Free children's
clothing and school supplies
New Hope Chapel's 17th
Annual School Days Outreach Saturday, August 15,
2009 9 a.m. to 12 noon 80 Richmond
Townhouse Rd. Carolina, RI (next
to WashCo Fairgrounds)
People wishing to donate first quality new or used
children's clothing and school supplies for the County's
financially struggling families should contact the church at
(401)
539-4673. |
New studies
released
Children living with depression in
families
About
15.6 million children under 18 live with an adult who has had
major depression in the past year, says a new report from the
National Research Council and Institute of Medicine. Depression in
Parents, Parenting, and Children: Opportunities for
Identification, Prevention, and Treatment says that health
and social service professionals who care for adults with
depression should not only tackle their clients' physical and
mental health, but also detect and prevent possible spillover
effects on their children.
6 ways to connect
children to
school
When students
believe that adults and peers in the school care about their
learning as well as about them as individuals, they engage in
less risky activities and are more likely to have better
academic achievement, including higher grades and test scores,
have better school attendance, and stay in school
longer. School Connectedness:
Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors Among Youth
identifies six strategies that teachers, administrators, other
school staff, and parents can implement to increase the extent
to which students feel connected to school.
Few 15-year-olds have
experiences needed for
success
A new Search
Institute study exploring the importance of teen motivation
and engagement in civic life finds that only seven percent of
15 year-olds in the U.S. experience a strong combination of
three key factors critical to their success, according to
research sponsored by the Best Buy Children's
Foundation. Teen Voice 2009: The
Untapped Strengths of 15-Year-Olds is a national survey of
1,817 15-year olds that finds a majority of teens lack
high levels of each of the concepts: "sparks," "teen voice,"
and "relationships and
opportunities."
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RIte Care
wins in FY2010 state budget!
Threatened
cuts for immigrants, pregnant women, and dental
coverage are averted; premiums aren't
increased.
The $7.8 billion
Rhode Island FY 2010 budget contains several key
provisions to strengthen the RIte Care health insurance
program and to ensure that children and families are
able to access health care, including:
- RIte Care coverage will be restored for lawfully
residing immigrant children.
- Health insurance coverage for moderate-income
pregnant women (through the RIte Care "buy-in"
program) was preserved.
- Dental coverage for 38,000 parents enrolled in
RIte Care was preserved.
- RIte Care premium increases were
rescinded.
For more information on
changes to RIte Care in the budget read Rhode Island
KIDS COUNT's 2009 Legislative WrapUp.
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Something special for you to write on, from
Washington County's 2nd
graders
Notecards from "The Way I Feel" bookmark
project. 
Emotions. We've all got them. But when we're young,
we're not necessarily quick to recognize their impact on
us and others. Every year, the Coalition
offers teachers and parents specialized training and
materials to help young children understand and express
the way they feel. The amazing artworks
pictured are just three of dozens of bookmarks designed
by Washington County 2nd graders last Spring, based on
the book "The Way I Feel" by Janin Cain.
One design was then chosen from each of the
participating nine schools. The finalists were
reproduced as full color bookmarks and are distributed
widely throughout libraries, social service agencies,
and schools throughout Washington
County. This year, the Coalition also
produced a beautiful set of notecards and envelopes from
the nine designs. You can
buy a package of six of these timeless cards and
envelopes for a very reasonable $10, all of which
goes to support the project and the Coalition in the
coming year. You can mix and match as you
wish.
To see and buy these notecards, send an email to Maureen
Egan today! Andréa
Martin, the Coalition's "The Way I Feel"
coordinator, will be reaching out to parents, teachers,
and schools very soon. Very special
thanks to the GFWC Women's Club of South County whose
generous support was essential to the success of
this year's
project.
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What you need to know about
the WCCC
The
Washington County Coalition for Children brings together
everyone in Washington County who cares about children.
The Coalition is known for:
- Tracking and publishing the trends in
children's issues, and convening public meetings
around the needs.
- Convening monthly meetings that bring
together more than 40 organizations to tackle the most
compelling problems facing children and their
families.
- Establishing a website to help
parents of children with mental health and substance
abuse problems connect with local treatment
providers
- Sponsoring an annual "How Are the
Children?" Forum, a must-attend event for anyone
working on children's issues: community leaders,
advocates, and elected officials.
- Holding monthly workshops to help
doctors and mental health professionals care for
children with behavioral health problems and
developmental disabilities.
- Organizing a holiday gift drive for
teens in conjunction with Casey's Grill & Bar in
Wakefield.
The
Coalition achieves astounding results, with just one
part-time staff person, dedicated volunteers, and
administrative support from VNS Home Health Services. We
cover all Coalition costs through voluntary
contributions of
Coalition members, grants, and your generous
donations.
For more information about the Washington County
Coalition for Children, go to www.washcokids.org or
contact Coalition Coordinator Susan Orban at
wccc@washcokids.org or (401)
788-2061.
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