 |
Home | Contact Us | Press Room | Site Overview | Help | Login | Register |
 |
 |
| About NCSL | State & Federal Issues | Legislatures | Legislative Staff | Meetings | Bookstore | Legislators & Staff Only |
| NCSL Home > State & Federal Issues: Issue Areas > Human Services > | Add to MyNCSL |
|
Youth in the NewsVolume 2, Number 8, May 1-15, 2007 Contents STATE WATCH
RESEARCH
GOVERNMENT
ARTICLES MINNESOTA As summer nears, Minneapolis to focus on youth violence Minneapolis Mayor Rybak said, "We have one single goal for our youth ... a safe and productive summer." May 14, 2007 By Terry Collins, Star Tribune Typically, Minneapolis rolls out a summer crime-fighting plan for when the weather and violence almost simultaneously heat up. But with reports of crime down 22 percent in the city in the first quarter and police seeing double-digit decreases in every precinct, officials announced that they're going to stick with their current strategy, while adding an emphasis on curbing youth violence. Among the city's 60 homicides in 2006, 11 victims were younger than 18, including a 15-year-old boy killed over his basketball jersey and a 17-year-old boy who was shot after being mistaken for a member of a rival gang. Eleven juveniles were charged with homicide or related offenses. Among the city's nearly 2,800 reported robberies last year, more than half were committed by people 13 to 17 years old. "We have one single goal for our youth," Mayor R.T. Rybak said Monday, standing beside several city and community leaders at a playground on the far North Side. "And that's for a safe and productive summer." The city's youth-related strategy includes more than 750 activities and programs, including athletics, extended park hours and sponsoring summer reading clubs at libraries. Plus, more than 600 jobs have been added to the city's STEP-UP summer program for teens, raising the total to 2,000. Rybak also said that the city will provide special buses to shuttle kids to youth-friendly sites across north and south Minneapolis starting June 18. Police Chief Tim Dolan said the department will do its part to ensure that kids are safe and off the streets late at night by centralizing its curfew and truancy center at City Hall. That will complement the department's reinstated juvenile crime unit, which he said has helped reduce the city's crime rate. "We're happy with the results, and we're going to keep improving them," Dolan said. Police got a boost last week when the City Council approved an extra $750,000 for overtime pay to increase patrols in downtown and troubled spots across town. The city also recently created a 30-member youth violence prevention steering committee, including city and local community leaders, to find ways to steer kids away from gangs, guns and crime. 
NEW YORK That dose of reality is being delivered in a new public service announcement that will begin running today across Western New York on all the cable networks. The 30-second commercial has a simple message: Stop the senseless violence because it is crippling our community; and if you don’t, a jail cell could be your new home. “This is a way for us to bring forth the topic of violence,” said Dwayne Cumberlander, promotions director at WUFO-AM 1080, who is one of the organizers. “We’re all affected by violence and we’re trying to get young people to look at things differently and show them that it’s not taking them anywhere . . . The simple message we’re trying to get across is that violence is not the way.” The commercial is the first of five public service announcements — all focusing on curbing violence — which will air throughout the summer. The commercials are one part of the “Stop the Violence Campaign” — a 120-day initiative, running from May 1 to Sept. 11, that includes antiviolence radio ads, pamphlets, billboards and pep rallies at local schools. The campaign is being organized by officials at WUFO-AM 1080 and the Stop the Violence Coalition, an inner-city community group based in Buffalo. “One of the reasons we’re doing this is because school’s almost out, summer vacation’s almost here, and we don’t want violence to escalate,” said Arlee Daniels Jr. of the Stop the Violence Coalition. The goal, he said, is “to help keep things calm and to try to get parents involved and people involved with the Stop the Violence Campaign.” The first public service announcement features about 20 students from McKinley High School as the actors and is produced and directed by Buffalo filmmaker Doug Ruffin. It begins as a mock awards ceremony with a narrator announcing, “Shady, come on down and get your award. Shady is receiving this award for armed robbery and assault. Come up, Shady.” A man wearing a hooded sweat shirt walks up and is handed his award. Then, the narrator announces, “Our next awardee, he’s being awarded for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell.” A second man accepts his award, jumping for joy. The audience responds by clapping. Marc L. Fuller interjects and says, “What! You got it twisted. Going to jail is no badge of honor! When you break the law and commit violent crimes, the next sound you could hear is . . . [viewers hear the sound effect of a jail door closing shut]. I’m Marc Fuller from the Stop the Violence Coalition. Young people, think before you act.” The commercial ends with Fuller and a group of young people yelling, “Don’t make jail your home.” Cumberlander said the five commercials are similar to those eye-catching “Truth” antismoking commercials which are graphic but effective. “We didn’t want a preachy commercial,” said Cumberlander. “It’s more satire and, as ridiculous as it looks, they should be thinking it’s ridiculous, what they’re doing.” Time Warner is airing the public service announcements free of charge. Other sponsors besides WUFO-AM 1080, include Boys & Girls Club of Buffalo, State Sen. Antoine M. Thompson, DBuffalo; Masten Council Member Demone E. Smith, The Challenger, Delaware Heights Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, and WKBW-TV Channel 7. Master Motors, a Buffalo car dealership, is donating a vehicle to be “wrapped” in anti-violence slogans and driven around the city; volunteers inside will hand out pamphlets. At the end of the 120-day campaign, the vehicle will be given away in a contest. Organizers hope all these strong messages about curbing crime will bring about peace. “The city has never seen a campaign of this magnitude directed towards making this a safe summer,” said Daniels. NEW JERSEY The department is dedicating $12.9 million of the money to add 86 residential placements for children with mental health and behavioral problems. This will supplement the 160 beds the state already maintains. Additionally, the state is providing $2.67 million to community organizations that will add 112 placements for youth, ages 18 to 21, who are homeless and may be making the transition from the child welfare system. The state already funds 150 beds for this purpose. "The new placements ... represents the single largest expansion in transitional housing for homeless and aging-out youth in the state's history,'' according to a statement released by Children and Families Commissioner Kevin Ryan. He announced the plan - a joint effort between his department, and the Department of Community Affairs and the Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency - during a Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee meeting this morning. "Keeping our kids as close to home as possible while providing the services they need to heal and grow is an ongoing challenge and a top priority for Governor Corzine and this administration," Ryan said. Reducing the number of kids outside the state is a priority under the child welfare reform plan that is enforced by a federal court judge. As of Dec. 1, 2006, the most recent data available on the state's website, 297 children were placed outside the state in residential centers by the children's mental health system. The state has long struggled with opening new facilities for kids, having to abandon at least one 40-bed project in south Jersey two years ago after encountering resistance from some communities. The initiative also includes the first-ever program in New Jersey geared toward providing targeted residential services to gay and lesbian youth. Anchor House in Mercer County has agreed to provide these services. The New Jersey Development Corporation in Passaic County also agreed to serve youth leaving foster care who a disability - "a vulnerable population that previously had few placement options available to them,'' the department's statement said. The agencies that won the state contract for young adults are:
The agencies that agreed to provide residential treatment services for seriously ill kids are:
MASSACHUSETTS "If I wasn't working, I'd probably be bored, and when you're bored, you do stupid stuff," Marsh, 17, of Roxbury, said in a steady deep voice, his head tilted down as he read to the crowd of about 60, including city officials. Marsh was one of several dozen teenagers who attended yesterday's grand opening of the new Youth Opportunities Boston headquarters in Roxbury's Dudley Square. The program, also known as YO Boston, is funded by the city and a federal grant and offers youth who have been convicted of crimes a chance to get high school diplomas and jobs. Mayor Thomas M. Menino lauded the program as a tool to reduce crime, particularly as the school year closes and teenagers have more time on their hands. "There are three things that make a very big difference in a young person's life," Menino said, standing behind the same lectern. "First, that we have someone who cares about us. Second is education. You can't get anywhere in life without at least a high school education. Third is a job. Some of you are facing long odds. It's all about working hard." Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis told about two-dozen staff members, "We know the good work you do here prevents us from having to do more work on our end of the equation, which is always more desirable." Youth Opportunities Boston was established seven years ago and has served about 3,400 youths, according to administrators. Last year, about 600 people enrolled, half of whom obtained jobs and 50 of whom earned a high school diploma or GED, organizers said. This year, about 750 youths are enrolled. The program also hosts a Community Transitions School for youths who want to return to the Boston public school system. YO Boston began serving only court-involved youth in 2005. "We're not talking about kids stopped for shoplifting," said Susan Lang, the program's deputy director. "We're talking about kids who have done some serious crimes and who have served substantial time in jail." Jane Tewksbury, the commissioner of the Department of Youth Services, said yesterday that the program is vital to giving young people in DYS custody a smooth transition back into society. "The signature piece of our relationship with YO Boston and the Boston public schools is the community transition school here," she said. "It was established to meet the challenge of kids returning to the community from DYS facilities and interested in returning to school. When they come to CTS and show up ready to learn, then we know that they're ready to go back to Boston public schools." At 10,000 square feet, the new facility is slightly smaller than the old one at 2201 Washington St., but has six classrooms, double the number in the old building, as well as a computer lab, office space, and conference rooms. "They provide a great service to city, working with a difficult population and sticking with them," Harold Sparrow, executive director of the Black Ministerial Alliance, said. "There aren't many other organizations in the city that do what they do. The kids caught up in the cycle of violence don't have a clear perspective, and that's what YO Boston offers."
NEW YORK Of those youths that already drink, many are drinking greater amounts of alcohol more often, a study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University found. A group of scientists is studying the health consequences of this kind of alcohol use, which, beyond increasing the likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behavior and fighting, can affect memory and learning when students are in their most crucial intellectual development. The acting surgeon general of America, Kenneth Moritsugu, recently issued a call to action to stop what he said were the 11 million current youths under the age of 21 using alcohol. About 7.2 million of those drinkers binge drink, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Social scientists define binge drinking as consumption of five drinks or more for males and four drinks or more for females in one session, although other academics and practitioners say that body types make a difference and that the definition should be more ambiguous. At New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, officials have started preliminary work on a comprehensive campaign to reduce underage drinking. They are considering modeling it after their anti-smoking campaign. "The costs of alcohol are enormous in terms of lost productivity, contributions to violence," the health commissioner, Thomas Frieden, said. The department estimates that about 1,500 people citywide die from alcohol-related causes a year, he said. "It's an area we probably need to pay more attention to," an associate commissioner, Jorge Petit, said. "We're trying to figure out what the components of this plan would look like." He said there isn't as much data on alcohol use, especially among youths, as there was about tobacco. Dr. Frieden said the department has been scaling up its intervention programs in emergency rooms to reduce underage drinking. About 49% of college students in America binge drink, according to a report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. The director of the center, Joseph Califano, said that the age at which youths start binge drinking has been inching lower as well. "The younger you drink the likelier you are to abuse alcohol, to become an abusive alcohol drinker as an adult," Mr. Califano, who was secretary of health, education, and welfare under President Johnson, said. "The children thing is important. Probably the most important thing we learned here is that if a kid gets through the age of 21 without smoking, drinking, doing drugs or abusing alcohol, that kid is virtually certain to be home-free for the rest of their life." Mr. Califano pointed to the introduction in January of "Spykes" by Anheuser-Busch as an example of alcohol companies marketing to youths. The slightly caffeinated, 12% alcohol flavored shot comes in a small container that a consumer can pour into a beer or drink straight. The flavors include Spicy Lime, Hot Chocolate, and Hot Melons. "What 30-year-old beer drinker is going to put chocolate in his beer to sweeten the taste?" Mr. Califano asked. The vice president of communications and consumer affairs of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., Francine Katz, replied in a statement to The New York Sun that "Adults 21 to 35 have been moving toward sweeter, fruity alcohol beverages for a number of years — witness the popularity of everything from apple martinis to mojitos. At age 76, it's no wonder Mr. Califano has lost touch with the lifestyles and preferences of today's young adults." She said her company is aware of not a single incident nationally in which a teen has actually obtained Spykes. And she accused Mr. Califano's organization of "seeking publicity by fostering fear in the minds of parents during prom and graduation season." Ms. Katz said her company is "adamantly opposed to underage drinking," and that the company and its wholesalers have spent more than $500 million since 1982 on programs to prevent alcohol abuse, including underage drinking. Students are also taking more prescription medication than in the past, a problem that clinicians say is exacerbating the problems of alcohol use. Alcohol mixed with prescription or illegal drugs, like cocaine, can create compounds in the body that are more addictive and toxic, the director of Bellevue Hospital's Substance Abuse Division, Dr. Stephen Ross, said. The hospital started a program in January to deal with NYU students with substance abuse problems. The direct health consequences of binge drinking include liver damage, elevated risk for heart disease, and reduced brain performance, but alcohol intoxication is also a leading cause of car accidents, homicides, suicides, violence, and sexual assault, Dr. Ross said. According to a study on high school binge drinking by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those who binge drink — 64% of the 45% who reported alcohol use in the last month are more likely to engage in sexual activity, smoking, and fighting. The New York Police Department began a crackdown on nightclubs in the Meatpacking District and Chelsea after two highly publicized deaths of young women who had been drinking heavily last year. On February 25th, 2006, a John Jay College of Criminal Justice student, Immette St. Guillen, was abducted, raped, and murdered by a bouncer from a downtown bar, police said. Five months later, an 18-year-old high-school student from New Jersey, Jennifer Moore, was picked up on the West Side Highway by a man who police said raped and murdered her. The City Council has responded by holding a "nightlife summit" and passing several bills mandating tighter restrictions on bars, clubs, and places that print so-called "novelty IDs" that some underage drinkers use to buy alcohol. The chairman of the City Council's public safety committee, Peter Vallone Jr., has submitted a bill that would hold parents liable for allowing underage drinking in their home. The law currently holds parents liable only if they serve alcohol to a minor, he said. "The blame lies everywhere," Mr. Vallone said. "It's not just the bar owners' fault. We have to work together, from the government to the NYPD, the bar owners to the parents. And underage drinkers themselves — they need to understand that by drinking to excess, they face danger." The Columbia study found that from 1993 to 2001 there were significant increases in the frequency that students were binge drinking. The center is now planning to start a study of high school students, who haven't had their alcohol use scrutinized as much in the past, Mr. Califano said. "What's accepted as a rite of passage is really a game of Russian roulette for these students," Mr. Califano, who recently published his own book on the problem, "High Society: How Substance Abuse Ravages America and What to Do About It," said. "This is one of the few things that can ruin their lives." This is the last story in a four-part series. Three previous installments are available at http://www.nysun.com/specials/drinking.php.
HEALTH INSURANCE The University of Northern Colorado senior has endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the uterus is found in other places of the body and can cause severe pain. The condition is hard to diagnose, but it affects about five million women around the country. Because of this condition, Olson must be on birth control and see her doctor regularly. "I think health insurance is a really big deal," the 21-year-old said. Two months before Saturday's graduation, the political science major had not secured a job yet, after graduation she had planned to move just south of Mexico City with her boyfriend, who is originally from the area. "One of the first questions my mom asked was about health insurance," Olson said of when she announced her plans to her family. Though Olson has to be insured, she and other UNC students agree that health insurance is something that just isn't on the radar of most students who are about to graduate and stand to lose coverage on their parents' plans. People aged 18 to 24 are the most likely to be uninsured in the state, making up 31.5 percent of all uninsured Coloradans, according to information collected by the Urban Institute used in the Healthy Colorado 2010 report. Nationally, in the same age group, 31.4 percent of people are uninsured, according to insurance statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. The next older age group didn't fair much better; among 25- to 34-year-olds 25.9 percent of their population is uninsured. The mindset is: "I'm young; I'm healthy, what could happen?" Because of that, health insurance takes a back seat to other priorities. But another reason this age group may be so largely uninsured is because they may think they are still covered under a parent's plan. "A lot of people think they're covered and they're not," said Michael Johnson, vice president of Alumni and Donor Relations for the UNC Alumni Association. The association offers a limited health insurance plan, generally lasting between 60 and 180 days. Johnson said this plan is built for "graduates in transition," and the 117 current policy holders are mostly under 26 years old. "It's a good safeguard for sure," Johnson said of the plan. But, university-sponsored plans, such as the alumni association's and a yearlong extension plan offered through the UNC Student Health Center, can also be costly. The alumni plan has a deductible that averages $284, with a premium of about $400, and does not include prescription drugs, vision or dental coverage. The health center plan has a deductible of $300 and premiums of more than $3,100. This plan does not include vision or dental. "We typically do not see a lot of enrollment in that because it is very expensive," said Cindy Vetter, director of Student Business Services at UNC. Vetter said only about five to 10 recent graduates enroll in the plan each year, compared to the nearly 2,100 who participate in the program when enrolled, when the premium is a quarter of the cost. Vetter said that most of the people who do enroll in the extension program have a preexisting condition that may prevent them from getting coverage from a cheaper provider. But, with more and more students leaving college with debt, setting aside extra money for health insurance may not be an option. "You're thinking about paying rent," said Rico Wint, a junior political science major. "You don't think about it until it happens to you." Another problem is that most college-aged students only find themselves using health care when it's an emergency situation and it can be easy to completely forget about it. "It's not something you use every day. It's that laminated card in your wallet," Olson said. For right now, Olson plans to extend the insurance she has with her family, even though it will be much more expensive than when she was covered with them as a student. There is no information collected by the university about whether students have insurance upon graduation and where they got it from. Despite this, UNC officials think insurance is an issue that should be on all students' minds, especially as they look toward graduation. "They are more worried about where they can find a job," said Vetter, who added that grads should be less concerned with salary as a bottom line and look at the overall benefits package employers offer. "They need to make sure the insurance package will work for them." For Wint, Olson and Regan Pfleiger, a sophomore social science major, the issue of health insurance is even larger, saying that they think the entire health-care system needs to be overhauled. While they were hesitant to say that national health care would be a better decision, they all agreed that the current state of things was not ideal. Still, maybe pop culture will help get more students thinking about the need for health insurance: Wint, Olson and Pfleiger laughed about all the bizarre ailments and illnesses that beset characters on Fox's "House," one of their favorite shows, each week. "That show should make you want health insurance," Pfleiger said. Colorado's uninsured Proportion of uninsured Coloradans by age Under 6 14.5 percent Source: Healthy Colorado 2010 report Proportion of uninsured Americans by age Under 6 10.1 percent Source: U.S. Census Bureau
FDA Young adults beginning treatment with antidepressants should be warned about an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior, federal health officials said Wednesday. The Food and Drug Administration proposed labeling changes that would expand a warning now on all antidepressants. The current language applies only to children and adolescents. The expanded warning would apply to adults 18-24 during the first month or two of treatment with the drugs, the FDA said. The proposed labeling changes also would note that studies have not shown this increased risk in adults older than 24, and that adults 65 and older taking antidepressants have a decreased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior, it said. The proposed expanded warnings emphasize that depression and certain other serious psychiatric disorders are themselves the most important causes of suicide. "Antidepressant medications benefit many patients, but it is important that doctors and patients are aware of the risks," said Dr. Steven Galson, the FDA's drugs chief. The proposed changes came with the endorsement of FDA expert advisers. Some experts have argued that the changes are overdue while others maintain they could keep drugs from those who need them. Last month, a comprehensive analysis of antidepressants for children and teenagers found the benefits of treatment trump the small risk of increasing suicidal thoughts and behaviors in some patients. The Journal of the American Medical Association study also found that risk is lower than what the FDA identified in 2004, the year the agency warned the public about the risks of the drugs in children. The proposed label changes would apply to all antidepressants, including Lexapro (Forest Laboratories Inc.), Paxil (GlaxoSmithKline PLC), Prozac (Eli Lilly and Co.) and Zoloft (Pfizer Inc.). Some of the drugs are available in generic form as well. Messages left with the companies were not immediately returned.
SAMSHA The 3-page report draws on data from the National Survey on Drug Use & Health to provide information on the prevalence of major depressive episodes and the initiation of alcohol or illicit drug use among youth. The report indicates that among youth aged 12 to 17 who were at risk for alcohol or illicit drug initiation, those who had experienced a major depressive episode were more likely to have initiated such substance abuse. Resources:
TELEVISION That's because watching three or more hours of television a day leads to poor homework completion, negative attitudes toward school, bad grades, and poor performance in college, according to a study published this week. "We found a very clear correlation between higher levels of TV watching by 14-year-olds and subsequent attention and learning problems developed during the remainder of their years," says Jeffrey Johnson, lead author of the study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Psychiatry. "This is very persuasive evidence that confirms other large studies concluding that parents worried about their kids going to college and being successful beyond should make sure their teenagers are not watching too much TV," he adds. Whether watching a lot of TV sharpens people's mental skills or shortens their attention spans, zaps energy, and fosters violent behavior has been the source of much debate over the years. Hundreds of studies have come down on both sides of the argument. This one is considered valuable by many experts because it has followed 700 families for 19 years. The same people were interviewed at the ages of 14, 16, 22, and 33 in upstate New York. "This is a well-executed study and is important because it looks at the possible effects of TV watching over such an extended period," says Thomas Crook, author of the book "The Memory Advantage: Improve Your Memory, Mood and Confidence Throughout Life" and chief executive officer of the Cognitive Research Corporation. "The data goes back a very long way, [unlike] most of what comes out about TV and its purported effects. Other analyses are based on a kind of one-shot deal, whereas this assesses subjects again and again over many years," he adds. Many see it as a wake-up call, including groups who are disinclined to agree with basic conclusions that TV is inherently a negative influence. "This is a red flag that underscores that there is no doubt children have unbelievable access to and knowledge of media and that we need to make sure they are literate about its influences," says Robin Bronk, executive director of The Creative Coalition, a nonprofit public policy arm of the arts and entertainment industry. "I realize that as a parent I can't just leave my child in a candy store without supervision; they need to know how to digest the material they are exposed to." Other experts are taking the findings to task for not considering other reasons why adolescents who watch large amounts TV have less academic success as they mature. "I agree with the fundamental conclusion that it's not a good thing for kids to sit around and watch too much TV," says Daniel Howard, chair of the marketing department at Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. "But I would suggest that people not get too comfortable with the particular conclusion that TV is the monster. The root cause of a lot of these later developmental problems by TV watchers could be some other problem. The whole implication that if you stop TV viewing, that all of these other problems might go away is wrong," he adds. Teenagers may also watch a lot of TV for other reasons. It can be a less expensive substitute for other entertainment, a particular issue for low-income families, says Karen Sternheimer, author of the book "It's Not the Media: The Truth about Pop Culture's Influence on Children." "Parents who are absent or not involved with their kids' education is also one of the great predictors of school failure," she says. Others voice concern that the study may be a bit dated since it began before the proliferation of some modern media, include cable and satellite TV with some 700 channels. "The world has changed a lot since they began asking questions at the beginning of this study," says Frank Farley, former president of the American Psychological Association. "The kind of media world that concerns parents today – the Internet explosion and iPods and all that – is not involved with this study. It has a kind of musty quality." Although the study may not show a precise causal relationship between TV and later educational problems, it should sound the alarm for parents, says Thomas Demaria, vice president of behavioral mental health and substance abuse centers at the South Nassau Communities Hospital. "TV itself may not lead directly to all the problems this study seems to claim, but allowing kids to watch it may take them away from other activities – such as reading or interacting with others or playing sports," says Dr. Demaria.
TEEN SMOKING ABSTRACT Objective: To examine the differential associations of cigarette retail marketing practices on youth smoking uptake. Design: Analyses from annual, nationally representative, cross-sectional surveys of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in the United States. Setting: The February 1999 through June 2003 Monitoring the Future surveys involved 109 308 students and data on retail cigarette marketing collected from 966 communities in which the students reside, as part of the Bridging the Gap Initiative: Research Informing Practice and Policy for Healthy Youth Behavior. Participants: A total of 26 301 students were selected for this study. Main Exposures: Point-of-sale advertising, promotions, prices, and placement. Outcome Measure: Using a smoking uptake measure to account for stages that identify the process by which adolescents begin smoking, we calculated odds ratios and confidence intervals through generalized ordered logit analyses, with weighted data that controlled for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and accounted for clustering at the community level. Results: Higher levels of advertising, lower cigarette prices, and greater availability of cigarette promotions were associated with smoking uptake. Advertising increased the likelihood of youth initiating smoking, price increased the likelihood of smoking at most levels of uptake, and availability of promotions increased the likelihood that youth will move from experimentation to regular smoking. Conclusions: Cigarette retail marketing practices increase the likelihood of smoking uptake. These findings suggest that specific restrictions on retail cigarette marketing may reduce youth smoking. To view the full report, http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/161/5/440.
ARIZONA As states across the country debate the merits of making the vaccine for human papillomavirus, or HPV, mandatory for schoolchildren, the Arizona Senate has inserted an unusual prohibition in its bipartisan budget proposal. It would prevent health officials from even having that conversation here. The issue: HPV, which causes about 70 percent of all cervical cancer, is a sexually transmitted disease. State health officials, who have the authority under state law to decide which vaccines to require, say the prohibition is unnecessary. The vaccine is not even on the list of vaccines they will consider requiring in coming years. But they would like to have the option eventually and worry that the Senate move sets a dangerous precedent by politicizing decisions normally left up to experts in public health. The vaccine has become a hot-button issue across the U.S. with social conservatives rallying against requiring it because they say it sends the wrong message to young people about sex. "This is not a disease that schoolchildren catch sitting at a desk," said Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy, which backed the prohibition. The HPV vaccine has made political waves nationwide since federal health authorities recommended last summer that it be given to all middle-school girls. Supporters heralded the vaccine as a lifesaver that could help prevent cervical cancer, which kills thousands of women in the United States each year. Recent studies also link HPV to throat cancer. About one in for young people ages 15 to 24 are infected with some strain of HPV, health officials say. But the vaccine is mired in controversy. Only one manufacturer, Merck, currently has a vaccine on the market, and it's expensive, costing $360. Critics accuse politicians of bowing to the company's lobbying efforts when moving to make it mandatory. In Texas, the governor earlier this year issued an executive order, requiring it for schoolchildren, that was overturned by the state Legislature this month. Right now, only one state, Virginia, has added it to its list of required vaccines for schoolchildren. But about half of all state legislatures considered such a requirement this year, said Jody Hatz of the National Conference of State Legislatures. She said she knows of no other state that has gone the opposite direction, like Arizona may, to block a requirement. The vaccine already is being administered in Arizona, although it is not required for school. Officials normally don't require a vaccine until it is already widely used. The Senate budget includes millions of dollars in additional funding to provide vaccines, including the HPV vaccine, to underinsured children or young adults on Medicaid. But senators tied that money to the prohibition on making the vaccine a requirement for school. Proponents of the prohibition say they don't trust state health officials to make the right decision about the vaccine. Sen. Karen Johnson said she is wary about vaccines in general and believes they may be tied to problems such as autism in children. But on this issue, she said, she has found much greater support among her colleagues because the disease is tied to sex. The Mesa Republican said she worries that vaccinating girls who are 11 or 12 will encourage them to be promiscuous. "If they get a shot and they know it has to do with a sexually transmitted disease, I think it absolutely sends the wrong message to children," she said. That's an argument that her opponents find ludicrous. The vaccine is recommended for young girls to catch them before they ever become sexually active to protect them in later years. Plus, families can easily opt out of the state's vaccination requirements if they don't agree on personal grounds, says Sen. Debbie McCune Davis, D-Phoenix, who also serves as program director for the Arizona Partnership for Immunization. She said she doesn't want the Legislature to require the vaccine because she doesn't think it is a decision that should be made by politicians. But she says that those backing the prohibition fear the vaccine because they don't trust the science behind it. "I don't see anything to be afraid of," she said. "This is a vaccine that prevents cervical cancer and will allow a generation of women to live their lives without fear of the disease." An attempt by Sen. Amanda Aguirre, D-Yuma, to strip the prohibition out of the budget failed. The Senate and House must still agree on a budget proposal before it goes to the governor for her signature. Gov. Janet Napolitano has said that she would sign the Senate budget proposal as is.
CALIFORNIA AB 1033 would create a misdemeanor penalty for any person who causes or induces a minor to become a member of a criminal street gang. The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration. "AB 1033 will send a strong message to gang members: Leave our children alone," said Caballero, D-Salinas. The bill won bipartisan support and is part of a larger effort she is spearheading to prevent youth violence statewide. Caballero chairs the Select Committee on Youth Violence Prevention, which last week held its first hearing in Los Angeles. A hearing is planned May 18 in Salinas. The goal of the committee is to create a violence prevention tool-kit for cities and counties to use. Other measures Caballero is carrying are designed to expand early childhood and literacy programs, create apprenticeship opportunities for at-risk youth and support better training for math teachers.
CALIFORNIA "Children of all ages need compassionate nurturing and reliable care as they develop and mature into adults," said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who last year helped make possible additional investments in foster care programs. "As we kick-off 'Foster Care Month,' we recognize and applaud foster families for instilling emotional nourishment and hope into children who are without many resources." The state's foster care system has received increased attention in recent years, beginning with a new outcomes and accountability system that improves the state's ability to monitor progress in improving the lives of foster youth. In addition, the Assembly Select Committee on Foster Care has exerted legislative leadership under Assembly Majority Leader Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblyman Bill Maze (R-Visalia), which again this year is carrying a package of more than 20 bills focusing on foster care. Most recently the Chief Justice has appointed a Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care, which is half-way through its work in developing recommendations on court-focused improvements that will help foster youth and their families. "In California, we are working together to do right by our foster youth," said Majority Leader Bass, chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Foster Care. "We have made some major strides over the last couple of years but there is still more work to do -- and today we are here to call on every one to continue to support Foster Care Reform. It is our responsibility to ensure that every child in this state has the opportunity to succeed including California's foster youth." Officials cited statistics that are being released by the National Foster Care Month Coalition that speak to the urgency of continued reforms to foster care. If nothing changes by the year 2020:
"The good news amidst these stark national projections is that California is really doing something, said Miryam Choca, Director of California Strategies for Casey Family Programs, an operating foundation that is spearheading National Foster Care Month. "And given California's size -- we have the nation's largest number of foster youth in our state -- what we do here matters nationally. Our hope is to use California's leadership and momentum for reform as a catalyst for other states and the nation." Today's program honors several state officials and programs for their contributions to foster care, including:
Also at today's event will be National Foster Care spokespersons Victoria Rowell and Regina Louise. Rowell, who is an actress and author, is a former foster youth and has been a long-time advocate for the needs of foster youth. Louise is also a former foster youth who has gone on to write a book and now screenplay of her experience reuniting with her former social worker and now adoptive mother. Louise's play, "Someone's Somebody" holds its world premiere at the Sacramento Theatre on May 5. Today's rally is one in a growing number of events that is scheduled to increase awareness about foster care and the need for "every day Californians" to become involved in whatever way they can to help foster youth. In addition to Louise's worldwide premiere, foster youth will join local former foster youth Kamika Whetstone in staging a special performance of her play, "In by Chance, Out by Choice" at CSU Sacramento; the Heart Gallery will be hosting a month-long show in the State Capitol of photographs of foster youth who are available to be adopted; and Rowell will be signing copies of her book, "The Woman Who Raised Me" at Borders Books. "It's critical that the public understand that behind the statistics are real young people who want the same thing that all young people want -- a future where we can pursue our dreams and grow up to become productive citizens," said Jennifer Rodriguez, the outgoing policy director of the California Youth Connection who is being honored for her work to bring the voices of foster youth to the policymaking process. "The public has to understand what is at stake, get engaged and continue to demand the reforms that are needed." Following today's Capitol event, foster care advocates will also meet with legislators to highlight critical policy issues, including the need for higher education supports for foster youth, California's shortage of caregivers; the importance of securing permanent relationships for foster youth with caring adults, and employment opportunities for former foster youth. A statewide coalition of 30 organizations has come together to kick-off National Foster Care Month in California. To learn more about Foster Care Month and what can be done to help, visit http://www.fostercaremonth.org
WASHINGTON Gov. Chris Gregoire recently signed several bills into law all aimed at improving the life of abused and neglected children who are under the protective custody of the state of Washington. “My passion for child welfare has guided my career — one of my first jobs out of college was as a caseworker and, as governor, I still work every day to improve the lives of Washington children,” Gregoire said. “These bills open doors, offer hope and expand opportunities for some of our most vulnerable young adults as they move forward with their lives and become contributing members of our Washington economy.”
All three bills will improve the lives of young people who, through no fault of their own, find themselves living in foster homes away from their biological families. While the health care and housing bills will help stabilize the life of those young adults as they transition into their 20s, the Passport to College program is focused on providing them with a college diploma. Nationally, only 2 percent of youngsters from foster care programs receive a bachelor’s degree. In Washington state, only 34 percent of foster youths graduate from high school in four years compared with an overall graduation rate of 70 percent. And 34 percent of foster youth who get their high school diploma do so through the GED program — six times the rate of the general population. Foster children are more likely to change schools during elementary, middle and high school. Only 20 percent of foster youth who finish high school go on to college compared with 60 percent of the general population. Clearly, they have a lot of hurdles to overcome. As far as higher education is concerned, foster youth face two primary challenges: First, is the lack of information on how to prepare for college and second is finding the financial resources to attend a college or university. Under HB 1131, which passed the House 78-16 and the Senate 47-2, foster students will be steered toward a community or four-year college while they still are in high school. They will get help understanding what classes and entrance exams they need to take and how to apply for college. The bill, which carries a total appropriation of $2.68 million, also provides direct financial assistance to foster youth enrolled in college. House Bill 1131 is a terrific plan because it gives foster children a decent break in life and the opportunity to reach for their dream of a college diploma.
|
© 2008 National Conference of State Legislatures, All Rights Reserved
Denver Office: Tel: 303-364-7700 | Fax: 303-364-7800 | 7700 East First Place | Denver, CO 80230 | Map
Washington Office: Tel: 202-624-5400 | Fax: 202-737-1069 | 444 North Capitol Street, N.W., Suite 515 | Washington, D.C. 20001
