First 5 LA - Articles

FIRST 5 LA COMMISSION APPROVES $8 MILLION TO SUPPORT TOT PARKS AND TRAILS THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY

bgibbs — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:40:31 -0800

LOS ANGELES --------- Wanting to create an incentive for both community-based organizations and local agencies to develop or improve play spaces, playgrounds and stroller trails specifically for young children, the First 5 LA Commission has approved nearly $8 million for grants to five county-wide groups.

The five organizations, representing public/private partnerships, will each receive funding for a period of up to three years with a maximum grant amount of $2 million to create sustainable changes to increase physical activity and promote healthy lifestyles.

Deployments and Child Deaths

Dnix — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:55:46 -0800

It's no secret that long deployments place increased stress on military families, and a recent investigation has found that these also have an impact on child abuse and neglect deaths in these families.

Rates of military child deaths linked to abuse and neglect have more than doubled since 2003 and outpace national civilian averages for the first time, according to a Military Times investigation.

National Children’s Dental Health Month: Do Fluoride and Babies Mix?

Dnix — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:03:29 -0800

Contradicting information regarding whether to brush infants' and toddlers' teeth with fluoride toothpaste can be very confusing for a parent. While some organizations and dentists recommend waiting until a child is 2 before using fluoridated toothpaste, others advise parents to either consult their dentist or brush their children's teeth with fluoride.

Dr.

Budget Brief: Medi-Cal Cuts Could Have Long-Term Effects on Kids

Dnix — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:21:29 -0800

Along with other state programs, Medi-Cal is slated for numerous cuts under Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget. The reductions, totaling $842.3 million in 2012-13, would primarily be achieved by transitioning beneficiaries who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medi-Cal from fee-for-service systems to managed care plans. But there are several other proposed cuts to the program that could potentially affect young children enrolled in the program.

Champion for our Children: Dr. Paul Simon

Dnix — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:12:04 -0800

One of Dr. Paul Simon's earliest memories is visiting the doctor for an ear ache when he was about 3 or 4 years old. He wasn't seen by his regular pediatrician, but by another doctor who was "less gentle" while examining his ears, Simon recalled.

"I just remember incredible pain," Simon said. On the way home, he asked his mother why the doctor was so mean and had hurt him so much.

"Don't worry," she told him. "He's not a child doctor."

FIRST 5 LA COMMISSION APPROVES $5.5 MILLION TO FUND WIDE RANGING POLICY ADVOCACY GRANTS

bgibbs — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:40:08 -0800

LOS ANGELES --------- The First 5 LA Commission today approved $5,537,200 for organizations interested in effecting positive long-term change though advocacy for issues affecting children prenatal to age 5 and their families. The funds will be used for 13 policy grants up to five years with a maximum grant amount of $500,000.  

Policy advocacy grants support a variety of strategies that advance First 5 LA's policy agenda and strengthen the ability of these organizations to be effective advocacy leaders on behalf of young children.

Budget Brief: Child Care Programs Target of Frequent Cuts

Dnix — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:37:52 -0800

Accessing affordable, quality child care has become increasingly difficult for thousands of working families in California. Gov. Jerry Brown's new budget proposal will make that even harder, with a plan to cut $447 million from non-Proposition 98 child care programs, plus another $69.9 million in cuts to Proposition 98-funded afterschool programs. Approximately 62,000 child care slots would be eliminated under this plan.

Eat Healthy, Grow Strong

Dnix — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:48:20 -0800

While obesity rates in Los Angeles County's children age 5 and younger are leveling off or, in some cases, declining, there remains an alarming number of families with young children who are overweight, obese or at risk of becoming so. From 2008 to 2009, the number of obese 3-year-olds held steady at 21 percent, and at 22 percent for 4-year-olds, according to WIC Data 2003-2009: A Report on Low-Income Families with Young Children in Los Angeles County.

Mom vs. Village

Dnix — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:52:09 -0800

"It takes a village" may no longer apply to raising a child, according to researchers at the University of Michigan. In two different studies published by anthropologist Beverly Strassmann, children from the villages of Mali in West Africa who were raised by their mothers had higher survival rates than those co-raised by an extended family.

Over the course of 25 years, Strassmann studied the Dogon people of Mali, following 1,700 Dogon children.

First 5 LA News and Congrats for February 2012

Dnix — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:59:28 -0800

Welcome to First 5 LA News and Congrats, a roundup of news and resources from First 5 LA, our grantees, partners and others. If you would like to make a submission to this column, which will appear in the Monday Morning Report the first Monday of every month, please email Denise Nix at DNix@First5LA.org.*

First 5 LA Commission Approves $27 Million For Healthy Kids