Healthy Foster Care America
posted: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
In 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) created the Task Force on Foster Care (TFOFC) with the charge to increase the awareness, knowledge, and skills of pediatricians regarding the needs of children and teens in foster care. The ultimate goal is to improve the health and well-being of children and teens in foster care.
Recently, the TFOFC launched the Healthy Foster Care America Web site to engage communities and their leaders in supporting children, teens, and their families with an effective, multidisciplinary, integrated, and comprehensive continuum of care. The Web site is now live and can be accessed at www.aap.org/fostercare/. It was developed as a place where professionals and partner organizations can find the latest tools, resources, facts, and figures on the health and well-being of children and teens in foster care. We ask that you share our Web site with others, and link to our Web site from yours when possible.
The Web site has the following features:
- Expert information on the health issues and needs of children and teens in foster care
- Downloadable chapters from Fostering Health: Health Care for Children and Adolescents in Foster Care, 2nd Ed
- Easy-to-use search capabilities by keyword
- Subscription to the Healthy Foster Care America listserv to receive the latest information about the health issues and needs of children and teens in foster care
- Customizable forms for health care professionals
- Direct links to www.HealthyChildren.org
- A Special Place for Children and Families portal of resources for children and teens in care, parents (foster and birth) and kin
We look forward to providing you with the latest news, tools, and resources on the health and well-being of children and teens in foster care. Feel free to contact Aldina M Hovde, MSW, at 847/434-7119 or ahovde@aap.org if you have any questions
About Special Kids (ASK)
posted: Tuesday, October 20, 2009
About Special Kids (ASK) is the place to go to find resources for children with special needs in Indiana. ASK can help families who have children with needs ranging from learning and behavioral health issues to significant disabilities and life threatening illnesses. Families can be directed to health insurance options, state and federal programs, school-based programs, community programs, support groups, respite and much more! ASK also has a comprehensive resource directory that is available on its website for parents and professionals alike. Contact ASK by visiting their website www.aboutspecialkids.org or by calling 1-800-964-4746.
2009 Red Book®—Make your format choice today!
posted: Thursday, October 01, 2009
As you may have heard, one of the most valuable benefits of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) membership-the new 28th edition of Red Book®: 2009 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases—will be provided to you in your choice of format (print, online, or mobile/PDA).
To make your format choice, log into the AAP Member Center, click on the link in the right column, and then follow the online instructions. You may also make your format choice by sending an e-mail to membership@aap.org. We encourage you to make your choice soon.
Also, because many of you have told us that you use the print Red Book and either Red Book Online or Red Book Mobile, we are pleased to announce special Member Choice offers with deep discounts on other Red Book formats. These special offers are only available when you make your member benefit choice, so take advantage of these one-time-only discounts today!
We greatly value your membership in the AAP and hope the new Red Book Member Choice program will meet your changing needs and preferences.
Indiana Success—Promoting Workplace Lactation
posted: Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Breastfeeding is making big news in Indiana in 2008. At the same time the Governor was signing Workplace Lactation legislation into law (which became effective July 1, 2008), Indiana was selected to be one of ten pilot states to participate in the Business Case for Breastfeeding in Your Community.
Currently nearly 60% of new mothers with children under age three are in the workforce (U.S. Department of Labor) and several studies show that the decision to resume employment impacts both how long mothers breastfeed (Arlotti 1998) and how long they will exclusively breastfeed (McLeod 2002). Full-time employment decreases breastfeeding duration by an average of 8.6 weeks (Taveras 2003) and during the first month back at work (Cardenas 2005).
The demographics of Indiana’s workforce make it ripe for workplace training efforts and legislation to be particularly effective. Indiana leads the nation in number of manufacturing jobs per capita and this job setting has many inherent barriers to breastfeeding longevity. Indiana’s workplace lactation efforts have placed particular attention on lower wage positions in the manufacturing and service industry sectors, where continued breastfeeding is especially difficult (Cricco-Lizza 2002).
In these troubled economic times, Indiana’s business lactation initiative can be a big cost saver to both employees and employers. The longer an employee can provide free breast milk to her baby, the better it is for her family’s budget. It has been proven that workplace lactation programs provide businesses with a very high rate of return as a result of lower employee absenteeism, higher employee retention, reduced company health care costs and improved employee satisfaction and loyalty.
|
