Sacramento Head Start Alumni Association

Health Information Resources

Feb 04, 2003

An Epidemic: Overweight and Unfit Children in California, from the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, finds that over 25% of California children are overweight and nearly 40% are unfit -- with more boys overweight and more girls unfit. Includes policy recommendations. Site also provides statistics and fact sheets on childhood obesity for each California Assembly District. Online at http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/policy_briefs/
overweight_and_unfit.html
[last updated 1-13-03]

Assessing State Strategies for Health Coverage Expansion, from the Commonwealth Fund, provides "lessons learned" from successful efforts in four states to increase the number of people with health insurance. Online at http://www.cmwf.org/media/releases/silow-carroll587_release11192002.asp
[last updated 1-13-03]

Avoiding Cruel Choices: A Guide for Policymakers and Family Organizations on Medicaid's Role in Preventing Custody Relinquishment describes the growing national crisis in children's mental health services and state policy options that increase families' access to these services. $10. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, 1101 15th St NW, Ste 1212, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 467-5730 x 110; online at http://www.bazelon.org/issues/children/publications/
TEFRA/index.htm
[last updated 1-13-03]

* California SIDS Program has launched a new website for parents, parent support organizations, and health providers with information on SIDS risk reduction, grief and bereavement, and SIDS facts. Online at http://californiasids.com
[last updated 2-1-03]

Challenges Associated with Applying for Health Insurance Among Latina Mothers finds that a much higher rate of Bay Area Latina mothers (55%) reported problems or immigration-related fears when applying for health insurance than did Latina mothers in New York (33%) or Miami (9%). Includes recommendations for change. New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Av, NY, NY 10029; (212) 822-7200; online at http://www.nyam.org/news/pdf/latinamedicaidpolicybrief.pdf
[last updated 1-13-03]

Child Health 2002 provides data on 59 indicators of children?’s health, including disease, abuse and neglect, hospitalization, injury, and how often children use health services. Includes some state- and city-specific data. Free. Health Resources and Services Administration Information Center, 2070 Chain Bridge Rd, Ste 450, Vienna, VA 22182; (888) ASK-HRSA; online at http://www.mchb.hrsa.gov/chusa02/index.htm
[last updated 1-13-03]

* Medicaid is Good Medicine for State Economies, from Families USA, finds that every dollar California spends on Medi-Cal generates $2.55 in additional business activity. California Medi-Cal spending also created 291,439 new jobs in 2001. Online at http://www.familiesusa.org
[last updated 2-1-03]

* Safety Lit, from San Diego State University, provides resources about injury prevention, including a database of abstracts of injury prevention articles from over 100 journals. Online at http://www.safetylit.org/index.htm
[last updated 2-1-03]

* State Efforts to Improve Children's Oral Health, from the National Governor's Association Center for Best Practices, highlights best practices by states around the US to promote public education and prevention, increase dental coverage and access, and improve financing and reimbursement. Online at http://www.nga.org/center/divisions/1,1188,C_ISSUE_
BRIEF^D_4689,00.html
[last updated 2-1-03]

Successful Strategies for Children?’s Health: Summaries of 14 successful children?’s health programs. Free. Action Alliance for Children, (510) 444-7136; www.4children.org

Weaving the Food Web: Community Food Security in California profiles eight innovative community-based food projects and includes articles on hunger, obesity, and other food-related policy issues. $5.50 including s/h. Community Food Security Coalition, PO Box 209, Venice, CA 90294; (310) 822-5410; online at http://www.foodsecurity.org/pubs.html
[last updated 1-13-03]