ROOSEVELT, N.Y. - Childhood obesity is a problem across New York, with a statewide average of nearly 18 percent of public school students overweight. With an eye toward changing behavior even before they enter school, new efforts are being brought to bear on the problem.

The newly formed Long Island Health Collaborative has obesity in its sights and will, among other things, work with public officials on making communities more "walkable and bikeable," according to spokeswoman Janine Logan.

"When we begin our policy work, we are going to start with two of those high-needs districts: Wyandanch in Suffolk County and Roosevelt in Nassau County," Logan said.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America recently issued new recommendations calling for an investment in the "foundations of lifelong physical and mental well-being in America's youngest children." All 11 of Long Island's high-needs districts are listed among New York areas that have the greatest number of students who are obese.

In Roosevelt, Jacob Dixon runs a youth program, Choice for All. He said a survey by a local university and a hospital showed 57 percent of Roosevelt's sixth-graders were obese. Most of them indicated they wanted help, he added.

"We as an organization are now looking at this from a perspective of, 'If even the kids are acknowledging it, then as adults we need to take some type of responsibility to help them reach their goal of physical health,'" he said.

One problem Dixon pointed to is that fast-food outlets are more accessible than markets selling fresh produce and nutritious options.

"What can we do to build access to healthy nutrition - maybe farmers' markets that we currently have here in Roosevelt during the summer, and making them year-round?" Dixon asked.

Janine Logan added that the Long Island Health Collaboration recognizes obesity's link to the chronic diseases the organization will focus on.

"Diabetes, hypertension, asthma. Seventy percent of chronic disease is attributable to lifestyle. It's a slow education process. We're looking to help people understand the etiology of their disease and then to change their behaviors," Logan said.

Decades ago, she noted, no one gave any thought to recycling cans and bottles; in the same way that our ecological behavior changed, the effort will be to change behavior related to nutrition and exercise.






get more stories like this via email

Virginia's child welfare system grapples with a surge of unfounded reports that critics say stem from overly broad mandatory reporting laws, disrupting families and straining resources.

More than 1,000 of more than 90,000 annual reports to Child Protective Services are found to be valid, said Valerie L'Herrou, deputy director of the Virginia Poverty Law Center's Cemter for Family Advocacy. She explained that some parents are forced into impossible choices because of poverty, and can face neglect accusations even though their actions stem from economic necessity, not intentional disregard for their children's well-being.

"And that's when the nosy neighbor picks up the phone and calls CPS," she said, "and so these are the kinds of things: a family's water gets turned off because they can't afford to pay their water bill and so kids show up to school unbathed, and the teacher calls CPS."

L'Herrou said agencies such as the Virginia Department of Social Services are now classifying some situations as "Poverty Adjacent Neglect," acknowledging that families often lack the resources they need. She advocated for solutions that address these root causes, including raising the minimum wage, strengthening programs such as SNAP and TANF, and expanding access to affordable child care.

Mandatory reporting laws have also created a dilemma for teachers, doctors and other professionals. Anna Daniszewski, a staff attorney for family defense at the VPLC, emphasized that people often fail to recognize the enduring and traumatic consequences of a false report to Child Protective Services.

"There's still harm in a call that leads to an assessment or inquiry or investigation that turns out to be unfounded," she said. "Depending on if the report is about a bruise on an arm, a child might be strip-searched, and that's obviously traumatic, or even just the experience of having CPS knock on your door."

Advocates have said one solution would be using family resource centers to allow parents to ask for help without the fear of involving CPS. They also want better training for mandatory reporters.

Teachers are the top reporters of neglect and abuse, and groups such as the American Federation of Teachers now support an approach known as "mandated support," giving them a broader range of options beyond mandatory reporting.

A Missouri-based therapy dog has an inspiring journey that began as a homeless stray on the streets of Los Angeles.

Olive, a ten-pound poodle mix, is now the lead character in a new children's book titled, "Olive, She's All Love." She was rescued by Brandon McMillan, host of CBS's "Lucky Dog," where she received specialized training and became a certified therapy dog.

Lisa Groves-Bax, a children's advocate and owner of Therapy Paws, became Olive's owner in 2016, where the dog has been used to comfort Missouri children in the court system and inspired Groves-Bax to share her story. She said their mission to support kids who are hurting extends beyond the courtroom.

"There's schools, there's foster homes, there's libraries, all these places who are wanting a therapy dog just to help with kiddos," Groves-Bax outlined. "We have 23 certified handlers along with their certified therapy dogs, and three currently in training."

Olive is scheduled to visit Glasgow's Lewis Library and grade school Jan. 8 for an event for kindergartners through grade five.

Deborah Zemke, illustrator of the book, will also be there to share more about Olive's work. She said working on this book brought about a unique experience in her career.

"I've done a lot of books. This is the first time that I've, like, met my hero character in person before I started," Zemke recounted. "That was kind of unusual and kind of fun."

"Olive, She's all Love" can be found online and at local bookstores.


get more stories like this via email

Child tax credits offer a financial lifeline to parents and can lift children out of poverty, according to a report from New Mexico's Voices for Children.

Jacob Vigil, deputy policy director for the nonprofit, noted in addition to federal child tax credits, New Mexico is one of 16 states with its own child tax credit. He said the credits, including refundable credits, are among the most effective ways to fight poverty because they return money directly to families who know best how to address their specific needs.

"These tax credits play a really important non-stigmatizing role in providing assistance to families in most need of support," Vigil explained.

In New Mexico, Vigil pointed out the state returned $132 million to almost 240,000 households this year through the state's child tax credit program. The credit varies by income level, with the largest credits available to low-income families. Because it is refundable, families can receive the full amount for which they are eligible regardless of their tax liability.

Studies show generous tax credits can lead to long-term improvements in health and higher earnings in adulthood, and also improve school performance, which increases college attendance rates. According to Vigil, extra federal child tax credits provided to families during the pandemic had a huge effect on the state's children.

"With the expansion of the federal CTC and it being refundable temporarily in 2021, that was 450,000 kids -- and that's 95% of the child population -- 32,000 children lifted out of poverty," Vigil reported.

Post pandemic, the federal child tax credit is no longer fully refundable, which means 36% of New Mexico families earning the lowest incomes are unable to access the full federal credit, while at the same time, a married couple making up to $400,000 receives the full amount of the tax credit.