most studies show that kids fare best when raised by two married parents. According to this new Brookings Institution brief, nearly 1.5 million babies were born to single moms in 2004. Promoting healthy marriage has become a government objective in recent years. While there's evidence that some marriage promotion programs and approaches show benefits for middle class parents, the impact of government efforts on low-income families is less clear. This brief argues that the first step in promoting marriage promotion among these families is reducing out-of-wedlock births. For more information, go to: http://www.brookings.edu/es/research/projects/wrb/publications/pb/pb37.htm.

Intimate Partner Violence May Lead to Health and Emotional Problems

Domestic violence may harm women's physical and mental health more than a variety of common conditions, including back pain and even some types of cancer. That's according to a new study reported in two papers in the June issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. According to the study, almost half of the women surveyed reported that they had experienced violence from an intimate partner at least once. "This is an epidemic," said Robert S. Thompson, MD, senior investigator at the Group Health Center for Health Studies and lead author of one paper. "But it flies under the radar, because of the stigma and shame associated with it - as well as the fear that many health care providers have of opening what some call a ‘Pandora's Box' of difficult problems that they are unsure how to address." Read the full article at: www.centerforhealthstudies.org/news/2006/060516.html.

Addressing Domestic Violence in Marriage and Fatherhood Programs

Responding to domestic and relationship violence is an important part of healthy marriage activities but often, the healthy marriage, fatherhood, and domestic violence fields operate independently of each other. A recent conference held by CLASP and the National Conference of State Legislatures (Building Bridges, May 2006) looked at this issue, and how to break down barriers among these fields. CLASP has made several papers from the conference available online. For more information, go to: http://www.clasp.org/publications.php?id=6.

HHS Publishes Fatherhood Manual: Find Out the Top-Ten Tips to Be a Better Dad

The Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a guide for child welfare workers to help fathers have a positive impact on their children's lives. "The Importance of Fathers in the Healthy Development of Children" is the first guide for professionals that focuses specifically on how they can more effectively engage fathers whose children come to the attention of the child welfare system. To view this manual, along with others in the User Manual Series, available from the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information. For more information, go to: http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/profess/tools/usermanual.cfm.

Debut of Fatherhood User Manual

Working with fathers of children involved in the child welfare system often requires specialized understanding and different approaches by CPS caseworkers than might be used with mothers. The effective engagement of fathers is the focus of the newest User Manual from the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect. The Importance of Fathers in the Healthy Development of Children provides information to frontline caseworkers and other professionals about the profound impact of fathers on their children, as well as practical guidance on engaging fathers in assessment, case planning, and services when children suffer maltreatment. For more info, go to: http://cbexpress.acf.hhs.gov/articles.cfm?issue_id=2006-07&article_id=1182.

Nonresident Fathers and the Child Welfare System

Finding and engaging nonresident fathers carries the potential for significant benefits for children in the child welfare system. When fathers are identified and involved in decisions about their children, there is the possibility for a strengthened father-child relationship, increased permanency, and access to more family information and resources. A recent study, What About the Dads? Child Welfare Agencies' Efforts to Identify, Locate and Involve Nonresident Fathers, explored the ways that child welfare agencies in four States find and engage nonresident fathers. For more info, go to: http://cbexpress.acf.hhs.gov/articles.cfm?article_id=1181&issue_id=2006-07.

Working With Fathers Training and Resource Institute

The National Family Preservation Network (NFPN), in collaboration with other organizations, has formed the Working with Fathers Institute to provide comprehensive resources and onsite training to practitioners in the areas of father involvement, support groups for fathers, marriage and parenting, and safely working with fathers involved in domestic violence. The following is a brief description of each partnering agency: NFPN (lead/fiscal agency) provides onsite training and basic and advanced training packages on involving fathers in their children's lives www.nfpn.org/fatherhood/; The Center for Growth and Development provides onsite training and training packages to implement the Nurturing Father's Program, a 13-week course that teaches men nurturing parenting skills and attitudes, and the Marriage and Parenting Program, a 10-week course that helps couples (married or unmarried) strengthen their relationship through developing a shared blueprint for parenting and successful family formation http://www.nurturingfathers.com/; The Native American Fatherhood and Family Association (NAFFA) offers a 12 week curriculum for Native American Fathers in the community and criminal justice system http://www.nativeamericanfathers.org/; The Non-Violence Alliance provides training and resources to safely engage fathers when domestic violence is a concern http://www.endingviolence.com/.

Cincinnati Effort Reduces Infant-Mortality Rate

From: Philanthropy Today, June 21, 2006

Every Child Succeeds, a Cincinnati effort to help impoverished mothers, has helped to reduce the infant-mortality rate for its participants by adopting business-like goals and corporate management approaches, reports The Wall Street Journal. The company provides financial support and product contributions, such as diapers, and its executives often volunteer to help manage the effort. For more information, or to purchase the article, go to: http://online.wsj.com/public/page/3_0466.html?KEYWORDS=Every+Child+Succeeds.

US Ranks 10^th on Status of Mothers and Children

Global humanitarian organization Save the Children has released its annual State of the World's Mothers report for 2006, which places the United States 10^th in health, safety and quality of life, tied with the United Kingdom (UK). Scandinavian countries rank highest for 2006, while countries in sub-Saharan African rank lowest. The report ranks the status of mothers and children in 125 countries, based on 10 indicators of health and education. Among the conclusions drawn from the 2006 global report: the presence of a skilled attendant at birth, education for females, and access to and use of family planning services are the three indicators most strongly correlated with child survival and wellbeing. To download the 2006 State if the World's Mothers Report, go to: www.savethechildren.org/publications/sowm_2006_final.pdf.

California Bans Thimerosol from Vaccines given to Pregnant Women & Young Children

A California state law took effect last week that effectively bans vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal from use in pregnant women and children under age three. It restricts the use of vaccines containing more than trace amounts of ethyl mercury with these populations, because of concern that the mercury could damage the developing brains of fetuses and young children. However, the law does allow state officials to waive thimerosal restrictions in the event of a public health emergency, including a severe flu vaccine shortage. To comply with the law, California has ordered 50,000 thimerosal-free flu vaccine doses for children ages one to three and 15,000 such doses for pregnant women. Governor Schwarzenegger originally signed the legislation (AB 2943) back in September 2004. To view the text of the bill, go to: www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/03-04/bill/asm/ab_2901-2950/ab_2943_bill_20040928_chaptered.pdf.

New Report Highlights Innovative Family and Youth-Centered Approaches to Children's Mental Health Policy

The National Center for Children in Poverty's (NCCP's) new report, "Challenges and Opportunities in Children's Mental Health: A View from Families and Youth", documents critical issues in children's mental health policy and service delivery from the perspective of stakeholders in the family and youth movement. It is the first report in NCCP's new series, Unclaimed Children Revisited, and is based on a meeting convened to solicit family and youth perspective on mental health services and supports for children, youth, and families. To read the full report, go to: http://nccp.org/media/ucr06a_text.pdf.

Board Source Offers Free Newsletter & Other Resources for Nonprofit Board Members

Do you know about Board Source's publications and resources for nonprofit board members? Their free monthly e-newsletter covers nonprofit management headlines and governance topics, and spotlights new items of interest to nonprofit board members. Available on their website are a number of free articles and expert Q & As on topics like "Achieving Fundraising Success," "Hallmarks of an Effective Board," and "Defining the Role of a Board Treasurer." They also post a calendar of national and regional events, and they offer several fee-based publications and development seminars just for nonprofit boards. To check out this resource, go to: http://www.boardsource.org/.

Pushing Them over the Edge: Getting Major Donors to Make the Gift

We all have on our lists - prospects who just cannot seem to commit to making the gift.  We know they have the potential; they have been invited to several events, have met with other donors and administrators, but still haven't made the gift.  We scratch our heads and wonder "Why?" or "What have I done wrong?"  In reality it may be as simple as asking the donor what their real intentions are; we should never assume anything. These prospects are tough because they relish feeling as though they are a part of an exclusive club and reply to every invitation, take free game tickets and attend any event that is associated with the organization.  These donors are getting the same benefits for not giving as those that have given. It may be prudent to examine the perceived potential versus the actual potential. If we realize that a prospect's actual potential is different from perceived potential, it is time to have another conversation. To read the full article, go to: http://www.onphilanthropy.com/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6633.

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Verizon Foundation's Nonprofit Resource Center Provides Free Web-Based Courses & Materials

The Verizon Foundation Nonprofit Resource Center, now in its second year of operation with support from the ePhilanthropy Foundation, offers a newly-expanded package of free, web-based professional development courses and resources designed to help nonprofits better manage their operations. The center is hosting new courses like "advanced grant writing," has awarded more than 1,200 training grants to nonprofits nationwide, and is providing a portal for in-kind donations of hardware and software. The goal: helping nonprofits find ways to reduce the time they spend on administrative functions, allowing them to focus more energy on their mission of helping others. For more information, go to: http://foundation.verizon.com/resourcecenter.

Overcoming Concentrated Poverty and Isolation

During the 1990s, the Department of Housing and Urban Development launched three rigorous research demonstrations testing alternative strategies for helping low-income families escape the isolation and distress of high-poverty, central-city communities. All three demonstrations were carefully designed to include rigorous controls and systematic data collection so that their implementation and impacts could be systematically evaluated. And all three are now generating provocative results that offer new insights for ongoing program experimentation and policy development. The Urban Institute draws ten broad lessons-including lessons about the potential for success, about the realities families' face, about implementing complex strategies, and about obstacles to success. For more information, go to: www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=311205.

Child Poverty on the Rise

Of the more than 73 million children in the United States, 40 percent - or 29.2 million - live in low-income families. After nearly a decade of decline, this number has been steadily rising since 2000. How does your state measure up? Find out in this interactive data book from the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP). It offers national and state-by-state data on poverty, parental education and employment, marital status, family structure, race and ethnicity, and many other demographics. Be sure to check out the Fact Sheets for great graphics and easy-to-read snapshots of kids, families, and income. The gap between high-income and poor and middle-income families grew from the early 1980s through the early 2000s, according to a January analysis of state income trends from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute. For more information, go to: http://www.connectforkids.org/node/3917 or go to: http://nccp.org/pub_nst06.html.

Implementing the TANF Changes in the Deficit Reduction Act: ‘Win-Win' Solutions for Families and States

The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) are pleased to announce the availability of this report, designed to provide state officials and others with an in-depth look at a broad range of strategies that can help states to improve the effectiveness of their Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs and to increase their work participation rates. This report is divided into five chapters and provides a discussion of the following: the legal structure of the DRA work participation requirements; strategies for improving welfare-to-work programs and increasing engagement in those programs; strategies for increasing support for working families (through increased earning disregards, stand-alone "worker supplement" programs, and child support distribution options) and how such strategies can help states meet their work participation rates; disability laws as they relate to TANF and strategies for improving the effectiveness of TANF-related programs for individuals with disabilities; and the fiscal implications of the TANF, child care, and child support provisions in the DRA. The report also provides extensive documentation so you can find additional information about topics particularly relevant to your state. The report can be accessed at: www.clasp.org/publications/tanfguide.pdf. It is also available on the CBPP site, at www.cbpp.org/5-9-06tanf.htm.

Putting a Human Face on Welfare Reform

The harsh realities of urban poverty have been pushed to center stage by Hurricane Katrina. But for Jason DeParle, a New York Times reporter who has delved deeply into the workings of welfare reform, it's familiar territory. DeParle spoke recently with Robert Capiccioso about the world of the working poor. For more information, go to: www.connectforkids.org/node/3380.

After a decade of decline, the proportion of low-income families is rising again, even among households with working parents. More than 33% of all children in the United States-and more than half of children under 6-live in low-income families. The National Center for Children in Poverty has a new overview. For more information, go to: http://www.nccp.org/.

Can States be Compared Based on Child Welfare Data?

The demand for quality child welfare data continues to grow as legislators, the federal government and the public seek more information about how states compare in their child welfare programs. This Issue Brief was prepared to help explain some of the complexities of the data that are encountered when comparing states to one another. The brief stresses the importance of national child welfare data, but highlights several issues that make state comparisons misleading without a comprehensive analysis. Several examples illustrate the variation among states. The need for more common operational definitions and the importance of comparing state programs to learn how to best ensure the safety, permanency and well-being of children across the nation are discussed. To read the full brief report, go to: http://ndas.cwla.org/include/pdf/ComparStates_Revised_IB_051506.pdf.

Long-term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect

The impact of child abuse and neglect is often discussed in terms of physical, psychological, behavioral, and societal consequences. In reality, however, it is impossible to separate them completely. Physical consequences, such as damage to a child's growing brain, can have psychological implications, such as cognitive delays or emotional difficulties. Psychological problems often manifest as high-risk behaviors. Depression and anxiety, for example, may make a person more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol or illicit drugs, or overeat. High-risk behaviors, in turn, can lead to long-term physical health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases, cancer, and obesity. This fact sheet provides an overview of some of the most common physical, psychological, behavioral, and societal consequences of child abuse and neglect, while acknowledging that much crossover among categories exists. For more information, go to: http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/long_term_consequences.pdf.

2006 KIDS COUNT Data Book Released

The 17^th annual KIDS COUNT Data Book reports that national trends in child well-being are no longer improving in the steady why they did in the late 1990s. The annual Data Book shows that three out of 10 child well-being indicators have worsened since 2000. More than 13 million children were living in poverty in 2004 - an increase of 1 million over four years. There was an increase in the percentage of low-birthweight babies between 2000 and 2003 and an increase in the number of children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment. For more information & to order a copy, go to: http://www.aecf.org/kidscount/.

Victims of Childhood Verbal Abuse May Suffer Ongoing Problems as Adults

"The old saying about sticks and stones was wrong," says the lead author of a new study on childhood verbal abuse. "Names will forever hurt you." The Florida State University study, headed by psychology professor Natalie Sachs-Ericsson, found that the long-term effects of verbal abuse can include depression, anxiety, and a tendency to be overly self-critical. Adults who were verbally abused as children were found to have 1.6 times as many symptoms of anxiety and depression as adults who were not verbally abused. In addition, those who were abused were twice as likely to have experienced a mood or anxiety disorder at some point. The study appears in the Journal of Affective Disorders. To read the full article, go to: www.fsu.edu/news/2006/05/22/invisible.scars.

Frequently Encountered Families

In most child welfare systems, there are a small percentage of families who require a disproportionate amount of caseworker time and agency resources. These "frequently encountered" (FE) families were the subject of a research study aimed at identifying characteristics of these families, as well as ways to strengthen the families and lessen their involvement with the child welfare system. The study drew on data from two samples of families who were the subject of accepted reports by child welfare agencies. In a Minnesota sample of 797 reported families, 19 percent were FE (three or more reports in 27 months). In Missouri, even though the FE families constituted only one-fifth of the reported families, half of the total CPS expenditures-more than $91 million-was spent on them over 5 years. The full report, Families Frequently Encountered by Child Protection Services: A Report on Chronic Child Abuse and Neglect, by L. A. Loman, was produced by the Institute of Applied Research. To read the full report, go to: www.iarstl.org/papers/FEfamiliesChronicCAN.pdf.

2^nd Annual South King County Latina Health Fair

The 2^nd Annual South King County Latina Health Fair is September 9^th at the Grace Community Church in Auburn. The fair is a collaboration between Grace Community Church, Public Health - Seattle & King County, the YMCA, the Komen Foundation, the Washington Breast & Cervical Health Program and Washington Health Foundation's Community Health Access Program. You or your organization is invited to share information and resources. This is a great way to reach Latina women and families in South King County. The primary focus will be Spanish-speakers. If you would like to provide resource materials and education at the fair, contact Cathy Aby to complete a registration form by August 4^th. For questions, call Cathy at (253)874-7642 or email her at cathy.aby@metrokc.gov.

Family Support America is Closing its Doors

After 25 years of successful work, Family Support America is closing its doors effective July 31, 2006, due to lack of funding. It's a time of sadness and a time to celebrate their accomplishments. Family Support America's board is continuing to explore possible alliances or arrangements to ensure that the assets of the organization and its legacy are preserved. Family Support America honors all who contributed to the family support movement internationally over the last 25 years, and all who continue to believe in strong families and powerful voices. The legacy of our organization will be apparent in the ongoing growth of the family support movement. If you wish to write a letter for a memory book, please send e-mail to familysupportamerica@gmail.com. For more information, go to: www.familysupportamerica.org/content/close.htm.