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Youth in the News

Volume 2, Number 16, October 16-31, 2007

Contents
State Watch
Research
Legal News
Government

STATE WATCH

The Matthew Shepard Foundation launched a website that offers resources for Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) youth.
In a new trend, some youth are abusing cough medicine to get high.
In Washington, current and former foster care youth attend a leadership summit to develop recommendations for legislators and state policymakers.
The YMCA in New York is offering a free membership to kids 5-17 for a program focused on physical activities and wellness.
The National Education Association launches a school crisis guide to help schools plan for and respond to emergencies.
A city in California uses several different strategies, including youth employment and mentoring, to provide opportunities for young people.
In order to combat gun violence, a city in New Jersey is launching an anonymous tip line.
Chicago continues efforts to help homeless LGBTQ youth.
A middle school in Maine considers offering contraception at the school health center.

RESEARCH

The National 4-H Council releases a study that measures effectiveness of positive youth development.
A new study shows that bullies and their victims are more likely to be victims of other crimes outside of school.

LEGAL NEWS

The Georgia Supreme Court releases a youth after ruling that his sentence for having consensual sex as a minor was cruel and unusual punishment.

GOVERNMENT

A Washington senator is honored for her efforts on after school programs.
Congress continues to discuss giving immigrant students the opportunity to become U.S. citizens.
An Ohio legislator introduces a bill that would require minors to get a doctor's prescription prior to using tanning beds.

ARTICLES

SHEPARD FOUNDATION
Shepard Foundation launches web site for queer youth
October 25, 2007
By Kris Larson

To commemorate the ninth anniversary of the brutal murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard, the foundation named in his honor and started by his parents, launched a new online space for LGBTQ youth earlier this month.

Called Matthew's Place, the online site offers resources for LGBTQ youth, and others who are interested in learning about Shepard.

The Matthew Shepard Foundation was started by Dennis and Judy Shepard, the parents of Matthew, after he was brutally murdered by two men in Wyoming in 1998. He was 21. The case generated international media attention and the Shepards have become outspoken advocates for the gay community, especially on hate crime issues.

The Shepards started the foundation with the intention to erase hate and ensure equality for all LGBT Americans. They have also been strong supporters of the Matthew Shepard Act, legislation that would strengthen existing federal hate crime laws. The act has been passed by Congress, but President Bush has indicated that he will veto it, calling it "unnecessary."

Judy Shepard, who serves as executive director of the foundation, stated that the new Web site is "a safe online place full of critical resources and information, a place where LGBTQ youth can see themselves reflected in our society, feel affirmation, and gain insights to help them lead healthy, productive, hate-free lives."

The site, at http://www.MatthewsPlace.com, currently offers national and LGBT news, advice columns, and way for kids to find resources like safe and inclusive direct-service providers, homeless shelters, and youth-serving organizations. The foundation plans to expand the site later to include things such as blogs, moderated chats, and individual space for kids.

The foundation also worked with local organization Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center when planning the site.

"We're happy that they're putting a spotlight on issues of LGBT youth and particularly issues of homelessness," said LYRIC Executive Director Jodi Schwartz. Last year, LYRIC joined with other LGBT youth organizations to examine the gaps in service for this demographic, and housing was determined to be an urgent problem for many LGBT youth.

According to data collected by LYRIC's youth advocates, of 73 people surveyed, "16 percent had urgent needs related to housing, 15 percent had urgent needs related to physical or mental health, four percent had urgent needs related to food and clothing, 10 percent were estranged from their families, and five percent had experienced domestic abuse," Schwartz said. She cited another report that found 33 percent of LGBT youth surveyed had been the targets of hate violence.

The foundation's press release cited a 2005 survey of 3,400 young people by the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network that found "nearly two-thirds of LGBT young people felt unsafe in school and over one-third had been physically harassed because of their sexual orientation."

Both the foundation and LYRIC employ outreach programs, which for the foundation is an effort to "replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance." The foundation has created an educational program about Shepard's life entitled "Small Bear, Big Dreams," which teaches compassion and respect for others.

LYRIC also works in the larger community. "We create spaces where we can have conversations about hate speech and homophobia in the community, and we do a lot of workshops in schools," Schwartz said. "We may partner with a teacher or someone from a wellness center and go into the classroom and facilitate conversations about the relationship between racism and hatred towards women, and really have folks understand from their own experiences and their own perspectives and have an understanding and a connection to homophobia."

Source: The Bay Area Reporter Online

COUGH MEDICINE
Don't let youth get high on something meant to do good
October 23, 2007
By Juana M. Gyek

Jessica Castro thought her friends were "playing around" when they told her they drank cough medicine to get high. But they weren't. Castro's friends are among the millions of teens nationwide abusing over-the-counter cough medicines containing dextromethorphan (DXM).

"They think it's just a little drug that's not really affecting them, but it really is," said the 16-year-old Cibola High School student.

Castro, a member of Cibola's Health Career Club, attended a town hall meeting Tuesday morning in Yuma organized by the Yuma Community Action Coalition to bring awareness on cough medicine abuse and how to take action to prevent it.

With a new generation of teens comes new trends, including new drugs to get high, said Doreen Lewis, chief executive officer for Community Intervention Associates (CIA), an agency that provides outpatient behavioral health treatment and substance abuse services.

With the large number of youth treated at CIA, Lewis is aware of the growing problem of cough medicine abuse.

"It can't get easier than getting it from the medicine cabinet," Lewis said.

Taking high doses of DXM causes the abuser to have an ecstasy-like high accompanied by effects like mild distortions of color and sound, strong visual hallucinations, "out-of-body" sensations, confusion, slurred speech and loss of motor control, Lewis said.

Abuse of cough medicine can lead to serious side effects which can worsen if the medicine is taken with a combination of other medications, alcohol or illegal drugs, Lewis said.

Some Internet sites promote misuse of cough medicine and even show youths how to consume it.

"I never hear (of cough medicine abuse) from parents or teachers, I've only heard it from friends who are abusing it," Castro admitted.

Teens can purchase DXM products from retail stores and the Internet with no questions asked, Lewis said. And Castro said she knows of teens who steal the drug from stores.

Because it's easily accessible and legal to purchase, teens can think that cough medicine is not as dangerous as street drugs, Lewis said.

Community professionals, parents, military personnel, Yuma Regional Medical Center staff, students, law enforcement and lawmakers attended the town hall meeting. Among them was state Sen. Amanda Aguirre, who said legislation to regulate cough medicine sales may be an option to prevent abuse.

Somerton Justice of the Peace Jorge Lozano agreed with Aguirre but said a law is not the only answer to this problem - other initiatives, like getting more parental involvement, are needed.

Castro thought the town hall meeting would be useful to other teens since they're the ones directly affected by cough medicine abuse, she said.

Castro and other members of the Health Career Club will take what they learned from the meeting back to school and create a presentation about the dangers of cough medicine, she said.

Lewis hopes these types of meetings will mobilize the community to bring prevention education to teens by educating adults in the community and hosting even more round-tables in the future.

The meeting was sponsored by Project HERO, a Drug-Free Community Support Initiative, The Regional Center for Border Health and Community Intervention Associates.

STATISTICS:

1 in 3 teens report having a close friend who abuses prescription pain relievers to get high.
1 in 4 teens report having a close friend who abuses cough medicine to get high.

SOME PRODUCTS CONTAINING DEXTROMETHORPHAN (DXM)

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold and Cough Medicine
Dimetapp DM
Sudafed Cough Medicine
Vicks NyQuil and DayQuil
Vicks 44 Cough Relief products
Tylenol Cold products
Triaminic cough syrups
Robitussin cough products

SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS OF DXM ABUSE CAN INCLUDE:

Delusions
Panic attacks
Memory problems
Blurred vision
Stomach pain, nausea and vomiting
High blood pressure and rapid heart beat
Numbness of fingers and toes
Drowsiness and dizziness
Fever and headaches
Rashes and itchy skin
Loss of consciousness

Source: www.doseofprevention.org

PARENTS, TO PREVENT COUGH MEDICINE ABUSE:

Educate yourself
Safeguard medicine cabinets
Talk to your child about over-the-counter and prescription medication abuse
Monitor Internet use
Be on the lookout for signs that your child might be using drugs

Source: Yuma Sun.com

WASHINGTON
Foster youths exercise their voices at leadership summit
October 21, 2007
By Lisa Stiffler and John Iwasaki

Help us be like normal teenagers.

That was the theme of the messages shared by dozens of foster kids who met at this weekend's second annual Foster Youth and Alumni Leadership Summit, designed to give voice to current and former foster children.

The participants -- all between 14 and 24 years old -- heard speakers and worked with facilitators to come up with recommendations for legislators and other state policy-makers. They presented those recommendations Sunday to the Washington Supreme Court Commission on Children in Foster Care, which co-sponsored the event with Casey Family Programs.

The presentations were based on firsthand experience.

The foster children said they were unable to get state identification cards required to get jobs because they lacked birth certificates and other required identification.

They said they couldn't get permission for common teen activities such as sleeping over at a friend's house because that required background checks, and caseworkers were too busy to get them done.

They were troubled about their lack of input over what happened to the state dollars provided to foster homes for their care. They often had to rely on the generosity of friends, teachers and coaches to pay for movies, basketball shoes and yearbooks.

If some of the rules, regulations and funding were tweaked, the youths said, the more than 9,000 Washington children in foster care could be more like everyone else.

"We're not different than any other kid you see in high school," said 15-year-old Tracie Truitt of Lacey. "We don't have biological parents who live with us, so what? ... We can still be normal."

The summit, which included about 60 current and 20 former foster children from across the state, was more than an opportunity to vent.

Three of last year's eight recommendations attracted sponsors and support in the Legislature and eventually became law.

One new law extends Medicaid benefits for foster children, who previously lost coverage when they left the foster care system at age 18. Coverage now extends to age 21.

Other approved legislation created an independent youth housing program and a pilot program to help foster children attend college.

"All three (new laws), we felt, were a direct result of the Leadership Summit," event coordinator Lissa Osborne said.

Recommendations this year included:

Collaborating with the Department of Licensing to allow foster children to get identification cards more easily.
Providing more funding for caseworkers so they're working with fewer children and have more time to help those assigned to them. There already is supposed to be enough money so there are no more than 22 children per caseworker, but it was unclear Sunday if that ratio is being met.
Improving accountability for how foster families spend state money provided for the children, and perhaps establishing an allowance -- $30 a month was one suggestion -- that goes directly to the youths.
Extending benefits provided to foster children to those taken in by family members, as opposed to foster families. These children don't receive the same support for scholarships, health care and other benefits.

Members of the commission frequently asked the crowd for a show of hands to gauge how many of them had been affected by the various problems raised.

"You have given us a lot of food for thought," said Bobbe Bridge, a Washington Supreme Court justice and co-chairwoman of the commission.

Source: SeattlePi.com

NEW YORK
YMCA of Greater New York Launches New Free Youth Membership Initiative
Chancellor Joel Klein, Kym Hampton Award Students the First "Strong Kids Cards" for Free YMCA Access
JPMorgan Chase Donates $300,000 to Support the Initiative
October 30, 2007

At a press conference at the historic Harlem YMCA this morning, the YMCA of Greater New York announced the launch of its new Strong Kids Card youth membership initiative, which will give kids 5-17 a special free membership to their local YMCA Branch.

With a regularly scheduled block of time on a weekday evening or weekend day, YMCA Strong Kids Card holders can take advantage of structured recreation at their local YMCA. The program is designed to get kids more active, learn more about their own health and nutrition, and take part in frequent events designed to bring the family together. The initial group is limited to children currently enrolled in YMCA programs such as afterschool and youth sports. The YMCA expects the program to reach 25,000 New York children in its first year. In all of its current programs, the YMCA serves more than 175,000 youths in the five boroughs.

"At the heart of the YMCA's traditional youth programming is a commitment to giving kids positive adult role models and developing in them the Y's four core values -- caring, honesty, respect and responsibility," said Jack Lund, President & CEO of the YMCA of Greater New York. "But with youth inactivity and poor nutrition at an all-time high, we look to create environments for children to be more physically active, choose food that is good for them, and engage their families to improve the environment back home.

"The keys to being active are having fun and having opportunities to do so. The new YMCA Strong Kids Card is designed to offer more structured fun and education. It represents a major step forward and will make a great impact on children's health in New York City," Lund added.

Thirty students from the YMCA's afterschool program at PS175 (Harlem) were the first to receive their Strong Kids Cards from special guests Chancellor Joel I. Klein of the Department of Education, Kym Hampton of the New York Liberty and Kim Jasmin of JPMorgan Chase, the presenting sponsor.

"For decades, the YMCA has been a partner with schools and parents in the health and safety of thousands of kids during the afterschool hours," said Chancellor Klein. "Both in afterschool programs and now with the new Strong Kids Card, the YMCA takes every opportunity to make the biggest impact on the health of New York's kids -- in spirit, mind and body."

The YMCA is currently implementing new standards in all of its afterschool programs, designed to increase physical activity, promote healthy eating, reduce television and computer "screen time" and foster connectedness among kids, parents and Y staff.

The event also featured the announcement of JPMorgan Chase's contribution of $300,000 in support of the launch of the Strong Kids Card, as well as two YMCA aquatics safety initiatives to be announced later this year, 2nd Grade Swim and the YMCA Lifeguard Training Program.

"As a long-time supporter of the YMCA of Greater New York, we believe that it is imperative to educate the youth of New York City about the importance of healthy living," said Jasmin, Vice President & Regional Manager of Community Relations for JPMorgan Chase. "The YMCA continues to offer programs that provide a fun, interactive way to motivate kids, while improving their health and social skills."

JPMorgan Chase is also a founding sponsor of the YMCA's renowned Virtual Y afterschool program, a free, literacy-based curriculum that extends children's learning past 3:00p.m.

The YMCA Strong Kids Card is part of the YMCA of Greater New York's commitment to combating the childhood obesity epidemic and improving children's health and wellness. New standards for afterschool and day camp curricula include regular fun, active and educational programs for the kids in the YMCA's care during these critical hours. Following the announcement, the students participated in innovative non-elimination activities similar to those that will be part of the Strong Kids Card program. Y staff were aided by Kym Hampton of the WNBA's New York Liberty, a longtime supporter of the YMCA.

"The YMCA has always given kids the role models to develop themselves as leaders," said Hampton. "The Strong Kids Card is going to make a big difference, and I can't think of anyone better than the YMCA to help kids get themselves and their families on the road to healthy living."

In order to ensure that YMCA programs and services are open to all, regardless of ability to pay, the YMCA offers financial assistance to those with a demonstrated need, thanks in large part to contributions to its annual Strong Kids Campaign. In total, the YMCA of Greater New York provides more than $45 million in free and subsidized programs and services to more than 350,000 New Yorkers every year.

The YMCA of Greater New York is a community service organization which promotes positive values through programs that build spirit, mind and body, welcoming all people, with a focus on youth. The largest private youth-serving organization in New York City, the YMCA of Greater New York encompasses 19 branches and 180 program sites throughout the five boroughs, plus three camps upstate, serving 350,000 New Yorkers of all ages each year, including 175,000 children in a variety of educational, social, health and wellness, as well as recreational and child development programs, each of which reinforce the YMCA values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. Supported in part through contributions to the Strong Kids Campaign, the YMCA provides membership assistance and scholarships, so that no one is turned away due to an inability to pay. Visit www.ymcanyc.org to learn more.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $1.5 trillion and operations in more than 50 countries. The firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers, small business and commercial banking, financial transaction processing, asset management, and private equity. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase serves millions of consumers in the United States and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its JPMorgan and Chase brands. Information about the firm is available at jpmorganchase.com.

Source: YMCA of Greater New York

NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
NEA Launches Online Guide to Help Keep Schools Safe
From 9/11 and Katrina to the Virginia Tech massacre, this new crisis guide is a valuable resource to help educators prepare for the worst
October 22, 2007

As schools nationwide revamp their emergency response systems and update safety preparedness, the National Education Association Health Information Network (NEA HIN) today launched its new School Crisis Guide: Help and Healing in a Time of Crisis.

Developed with a generous grant from the Sprint Foundation, the easy-to-use online guide provides action steps, tips and resources to help educators prepare for emergencies; respond competently during a crisis; and assist students, staff and families in recovering after a crisis. The new, comprehensive guide focuses on school safety, provides advice on handling both man-made and natural disasters, and includes a section on violence prevention.

"While schools are among the safest places for children, crises like Columbine, 9/11, Katrina and Virginia Tech taught us our nation's students are not immune from tragedy or suffering," said NEA President Reg Weaver. "This guide is a comprehensive blueprint of best practices in crisis preparedness and response. Although we all wish the School Crisis Guide would rarely have to be used, today's world demands school employees be prepared for the unexpected."

NEA is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million education professionals. NEA HIN provides health information to education employees and the 43 million-plus students they serve.

"Knowing what to do can be the difference between stability and upheaval," said Jerry Newberry, executive director, NEA HIN. "The new step-by-step guide was created by educators for educators, making it easier for educators to keep schools safe and focus on what they do best: help children learn."

The guide is funded largely by the Sprint Foundation, which has provided more than $93 million nationwide to support school safety, K-12 education, youth development, and arts and culture.

"The new NEA Crisis Guide provides schools with the information they need to keep students safe and to deal with emergency situations when the unthinkable happens," said Ralph Reid, vice president of Sprint Corporate Social Responsibility and president of the Sprint Foundation. "Sprint and the Sprint Foundation are committed to ensuring a physically safe school environment for our children. Our goal is to have a positive impact on school readiness by providing support through strategic partnerships and targeted grants."

The free, online guide is available at www.neahin.org/schoolcrisis. It provides up-to-date information and tools wherever and whenever they're needed. It's easy to navigate, so users have immediate access to the information they need, whether planning for a crisis or in the midst of handling one. The guide features tools, tip sheets and links to Web-based resources for all aspects of crisis management, from planning to response to recovery.

The guide also provides comprehensive information about media relations during a crisis, such as how to develop communications protocols with the media to ensure that the needs of both the media and the school are being met. The guide offers tips for working with the media during and after the crisis, including how to handle the first anniversary of a crisis. Tools include sample press releases, frequently asked questions, media interview request forms and school fact sheets.

A print version of the new guide also is available, and includes a hands-on resource for educators preparing crisis response plans before an emergency strikes.

The new guide is a completely updated edition of NEA HIN's earlier product created in 2000. NEA HIN will update the new online guide regularly.

About NEA

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.

About NEA HIN

As the nonprofit health affiliate of the National Education Association, the NEA Health Information Network (NEA HIN) provides health and safety information, training and services to 3.2 million educational employees and the more than 43 million students they serve.

About the Sprint Foundation

Since its establishment in 1989, the Sprint Foundation has provided nearly $100 million to community organizations across the country with a special emphasis on those supporting K-12 education, positive youth development, arts and culture outreach, school safety and Internet safety. Through direct grants and a robust matching-gifts program for employees and retirees, the Sprint Foundation creatively and thoughtfully delivers Sprint's commitment to championing the communities where Sprint customers and employees live.

CALIFORNIA
City ‘on the right track’ with gang problem
October 17, 2007
By Nathaniel Liedl

Ridgecrest is on the right track.

That was the message Councilman Ron Carter delivered to the Activate Community Talents and Interventions For Optimal Neighborhoods (A.C.T.I.O.N.) Task Force Monday night. Last month, Carter, along with a few other A.C.T.I.O.N. members, attended a Community Summit on Gangs and Youth Violence in Bakersfield, hosted by Assemblywoman Jean Fuller.

“They validated everything we’re doing and why we’re here,” said Carter. “Their focus was on community working with government agencies at all levels in doing prevention, after school programs, tutoring programs, substance abuse programs, mentoring programs, talking about intervention and suppression — which is mostly with the police department — but they talked about almost everything that we’ve talked about doing in our community.”

Y.E.S.

One of the programs talked about by Fuller is getting youth jobs. That’s where Starla Shaver, from Youth Employment Services, comes in.

Y.E.S. aids at risk and low income youth from ages 14-21 to provide them with the skills needed to succeed in today’s job market. Curriculum includes job hunting strategies, application and resume writing, interviewing, job keeping skills, work ethics, anger management skills, self esteem and goal development, and personal money management. The classes and workshops are taught by Y.E.S staff, with support from professionals, and are meant to give the students a look at the realities of finding and keeping a job.

“It is based on low income and then also on personal barriers, whether it be educational, some type of basic skills deficiency, pregnant parenting, any type of involvement in law enforcement, any type of probation would also qualify them,” said Shaver. “...There are ways to get them through with the personal barriers but the financial barrier is one that they won’t budge on.”

The program is funded by a Work Investment Act grant from the federal government. Twice a year Y.E.S. “intakes” new youth, the next intake is in February. Y.E.S. is comprised of in-school and out-of-school youth, usually about a 60-40 percent ratio.

“However I’m about to lose five or six of those,” said Shaver of out-of-school youth. “I only have 12 out-of-school youth out of 30 enrolled. So at the end of this month when I have to exit another five or six, I’m desperately looking for out-of-school youth.

“That is a huge problem nationwide — getting out of school youth into these programs. The February intake is going to be very limited to in-school youth because we are already full of in-school youth.”

Out-of-school youth such as high school dropouts, those in between schools, or students just graduated and waiting to go to college are encouraged to contact Y.E.S. at 499-5030 to learn more about the program.

Additionally, Assistant City Manager and Police Chief Michael Avery invited local service clubs such as Footprinters, the Lion’s Club, and Exchange Club and asked them to think about sponsoring a child.

Mentorship program

Ralph Mueller, along with his wife Jo, are at the forefront of mentoring to Ridgecrest. In September, the Muellers attended a mentorship training conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. Ralph is a pastor with Ridgecrest Presbyterian Church and also a secretary for the Ministerial Group.

“We’ve got folks lined up for five of the leadership positions who will be going through training for their positions in the future and I plan to start visiting churches and start recruiting mentors and connecting with schools but I think we really have potential to be up and running by the beginning of 2008.”

Neighborhood Watch

A city-wide Neighborhood Watch Program is also on the horizon. Deputy Chief Ron Strand said Police and Community Together (PACT) have put a potential coordinator, who was formerly the coordinator, through background and she is awaiting Avery’s “stamp of approval.” PACT has also hired a temporary part-time person to help the new coordinator out, said Strand.

“We’re moving in a positive direction,” he said.

Assuming Avery endorses the coordinator, she will be present at the new A.C.T.I.O.N. Task Force meeting in November.

Parenting Project

Nancy Ribultan of the Family Resource Center attended to meeting to update the group on the Parent Project.

“Everybody’s together on it,” said Ribultan. “We have three classes going right now.”

A senior class has 12 participants, a junior class and “new beginnings parent” class each have seven attendees, said Ribultan, who recognized that “doesn’t seem like a lot of people going to class.”

Sierra Sands Unified School District passed out flyers to every student and flyers were handed out at back-to-school nights to let people know about the Parent Project, said Ribultan.

“So it’s out there. Parent Project is there and I think it’s going to take time,” said Ribultan. “It’s going to take word of mouth. People are going to find out how great the class is and maybe if we could get teachers to go once in a while that would be great. Because it not only would help in the classroom but they could spread the word about how great the class is.”

School Report

As the second month of school comes to a close, all is “fairly quiet,” said SSUSD Superintendant Joanna Rummer.

“We haven’t seen a lot of situations happening on our campuses so far,” said Rummer.

The district’s community day school, an “alternative placement for discipline,” has expanded from part-time to full-time this year, according to Rummer. It now runs from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.,

“It’s staffed by a counselor instead of a teacher,” said Rummer. “They take online programs that are taught by highly qualified teachers, so their course curriculum is through the Internet with the supervision and guidance of a counselor. So the counselor has opportunity during the day to do intervention programs and if the student is having an amount of difficulty that counselor is on staff, or intervention specialist, to meet the needs of the students right there in that room.

So we think it’s a really positive change over what we had in place prior to this and we’re looking forward to it being a successful program.”

Source: The Daily Independent

NEW JERSEY
New Brunswick starts gun violence tipline for students
October 30, 2007
By Nawal Qarooni

New Brunswick will launch a campaign against gun violence by promoting an anonymous tipline students can call to warn authorities about threats, officials said today.

Through a $205,504 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the SPEAK UP campaign will be introduced to the city and its youth in the next year and include educational and media components in the city's middle schools.

The hotline was launched in 2002 by New York City-based PAX/ Real Solutions, a nonprofit designed to eliminate gun violence. Since then, the hotline has received 20,000 calls, and 731 of those calls were from anonymous New Jersey residents.

"I know the importance of providing prevention for students in an anonymous way," said New Brunswick Police Sgt. Raymond Trigg, who will run the outreach program in city middle schools. "Especially because a lot of kids are concerned with being a rat or a snitch."

The program will include five billboards a month for the next eight months across New Brunswick in addition to the curriculum component in sixth grade health classes. Similar programs have been launched in Los Angeles and Pittsburgh, said Dan Gross, head of PAX.

Source: NJ.com

ILLINOIS
The Struggles of Homeless Trans Youth
October, 31, 2007
By Charlsie Dewey

Homeless LGBT youth face increased difficulties compared to their heterosexual counterparts both on the streets and within the shelter system, according to a study the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force report, “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth: An Epidemic of Homelessness,” which was released in January 2007.

According to the report, LGBT homeless youth are more vulnerable to mental health issues, substance abuse, risky sexual behavior and victimization. The report states, “A study of homeless youth in Canada found that those who identify as LGBT were three times as likely to participate in survival sex than their heterosexual peers,” and The National Runaway Switchboard reported, “LGBT homeless youth are seven times more likely than their heterosexual peers to be victims of crime.”

Shelter systems do not ease many of these risks for LGBT teens. “The majority of existing shelters and other care systems are not providing safe and effective services to LGBT homeless youth,” the report states.

For trans youth the barriers increase. “Transgender youth are disproportionately represented in the homeless population. More generally, some reports indicate that one in five transgender individuals need or are at risk of needing homeless shelter assistance. However, most shelters are segregated by birth sex, regardless of the individuals gender identity, and homeless transgender youth are even ostracized by some agencies that serve their LGB peers,” according to the document.

Trans youth experience and fear violence, harassment and discrimination within the shelters and, for many, staying in a shelter can be less safe than spending the night on the street.

Over the past few years, individuals working with homeless youth in Chicago note several positive changes for LGB teens, as more shelters work to understand the complex issues facing these youth; however, trans youth are still experiencing disturbing difficulties.

“I think all of the youth shelter programs are cognizant of the fact that LGBT youth are a huge proportion of this epidemic, and I think they’re trying harder than ever, especially in the last 5 to 7 years, to make sure their spaces are affirming and safe for LGBT individuals. I think the trans piece is still the complicated piece,” explained Joe Hollendoner, director of the Howard Brown Broadway Youth Center.

“I feel like they are very committed to making space that is safe to LGBT young people, however, I think again, that the shelter system reflects a larger societal issue, if we have a culture that perpetuates heterosexism, homophobia and transphobia then, clearly our shelter program is going to perpetuate that, compounded with issues of race and class,” he said.

Myrl Beam, also of Howard Brown, echoes Hollendoner’s statements, explaining how issues of employment discrimination, violence at school, homophobia, transphobia, and racism as well as police harassment create several more barriers towards healthy development for trans youth.

Employers do not understand transgender individuals and compounding that with homelessness also creates a nearly impossible situation in the work place. Barbara Bolsen, vice president of programs for The Night Ministry, explained what she has seen over her many years serving homeless youth, “I think when you are a young person and you are trying to understand yourself, your identity and who you are, it can be a hard thing to be doing that and also to be homeless and trying to figure out how to support yourself. I certainly saw for some of those young people, it was hard for them to get jobs and keep jobs. Particularly if they were at a period where they were just starting to figure out which identity to be and to live as.”

Another significant barrier is police harassment. Beam said that the LGBT community could help protect trans youth by holding police accountable. She also said, “As a queer community we need to really take on the work of transforming our minds and our lives in our communities and our businesses and actually make opportunities available for trans people. We need to take on the cause of dismantling transphobia.”

Funding for more beds and services is also a vital component to help homeless youth. “The need far outweighs the resources in the crisis moment, when young people need some place to go in the dead of winter, there is nowhere, so it forces young people to make unsafe decisions, which puts them in contact with the criminal justice system through no fault of their own, because there are no other choices. So, increasing the number of beds is critical and then making sure those beds are accessible to trans youth,” Beam explained.

At this point, federal and local funding for homeless youth shelters and services does not come close to meeting the projected need, which means that while many individuals working with homeless youth here in Chicago agree that LGBT specific shelters and services would greatly increase the safety and healthy development of LGBT teens, and trans teens especially, funding just isn’t available. Presently in Chicago, there are no LGBT-specific shelters and none planned for the future.

Hollendoner said, “I think in the current landscape of things it’s important that we ensure that the beds that exist now are safe for LGBT individuals and specifically for trans individuals. I think the experiences of trans youth within shelter programs are particularly concerning to me and to my colleagues. I think it is critically important that our existing beds are safe for everyone. I also believe that if resources became available that having a shelter program specifically for LGBT youth would be a wonderful asset to the community … [ but ] , I think it’s really important not just to develop an LGBT homeless youth center and say okay well that’s where all the homeless LGBT youth go and not hold other shelter programming accountable to making sure LGBT youth are safe in their shelter.”

Another aspect of providing safe housing is transforming the way the shelter systems categorize youth. Hollendoner said, “I think that so often our shelter programs are based on a binary gender system and I think that throughout the youth community you see that binary gender systems aren’t the way in which youth describe their bodies and that there’s a fluidity around gender now and I think that the shelter programs are now just beginning to understand that.”

Sol Flores, executive director of La Casa Norte, explained how the Solid Ground Supportive Housing Program, a project-based housing unit specifically serving male youth aged 16-21 that is part of La Casa Norte, is approaching housing transitioning youth: “We created eligibility guidelines in the transgender area that say if you identify and are living currently as a male you can come into the program, because it is a male intentional program…we could have someone who is going through the transition as long as he is identifying as and living as a male.”

Solid Ground’s private room system also provides privacy for its residents, which Flores believes has a positive impact allowing for privacy that many sheltered youth don’t’ receive.

Training and education for staff was also cited as a way to decrease discrimination. “I certainly think that training is a very positive thing. … It creates a better environment for everybody,” Bolsen said.

Source: The Windy City Times

MAINE
Maine school to review pill plan
October 24, 2007
Associated Press

A school board will consider limiting student access to birth control pills and patches at a middle school's health center.

Earlier this month, the Portland School Committee approved a plan that made King Middle School the first middle school in Maine to offer a full range of contraception to pupils in grades 6 through 8, when most are 11 to 13 years old, according to state officials.

On Monday, committee member Benjamin Meiklejohn proposed giving parents the option of blocking access to prescription contraceptives when they enroll their children in the health center. His plan also would limit contraceptives to students who are at least 14 years old. The committee will consider his resolution Nov. 7.

Meiklejohn is one of two board members who voted against providing prescription birth control.

Pupils need parental permission to access the school's health center, which is operated by the city's Public Health Division. Treatment is confidential under state law, which allows the students to decide whether to inform parents about services received.

The center offers a variety of medical services, including treating acne, sore throats and muscle strains, and giving immunizations and psychiatric evaluations. It has been providing students with condoms since 2000.

The committee's 7-2 vote last week sparked a controversy and prompted a Republican-led effort to recall members who supported the measure. School committee elections in this overwhelmingly Democratic city are non-partisan.

John Coyne, school committee chairman, said he wants to run Meiklejohn's proposal by the legal department.

Source: The Chicago Tribune

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Groundbreaking National Study: Youth Development Programs Build Stronger Communities

October 23, 2007

The more time youth spend participating in youth development programs like 4-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Boys & Girls Clubs, the more likely they are to experience positive youth development and contribute to their communities, according to a national longitudinal study released today by National 4-H Council.

Findings from The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development (PYD) indicate that all youth, regardless of where they live, their family situations, their socioeconomic status, and their race or gender, have the capacity to thrive. Findings also show that when communities, families and schools provide access to youth development programs as well as opportunities for sustained adult interaction and mentoring, youth experience success.

"This study has allowed us to track the behaviors of youth over several years and to learn how family, school and community experiences are shaping their development," said Tufts University Professor Richard M. Lerner, Ph.D., director of The 4-H Study of PYD and author of The Good Teen (Crown Publishers, October 2007). "We know that all youth have the potential to succeed, but we have found that the likelihood of success is greatest when youth regularly experience positive adult interaction and mentorship and are involved in youth development programs. We have also found that the nature and frequency of 4-H programs is associated with youth doing their best."

The characteristics of a successful youth development program are being measured for the first time with The 4-H Study of PYD. Key findings of the study show that:

Youth development programs are proven to affect youth success.
All youth can succeed -- involvement in youth development programs increases a young person's potential of doing well.
All youth need positive youth development. No young person is immune to the risks and challenges present in today's society.
Involvement in youth development programs reduces the likelihood that young people will engage in risk behaviors, such as underage drinking, smoking, bullying, etc.
The quality and quantity of structured, out-of-school-time programs that youth are involved with matters. The more often youth are involved in high-quality youth development programs, the more they and their communities benefit.
4-H youth are leaders, contribute to their communities and are civically engaged.

While involvement in general out-of-school-time activities aids in positive youth development, those involved in 4-H are much more likely to contribute to themselves, their families and their communities by living a healthy lifestyle, supporting family activities and volunteering. Results also show that the more time youth spend involved in high-quality youth development programs the more likely they are to experience high-levels of positive youth development. This correlation is especially true of young people involved in 4-H programs that ensure environments that encourage sustained positive relationships with adult mentors, skill-building activities and leadership.

"As a leader in positive youth development programs, 4-H wants to better understand the environmental contexts and educational elements that provide young people with opportunities to experience success," said Donald Floyd, Jr., president and CEO, National 4-H Council. "What we learn from this study will help 4-H programs across the nation ensure that 4-H continues to support young people's growth into successful, contributing members of their communities."

To learn more about PYD, 4-H and The 4-H Study of PYD, visit http://www.fourhcouncil.edu/newsroom.aspx. To request an executive summary of the study, contact Crystal Borde at cborde@vancomm.com.

The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development

The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development is the first-ever longitudinal study to measure the characteristics of positive youth development (PYD). Led by Richard M. Lerner, Ph.D., professor at Tufts University, the study was sponsored by National 4-H Council. It involves more than 4,000 youth and 2,000 parents from 25 states that measures the impact personal and social factors have on a young person's development.

National 4-H Council

4-H is the Nation's largest youth development organization, serving more than 6.5 million youth across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. National 4-H Council is the national, private sector, non-profit partner of the 4-H Youth Development Program and its parent, the Cooperative Extension System of the United States Department of Agriculture. For more information, visit http://www.fourhcouncil.edu/.

Source: Earthtimes.org

BULLIES
Study: Bullies and bullied more likely hit by crime
October 16, 2007
By Wendy Koch

As a growing number of states pass laws against bullying, new research finds that bullies and their victims are more likely than other children to be victims of crime outside of school.

"They're often victimized in the community," says Melissa Holt, research professor at the University of New Hampshire's Crimes Against Children Research Center, co-author of a new study on bullying.

The kids in the study at greatest risk are those who are both bullies and victims of bullies, Holt says. Of those, 84% had been victims of a crime, including burglary and assault, and 32% had been sexually abused. The study was based on interviews with 689 fifth-graders in 2005 in an unidentified urban, low-income school district in Massachusetts. Holt says the area's overall crime rate is higher than average, but she believes that the pattern of victimization would hold in most places.

The study found that 70% of bullies and 66% of bullying victims were crime victims, compared with 43% of kids who were neither bullies nor victims.

Holt says bullies may be less apt to walk away from fights, and therefore more likely to be assaulted, and more likely to associate with aggressive kids who would commit crimes against them. A shy or insecure child is vulnerable in and out of school, she says.

The research comes as more states adopt laws that prohibit bullying and set up prevention programs.

At least nine states this year have passed such a law or expanded an existing one to address the problem of Internet bullying, says Lamar Bailey, research analyst at the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Thirty-two states have passed anti-bullying laws, almost all since the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School. The two shooters, who killed 12 other students and a teacher before committing suicide, reportedly had been harassed at school.

"A lot of school shootings have a tie back to bullying," says Julie Hertzog, bullying prevention coordinator at PACER Center, an advocacy group for children with disabilities. Her group, with support from the National PTA and other education groups, designated next week as National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week.

"Bullying and suicide are connected," says Brenda High, founder of Bully Police USA, a group pushing anti-bullying laws. Her son Jared, who she says was beaten at school, committed suicide in 1998 at age 13.

In Holt's study, nearly half of those who said they were victims of bullying were referred to school counselors because of thoughts about suicide.

About 20% of students are bullied at some time, whether it's teasing, name-calling or hitting, Hertzog says. She says the most vulnerable are those who react by crying, getting mad or fighting back or who are socially isolated.

"Simply having even one good friend can really help prevent bullying," says Susan Limber, professor at the Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life at Clemson University. "There's safety in numbers."

Bullying has long been a problem in schools, but what has changed is the culture, says Matthew Masiello, a pediatrician who is vice president of Conemaugh Health System in Jonestown, Pa. "We live in a society that exposes kids to more and more violence," he says

Masiello says children who are bullied do worse in school, have lower self-esteem and are more likely to be absent and to drop out.

Source: USA Today online

GEORGIA
Georgia Youth In Juvenile Sex Case Freed
October 26, 2007
By CNN

The Georgia Supreme Court on Friday ordered that Genarlow Wilson be released from prison in a 4-3 decision, ruling that his sentence for a teen sex conviction was cruel and unusual punishment.

Genarlow Wilson's case received national attention and led to changes in Georgia law. Wilson was convicted in 2005 of having oral sex with a consenting 15-year-old girl when he was 17. He has served two years in prison.

Wilson's attorney, B.J. Bernstein, told CNN that he can be released as soon as a Monroe County judge issues a new order and serves it to the attorney general. Bernstein added that she called the prison warden, who informed Wilson of his pending release.

"We want him home," Bernstein said. "In the end it shows this: That the courts can work, the courts do work." At the time of Wilson's conviction, Georgia law made the crime punishable by 10 years in prison. The law was later amended, making such conduct "punishable by no more than a year in prison and no sex offender registration," the court noted.

The Georgia high court upheld the decision of the Monroe County judge. In a 48-page opinion, the court said the "severe" punishment Wilson received and his mandated sex offender registration make "no measurable contribution to acceptable goals of punishment."

Friday's decision came after a protracted legal battle that has galvanized international attention and drawn the involvement of civil rights leaders. Partly as a result of Wilson's conviction, state legislators changed the law to make such consensual conduct between minors a misdemeanor, rather than a felony.

The case revolves around a New Year's Eve party outside Atlanta in 2003 when Wilson engaged in the sex act with the girl.

Under a now-changed Georgia law, Wilson was convicted of felony aggravated child molestation. He was acquitted on a second charge of raping a 17-year-old girl -- who prosecutors maintained was too intoxicated at the party to consent.

The 10-year sentence was mandatory under the law.

In the decision, Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears wrote that changes in the law "represent a seismic shift in the legislature's view of the gravity of oral sex between two willing teenage participants."

"Although society has a significant interest in protecting children from premature sexual activity, we must acknowledge that Wilson's crime does not rise to the level of culpability of adults who prey on children," the court's majority found.

"For the law to punish Wilson as it would an adult, with the extraordinarily harsh punishment of 10 years in prison without the possibility of probation or parole, appears to be grossly disproportionate to his crime," the majority opinion concluded.

The dissent noted that the Georgia Legislature had made clear that the changes in the law were not to be applied retroactively.

Justice George Carley, writing for the dissenting justices, said, "The General Assembly made the express decision that he cannot benefit from the subsequent legislative determination to reduce the sentence for commission of that crime from felony to misdemeanor status."

The majority countered that it was not applying the 2006 amendment retroactively, but instead factoring that "into its determination that Wilson's punishment is cruel and unusual," the court said in a news release.

The court said this kind of decision is unusual: "The majority opinion points out that this court rarely overturns a sentence on cruel and unusual grounds. But twice before, it did so following a legislative change."

Monroe County Superior Court judge ruled that Wilson's punishment was cruel and unusual and voided it on constitutional grounds. The judge reduced the sentence to one year and said Wilson should not be put on Georgia's sex offender registry, as the old law required.

Wilson's jubilant attorneys had hoped that ruling would free him from state prison. But shortly after it was handed down, Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker announced he would appeal the decision, a move that kept Wilson behind bars.

The high court said unanimously that the decision to deny Wilson bail was correct. Wilson's plight drew pleas for his release, including from former President Carter, an ex-Georgia governor, and even some of the jurors who convicted him.

Legislation that would make the change in Georgia's child molestation law retroactive to free Wilson failed to win approval earlier this year.

Source: Black Star News

WASHINGTON
Sen. Eide honored for her support of youth programs

A youth advocacy group has highlighted Sen. Tracey Eide, D-Federal Way, as an Afterschool Hall of Fame Champion for her efforts as a state leader in helping kids learn and stay safe - even after the school day is over.

School's Out Washington, a training, leadership and advocacy group supporting after-school programs for Washington students, cites Eide's leadership in successfully passing legislation and securing funding to begin or expand 56 programs across the state for kids after school.

Eide received the group's Afterschool Hall of Fame Champion award October 18 at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle.

"Senator Eide's passion and commitment to securing success for after-school makes her a true champion, and we're honored to present her with the award this year," said Janet Frieling with School's Out Washington.

A member of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee and the Senate floor leader, Eide authored Senate Bill 5841 last session.

The measure directed $3 million in funding to new or expanded after school programs.

"I'm honored that School's Out Washington chose me for this award," Eide said, "but the work being done every day by caring volunteers and teachers is what really makes these programs work."

In addition to her work in the Senate, Eide serves with numerous education advocacy groups, and was selected as the 2006 Education Champion by the League of Education Voters.

Source: Federal Way News

CONGRESS
Youth citizenship bill faces key vote
October 24, 2007
By Dave Montgomery

The Senate faces another contentious showdown on immigration today when it considers legislation designed to put thousands of illegal-immigrant students on track to U.S. citizenship.

Although the proposed DREAM Act is far more limited than the comprehensive immigration bill that collapsed in the Senate in late June, today's debate will nevertheless resurrect the same arguments from the earlier battle.

The Senate bill faces a late-morning test, with supporters needing at least 60 votes to move forward with debate. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., the chief sponsor, said Tuesday that his side has solid assurances of only about 55 votes but that he hopes to secure commitments from wavering senators.

The bill, known officially as the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, would give illegal immigrants who have grown up in the United States the opportunity to apply for citizenship if they graduate from high school and complete two years of college or serve in the military.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the senior Republican on the immigration subcommittee, said he plans to vote against bringing up the measure. He said the bill would grant illegal immigrants broad access to student loans "at a time when we are struggling to meet loan needs for our own citizens." Cornyn said the legislation also lacks safeguards against fraudulent applications.

Under the proposal, candidates for citizenship must be no older than 30 and must have lived in the United States at least five years as of the bill's passage date. A report released by supporters Tuesday projected that the bill would immediately affect 360,000 high school graduates and eventually 715,000 more youngsters ages 5 to 17.

The DREAM Act was included in the failed immigration bill that the White House supported and has generally attracted bipartisan support. But conservatives and groups advocating restrictive immigration policies have tried to derail the measure, saying supporters are trying to open the door to granting amnesty to millions of other illegal immigrants.

"I think we're going to have to start calling this the 'recurring dream act' because the supporters of amnesty are just relentless. They will not accept no for an answer," said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

But Durbin and other supporters said the legislation offers hope to children who entered the United States with their parents and attended public schools but are denied further advancement because of their illegal status.

Many of the students have "heartbreaking stories" and are simply "asking us for a chance to stay" in the United States as legal residents, Durbin said.

"This is a bill that is going to be very difficult for members to vote against," said Angela Kelley, director of the Immigration Policy Center, a pro-immigration organization. "This is just a straight policy question about how we treat our kids."

The White House hasn't assumed an active role in the debate, although Durbin said high-ranking administration officials have assured him privately that they support the bill.

Durbin said the military has also embraced the bill as an "excellent opportunity" to broaden the pool of potential recruits and overcome the challenges of maintaining needed troop levels for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Source: Star-Telegram.com

OHIO
A ban on teen tans?
Lawmakers hear from cancer patients' relatives
By Jon Craig

If Cincinnati-area teens can't legally tan in Ohio, they'll just drive to Kentucky to bronze their skin at commercial tanning salons there.

That's the teenage reaction to a state law proposed by a Butler County Republican who thinks anyone under 18 should get a doctor's prescription before exposing themselves to potentially cancer-causing ultraviolet rays.

Backers of the bill say teens need to be kept away from tanning salons - and one Fairfield mother testified last week that tanning led to her daughter's death.

Ohio and Kentucky already require written consent from parents.

The proposal by state Rep. Courtney Combs, of Hamilton, would be the most stringent standard nationwide for minors buying an indoor tan.

No state currently requires a medical prescription for a teenager to buy a commercial tan, according to dermatology experts. There are about 3,000 businesses with licensed tanning beds in Ohio.

"Really, I think it's a load of crap,"' said Cori Hardy, 17, of Bellevue, Ky. "Teens have been tanning for years now, and all of a sudden Ohio is cracking down.

"When it comes to your body, if you don't want your skin to look as white as it naturally is, and you want your skin to be bronzed so you can look good, I mean, that's up to you and your parents,'' Cori said. "That has nothing to do with the law or a doctor."

At least 26 states regulate the use of tanning facilities by minors, most of them requiring parental consent. Lawmakers in 16 states are considering bills this year with new restrictions on the salons, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

At a hearing last week on the bill, legislators heard about Jacinta Cohen, a Fairfield woman who died in 1999.

Cohen had two addictions: Mountain Dew and tanning. But 15 years worth of tanning, according to her mother, killed Cohen at the age of 44, after a four-year battle with cancer rooted in a mole on her chest.

Rita Shafor of Fairfield testified about her daughter and in support of Combs' bill Tuesday before the House Commerce & Labor Committee.

"She used them because they made her feel better,'' Shafor said. "She tanned to boost her self-esteem.''

Shafor said she's all for tighter restrictions on tanning salons, which she believes killed her daughter. "No parent should have to bury a child,'' said Shafor, saying she warned Cohen about the risks of tanning for many years.

It was malignant melanoma that killed Cohen.

"What do you think about a 16-year-old who's going to her first prom?'' Shafor asked lawmakers. "Do you think her mom is going to say, 'No'? Let's please eliminate this decision for our children.''

Combs said he was encouraged to introduce such legislation by Dr. Louis Barich, a Hamilton dermatologist who tried to regulate tanning salons in the city of Hamilton last year.

Hamilton didn't want to drive tanning salons out when the teenage health concerns might be better addressed with a statewide law, Combs said.

Combs is concerned dangerous tanning rays can cause skin cancer and eye damage.

"I see it as a long-term health issue,'' Combs said. "It parallels smoking, drinking, those types of things, especially for younger women and their chances for getting melanoma for ultraviolet radiation. ... This is a killing disease.''

Combs said that by amending state law, the Ohio State Board of Cosmetology would have greater authority to suspend or revoke a tanning salon's license if it allows a teenager to tan without a medical prescription.

Doctors and other parents of cancer victims testified in support of House Bill 230, calling it a myth that a commercial tan helps prevent more serious burns.

The skin experts said self-tanning creams, lotions and tanning sprays are safer alternatives for teenagers.

Opponents of the bill are expected to testify at a House committee hearing next month.

Operators of local tanning facilities, and their customers, call the new prescription requirement unnecessary.

"No other states have done that,'' John Overstreet, executive director of the Indoor Tanning Association, based in Washington, D.C., said of a prescription requirement.

Overstreet disputed theories that cancer appearing on areas of the body not exposed to natural sunlight must have been caused by commercial tanning beds. "There's absolutely no science to back that up. It takes years for melanoma to develop,'' he said.

Nancy Jones, who owns the Tanning Hut in Oakley, said Ohio already requires written permission from parents of teenagers, who often accompany their child. "Why are they picking on that age group?" Jones asked. "In order to keep your business, you're not out to burn people. ...We take the time to educate people.''

RISKS, BENEFITS DISPUTED

Dr. Diya Mutasim, a skin pathologist and chairman of dermatology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, said halting teenagers' tanning habits early - much like smoking - is important and can be assisted by informed parents. "The tanning bed users today will likely be the parents of the tanning bed worshippers of tomorrow,'' Mutasim testified.

The Indoor Tanning Association stresses the benefits of Vitamin D acquired by commercial tanning.

But Dr. Diane R. Baker, president of the American Academy of Dermatology, and other doctors told the House committee that Vitamin D is easily obtained through oral supplements.

Baker called ultraviolet radiation the single largest factor in developing skin cancer.

"Every time you tan, your skin has been injured,'' Baker said. "These young people deserve to be protected from this hazard."

Tanning beds expose people to 15 times more UV rays than direct sunlight, Baker testified, meaning it takes just 20 minutes using indoor devices to get the same exposure as five hours outdoors. But Rob Quinn, who operates 34 Tan Pro salons across Ohio, said there's no proof to that claim.

"They're completely wrong on their science,'' Quinn said. "It's statistical psychobabble.''

For Cori Hardy - whose mother once owned the Tanning Hut in Oakley - the lesser-known risks are worth the known boost to her self-image.

"For young women, it's all about appearance,'' the Bellevue High School senior said.

"How's my skin going to look in my senior pictures, and, you know, all that kind of stuff.''

If House Bill 230 becomes law, Cori said, "When it comes time for prom. ... Ohio teenagers will just hop in their cars and take a little ride over to Kentucky.''