Family/Father Issues / Public News Service

The Indiana Department of Health 2022 Pregnancy Termination Report showed March as the month when the most abortions were performed. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

Advocates: Ease of access to contraception could lower accidental pregnancies

Vending machines commonly found in workplace break rooms generally contain soft drinks or snacks but one machine in Indianapolis dispenses unconventio…

In Pennsylvania, infants and toddlers qualify for Early Intervention services if they exhibit a 25% or greater developmental delay in one or more key areas of development. (santypan/Adobe Stock)

Friday, April 12, 2024

PA Early Intervention programs vital for child development

A new study highlights the importance of Pennsylvania's Early Intervention program and its services for infants and toddlers at risk of developmental …

Michigan hosts the largest population of Arab Americans in the country, and Dearborn is home to the country's only Arab American History Museum. (flowertiare/Adobe Stock)

Friday, April 12, 2024

New US race, ethnicity standards include Middle Eastern, North African

Until recently, many Americans of Middle Eastern or North African descent were categorized as "white" in government surveys, making it challenging to …

Kentucky certified lactation consultant and birth doula Bonnie Logsdon has been vocal in her support for House Bill 10. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, April 12, 2024

Bipartisan KY bill would expand maternal care access

In the final days of the legislative session, Kentucky Senate lawmakers could consider the "Momnibus" bill, which would increase access to critical …

Vasectomy procedures are 99.9% effective and take less than 30 minutes, according to Planned Parenthood Arizona. (Adobe Stock)

AZ sees increased demand for vasectomies post-Roe

Planned Parenthood Arizona is expanding vasectomy services to its Central Phoenix health center, a year after it launched a similar program in Tucson…

The IRS says undocumented workers who don't have a valid Social Security number need to complete a W-7 form so they can get an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), a key tool they need to file their federal and state tax returns. (Adobe Stock)

During tax time crunch, multilingual sites in MN pitch in

Minnesotans who haven't completed their tax returns yet might be fretting about meeting the April 15th deadline. For those facing language barriers …

Older Coloradans who may have never been issued a birth certificate because they were born at home qualify for assistance getting vital documents, including identification cards but many cannot access Colorado's Necessary Documents Program. (Adobe Stock)

Cutting red tape to access IDs and other vital documents

Advocates are urging Colorado lawmakers to make key improvements to a state program seen as critical to helping people fleeing domestic violence or ex…

Completing FAFSA is necessary to determine if a student qualifies for state and federal financial aid with $400 million in state aid available to students. (Adobe Stock)

FAFSA rollout leaves IN students in limbo

Indiana's high school seniors are caught in a bureaucratic snarl as glitches in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid rollout hinder aid proces…

Operation Food Search distributes $30 million worth of food and necessities each year to 330 community partners in 40 Missouri and Illinois counties. (Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock)

MO summit tackles rising child food insecurity as benefits expire

As COVID-era benefits near expiration, a recent Child Wellness Summit brought together nonprofits to tackle urgent child well-being and food-…

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Survey: Missourians anxious over future birth control access

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…

Nationally, it's estimated 38 million family caregivers provide unpaid labor worth approximately $600 billion per year. (Adobe Stock)

Assembly considers grants to assist MD family caregivers

Advocates are calling on Maryland lawmakers to fund a grant program to help family caregivers. A 2021 study indicated about 760,000 family …

California's Family Urgent Response System's mandate is to be available to send an emergency care team to any California foster family within one hour. (DimaBerlin/Adobestock)

CA foster care advocates ask lawmakers to fund in-person response teams

Advocates for foster families are pressing lawmakers to save the Family Urgent Response System from the budget ax. California faces a $37.9 billion …

Decades of underinvestment in affordable housing, recently cited by outgoing HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, have dramatically impacted families with children. (Adobe Stock)

Renaissance marks quarter century serving homeless, low-income kids

This month marks the 25th anniversary of the Renaissance Children's Center, which serves low-income families and those experiencing homelessness with …

Pandemic-era federal funding sustained about 2,000 child-care providers since 2020, according to the Kentucky Center on Economic Policy. (Adobe Stock)

KY parents say reliable, affordable child-care linked to better mental health

More parents in Kentucky are switching jobs, delaying major purchases, cutting back on essential needs, and going into debt in order to afford child …

A new bill would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to carry out a new grant program, to fund a 24/7 helpline for parents and youths. (Raushan_films/Adobestock)

Bill would fund National Parent & Youth Helpline

The new National Parent & Youth Helpline has already taken 6,700 calls, texts and live chats since its inception in January, and now the U.S…

One study shows in 2023 alone, almost 51.2 million square feet of self-storage space was rented - an area that would cover the whole of New York City's Central Park. (DavidGales/PhotoShop)

Spring means 'out with the old' – unless you can't part with clutter

Spring is often a time many of us get rid of unwanted stuff, but one New Mexico expert says that's harder than it sounds for people addicted to …

An estimated 58,000 family caregivers bear some of the burden of Alzheimer's disease in New Hampshire, providing roughly 84 million hours of unpaid care, according to the Alzheimer's Association of New Hampshire. (Adobe Stock)<br />

NH healthcare worker shortage leaves Alzheimer’s patients few options

A health care workforce shortage in New Hampshire is leaving Alzheimer's patients and their families with few options for treatment. Patients facing …

Around 42% of U.S. adults say they or someone they know has used fertility treatments, according to Pew Research Center. (Tatiana Shepeleva / Adobe Stock)

NV leaders discuss future of IVF, abortion in the Silver State

State Rep. Susie Lee - D-Las Vegas - said she wants women in Nevada and across the country to wake up, as she contends far-right extremists are …

More than 3,300 Mainers have died from COVID-19 since 2020 and more than 9,000 have been hospitalized. Cumberland, Penobscot and York counties have seen the highest numbers of deaths. (Adobe Stock) <br />

ME fighters of COVID-19 alarmed by new federal recommendations

Today is "Long COVID Awareness Day," and Mainers will be among those who gather at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., to commemorate it…

There is a more than 22-point gap in literacy proficiency between white students and their Black, Latino and Native American peers, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.<br />(Adobe Stock)

Educators hope National Reading Month will raise lN literacy scores

March is National Reading Month, and educators say most schoolchildren in Indiana and across the country are reading at or below a basic level for …

Dalton (left) and Dawson, together after being adopted in 2017. (Dave Thomas Foundation)

A Florida family's inspiring adoption journey

As siblings in foster care, the fear of being separated is daunting. But thanks to a loving family in Jacksonville, Fla., for two brothers in Ohio…

More than 75% of Massachusetts mothers with infants also work. For those who rely on child care facilities, the majority require parents to supply a week's worth of diapers at a time or find alternative care. (Adobe Stock) <br />

MA diaper distribution program helps families make ends meet

Supporters of a federal pilot program to distribute diapers to low-income families in Massachusetts hope to build upon its success. More than 1 …

An AARP New York report finds almost 80% of New York City's 300 nursing homes, assisted-living and adult-care facilities didn't receive a single visit from the state's Long Term Care Ombudsman Program during three months in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

NYS budget missing key funding for seniors, older adults

Senior and older-adult groups are frustrated by cuts to services in New York's budget proposal. This includes cuts to home-care programs and the Long-…

The funding increase for community health centers also helps alleviate some of the burdens caused by threats to 340B, the low-cost prescription drug program. A Merck study finds 90% of older adults regularly take at least one prescription drug. (220 Selfmade Studio/Adobe Stock)

MI seniors applaud community health center funding increase

Older adults across Michigan and around the country are applauding a boost in funding for community health centers, thanks to Congress passing a …

Aaryn's husband Ken, Samantha, Aaryn and Amy, a Wendy's Wonderful Kids recruiter. (Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption)

Ohio mom finds reward in raising adopted daughter with special needs

This month is National Disability Awareness Month, and in Ohio, parents who've adopted kids with special needs say living with a disability isn't …

COVID-19 is still one of the leading causes of death in Arizona, according to the CDC. (Adobe Stock)<br />

CDC updates COVID guidelines, stunning some health advocates

About four years ago, COVID-19 started to put the world on pause. Now, new guidlines are giving some Arizonans pause. Across the country, many who …

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is seeking $112 million in new funding to produce more graduates in six high-growth jobs, including social services. (Seventyfour/Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

'Empowering Social Workers,' in March and beyond

Social workers are in the spotlight in March for National Professional Social Work Month. They play a crucial role in addressing society's most …

A Bankrate/YouGov poll finds 32% of U.S. adults estimate they would need more than $1 million to retire comfortably. However, 45% of workers say it's unlikely they'll be able to save that much. (Adobe Stock)

AARP event prepares Virginians for life after 50

The goal of an AARP Virginia event this weekend is to help people prepare for their 50s and beyond. The "Life at 50-Plus Academy" is a half-day …

Studies show community health centers significantly reduce prescription-drug spending, as well as the need for emergency room visits and outpatient and inpatient care. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Congressional budget impasse threatens IL community health centers

Community health centers in Illinois are stuck in financial limbo as Congress contends with another potential government shutdown. More than forty …

One in four Wyoming kids lives in single-parent families, according to Wyoming Community Foundation data. Such children are more likely to live in poverty compared with their peers in married-parent families. (Adobe Stock)

Training, mental health recovery called key for single moms to escape poverty

A Wyoming nonprofit is helping single mothers climb out of poverty by connecting them with the training and support they need to step into and succeed…

Missouri's Senate Bill 1314, similar to House Bill 2365, prohibits funds from being expended by any state department for interdepartmental programs, staffing or other initiatives associated with

New report reveals high economic risk of anti-DEI laws in Missouri

A new report finds some Missouri laws and prospective laws are perceived as discriminatory regardless of their actual intent - and it outlines some bi…

The United Way's 2024 Child Care Snapshot shows Marlborough has the most child-care spots available in Connecticut with more than 44%. (Adobe Stock)

New tool examines CT child care access, plans of action

A new tool is examining child care availability in Connecticut. United Way of Connecticut's tool shows the actual number of offered child care …

The Annie E. Casey Foundation reported neglect is a growing reason Virginia children end up in foster care. Some experts feel the system ends up punishing families for food insecurity or financial hardship. (Adobe Stock)

Legislation addresses long-standing VA foster care legal issues

Virginia's General Assembly is taking up a bill to address outcomes for kids in foster care. Previous legislation either failed to pass or was …

Child care programs in Washington state struggle with labor costs to provide services outside of daytime hours. (santypan/Adobe Stock)

WA could increase incentive for after-hours child care

Parents often struggle to secure after-hours child care. Advocates want the Washington state Legislature to increase incentives for businesses to …

Some 37% of New York foster care kids are being placed in family-based care than in previous decades, when the majority would have been placed in a group home. (Adobe Stock)

NY legislation would end parents paying for foster care

A bill in the New York State Legislature could alter how the foster care system operates in the state by ending the requirement for parents to pay for…

The 12 nursing homes that closed in Nebraska in the past three years amount to 556 fewer beds for Nebraskans needing nursing-home level care. (luckybusiness/Adobe Stock)

NE Legislature to hear bills that bolster struggling long-term care industry

Nebraska saw nine long-term care facility closures in 2022, second only to 13 in Texas. In the past three years, Nebraska has lost a combined 29 …

According to the EPA, most EVs can be charged with a standard 120-volt (Level 1) outlet. To charge them more quickly, you can install a dedicated 240-volt (Level 2). (Mike Mareen/Adobe Stock)

Report: EV puts money back into Michigan drivers' pockets

Michigan is seeing growth in new electric-vehicle market share, and EV enthusiasts say lower prices are just part of their appeal. The latest …

The National PTA says setting boundaries and monitoring children's screen time is a responsibility, not an intrusion. (DimaBerlin/AdobeStock)

PTA urges parents, caregivers to participate in 'Safer Internet Day'

Most adults know it is dangerous to provide personal information online but children may not, and today's "Safer Internet Day" is meant to raise …

The National PTA and ConnectSafely are hosting a free virtual event to help parents safely navigate digital screen times with children and teens. (Pixabay/twinquinn84)

'Safer Internet Day' offers free resources to parents, children

As Florida lawmakers advance bills to restrict children's access to social media, today's Safer internet Day is a global campaign to raise awareness …

Parents Anonymous President Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, Congresswoman Judy Chu and board member Joe Gonzalez at the opening of the nonprofit's new headquarters in Pasadena. (Jeremy Pion-Berlin)

Helpline makes strong debut during National Parent Leadership Month

During February, which is National Parent Leadership Month, the nonprofit Parents Anonymous is celebrating the successful launch of the new National …

Ohio has around 15,000 children currently in foster care, according to state data. (Adobe Stock/Generated with AI)<br />

New Ohio children’s services model aims to promote family healing

A first-of-its-kind social work model aims to provide struggling Ohio families with personalized attention and resources. Mike Kenney - director of …

In the midst of personal stories of dedication and sacrifice, the fate of family caregiving services now rests on the outcome of a critical public comment period, as Indiana parents strive to secure continued support for the unique needs of their children. (Adobe Stock)

Lt. Gov: Pause funding cuts for 'most vulnerable' Hoosiers

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch asked the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Monday to pause budget cuts that could punish Indiana's "most …

The Greater Boston Food Bank reports one in three households in Massachusetts experienced child-level food insecurity in 2022. That means a child was hungry, skipped a meal or did not eat for<br />a whole day because there wasn't enough money for food. (Adobe Stock)

Stalled Farm Bill puts pressure on MA food banks

Massachusetts food banks are struggling to keep up with demand as the Farm Bill remains stalled in Congress. The bill is renegotiated every five …

It is estimated that Mainers facing hunger would need a total of $97,584,000 more income per year to adequately meet their food needs, according to Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)

Maine food banks meet growing demand as Farm Bill lags

Food banks in Maine are struggling to keep up with demand as the Farm Bill remains stalled in Congress. The bill is renegotiated every five years …

Laws similar to Indiana Senate Bill 50 recently passed in Ohio and Texas. (Adobe Stock)

IN Republicans push law to put chaplains in schools

Indiana Republicans appear to be toeing the party line in a push to put chaplains in public and charter schools, including an option to hire clergy…

The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimates a state-level, fully refundable Child Tax Credit of $1,300 for those younger than 18, and $1,560 for children younger than 6, would cut Tennessee's child poverty rate by 25%. (Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)

State of Child report: One in five children younger than 5 lives in poverty

Tennessee's "State of the Child" 2023 report shows some progress, but also highlights ongoing areas of concern. From the Tennessee Commission on …

The Race for Results index measures well-being indicators across states and racial/ethnic groups, highlighting differences in early childhood, education, family resources and neighborhood context.(Adobe Stock)

Louisiana children struggle compared to peers in other states

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2024 Race for Results report examines child well-being, and finds children of color in Louisiana face significant …

One goal of President Joe Biden's April 2023

Medicaid waiver programs cover in-home care costs for eligible Nebraskans

Many Nebraskans age 65 and older with health limitations, as well as younger people living with a disability, want to remain in their own homes…

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