No Vacation for Hunger
When school's out, kids still need to eat. Check out our
WIC Can Help
page to learn more about summer food programs that provide free, nutritious meals to kids 18 and younger in community settings.
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Good Choices for a Productive Day
When you spend several hours a day at work, make those hours healthy ones for both body and mind. Making
some simple, smart choices
throughout your workday can help boost your creativity and productivity while reducing fatigue and minimizing stress.
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Budget Proposal: Not Good for Poor and Working Class
Proposed cuts to non-defense discretionary funding, totaling $54B - a magnitude not seen in forty years - and massive buildup of defense and security funding for the Pentagon and Homeland Security, summarize President Trump's FY 2018 Budget Blueprint. On balance this is a spending shift, not reduction. While more details are expected in the full budget coming in mid-May, the blueprint provides exceptionally limited or no information to put the proposal into context as far as projections for spending, revenue and deficits. The departments of energy (31% cut), labor (21% cut), state (28% cut), health and human services (18% cut) and USDA (21% cut) will face the largest funding reductions. Cuts to domestic programs would broadside the poor, including rural Americans, the working class, and WIC families. For WIC, this budget proposes a reduction of $150 from FY 2016 which could be enough to serve all participants. More details will be provided as the budget is written in the next couple of months.
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ACA Repeal: Gaping Shortages and Impacts
Republicans hope for a full House vote this Thursday on the
American Health Care Act
, the bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, having passed the House Budget Committee last week. The
Congressional Budget Office
(CBO) review, describing the immediate impact on millions of Americans who will be uninsured and other unpopular outcomes, has GOP leaders divided and working steadily to both gain votes and create improvements, especially for
older Americans
.
Low-income children would not fare well
either in California and many states ACTION:
Check NWA's recent blog post
for links and a summary of impacts, and CA Pan Ethnic Health Network's
ACA Defense Hub
for national updates, state fact sheets, and advocacy activities.
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Conference Countdown!
We look forward to hosting 900-plus attendees, exhibitors and sponsors at Engaging Families for Thriving Communities, CWA's Annual Conference & Trade Show, April 9-12 in San Diego. In just a few short weeks, attendees will be presented a rich opportunity to learn from stellar speakers on pertinent topics, such as the human microbiome, technology for WIC services, health literacy, and in our much-anticipated Leadership and Breastfeeding Preconference Workshops, motivational interviewing, care for the NICU infant, epigenetics and more. We will honor some colleagues, fit in some meetings, network with companies and organizations that support WIC and stay active with physical activity. Sound like a lot? It is! ACTION: Still need to register? Its' not too late! Register by March 31st! Don't forget to peruse your closet (or the local thrift shop) for some fancy silver duds - this is our 25th annual conference!
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Optimal Child Care Includes Healthy Nutrition
Released today
by California Food Policy Advocates,
Early Access to Healthy Food: Trends in California's Child and Adult Care Food Program 2010 to 2016
,
is California's only statewide assessment of
children's access to and participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
Data trends indicate that only one in three child care centers and just over half of family child care homes offer the program. The report goes on to describe average daily participation dropping by more than 20,000 children between 2010 and 2015. Policy recommendations for improved participation include restoring meal reimbursements, support for the new meal pattern, program administration simplification, and other reasonable recommendations.
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Howard County, MD Says "No" to Sugary Beverages
A community in Maryland was able to
significantly reduce
the consumption of sugary beverages, thanks to its three-year
Unsweetened campaign
.
The
community-led campaign
,
included TV and outdoor advertising, as well as social media, improvements to messaging from healthcare professionals, and advocacy for policies to reduce consumption of all sugary drinks - including a new local law that promotes access to healthier food and drink options on local government property. The campaign used ads and activities, like this
Hey Coca-Cola, There's a Better Way
ad in which volunteers approach people drinking sodas in public places, and trying to convince them to swap their sugary drinks for water. ACTION: Check out this resource
Better Beverage Finder
, a tool that offers 300+ no-sugar and low-sugar alternatives to sugary drinks.
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Injuries to Young Children from Nursery Products Increasing
A new study published in
Pediatrics
finds
injuries to young children
associated with nursery products are increasing, and most of them are head injuries. The study found that more than 66,000 children under the age of three are treated for injuries related to nursery products, such as cribs and baby carriers, each year. Eighty percent of the injuries were caused by a child falling, and injuries were most commonly associated with baby carriers, followed closely by cribs/mattresses, and strollers. To keep kids safe, the researchers recommend that parents and caregivers follow the 4 Rs before bringing nursery products into their home: Research, check for recalls, register your product, and read the manual.
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Preterm Babies and the Importance of Touch
Researchers who have measured the brain responses of 125 infants -- including babies who were born prematurely and others who went full-term -- show that a
baby's earliest experiences of touch
have lasting effects on the way their young brains respond to gentle touch when they go home. Measurements showed that preterm babies were more likely than full-term babies to have a reduced brain response to gentle touch and was stronger when they spent more time in gentle contact with their parents or healthcare providers. In contrast, the more painful medical procedures premature infants had to endure, the less their brain responded to gentle touch later, even when provided with pain relief. 15 million infants are born prematurely each year, and often must spend extended periods of time in NICUs. Authors of the study are now examining new ways to provide positive touch starting in the hospital.
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Breastfeeding Support: It Works!
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews has released, "
Support for healthy breastfeeding mothers with healthy term babies
." The review evaluated forms of breastfeeding support, the timing of the interventions and the settings in which they have been used, and explored the interaction between background breastfeeding rates and effectiveness of support. Findings indicated that when breastfeeding support is offered to women, the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding is increased. Characteristics of effective support include: that it is offered as standard by trained personnel during prenatal or postpartum care, that it includes ongoing scheduled visits, and that it is tailored to the setting and the needs of the population group. Support is likely to be more effective in settings with high initiation rates. Support may be offered either by professional or lay/peer supporters, or a combination of both. Strategies that rely mainly on face-to-face support are more likely to succeed with women practicing exclusive breastfeeding.
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Title IV Strategies for Successful Women
The National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education has released
Pregnant and Parenting Students: Supporting Academic Success Through Title IX
examining persistent barriers women and girls face in education and the historical impact of Title IX, including access to time and space to express breast milk. NCWGE recommendations provide important action items for schools, advocates, federal and state legislators, and administrators to ensure efforts to achieve equity lead to long-term success.
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