47 States Don’t Meet the Recommended Student-to-Counselor Ratio


Police in public schools.

Schools today are under-resourced, and students are overcriminalized, particularly children of color and those with disabilities, according to a new report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). For the first time, the U.S. Department of Education now requires every public school to report the number of social workers, nurses, and psychologists employed. The ACLU analysis of the federal data provides a state-level, student-to-staff ratio for each position as well as a review of law enforcement presence in schools, student arrests, and referrals. The real crisis of schools isn’t violence, but a widespread failure to hire enough support staff that can meet students’ mental health needs, according to the report. The study uses data from the 2015-16 academic year, ...

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What is Implicit Bias and Why Should You Care?



Most people think they have no bias toward other people. But we all have preconceived notions or stereotypes that—beyond our control—affect our understanding, actions, and decisions about others. This is what experts call "implicit bias." Implicit bias can be good or bad. Either way, preference has enormous implications for the health of Latinos and all communities in our society. What Is Implicit Bias? Implicit bias is defined as the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions unconsciously, according to the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at Ohio State University. This kind of bias happens when stereotypes influence your brain processing. Studies show that your mind decides up to 10 seconds before you realize ...

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Racial Bias Still Infects the Doctor’s Office


doctor bias

In medical school, physicians are trained to exclude their own personal upbringings, and that of their patients, from clinical decisions. That doesn't always happen in reality. In fact, doctors are often susceptible to their unconscious bias, research shows. Unconscious bias, also known as "implicit bias," happens when automatic processing is influenced by stereotypes. These stereotypes then impact your actions and judgments. Doctors & Implicit Bias Many studies have shown that physicians—especially white physicians—have implicit preferences for white patients. Implicit bias can lead to false assumptions and adverse health outcomes. For example: Implicit bias is a major reason why Latino men are much less likely to receive optimal treatment for high-risk ...

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Latinos are More Likely to Face Police Discrimination While Driving



Latinos and other minorities are frequently subject to negative stereotypes. In fact, 78% of Latinos in the United States said they face discrimination. That number is even worse for blacks at 92%. A new Stanford University study shows the problem bleeds into the treatment minorities receive from law enforcement. The Open Policing Project (OPP) found that police stopped and searched black and Latino drivers with less basis of evidence than used in stopping white drivers, who are searched less often but are more likely to be found with illegal items. "Because of this analysis, we're able to get to that anecdotal story to say this is really happening," Sharad Goel, an assistant professor in management science and engineering at Stanford and a co-author of the study, told NBC ...

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Disturbing Report Estimates Impact of SNAP Cuts


SNAP food stamps

We already know that nearly a million SNAP participants could be affected by the Trump Administration’s proposed rule to tighten SNAP work requirements. However, there’s more bad news. The vast majority of those potentially impacted reside in deep poverty and live alone, according to a new analysis released by Mathematica, which is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “No one in America should go hungry or live in poverty,” said Giridhar Mallya, senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in a press release. “The findings of this analysis show that USDA’s proposed rule would disproportionately affect some of the most vulnerable SNAP participants. USDA should carefully consider whether this change promotes the ultimate goal of the SNAP ...

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17,000 Latinos Killed With Guns in California Since 1999


gun violence prevention

Nearly 17,000 Latinos were killed with guns in California from 1999 through 2016, which mirrors a national rise in gun violence, according to a new study from the Violence Policy Center. But the alarming data doesn't end there. In 2016, Latino firearm homicide victimization rate was 4.40 per 100,000. That is more than three times the white firearm homicide victimization rate of 1.45 per 100,000. The firearm homicide victimization rate jumps to 6.63 per 100,000 for Latinos ages 10-24. “For far too long, we have not had actionable data on Latino gun violence in California," said Fernando Rejón of the Urban Peace Institute. "This [Violence Policy Center] report provides us with critical information to understand the impacts and make change." California's Shocking Gun Violence ...

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10 Policies to Cut Child Poverty in Half in 10 Years



At least 9.6 million U.S. children (13%) live in poverty. Among Latino children, poverty rates are even higher (22% vs. 8% white children). These children will often lack quality education and healthcare while suffering trauma and poor health outcomes. But what if there was a way to fight poverty? Or better yet, what if you had a road map with the most effective ways to fight poverty? A new bipartisan report produced by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), focuses on 10 big policy areas that could cut the child poverty rate by up to 50%, while at the same time increasing employment and earnings among adults living in low-income families. Researchers conducted two simulations or projections for each policy area to explore the effects that ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 3/12: Preventing Gun Violence


Gun-violence-prevention-march-tweetchat

Gun violence is a rising public health and social justice issue in the United States. In fact, gun violence is one of the top causes of premature death, killing more than 38,000 Americans and causing nearly 85,000 injuries each year, according to the CDC. The good news is that gun violence is preventable. The bad news is that not enough people see it as preventable, according to the Berkeley Media Studies Group. Mass shootings are not the largest source of gun violence, but they dominate media coverage. This can spark fear, create the idea of gun violence as inevitable, and obscure potential solutions to the epidemic. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, to share innovative strategies to create a new narrative on preventing gun violence in Latino and all ...

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Tell USDA: Protect SNAP!


SNAP federal food assistance protect poverty

The SNAP federal food assistance program is at risk again, and YOU CAN HELP! The Trump Administration wants to cut SNAP and could abolish food aid to 750,000 Americans who are underemployed and unemployed. This could fuel hunger and poverty among those most vulnerable, says the Food Research & Action Center. SNAP cuts would hurt Latinos, who are already less likely to seek nutrition help for fear of immigration penalties. You can make a public comment to USDA on SNAP until April 2, 2019. How to Submit a Comment to Save SNAP! 1. Copy one of our Salud America! model comments. Tweak the parts in green: SNAP HAS VALUE I am a NAMEOFPROFESSION in NAMEOFPLACE. I really value the SNAP program in my community. SNAP is proven to improve the economy, according to a Salud America! ...

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