This report discusses the quality of health care for children in light of national health care reform proposals put forth in 1994, and is based on presentations and discussions at an invitational workshop on maternal and child health. The report examines issues related to: (1) the differences between health care provision for children and adults;…

This paper examines trends in federal spending on children, assessing changes in spending between 1960-97 and classifying federal programs within eight budget categories: tax credits and exemptions (including the Earned Income Tax Credit and dependent exemption); income security (including Aid to Families with Dependent Children); nutrition…

This paper examines conflicting evidence regarding the impacts of welfare reform on children's wellbeing. Research shows that poverty rates, teen crime and fertility, and child maltreatment are down. Lack of appropriate state-level data on indicators of child wellbeing precludes serious analysis of the role of welfare reform for most indicators.…

The burden of suffering experienced by children with mental health needs and their families is causing a health crisis. As demonstrated in this report of the Surgeon General, the highest levels of government have elicited interest in the mental health needs of children. The Surgeon General's Conference on Children's Mental Health and a meeting on…

This booklet for young children is part of a series that supports national science standards related to physical health and nutrition, describing and illustrating the importance of using the Food Guide Pyramid and eating from the meat and protein group. Colorful photographs support early readers in understanding the text. The repetition of words…

This report describes a survey of homeless families from shelters in Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. The typical family included a 32-year-old single woman with two young children who was more likely to be African American, had a high school education, and had a 50-50 chance of being employed. Most children attended preschool, most were…

This book recounts the historical achievements of the National PTA and its sister organization, the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers. The PTA is the result of the hard work of such women as Phoebe Apperson Hearst and Alice McLellan Birney, founders of the original National Congress of Mothers, and Selma Sloan Butler, who, with the…

This report examines school physical education (PE) and how it can be an important part of the national physical activity promotion effort. Section 1 introduces the issue of youth activity and PE, noting that schools and universities must reintroduce daily, quality physical activity as a key component of comprehensive education. Section 2…

A new study of parents' health, medical care, and health-related behavior finds that large numbers of parents at all income levels take part in risky behaviors that are harmful to their own health and are likely to harm the health of their children. These behaviors include smoking, heavy drinking, and being overweight and sedentary. Risky…

For more than 30 years, school-based health centers have been making an important difference in the health of millions of children by providing an array of medical and other health services at school. This brochure addresses school-based dental care as part of the Caring for Kids program, a multi-site grant program funded through the Robert Wood…

Dental disease restricts activities in school, work, and home, and often significantly diminishes the quality of life for many children and adults, especially those who are low income or uninsured. Noting that dental caries (tooth decay) is the most common preventable chronic childhood disease, this Kids Count issue brief considers the extent to…

Children that grow slowly experience poorer psychomotor development and tend to have delayed school enrollment and lower scores on cognitive tests. Rural households in developing countries often are unable to protect their consumption against temporary income shocks, such as droughts. Such income shocks have been shown to have negative effects on…

Immigrant status carries considerable challenges to survival and mobility in U.S. society. As an emerging dimension of social stratification, legal status influences not only immigrants but also their children. Using data collected in Houston and San Diego, this study examines the intergenerational health consequences of undocumented status for…

Noting that increasing numbers of elementary schools in the Czech Republic are interested in participating in a program of health promotion for their students, this document outlines the contents of the handbook developed for an integrated program of health promotion in schools. The handbook is described as containing four parts. Part 1 presents…

It is the position of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) that all elementary school children should be provided with at least one daily period of recess of at least 20 minutes in length. Recess is an essential component of a comprehensive school physical activity program and of the total education experience for…