Youth Issues / Public News Service

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Thursday, October 6, 2022

TN School Works to Attract More Students of Color to Higher Ed

A new report on Black students in the community college system found fewer are signing up to attend two-year schools, an enrollment downturn made …

Almost one in four children and youth in placement experienced a re-entry into care, according to the recent State of Child Welfare report by the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children. (Africa Studio/AdobeStock)

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

PA Pandemic Toll on Children Shows Progress, Racial Disparity and Recommendations

The 13th annual Pennsylvania State of Child Welfare report is out. Children advocates said the 2021 pandemic numbers showed some progress and …

Rates of child abuse and neglect are five times higher for children in families with low socioeconomic status, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Trust Your Gut, Know the Signs to Spot, Prevent Child Abuse

Child abuse cases in the state dropped between 2019 and 2020, but Kentucky still ranks fifth among states for incidents of child maltreatment…

About 80% of Latino college students in California graduate in four years, compared to about 88% of white students, according to the California Dept. of Education. (Digitalskillet1/Adobe Stock)

New CA Laws Aim to Improve College Graduation Rates

On the last day to sign bills this legislative session, Gov Gavin Newsom approved a slew of measures to improve college graduation rates, …

According to the Kentucky Youth Risk Behavior Survey, one in seven Kentucky high school students reported having seriously considered suicide within a 12-month period. (Adobe Stock)

Some KY Schools Offering Mental-Health Services Amid Youth Crisis

A pilot program launched by the Todd County School District and the county's local health department offers free mental-health case-management service…

Ohio school districts that implemented free school meals for all have reported a 20% increase in student participation. (USDA)<br />

Ohio Education Leaders Support Free School Meals for All

Education officials in Ohio want state leaders to invest in free school meals for all students. Pandemic-era federal waivers enabling schools to …

Funding for WV Groups with Creative Ideas to Solve Child Hunger

Kids living in rural regions are more likely to experience food insecurity, and a new initiative has been launched to help West Virginia communities …

In the 2007-2008 school year, New York City was set to implement a plan to limit class sizes to 25 students by the 2011-2012 school year. However, the plan hasn't yet come to fruition. (Adobe Stock)

New Law to Cap Class Sizes in NYC Schools

Class sizes in New York City schools will be limited by 2028 - the result of a new state law. The law will cap Kindergarten through third-grade …

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 …

A University of Massachusetts study showed an uptick in sports betting in recent years is due partly to the increase in states that allow it, from 10 in 2019, to 30 in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Kids' Exposure to Sports Betting a Risky Gamble in MA

Young people in the Commonwealth were already exposed to sports betting even before it was made legal last month. So, what will Massachusetts do to …

Elementary school students on a field trip marvel at the size of a redwood tree. (Victoria Reeder)

For Students, A Trip to the Forest is a Game Changer

As California's children settle into the new school year, about 1,500 students will soon take the field trip of a lifetime to see the giant redwoods…

The Lake County Gun Violence Prevention Initiative is partnering with community groups to interrupt cycles of gun violence. (Adobe Stock)<br />

IL Leaders to Issue Call to Action Over Youth Gun Violence, Mental Health

State and local leaders are joining community groups for a call to action this weekend to draw attention to efforts to support at-risk youth in Illino…

Child poverty ebbed and flowed after hitting 17% in 2009. Since 2017, it has been on the decline, falling to 5.2% in 2021, the lowest rate in history. (Adobe Stock)

CT Child Poverty Unchanged, Census Report Says

Connecticut's child poverty statistics have remained the same throughout 2021, according to the latest Census Bureau report. Nationally, child …

Grant Program to Fund Innovative Solutions to Rural Child Hunger

Child hunger is a persistent problem in California and across the U.S., especially in rural areas, and now, a new grant program will promote and fund …

Research shows economic insecurity, unreliable transportation and other challenges outside the classroom pose major barriers for two-year college students. (Adobe Stock)

KY College Boards Focus on Role of Equity in Student Success

Colleges and universities in Kentucky are looking at new ways to address the equity gap among their students, through specialized training for their …

According to a recent survey by the American Library Association, about 71% of voters, across party lines, oppose book bans altogether. Yet, the ALA has found 1,651 different books were the target of book bans since the start of 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Brooklyn Public Library Hosts 'Books UnBanned' Program

Banned Books Week continues through Saturday, and the Brooklyn Public Library has a program for teens facing book bans in their states. The Books …

Arkansas ranks fifth for the per capita number of households with children that reported not having enough food in their homes this past year, according to a U.S. Census Bureau survey. (Oksana Kuzmina/AdobeStock)

Group Develops Ways to Combat Rural Child Hunger

Save the Children's Rural Child Hunger Research and Innovation Lab aims to help communities design and test new, creative ways to reduce rural child …

This year, more than 70% of attempts to restrict library resources targeted multiple titles. (Adobe Stock)

Maryland Libraries Call Attention to Censorship During Banned Books Week

Controversial books are nothing new, but the incidence of book challenges and bans has increased substantially in recent years. This week marks the …

From July 2021 to June 2022 across the nation, there were 2,532 instances of individual books being banned, affecting 1,648 unique book titles, according to Pen America. (prettysleepyart/Pixabay)

TX ACLU Promotes 'Students' Rights Hub' During Banned Books Week

Ahead of Banned Books Week, the ACLU of Texas published what it calls a Students' Rights Hub. Kate Huddleston, attorney for the ACLU of Texas…

In Tennessee, more than 800,000 people are facing hunger, and more than 230,000 of them are children. (Africa Studio/AdobeStock)

Advocates Calling on Congress for Better Investment in Kids

Advocates for children's well-being are in Washington, D.C. today, calling on lawmakers to invest in kids. The Save the Children advocacy summit is …

According to Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap report, nine out of 10 counties with the highest food insecurity rates are rural. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Innovation Lab Aims to Spur Creative Solutions to End Child Hunger

A new initiative is providing funding to individuals and grassroots groups across the Commonwealth with creative solutions to reduce hunger among rura…

Children of color are more likely than white kids to experience the death of a parent, as are children living in rural areas. (Adobe Stock)

Conference on Grieving in Lincoln to Focus on Supporting Kids

Nebraska is one of six states participating in "No Child Grieves Alone," a series of regional conferences aiming to help communities recover after the…

Student-loan advocacy groups have called on the Education Department to audit the Public Student Loan Forgiveness program. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/ Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Student-Loan Forgiveness Not Doing Enough to Address Racial Equity Gap

The Biden administration's recent move to cancel some student debt is welcome news to many, but challenges remain for others. The racial equity gap …

Supporters of boosting wages for childcare workers in North Dakota say low pay is fueling the lack of available care. They say some families report traveling 80 miles roundtrip to bring their children to a provider. (Adobe Stock)

Guarded Optimism Surrounds ND Child Care Plan

Advocates for expanding child care in North Dakota are responding to the governor's proposal to improve access across the state. They said it is a …

The new Indian Youth Service Corps enlists Indigenous youths for paying jobs that include trail restoration, habitat surveys, climate mitigation, watershed restoration and other culturally important tasks. (Kristi Rugg/National Park Service)

Indian Youth Services Corps Offers Jobs in Conservation, Preservation

Indigenous youths have been enlisted in the Southwest, including New Mexico, to help conserve natural and cultural resources on tribal lands as part …

Research suggests that with intensive support, parents can overcome addiction and be reunited with their children as part of their recovery. (Adobe Stock)

Recovery Month: Ohio START Shows Success in Reuniting Families

September is National Recovery Month, and a program in Ohio is showing success in healing families who have struggled with addiction. Ohio START (…

Health experts say making sure children are current with all their check-ups is important to their health and academic success. (Pixabay)

Experts Urge Checkups for Florida Kids, Including Mental Health

Experts are reminding parents to schedule time to get health screenings for kids - and to also think beyond the basic back-to-school physical…

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment launched its School-based Health Center initiative in 1987. (Adobe Stock)

CO Students Can Access Mental, Medical, Dental Care at School

With school now back in session, many Colorado kids are accessing medical, behavioral and dental care through School-based Health Centers, fully …

Earlier year, the FDA temporarily banned all Juul products from the market, but was forced to reverse that decision after the company challenged the agency in court. (Adobe Stock)

TN to Receive $13 Million in Juul Deceptive Marketing Settlement

After an investigation found the e-cigarette maker Juul Labs deliberately targeted young people using a variety of marketing practices, Tennessee is …

Increased awareness of the dangers of unlocked medication has led to a 33% drop in emergency-room visits for suspected accidental poisonings in children younger than age 6 between 2012 and 2020 worldwide, according to research by Safe Kids Worldwide.(Adobe Stock)

Medicine Storage Campaign Aims to Reduce Accidental Poisonings Among Kids

Small children are landing in the hospital because of accidental poisoning from ingesting medication meant for adults. Experts are working to give …

According to a New York State Comptroller audit, out of 563 schools previously cited for not having one of the Department of Education's six mental health programs, 30% did not have a social worker. (Valerii Honcharuk/Adobe Stock)

NY Experiencing Shortage of School Social Workers

School districts across the state of New York are facing a shortage of social workers. According to an audit by the state comptroller's office…

Between 2003 and 2017, the suicide rate among Black girls increased an average of 6.6% each year, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, which reports nearly 40% were ages 12 to 14. (kassoum_kone/Pixabay)

Parents, Teachers Advised to Stay Alert for Mental-Health Issues

For some Texas kids, heading back to school creates a lot of anxiety, and experts urge early intervention to solve a youth mental-health crisis …

Miles Community College is in the eastern Montana town of Miles City, which has population of less than 9,000. (David Schott/Wikimedia Commons)

Virtual Learning Shrinks Distances for MT's Rural Students

Montana's big landscapes and sparse populations present a challenge to colleges and universities. But the internet is shrinking distances for the …

Nearly three in four Nebraska jobs that pay a living wage will require at least some postsecondary education by 2027. (Adobe Stock)

Cost Biggest Barrier for Native Nebraska Students

The biggest obstacle facing indigenous students in Nebraska completing college degrees is cost, according to a new collaborative study by the …

More than 60,000 kids in Colorado can't afford school meals, but don't qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, and two out of every five Colorado families struggle to put food on the table for their children. (Adobe Stock)

Ending School Lunchline Shaming on Colorado’s November Ballot

In November, Colorado voters will have an opportunity to end a practice known as "lunch-line shaming," which drew national attention after a Colorado …

Admissions to secure juvenile detention facilities dropped 51% in Pennsylvania between 2016 and 2020, but the median length of stay has nearly doubled. (Photographee.eu/Adobe Stock)

Lack of PA Juvenile Detention Space Reaches Critical Stage

One goal of youth and family support services is to keep kids out of juvenile detention, but for those who are accused of serious crimes, …

Juvenile detentions dropped dramatically nationwide during the early part of the pandemic, but numbers have bounced back up, especially for African American youth. (Sakhorn38/Adobe Stock)

IL Juvenile Justice Groups Press to Raise Age for Pre-trial Detention

Currently, children as young as 10 are held behind bars while awaiting trial in Illinois, and now, juvenile justice reform groups are calling for the …

Some educators say kids continue to struggle with social skills and mental health challenges in the aftermath of the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio Schools Seek to Adapt to Mental Health Crisis

By Andrew Kuder / Broadcast version by Mary Schuermann reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration. Over the past few years…

Elementary schoolers should get at least nine hours of sleep per night, according to pediatricians at the Cleveland Clinic. (Adobe Stock)

Healthy Habits for NC Kids Can Start with Back-to-School

Experts say there are a few steps North Carolina families can take to help young children feel prepared and ready to begin the new school year…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report more than half of children ages 6 to 8 have had a cavity in at least one of their baby teeth. (Phoenix021/Adobe Stock)

Your Back to School To-Do List: Medical, Dental, Hearing and Vision Tests

As children head back to school in California, experts urged parents to bring them in for a physical and get their hearing, vision, and teeth checked …

The Nebraska Indian Child Welfare Act builds on protections passed by Congress in 1978 by clarifying state policies and procedures regarding implementation of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act. (Adobe Stock)

Brief Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Indian Child Welfare Act

The ACLU of Nebraska has joined a national brief filed in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court challenging a 1978 law passed by Congress aiming to …

Six out of seven occupations identified by the Wyoming Department of Employment as the most in-demand require some form of post-secondary education. (Adobe Stock)

Cost Biggest Barrier for Native Americans to Complete Degrees

The biggest obstacle facing indigenous students completing college degrees is cost, according to a collaborative study by the National Native …

Adding fruits to water is a natural way to add flavor without adding gobs of sugar to the drink. (Mary's/Adobe Stock)

Health Pros: Consider Alternatives to Sugary Drinks as School Returns

It's almost time for kids in Washington state to head back to school, and some might gravitate toward soda and other drinks with lots of sugar…

In September 2021, around 40% of Tennessee youths reported feeling down, depressed or hopeless nearly every day for the past two weeks, according to new state-level data released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

New Data Indicates TN’s Kids Struggling with Mental Health

An increasing number of Tennessee kids are experiencing chronic anxiety and depression, according to new data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

Around 75% of college students who struggle with depression and anxiety are reluctant to seek help, according to the Mayo Clinic. (Adobe Stock)

Students Returning to Campus Urged to Check Mental-Health Resources

As college students head to campus in the coming weeks, mental-health experts are urging both students and parents to familiarize themselves with the …

An estimated 11.4% of Hispanic children in the U.S. do not have health insurance. (Adobe Stock)

Back-to-School Checklist: Remember Health-Care Coverage

As a new school year kicks into gear, advocacy groups want to ensure Ohio kids have access to medical coverage to keep them healthy and ready to …

The rate of Washington state kids with health insurance has increased over the past decade to one of the highest rates in the nation. (Iriana Shiyan/Adobe Stock)

Report: Many WA Kids Suffering from Anxiety, Depression

The mental health of Washington state children is a major area of concern, according to a new report. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual Kids …

Kids who grow up in poverty are more than two times more likely to develop mental-health conditions than their peers. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia Shows Slow Progress on Kids' Economic Stability

For the second consecutive year, Virginia ranks 13th in an annual snapshot of child well-being. In the new 2022 Kids Count Data Book, the state …

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