The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS) has updated its popular fact sheet, Childhood Overweight: What the Research Tells Us. The fact sheet includes findings from articles published through July 2007. To view the latest version, click here.

December 2007 E-Journal
--Future of SCHIP, School Food Unclear as Congress Prepares to Adjourn
--Bullying—It’s Not Just at School Any More
--Healthcare Reform: Is It Doomed to Fail?

The School Food Report Card, released by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, indicates that while some states have improved and strengthened policies promoting healthy school foods, two-thirds of states received "poor" grades. This report chronicles the experiences of several states' policies governing the sale of food in school cafeterias and at school events.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has published a new dental chartbook that reports data from 1996 through 2004.  This data is from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), which is sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

MMWR Recommendations and Reports:  Vol 56, No. RR-9.  Effects on Violence of Laws and Policies Facilitating the Transfer of Youth from the Juvenile to the Adult Justice System: A Report on Recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services.

December 2-8 is National Handwashing Awareness Week

• CDC: The Buzz on Scuzz interactive handwashing activity for kids
• Kidshealth.org: Why is Hand Washing So Important?
• Minnesota Department of Health: How It Works: Cleaning Hands with Waterless Hand Sanitizer

Federal Research Grants for Parenting Capacities and Health Outcomes in Youths and Adolescents (R21 and R01) (Deadline: 2/5/08)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is accepting applications for its Parenting Capacities and Health Outcomes in Youths and Adolescents grant program. The purpose of the program is to increase parent capacities and reduce, eliminate, or prevent one or more high-risk health behaviors or poor health habits in youth and adolescent children by supporting projects that target two or more ineffective parenting practices or behaviors and two or more youth/adolescent high-risk behaviors.

Surdna Foundation -- Community Revitalization Grants (multiple cities) (Deadline: Rolling)
The Surdna Foundation is accepting applications for its Community Revitalization Grants program to support projects that improve the quality and longevity of communities, such as through development that is walkable, environmentally sustainable, and cost-effective.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation -- New Connections Initiative (Deadline: 1/4/08)
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is accepting applications for its New Connections Initiative.  The purpose of this program is to support an increase in the diversity of perspectives informing RWJF programming, introduce new researchers and scholars to RWJF, and help RWJF staff measure progress towards program objectives by enabling underrepresented Junior Investigators and Senior Consultants to work with the RWJF Health Insurance Coverage, Building Human Capitol, Childhood Obesity, Pioneer, Public Health, Quality/Equality, and Vulnerable Populations teams.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- Assessing the Effects of Interpersonal Violence Prevention on Suicide (U49) (Deadline: 1/7/08; Letter of Intent)
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Injury Prevention and Control is accepting applications for its Assessing the Effects of Interpersonal Violence Prevention on Suicide (U49) Cooperative Agreement to determine whether interventions designed to prevent interpersonal violence impact self-directed violence.

James Irvine Foundation -- Leadership Awards (California) (Deadline: 1/18/08)
The James Irvine Foundation is accepting applications for its Leadership Awards to recognize leaders who have improved conditions in California through innovative and effective solutions.

The School Food Report Card, released by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, indicates that while some states have improved and strengthened policies promoting healthy school foods, two-thirds of states received "poor" grades. This report chronicles the experiences of several states'policies governing the sale of food in school cafeterias and at school events.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has published a new dental chartbook that reports data from 1996 through 2004.  This data is from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), which is sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Section 1 presents a summary of overall dental use, expenses, procedures, and providers, the prevalence of dental coverage and the relationship of  dental coverage to use and expenses; section 2 addresses children's coverage and other matters for ages 0 - 20.

The MMWR report, Effects on Violence of Laws and Policies Facilitating the Transfer of Youth from the Juvenile to the Adult Justice System: A Report on Recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services, reviews studies of laws or policies that facilitate the transfer of juvenile offenders from the juvenile to the adult criminal justice system. The findings indicate that, in general, transfer policies often result in increased arrests of juveniles for subsequent crimes.

Crossroads for Kids -- Director of Development and Communications (Duxbury, MA)
The Director of Development and Communications oversees fundraising campaigns, communications activities and volunteer services for Crossroads for Kids, an organization providing educational and recreational activities for at-risk children. He or she will work with community-based and school organizations to help students achieve success. For more information and to apply for this position please click here.

Illinois Health Education Consortium -- Program Coordinator (Chicago, IL)
The Program Coordinator will work part-time to manage the School Immunization Outreach Program, which works with school nurses to identify students who have not been fully immunized and the Illinois Search Program, which places student health professionals with community health organizations to gain clinical experience. To apply for this position please mail, e-mail or fax an application to Carla M. Green, MPH, Director, Clinical Education, Illinois Health Education Consortium/AHEC, 310 South Peoria Street, Suite 404, Chicago, IL 60607, cgreen@ihec.org, fax: 312-996-0723.

The Center for Applied Research & Technical Assistance -- Research Associate (Baltimore, MD)
The Research Associate will assist team members with the implementation of research projects related to academic achievement, workforce preparation, juvenile justice, adolescent health, including reproductive and sexual health, and community youth development. He or she will design and maintain databases, conduct data analysis and present findings to project directors. For more information and to apply for this position please click here and search for 'Research Associate.'