For additional resources on these topics and others related to school health

education and services, visit the School Health Program Web site at

www.dshs.state.tx.us/schoolhealth

Quote to Note:

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' "

Rev. Martin Luther King


Upcoming Conferences, Trainings and Professional Development:

Texas School Health Association (TSHA) Conference – January 30-31, 2009

Through Education and Advocacy, Making a difference! A TEAM approach to healthy Texas Youth! is the title of this year’s TSHA Conference to be held at the Austin Airport Hilton Hotel in Austin, Texas. For more information including registration information, go to www.txschoolhealth.org/ci.htm.

2009 Texas Safe Schools and Healthy Students Summit/Texas School Safety Expo – February 11-13, 2009

To be held at the Arlington Convention Center, Arlington, Texas and targeted to district administrators, Safe and Drug Free Schools staff, safety personnel, nurses, counselors, teachers, resource officers, transportation directors, maintenance directors as well as local, county, and state officials in emergency management, planners/coordinators, emergency first responders, educational service center staff, state agency representatives, health and human service agency representatives, and other stakeholders. To register, go to www.escweb.net/tx_esc_06/catalog/session.aspx?referrer=../default.aspx&sessionid=78136.

2009 Texas Association of School-Based Health Centers Annual Conference – February 13-14, 2009

The Texas Association of School-Based Health Centers (TASBHC) will be hosting its annual conference at the Hyatt Place Fort Worth Historic Stockyards, February 13-14, 2009. The conference theme is "Child & Adolescent Health Roundup.” A total of 10 continuing education credits will be offered. For more information on the conference program, please download the brochure at www.tasbhc.org.


Helping immigrant and Refugee Students Achieve School Success: Partnering with Families to Support Student Mental Health Needs Webinar – February 24, 2009, 2 p.m. EST
This Webinar will highlight successful strategies for supporting the mental health needs of immigrant and refugee students, focusing on engaging the family, which is often a close-knit and protective force in the child’s life. The strategies to be presented were identified through the Caring Across Communities initiative, a series of innovative partnerships among schools, mental health service providers, and immigrant and refugee community organizations in 15 communities around the country, supported by grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. To register, visit https://rwjf.webex.com/rwjf/j.php?ED=117141422=1=0 or https://rwjf.webex.com/rwjf/j.php?ED=117141422&RG=1&UID=0.

Health Services:

House approves expansion of health coverage for children
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 289-139 to pass a bill that would expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program and increase tobacco taxes to fund it. The legislation intends to boost the number of children in the program from 6.7 million to about 11 million. Read more at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090115/hl_nm/us_congress_children.

Report on School-Based Health and Extended Learning Services
Implementing School-Based Services: Strategies from New Mexico's School-Based Health and Extended Learning Services builds on initial work by Child Trends and the New Mexico Community Foundation conceptualizing the value, outlining challenges and strategies, and highlighting suggestions for implementingschool-based services. To access the January 2009 report, go to www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends-2009_01_01_PI_NewMexicoServices.pdf.

Artificial-turf Fields Test Positive for Lead
Some high school artificial-turf fields contain lead despite CDC efforts to eliminate non-essential uses of the element because of the danger it poses to children, according to a Boston Globe investigation that followed the closure of two New Jersey fields because of high lead levels. Turf manufacturers say lead levels are much lower than those found by the newspaper and say no one has fallen ill as a result of contact with artificial turf. Some turf manufacturers offer lead-free products. Read this Boston Globe article at www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/01/19/in_fake_grass_some_see_real_threat.

How to Prevent Pre-Diabetes

Pre-diabetes is a serious medical condition that can be treated. The good news is that the recently completed Diabetes Prevention Program study conclusively showed that people with pre-diabetes can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity. They may even be able to return their blood glucose levels to the normal range. To learn how, go to www.diabetes.org/pre-diabetes/what-you-can-do.jsp.

Doctors Reporting Rise in MRSA among Kids
Pediatricians are reporting a significant increase in the number of MRSA infections found in children—particularly infections of the throat. The study, published in January’s Archives of Otolaryngology, found a total of 21,009 pediatric head and neck infections caused by staph germs from 2001 through 2006. In addition, the percentage caused by hard-to-treat MRSA bacteria more than doubled during that time from almost 12% to 28%. Read more at www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28736696.

Physical Education:

Carol M. White Physical Education Program – Deadline for Applications: March 6, 2009

The Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) provides grants to local educational agencies and community-based organizations to initiate, expand, or enhance physical education programs, including after-school programs, for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Grant recipients must implement programs that help students make progress toward meeting state standards.Additional information is available at:

www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2009-1/011609b.html.

Governor Perry Launches 6th Annual Texas Round-Up – January 16, 2009

Governor Rick Perry kicked-off the 6th annual Texas Round-Up and issued the statewide Governor’s Challenge, a competition among schools, cities, state agencies, companies, families and social organizations to win the Governor’s Cup and be named “Fittest in Texas.” The governor was joined by more than 300 students at Mathews Elementary School, whom he challenged to make exercise and healthy lifestyle choices part of their daily routine. To learn more about Texas Round-Up and its programs, please visit www.texasroundup.org.

Geographic Location Significant in Addressing Physical Activity Levels in Children

"Substantial geographical disparities in childhood vigorous physical activity (VPA) levels shown here underscore the significance of geography in addressing the health and social policy options that are needed to curtail the increasing trends in sedentary lifestyle and the resultant obesity rates in U.S. children," write the authors of an article published in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. The purpose of the study was to (1) estimate the levels of VPA among children and adolescents ages 6-17 in nine geographic regions in the 50 states and Washington, D.C.; (2) examine the extent of regional and state disparities in childhood VPA levels; and (3) identify individual- and area-level socioeconomic, demographic and behavioral predictors of these geographic disparities. Data for the current analysis came from the National Survey of Children's Health and was carried out for 68,288 children and adolescents. The authors conclude that "health promotion efforts should target both individual socioeconomic and behavioral risk factors as well as modify the contextual social and environmental factors to reduce geographic disparities in childhood physical activity levels. An abstract is available at www.humankinetics.com/jpah/viewarticle.cfm?jid=XuqBcn3dXsyJvvkMXzgDfu67XckKs6fnXfwGh3hQXvcEmNMjXz&aid=16680&site=XuqBcn3dXsyJvvkMXzgDfu67XckKs6fnXfwGh3hQXvcEmNMjXz.

Researcher: Physical Education Should Emphasize Play
School-based physical activity may not have much effect on childhood obesity or extracurricular exercise, but it does reduce cholesterol and TV viewing and increase lung capacity, according to an analysis of 26 worldwide studies of such programs. "Physical activity classes may be too closely associated with school work," said lead researcher, Maureen Dobbins. "Perhaps the key is to promote physical activity by getting children and adolescents to 'play' in ways that promote better fitness levels, while at the same time represent fun and adventurous activities.” Read more in this Science Daily article at www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090120204919.htm.

Health Education:

Take Action on Texas Tobacco-Free Kids Day! – March 25, 2009

Texas Tobacco-Free Kids Day (TTFKD) is an annual awareness day in Texas to encourage students of all ages to live tobacco-free lifestyles. Sponsored by the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Center for Safe Communities and Schools (CSCS), the goal of this year’s event is to get every school in Texas involved in the effort to help children make healthy choices by not using tobacco. CSCS has developed a TTFKD 2009 Activity Guide that schools can use to get ideas for awareness and educational events and activities. Check out www.cscs.txstate.edu/cyi/ttfkd.htm for more information about TTFKD.

Youth Leaders Needed: Texas Youth Summit – March 23-25, 2009

Help us find youth leaders from your area to serve as delegates to the Texas Youth Summit (TYS) The TYS is designed to give youth the opportunity to look at real issues facing Texans today and create a set of recommendations for reducing tobacco related problems in Texas. The TYS will bring together 61 high school student delegates on March 23-25, 2009 from across Texas. At the conclusion of the Summit, the delegates will hold a news conference outside the Texas Capitol on the morning of March 25, 2009 to unveil their recommendations for how Texas policymakers should attack tobacco related problems. Go to www.cscs.txstate.edu/cyi/cyi-tys.htm for more information and to access a Youth Delegate Application.

Nutrition Services:

FDA Cautions against Eating Peanut Butter Products
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is urging consumers not to eat foods containing peanut butter until further determination can be made as to whether products manufactured by the Peanut Corporation Of America are safe. The announcement comes weeks after an investigation linking peanut butter and products containing peanut butter to a salmonella outbreak throughout the U.S. Find out more, plus a link to a list of recalled products at www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/17/salmonella.peanut.butter/index.html.

Parent and Community Involvement:

Guide Provides Published Resources for Understanding and Using Child and Youth Indicators

A Guide to Resources for Creating, Locating, and Using Child and Youth Indicator Data provides brief descriptions of data and information resources available to those who work in the child and youth indicators field. The guide was produced by Child Trends and Kids Count with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Items covered include (1) books, journals, and other publications related to the identification, measurement, development, and use of child indicators; (2) professional newsletters focused on child indicator issues and products; (3) Web sites offering data at the national, state, and local levels; (4) research centers focusing on child and youth well-being; and (5) technical resources for those who would like to develop their own indicators Web sites. The guide is available at www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends-2009_01_05_FR_ChildIndicatorGuide.pdf.

Counseling and Mental Health Services:

Brochure for Families Revised to Address Current Information on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a brochure for families that offers information on ADHD and its management, including research on medications and behavioral interventions and resources on educational options. The contents of the brochure, published by the National Institute of Mental Health, include a definition of ADHD and a discussion of its symptoms, diagnosis and causes. Topics include disorders that sometimes accompany ADHD, treatment, the family and ADHD, behavioral interventions, and how ADHD affects children in school. The brochure contains sections on the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in children, adolescents and adults. A list of resource books and contact information on support groups and organizations are included. The brochure is available at www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/adhd/nimhadhdpub.pdf.

Safe and Healthy School Environment:

New Comprehensive Website on Internet Safety

Created by the National Education Association, Health Information Network (NEA HIN) to provide educators, parents and other adults with the tools necessary for helping kids use social technologies in a safe and savvy manner, this resource is designed to help educators and parents learn more about the risks and opportunities of technology and to better guide young teens in using social technology and safely navigating their digital world. The site includes internet safety information, classroom activities, news stories, credible links and interactive message boards; articles written by educators, parents, experts, and young people, and a variety of Internet-related activities, tools and resources. Topics will cover the spectrum of social technology from social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook to instant messaging (IM), chat rooms, texting and online gaming. Adults will be provided with insights into the world that kids are entering from computers, gaming units and cell phones. To visit go to www.bnetsavvy.org.

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External links to other sites appearing in the Friday Beat are intended to be informational and do not represent an endorsement by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). These sites may also not be accessible to people with disabilities. External email links are provided to you as a courtesy. Please be advised that you are not emailing the DSHS and DSHS policies do not apply should you choose to correspond. For information about any of the programs listed, contact the sponsoring organization directly. For comments or questions about the Friday Beat, contact Ellen Smith at (512) 458-7111 ext. 2140 or by email at . Copyright free. Permission granted to forward or make copies as needed.

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