America’s Youngest Outcasts-State Report Card on Child Homelessness

America’s Youngest Outcasts-State Report Card on Child Homelessness. National Center on Family Homelessness. March 2009.

A new report released today by the National Center on Family
Homelessness finds more than 1.5 million children are homeless
annually in the United States -- one in every 50 American children.
America?s Youngest Outcasts: State Report Card on Child Homelessness
offers the first comprehensive state-by-state data on the status of
homeless children and ranks the 50 states from top to bottom.

Evidence-Based — California Hospital, School District Collaborate to Cut Obesity-related Risks

Evidence-Based — California Hospital, School District Collaborate to Cut Obesity-related Risks by Teddi Grant. Health Progress Journal. Jan-Feb 2009.


This article is about a School Based Diabetes and Obesity Initiative, which started in 2006, initially targeted five low-income neighborhoods with the ultimate goal to decrease childhood obesity rates with a multi-faceted program that promotes increased physical activity and improved nutrition.

Improving Child Nutrition Policy: Insights from National USDA Study of School Food Environments

Improving Child Nutrition Policy: Insights from National USDA Study of School Food Environments. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Feb 2009.


The third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study (SNDA-III), which was sponsored by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on the overall food environment in public elementary, middle and high schools.

Assets Declines and Investment Strategy Changes by Family, Independent, and Public Foundations

Assets Declines and Investment Strategy Changes by Family, Independent, and Public Foundations. Council on Foundations. Feb 3, 2009.


Survey results just released by the Council on Foundations at the Family Philanthropy Conference in Indianapolis showed that family, independent, and public foundations experienced a 28 percent decline in their asset values over the course of 2008.

Helping Families Succeed: Federal Policy Opportunities

Helping Families Succeed: Federal Policy Opportunities. Annie E Casey Foundation. Winter 2009.

In a special policy issue of Casey Connects newsletter, the Casey Foundation offers recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, advocates, and others committed to supporting children and families, particularly during these challenging economic times.

Health Matters: The Role of Health and the Health Sector in Place-Based Initiatives for Young Children

Health Matters: The Role of Health and the Health Sector in Place-Based Initiatives for Young Children. Fine Amy and Hicks Molly. WKK Kellogg Foundation. Nov 2008.

This study provides an initial scan of the role of health and the health sector within broader place-based initiatives for young children.

Medicaid and Mental Health Services

Medicaid and Mental Health Services. Cynthia Shirk. National Health Policy Forum. Background Paper. Oct 23, 2008.

This background paper highlights the variety of services and supports
needed by individuals with mental illness and Medicaid’s increasing role in mental health coverage.