Articles by Amanda Merck

Many Families Can’t Afford Child Care, Even with Government Help

September 23, 2019

Child care and preschool are necessities for working families latino coronavirus

In every state, paying for child care continues to strain family budgets, and government subsidies aren’t helping enough with the cost, according to new fact sheets. Even when families can afford it, child care can be hard to find. That’s why the new fact sheets, created annually by the Center for American Progress (CAP), highlight child care prices, gaps in funding and access, and wages of child care workers─as well as policies that could address these inequities for Latino and all families. “Comprehensive early learning policies such as capping the amount families pay for child care, implementing universal preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds, and ensuring all eligible children receive child care subsidies would provide enormous benefits to families and state economies,” ...

Report: Transit Agencies Can Partner with Community, Advocates to Address Homelessness

September 19, 2019

Although violent crimes on the Los Angeles County (48.6% Latino) Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro) are rare, riders complain the high number homeless individuals makes them feel unsafe. In a 2016 survey, 29% of former riders told Metro they stopped taking transit because they felt unsafe, according to the Los Angeles Times. The next year, Metro increased spending on law enforcement and security by 37%. However, police presence alone is not enough to address perceptions of safety. “We cannot and should not arrest our way out of the problem,” said Jennifer Loew, Metro’s director of special projects. That’s why Metro paired law enforcement officers with social workers as part of their homeless outreach program. Transit Agencies and Homelessness Transit systems ...

#SaludTues Tweetchat 9/24/2019: How to Use Data to Promote Health Equity

September 17, 2019

Disparities in chronic disease, injury, and premature death contribute to worse health outcomes, decreased productivity, and increased direct and indirect healthcare costs for minority racial/ethnic populations and people with low socioeconomic status. Inequities in housing, transportation, environmental issues, and access to healthcare, mental health, healthy food and active spaces contribute to these disparities. But we can’t address these inequities if we don’t have local data to show the way. Data like the new Salud America! Health Equity Report Card can identify health inequity issues in your county, compared to the state and nation, and help you build a case toward solutions. Let’s use #SaludTues on September 24, 2019, to tweet about how you can use data to make ...

Salud America! Members Push for Improved Health Literacy Definition!

September 12, 2019

How health literacy is defined has a meaningful impact on the medical field. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sought public feedback on their new definition of health literacy for Health People 2030 by Aug. 5, 2019. We thought it focused too little on the social determinants of health, so we drafted a model comment and a revised definition for our members to consider. In all, 43 Salud America! network members emailed HHS to push for this revised definition! The Old, New, and Suggested Health Literacy Definition The Healthy People report provides science-based national objectives for improving the health of all Americans over a 10-year period. The report focuses on the leading causes of death and disease and drives action at the national, state, and local ...

Latino Undercount in 2020 Census Could Cost States Billions in Family Assistance

September 4, 2019

An undercount of Latinos in the 2020 Census could cost 37 states hundreds of millions in federal funding. For example, a Latino undercount could cost Texas up to $14 billion of federal money for housing, child and foster care, and other family aid programs, according to a new brief from Child Trends. “The impact of any Census undercount will be felt in state budgets and communities throughout the country,” according to the Child Trends report. “At stake is federal funding for programs that help states improve the well-being of their residents, and their children especially.” Why Is a Latino Undercount Expected? Historically, the Census has undercounted Latinos. For the 2020 Census, even without a citizenship question, officials expect a 3% or more undercount of Latinos, ...

Texas Increased the Number of School Marshals by 325% in Last Year

August 29, 2019

Texas is one of five states that allows non-security school employees to carry firearms in schools—with permission and training. With 80 hours of training, these armed school employees are known as school marshals. In the past year, the number of school marshals in Texas increased by 325%, according to a new school safety state report released by Governor Greg Abbott. It provides an update on the state’s progress on recommendations made in the School Safety Action Plan, released in May 2018. Improving School Safety? Since the publication of the action plan, Texas passed 20 bills and appropriated $339 million to improve school safety. There is some disagreement as to which recommendations, and subsequent legislation, will be the most effective. For example, two 2018 ...

#SaludTues Tweetchat 8/27: How to ‘Handle With Care’ Students Exposed to Childhood Trauma

August 15, 2019

60% of U.S. children have been exposed to violence, crime, or abuse. These kids still have to go to class, carrying a burden of stress and trauma that can interfere with their behavior and grades. And schools aren’t aware there’s an issue. Fortunately, our new “Handle With Care Action Pack,” which will be released on Aug. 26, 2019, will help police and schools start a Handle With Care program. This enables police to notify school districts when they encounter a child at a traumatic scene, so school personnel and mental health partners can provide appropriate trauma-sensitive interventions. Let’s use #SaludTues on August 27, 2019, to tweet about steps schools, communities, and healthcare professionals can start a Handle With Care program and take steps to become more ...

Webinar: How to Start ‘Handle With Care’ to Help Students Who Suffer Trauma

August 15, 2019

You are invited to join a national webinar to find out how you can start a “Handle With Care” program in your town to support students who experience violence and traumatic events. The webinar, “How to Start ‘Handle with Care’ in 5 Simple Steps,” is set for 11 a.m. ET on Aug. 26, 2019. Webinar speakers will explore: Handle With Care, a program that activates police to notify schools when they encounter children at a traumatic scene, so schools can provide trauma-sensitive support right away. The program was begun the West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice in 2013. The free Salud America! “Handle With Care Action Pack” with materials and technical assistance to help local police, school, and mental health leaders start a local Handle with Care program. ...

Entire County Benefits When Census Tracts Gain Access to Transit

August 14, 2019

Transit is good for Cleveland’s economy, according to a new study. Researchers at Cleveland State University’s Center for Economic Development explored the economic impact of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) over the past decade. They found it’s good for commuters, students, employers, school districts, and healthcare institutions across the region. “[The Transit Authority] is fantastic investment for taxpayers,” Obed Pasha, an assistant professor at Cleveland State and one of the study’s authors, told Streetsblog USA. “Not only does it help lift people out of poverty, it helps revitalize neighborhoods.” Transportation Woes in Cleveland Housing and transportation are important factors to get out of poverty and stay healthy. However, ...

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Amanda Merck

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