A roundup of recent newspaper stories about children's health...
Monday, July 30:
Editorial: County Can Lead the Way to Health Insurance for Kids Citing Santa Clara County 's “miraculous” efforts to make sure every child has health insurance, this San Jose Mercury News editorial calls upon the county to lead efforts in encouraging Congress to increase funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). President Bush has threatened to veto any bill that asks for an expansion of the program, but this editorial asks Congress to pass the legislation with enough votes to overturn a veto. (SJ Mercury, 7/22/07)
Editorial: Bush Threatens to Veto Children's Health
This New York Times editorial criticizes President Bush's threat to veto legislation that calls for an expansion of SCHIP. Rather than expand SCHIP, Bush proposes that the government provide tax deduction incentives to low-income Americans who buy private insurance, the editorial says. Proponents of SCHIP's expansion say Bush's approach won't work and that millions of children will be left uninsured if federal funding for the program isn't increased. (NY Times, 7/22/07)
Editorial: Local Help Needed for Health Insurance for All Local Kids
Santa Clara County can reach its goal of providing health insurance to every child with an additional $11 million, according to this San Jose Mercury News editorial. The county also will need continued support to fund health insurance in the future, as donations from private foundations run out. Although health care for children currently is being debated at a federal level, this editorial asks for local support to help the county reach and maintain this goal regardless of what happens nationwide. (SJ Mercury, 7/22/07 )
Teens Prefer Asthma Management on the Web
Teens who have trouble controlling their asthma welcome a web-based management system, according to Dutch researchers at Leiden University Medical Center . The researchers found that a web-based system for monitoring asthma symptoms and treatments helped teens better than a written system for developing plans to manage the condition. (Reuters, 7/20/07)
Report: California Ranks 19 th in Child Well-Being
The annual Kids Count Data Book ranks California 19 th among states in terms of child well-being down from 18th in last year's book. The report, released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said that California had fewer child death rates, teen pregnancies and impoverished children in 2005 than other states, but is behind in the areas of educational test scores and access to child health insurance. (SF Chronicle, 7/25/07, by Franko)
Study: Obesity a Road Block to College
A new study published in the journal Sociology of Education shows that obese high school students are less likely than their slimmer peers to attend college. The study also found that the effects of obesity on college enrollment are more pronounced in girls than in boys. (Time, 7/24/07, by Masters)
San Mateo County Supports Outside Play
San Mateo County has become the first in the state to adopt the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights, designed to support outside play for kids who remain inside during summer months, either because of the lure of new technologies or because of parental fears. The resolution encourages parents to take their kids outdoors and help them re-connect with nature in parks and on hikes. (Inside Bay Area, 7/25/07, by Bohan)
Parents Seek Fair Special-Ed Reviews
Many parents and advocates for the disabled are concerned about what they consider unfair review practices of special-education cases. They say the mandatory reviews in many parts of the country overwhelmingly favor school districts, whose interest is in saving money and not necessarily providing the best services for students. School districts argue that budget cuts leave them strapped for cash, and that integrating disabled children into mainstream classrooms can improve their development. (WSJ, 7/24/07, by Golden)
Chronicle Supports Expanding Children's Health Insurance
This San Francisco Chronicle editorial supports increased federal spending on children's health, including the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The editorial also supports the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act (CHAMP), which would prevent expected funding cuts. (SF Chronicle, 7/27/07)
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