Weekly Insider Apr 09-Apr 15 2008

The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools Weekly Insider is a web-enhanced newsletter that offers news alerts, grant announcements and general web site updates delivered directly to your email box on a weekly basis. The Center is located at the School of Public Health and Health Services at The George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.


New this month from the Center

The Center is currently recruiting a part-time Graduate Research Assistant. Responsibilities include (1) assisting in organization and management of a grant program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, including literature searches, data collection and input and analysis and (2) assisting in various administrative duties including answering telephones, copying documents, filing, mail distribution and assisting with mass mailings. Familiarity with website content management is preferred. Attention to detail is essential. For more information, please click here.

In a classroom of 30, two to four students may have mental health needs. With this in mind, the Center is a proud supporter of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day on May 8th, 2008. This year’s theme, “Thriving in the Community,” has the goals to raise awareness of effective programs for children’s mental health issues; demonstrate how children’s mental health initiatives promote positive youth development, recovery and resilience; and show how children with mental health needs thrive in their community. For more information and for resources to hold events in your community, please visit http://systemsofcare.samhsa.gov/nationalawareness/materials.aspx.

The Center has been recognized by the World Wide Web Health Awards for excellence in web-based health-related content for consumers and professionals. We thank the sponsoring organization, the Health Information Resource Center, and all of our readers for their support.

April 2008 E-Journal
-- SCHIP Extension Could Mean More Uninsured Children in the Short Run
-- Being Overweight is a Matter of Independent Preference and Environment for Female African American Adolescents
-- Washington State Supreme Court Rules Random Student Drug Searches Violate State's Constitution
-- Editor's Commentary: The Continuing Controversy over Autism and Vaccines

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New Resources

A new study from the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, State Medicaid Policy Choices Under the Deficit Reduction Act reports how states have reacted to changes in Medicaid policy, with a section devoted to provisions affecting children.

The CDC has released Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Children: National Health Interview Survey, 2006.

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Important Topic

April is Alcohol Awareness Month

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Upcoming Meetings

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Previously Posted Meetings

  • San Francisco, CA: 5th Annual Tobacco Documents Workshop: Putting the Tobacco Industry’s Words to Work for You. May 17, 2008. For more information, please contact Jenni Alexander, Jenni.Alexander@ucsf.edu or (415) 502-6341.
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Job opportunities

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Grant Alerts

A.L. Mailman Family Foundation, Inc. -- Child Development Grants
A.L. Mailman Family Foundation, Inc. is accepting applications for its grant program to support projects improving the systems and policies impacting the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical needs of young children.

EnergyNow -- Grants to Combat Childhood Obesity
EnergyNow is accepting applications for grants to combat childhood obesity through results-based, collaborative, doable, sustainable, and effective school-based physical and nutrition education programs.

Ms. Foundation for Women -- Women’s Health Grants
The Ms. Foundation for Women is accepting applications for its grants to support projects improving women’s health in the following areas: reproductive and sexual rights, health and justice; US Women and AIDS policy; child sexual abuse prevention; and Katrina women’s response/Gulf Coast recovery.

Lassen Park Foundation -- Youth Camping Program Grants
The Lassen Park Foundation is accepting applications for its Youth Camping Program Grants to support projects building and sustaining healthy communities and increasing resiliency in youth through prevention efforts from early childhood to 12th grade.

Lego Group -- Lego Children’s Fund
The Lego Group is accepting applications for its Lego Children’s Fund grant program to support projects to improve learning, sport, and athletic opportunities for underserved youth.

State Farm/MADD -- Good Decision Service Learning Grants
State Farm, in partnership with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), is accepting applications for its Good Decisions grant program to support service-learning projects on one of the following topics: 1) underage alcohol use prevention; or 2) vehicle safety.

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News Alerts

School Nutrition Program Reduces Incidence of Overweight in Students
A school nutrition program, The School Nutrition Policy Initiative, organized by the Philadelphia-based Food Trust has reduced the incidence of overweight among students in the target schools and was particularly effective with African American students according to a report published in the April issue of Pediatrics.

NIH and Pediatrics Publish Supplement on the Developmental Nature of Underage Drinking
The current issue of Pediatrics contains a supplement, edited and sponsored by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), on current research into the developmental nature of underage drinking.

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New Resources

A new study from the Center for Mental Health Law, State Medicaid Policy Choices Under the Deficit Reduction Act reports how states have reacted to changes in Medicaid policy, with a section devoted to provisions affecting children. Provisions covered include requirements to verify citizenship, the problem of parents relinquishing parental rights to obtain mental health services for children, and home and community based services.

The CDC has released Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Children: National Health Interview Survey, 2006. Data is from the 2006 National Health Interview Survey and breaks information down by age, race, sex, family structure, income status and much more. Eighty-two percent of children under the age of 18 had excellent or very good health, but 10% had no health insurance coverage.

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Job opportunities

ICF International - Research Associate - Community, Family and Education Studies (Fairfax, VA)
ICF International has an opening for a Research Associate in the Community, Family and Education Studies branch. A background in qualitative research is preferred. For more information and to apply to this position, please visit https://jobs.icfi.com/viewjob.html?optlink-view=view-15663&ERFormID=newjoblist&ERFormCode=any.

Connecticut Voices for Children - Health Policy Fellowship (New Haven, CT)
Connecticut Voices for Children has an opening for a two year Health Policy Fellowship. The position is ideal for a new graduate who would like experience working in a non-profit organization that works on state health policy. For more information and to apply to this position, please visit http://cfusion.sph.emory.edu/PHEC/phec.cfm and search for “Health Policy Fellow.”

Portland State University - Assistant Director for Health Education (Portland, OR)
Portland State University has a new position open. The Assistant Director for Health Education will be responsible for developing culturally competent, evidence-based health education programs. For more information and to apply for this position, please visit http://cfusion.sph.emory.edu/PHEC/phec.cfm and search for “Assistant Director for Health Education.”

Papillion-la Vista Public Schools - School Nurse (Papillion, NE)
Papillion-la Vista Public Schools are seeking a School Nurse to provide health services to students, support families and assist with special health care needs. For more information and to apply to this position, please visit http://jobsearch.educationamerica.net/index.phtml?a=v&j=368772.

Sunbelt Staffing - School Nurse (Des Moines, IA)
Sunbelt Staffing is seeking school nurses for the Des Moines School District. For more information and to apply to this position, please visit http://www.sunbeltstaffing.com/jobs/JobDisplay.asp?JobId=456821.

WES Health System - Child Psychiatrist (Philadelphia, PA)
WES Health System is seeking a Child Psychiatrist to work in a school based program providing consultation, psychiatric evaluations and treatment of referred individuals. For more information and to apply to this position, please visit http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?ipath=EXSH&siteid=cbsimplyhired&Job_
DID=J8G5756D241P5Q0SYCF&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=5814a6b30c7546bbae33e294182875d8-261067743-JI-5.