Family/Father Issues / Public News Service

Callers to the newly launched Abortion Legal Hotline at 833-309-6301 can leave specific call-back or messaging instructions and someone will call or message that person back within two to three business days to gather information about the caller's legal questions. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

MA Launches Free Legal Advice Hotline Regarding Abortion Care

The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office has announced the launch of a new hotline for abortion-care providers and people seeking confidential lega…

Nearly half of all Hispanic-Americans live in counties that frequently violate ground-level ozone standards. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Public Health Benefits of Limiting Oil, Gas Methane Pollution

The public has until February 13th to weigh in on new rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce methane pollution at oil and gas…

Maine's biennial budget proposal recommends $169 million in state funds to strengthen care for older Mainers and expand services to help them age in their homes, including increased support for home-delivered meals and programs that reduce senior neglect and exploitation. (Adobe Stock)

Supporters of Paid Family, Medical Leave in ME Hopeful This Legislative Session

AARP Maine said it is hopeful lawmakers will find common ground on issues to support older Mainers this legislative session, including establishing a …

In 2021, the average price of center-based child care for an infant in the United States was more than $13,000. For all children younger than age 6, yearly child-care costs are around $10,600, an increase from 2020, according to Child Care Aware America. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Child-Care Crisis Hindering North Carolina's Economy

The state's unemployment rate for women with children younger than age 6 has reached nearly 4%, and according to a new report, around 400,000 parents …

Report: Tennessee's 'State of the Child' is Improving

Tennessee's "State of the Child 2022" report is an assessment of how children are faring, and this year's edition focuses on the situation for …

Senior advocates point out that family caregivers perform a range of tasks such as shopping, transportation, meal preparation, medication management, wound care and home updates, ultimately saving the state money. (Adobe Stock)

WI Sees Renewed Calls for Caregiver Tax Credit

Wisconsin lawmakers are back in session and have a large budget surplus to work with. Advocates for the state's older residents hope any spending …

Last March, Wyoming lawmakers passed a law that would ban abortions in most cases if the U.S. Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade, which the high court did in June. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Supreme Court Sends Suit Over Abortion Ban Back to District

The Wyoming Supreme Court has decided it will not weigh in on a lawsuit that has temporarily halted a ban on abortions in the state. Citing a state …

5.2 million older Americans were considered food-insecure in 2020, according to the nonprofit Feeding America. That's about one in 15 people. (Adobe Stock)">

AARP Maryland Sets 2023 Legislative Priorities

AARP Maryland has just released its legislative priority list for the coming year, with health and consumer protection issues topping the list…

The California Parent and Youth Helpline is open to the state's 9.3 million children, as well as their parents and caregivers. (Sebra/Adobe Stock)<br /> <br />

Holiday Season Brings Uptick in Calls to CA Parent & Youth Helpline

Active crisis calls have jumped 50% in the run-up to the holidays, according to officials at the California Parent and Youth Helpline. The helpline …

Starting in 2023, parents who are offered family health insurance at work may qualify for affordable health care coverage through the federal marketplace if premiums for that family plan cost more than 9.12% of their total family income. (Adobe Stock)

Maine Increases Rates of Children with Health Insurance

Federal funding during the COVID-19 public emergency helped to further reduce the number of uninsured children in Maine, but as pandemic-era dollars …

The Maryland Family Network says parents should ask providers about their teaching philosophies when researching child care.<br />(Adobe Stock)

Study: Kids in Child Care Not More Likely to Exhibit Problematic Behaviors

New research shows kids in child care aren't more likely to exhibit behavior problems than other children. The study, published in the journal …

Nationwide, prison populations dropped dramatically from 2019 to 2020, mainly the result of emergency responses to the pandemic. They're now on the uptick again, according to a Prison Policy Initiative report. (Adobe Stock)

WV Program Mentors People Re-Entering Society After Prison

West Virginia's prison population has ballooned, and formerly incarcerated people face numerous obstacles when they are released. A Charleston-based …

In 2020, more than 8,000 Kentucky children were placed in foster care. (Adobe Stock)

KY Foster Kids Say They Want Stability and Better Care

According to a new report, a significant number of the state's youths are institutionalized, not because of a need for intensive supervision but …

Tamara Loertscher holds her son, Harmonious Ellner, weeks after his birth in 2015. Loertscher was detained and incarcerated in Taylor County, Wis., during her pregnancy after health officials alleged she was using drugs while pregnant, an allegation she denies. (Photo courtesy of Loertscher.)

Policing Pregnancy: WI ‘Fetal Protection’ Law Forces Treatment or Jail

By Phoebe Petrovic for Wisconsin Watch.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for Wisconsin Watch-Public News Service …

The U.S. oil and gas industry emits 16 million metric tons of methane annually, which has the same near-term climate impact as 350 coal-fired power plants. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Methane Waste Rules Welcomed to Improve Public Health

Public-health advocates are welcoming a new proposal to reduce harmful air pollution by limiting methane waste at oil and gas facilities. Sabrina …

Experts advise Nebraskans to review their credit card, banking and other accounts at least once a month. If you notice charges that could be fraudulent, file a dispute before protections expire, generally 60 days after your statement drops. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for Avoiding Holiday Season Scams

Three out of four U.S. consumers have experienced or been targeted by at least one form of fraud that can be tied to the holidays, according to new …

It's estimated 19 million children under 17 who do not receive the full Child Tax Credit are disproportionately Black, Latino and American Indian or Alaska Native, due to their families' incomes being too low, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

AR Group Urges Congress to Reinstate Expanded Child Tax Credit

An Arkansas nonprofit is adding its voice to the calls for Congress to bring back the expanded Child Tax Credit for families in place during the pande…

In Arkansas, foster parents and adoptive parents must be at least 21 years of age. In adoptions, an age difference of no more than 45 years between the child and adoptive applicant is preferred.(Gajus/Adobe Stock)

'Project Zero' Aims to Get More Arkansas Foster Kids Adopted

National Adoption Month comes to an end today, but in Arkansas, almost 300 children are waiting to be adopted. Project Zero is a nonprofit …

In Tennessee, foster care is supposed to be a temporary service until the family and the child in some cases can address the problems leading to the placement, according to the state's Department of Children's Services. (AnnaStills/Adobe Stock)

'I Belong Project' Raises Awareness for TN Adoption

National Adoption Month comes to an end today, but in Tennessee, more than 9,000 children are in foster care and waiting for new families through …

Children living near refineries, highways and other sources of air pollution are disproportionately at risk of developing respiratory illness. (Adobe Stock)

Connecting CO Health Outcomes to Climate Solutions, Lower Utility Bills

A successful program that helps low-income households weatherize homes and lower energy bills is setting its sights on improving the health outcomes o…

Research indicates the number of women who have experienced Traumatic Brain Injury secondary to domestic violence is 11 to 12 times greater than experienced by military personnel and athletes combined. (Adobe Stock)

Initiative Aims to Fill Health-Care Gap Among Domestic-Violence Survivors

A new statewide initiative aims to help connect domestic-violence survivors with medical providers, with a focus on treating traumatic brain injury…

More than 25% of Missourians will be older than 60 by 2040. (Adobe Stock)

HCBS Cuts Threaten Services for Aging Population in Missouri

November is National Family Caregivers Month, which focuses attention on the unpaid care work of family members. The care provided by families …

AARP Maine provides an online caregiver resource guide, which includes health and community resource listings, and a toll-free AARP Family Caregiving Resource Line at 877-333-5885. (Adobe Photo)

Maine Advocates: Paid Family Medical Leave Possible in 2023

Not everybody gets a holiday break, especially caregivers, but advocates of paid family medical leave in Maine say momentum is building for a plan to …

Surveys show that most Americans recognize our deep political divisions are not good for the nation. (Rawf8/Adobe Stock)

Group Urges Divided Nation to Choose 'Better Angels' During Holidays

The holidays can be stressful, and our deeply divided political times can make it harder to see family. But efforts across the country are happening …

Since February 2020, more than 88,000 child-care jobs have been lost nationally. (Adobe Stock)

CT United Way Working on Family Child-Care Network Hub

United Way of Connecticut is launching a network hub for family child care providers. The new hub, created in partnership with the Connecticut Office …

Western Nebraska is home to food deserts, where there is no easy way to get good, healthy food regularly, which disproportionately impact seniors in rural areas. (Adobe Stock)

Reimagining Ways to Get Struggling Nebraska Families Back on Track

With a new legislative session on the horizon and new legislators after the November elections, the Coalition for a Strong Nebraska is bringing …

Adoption has been officially legal in the United states since the 1850s. (Adobe Stock)

Adoption Day: New "Forever" Homes for More Iowa Kids

It's National Adoption Month, a chance to raise awareness about the need for permanent homes and families for kids in foster care in Iowa. In Polk …

According to a survey by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, only about 17% of those surveyed knew about foster care adoption. But, other findings were more hopeful: 37% of Americans have considered adopting at some point in their life, which is up 12% from 2017. (Adobe Stock)

Creating Family Not Always Easy for NYS Foster Kids

It can be a long road to finding permanent homes for kids in the New York State foster care system, but many find it worthwhile. Megan Battista is …

More than 34 million Americans have provided unpaid care to an adult age 50 or older in the last 12 months, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (Adobe Stock)

November Events Highlight Resources for Ohio Family Caregivers

The spotlight is on family caregivers during November, National Family Caregivers Month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in Ohio…

Only 3% of Americans considering adoption say they would consider adopting a teenager, according to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. (shock/Adobe Stock)

Ample Options Await Adoptive Parents in Texas

Adopting a child is a big, important decision, but there also are misperceptions about the complexity of the process - which might mean thousands of …

A poll conducted in March found that 55% of Nebraskans oppose banning abortions, compared with 40% who support a ban. (Adobe Stock)

Five of Six Nebraska Municipalities Vote in Favor of Banning Abortion

Voters in five Nebraska towns approved local ordinances banning abortion care in this week's midterm elections, but reproductive health care …

New York City's Administration for Children's Services has increased the number of children placed in kinship care, with family members, with 43% last year, up from 31% in 2017. (Adobe Stock)

Adoption Month: Number of Kids in NYC Foster Care Shrinking

November is National Adoption Month, and New York City's foster care system is making headway in reducing the number of children in the system…

A survey by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption found dealing with behavioral issues and paying for the adoption remain prospective parents' most common concerns, both for adoptions out of foster care and internationally. (Pixabay)

Survey Shows More Families Consider "Building" through Adoption

November is National Adoption Month, a chance to raise awareness about Florida kids waiting to be adopted into a "forever" home and family. A survey …

Since 1999, the number of opiate-related deaths has increased every year, and overdoses have risen by 44% since the onset of the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Moving Opioid Treatment into Primary Care to Expand Access

Each year some 68,000 people in Colorado and across the U.S. die from opiate overdoses, largely due to lack of treatment, and federally qualified …

Laurene and Matt Sweet of Euclid adopted two teenagers in 2018. (Laurene Sweet)

3,000 Ohio Kids in Need of a Forever Family

November is National Adoption Month, and the results of a 2022 survey are encouraging for children in waiting. Of the approximately 400,000 foster …

Proposition FF includes grants school districts can use to purchase locally produced food, which proponents argued will help support local farmers and strengthen regional food systems. (Adobe Stock)

Proponents: Prop FF Key to Reducing Hunger in Colorado Springs

Proposition FF on Colorado's November ballot aims to ensure all students can access healthy, nutritious food at school, at no cost to families…

A UNH Granite State Poll found 60% of Republicans support school vouchers, compared with 8% of Democrats and 42% of Independents. Only about 28% of

Election Outcome Could Bring Big Changes to NH Public Schools

Republicans in New Hampshire have already submitted bills to expand the eligibility requirements for the state's Education Freedom Accounts Program…

According to the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, compared to their peers, teens in foster care experience worse outcomes by age 21, and only 49% have full or part-time employment. (DrobotDean/Adobe Stock)

PA Teens in Foster Care Await Outcome of 'Permanency' Bill

Backers of legislation awaiting Gov. Tom Wolf's signature said it would improve the odds of success for teens transitioning out of foster care…

Colorado's income taxes fund two-thirds of the state's General Fund, the vast majority of which pays for public K-12 and higher education, health care, human services and the state's corrections system. (Adobe Stock)

Tax Cut on Ballot Would Cost Coloradans Earning Less Than $91,000

Proponents of an initiative on the November ballot to lower the state income tax rate by less than 1% say the measure will allow Coloradans to keep mo…

A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research estimates permanently expanding the child tax credit would cost $97 billion per year. But, it would generate social benefits with net present value of $982 billion per year. (Adobe Stock)

VA Families Urge Revival of Child Tax Credit

It's been about a year since Virginia families last received funds from the U.S. Child Tax Credit, and they want it to be reinstated. According to …

Cambridge parent and Baby University graduate Shirley Elliott learned about her daughter Asira's emotional, physical and cognitive-linguistic growth in the course, setting her up for success in school and later in life. (Elliott)

'Baby University' Offers Life Skills, Community to New Parents in Need

Parenting was challenging even before the COVID pandemic, but a unique program in Cambridge teaches new parents the skills they need to nurture their …

The National Bureau of Economic Research estimates the benefits of a restored Child Tax Credit to low-income children would outweigh the program's costs by a factor of 10-to-1. (Jenko Ataman/Adobe Stock)

UT Group Urges Congress to Reinstate Child Tax Credit Payments

When families began receiving expanded Child Tax Credit payments during the pandemic, the extra family income lifted almost four-million children out …

The Indian Child Welfare Act establishes a preference for native children removed from their families to be placed with extended family members or in native foster homes to preserve their culture and heritage. (PxHere)

SCOTUS to Hear Constitutional Challenge to Indian Child Welfare Act

A case before the U.S. Supreme Court has Native Americans in Utah and other states concerned the outcome could revive the centuries-old practice of …

Approximately 74% of people who signed up for health insurance through Connect For Health Colorado qualified for financial help to cover the cost of their plan. (Adobe Stock)

Health Insurance Tax Credits Extended During Open Enrollment

Some 155,000 Coloradans who signed up for health insurance through Connect For Health Colorado were able to save 900 dollars per year on average throu…

Native American students, girls on the right and boys on the left, attend class at the Walapai Indian School in Kingman, Ariz., around 1900. (Wikimedia)

SCOTUS Case on 'Separations' Could Affect AZ, Other Native Families

A case before the U.S. Supreme Court has Native Americans concerned the outcome could revive a centuries-old practice of separating indigenous …

Across the nation, one in five children is living with a mental health disorder, but fewer than half will ever receive treatment. (Adobe Stock)

Moving the Needle on Children’s Mental Health

Children's Hospital Colorado has increased its mental-health inpatient, outpatient and day services by more than 50% to address what it called a …

Union representatives claim Amazon, as the general contractor and owner of a distribution site under construction, is responsible for all the work on their job site, and paying workers for installing conveyor systems. (Adobe Stock)

Amazon Workers in Nebraska Still Unpaid

Some 140 workers at an Amazon distribution center in Papillion have still not been paid for two weeks of work done in August. Dan Riskowski…

About 18,000 Montana kids will experience the loss of a family member by the time they're 18. (Africa Studio/Adobe Stock)

MT Hosts Conference on Supporting Grieving Children

A touring conference from the National Alliance for Children's Grief comes to Montana this week. The event will be in Whitefish on Tuesday. The …

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