Whole Child In the News
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2-1-1 Big Bend has wealth of resources
Whole Child Leon • September 7, 2010 Special to the Tallahassee Democrat
Just after 2 a.m. the phone rings at 2-1-1 Big Bend. The distraught mother on the line begins rather reluctantly to tell her story to the hotline counselor. Her husband has been laid off and thus lost their health insurance. The baby is sick. There is little food left in the pantry. If the utility bill is not paid tomorrow, the electricity will be turned off. The counselor encourages the mother to assess the multiple needs and concerns of the family. Most importantly, she provides a listening ear and emotional support.
Eventually, a plan is formulated. The mom learns about affordable health insurance for children and how to apply. She learns where to obtain food for her family, both immediately through food pantries and longer term by applying for food stamps. She is given information about utility assistance programs. The counselor describes community-wide programs like Whole Child Leon and Capital Area Healthy Start. The mother learns about unemployment compensation and the many services of Workforce Plus. For each of the mom's concerns, the counselor attempts to give multiple ideas to address them.
Now, this particular phone call didn't actually occur; instead, it's a compilation of calls typically made to Helpline 2-1-1, a program of 2-1-1 Big Bend, which serves eight North Florida counties. 2-1-1 Big Bend provides help for relationship issues, domestic violence, suicide, mental health concerns, substance abuse, grief, pregnancy, rape, abuse, crisis, housing assistance, disabilities, teen concerns, youth behavior problems plus community information and referrals. The hotline counselors, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, helped a reported 26,296 callers last year by providing them with information and referrals to more than 1,000 programs as well as emotional support and crisis intervention.
Nationwide, the 2009 count of calls to 2-1-1 services showed that more than 16 million calls were answered across the United States, including 1.1 million calls in Florida. All calls are confidential, and callers may remain anonymous. Resource information is also in printed format in the 2010-2011 Community Resource Directory and a searchable online directory at the website www.211bigbend.org.
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Start getting ready for school
special to the democrat • August 3, 2010
Get Ready – School is Right Around the Corner!
There is so much to do to get ready for school. Here are some tips and reminders to help get you and your kids on their way to a successful school year.
Family Connection Corner
Parents, the school district is in the processing of establishing a Family Connection Corner at your child’s school! While not all schools will have these available immediately, plans are under way to create them in each elementary school during this school year. The Family Connection Corner will allow you to connect to Whole Child Leon’s website where you will find all of the resources Tallahassee has to offer families, including pediatricians and support groups, after school activities and discount dining opportunities. For referrals to local human service agencies click on the Connection and fill out a Profile for you and your family so that you don’t miss any opportunities that Tallahassee has to offer. Visit www.WholeChildLeon.com to access the Whole Child Leon Connection and Resource Guide .
At the Family Connection Corner you will also be able to connect and apply for Kidcare health insurance, Medicaid, food assistance (SNAP) and cash assistance programs. If parents need assistance with Kidcare or Medicaid applications, they can contact Gladys Medrano , Whole Child Leon KidCare Outreach Specialist. Gladys works in Leon County Schools to assist parents in obtaining health insurance for their children and can be reached at 414-5110.
Sales Tax Holiday
Take advantage of the “Sales Tax Holiday” that the legislature passed during Spring session. No sales tax will be charged August 13 - 15 on the sale of books, clothing, shoes, wallets or bags under $50 (per item) and certain schools supplies costing $10 or less
Healthy Lunches
Looking for new ideas for packed lunches? Try using whole grain tortillas or flat bread for your child’s sandwiches. How about “breakfast for lunch” with pancakes and a hard boiled egg. Use dinner leftovers as stuffing for sandwiches. Substitute almond butter and honey for peanut butter and jelly. Don’t forget to add fruit and vegetables to your child’s lunch. Dipping baby carrots into hummus is fun. Try applesauce instead of cookies. Visit www.kidshealth.org or www.laptoplunches.com for more healthy ideas for your child’s lunchbox this year.
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Kindergarten Parent Input Form
Whole Child Leon is pleased to provide the kindergarten parent input form to parents of prekindergarten students. We believe the information provided through this process will enable these children to transition more effectively.
Click to download the kindergarten parent input form.
Dirlet_kindergartenparent_form(2).pdf 295.56 kB
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HIC Members asked to Complete Web-based Survey
This is a friendly reminder to Whole Child Leon Healthy Infant Coalition Members to participate in evaluating the Whole Child Leon Healthy Infant Coalition (HIC) by completing a web-based survey. The purpose of this survey is to assess your experience and involvement with HIC. Your feedback is very valuable to us!
The Healthy Futures Project, supported by a contract with the Agency for Health Care Administration, is interested in gathering information from you and other stakeholders to gain a better understanding of how the community is working together to influence the direction of improving maternal and infant outcomes by addressing key components of a comprehensive approach to delivering perinatal care.
Your participation in this evaluation is completely voluntary and there are no foreseeable risks associated with you completing the web-based survey. However, if you feel uncomfortable answering any questions, you can stop answering questions on the survey at any point. The amount or length of time you’ve been involved with HIC is not important—whether you serve as a team leader or just an occasional attendee at coalition meetings, we want to hear from you. We would be very appreciative if you would take a few moments to go to THIS LINK and complete this anonymous online survey.
The survey should only take 10-15 minutes to complete. Your survey responses will be strictly confidential and no identifying information is requested on the survey. No one will be able to identify you from your responses. You will be asked to read and agree to the informed consent statement; by clicking on the “I agree” button you will signify your consent to participate. All information from the survey will be presented in the aggregate: no individual responses will be used. In addition, you will receive a summary of the survey results via email when the analysis is complete.
I hope you will agree to take part in this survey. The link to the survey will be available until November 16, 2009. If you have any questions regarding this survey, please feel free to contact me at (850) 488-9942 or via email at shervey@health.usf.edu. Thank you for your participation.
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Tallahassee Democrat, August 18, 2009
Help prepare your child for first day of school
A new school year can make young children nervous, especially if they are entering a new environment. Whether they are starting preschool, kindergarten or first grade, some children may be worried about the new setting and the new experience, and there are things that parents and families can do to help their children make a successful transition.
First, discuss the changes that will be taking place. Talk with your child about the changes in his daily routine; together, you could make a chart illustrated with photographs or pictures of the new morning schedule. Encourage him to describe how he feels about starting a new program or school and try to ease his fears.
Visit the school and classroom with your child, and, if possible, meet his teacher. This will help him become comfortable in the new environment while you are with him. Start your child's school-year bed time and morning routine a few days early. This may prevent him from being confused, groggy or cranky on the first day of school.
Let your child lay out his clothes or pack a backpack for the first day. If possible, arrive at the new school early on the first few days to give him time to settle in. Use this time walking or riding to school together, or waiting at the bus stop, to talk about what she can expect that day.
Always say good-bye, and let your child know you will see him at the end of the day. Your child will have an easier time with separation if he's confident you will return to pick him up. Problems may arise during the first few days of school, even with appropriate preparation, so be ready to handle them in a matter-of-fact way. Take time to make sure your child adapts to his new environment, clearly explain the changes around him, and listen if he has doubts or fears. Approach the new year with confidence, and your child will, too.
Whole Child Leon is focused on ensuring that all children from birth to 6 in Leon County will be healthy at age 1, making appropriate progress and entering kindergarten ready to succeed.
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Tallahassee Democrat, July 14, 2009
Reading prepares a child for learning
Children develop literacy-related skills long before they are able to read. The human brain develops more rapidly between birth and age 5 than during any other time. Reading books, telling stories, singing songs, and pointing out and naming objects all play a role in brain development and preparing young children for school.
When you read aloud to young children, you help them gain skills they will need to succeed in school. Reading helps children master language development, builds listening skills, increases a child's attention span and develops the ability to concentrate at length. Even babies benefit from reading. The effort of focusing on pictures develops their eye muscles. Each time she hears a particular word, it imprints more strongly in her brain.
Reading time is a special time. When your child is sitting on your lap or cuddled near by, she is getting the added bonus of loving touch that aids in her emotional development, which in turn helps her learn better.
When reading to your child, there is much more to it than just saying the words. Remember that reading for just a few minutes at a time is OK. You don't have to read every page or even finish the story. Let your child decide how much or how little time you spend reading.
Be prepared to take advantage of different reading moments that pop up with your child and let books become part of her everyday routine. You can use books and stories to quietly ease your child to sleep at nap time and bed time. Keep a few books in the car to keep the little one quiet and busy during car rides. Have books handy while waiting at the doctor's office. Read shop names, road signs, advertisements and birthday cards. All of these are chances to introduce your child to reading in a fun way. When children have positive interactions with books and reading, they are developing good feelings about reading which will make them want to seek out books as they grow. Investing the time to read with your child every day during their early development years will pay off by leaps and bounds by the time your child enters kindergarten. It is one the best things you can do to make sure your child is ready to succeed in school.
Driven by its mission of building a community where everyone works together to make sure children thrive, Whole Child Leon is focused on ensuring that all children from birth to 6 in Leon County will be healthy at age 1, making appropriate progress and entering kindergarten ready to succeed.
MUSIC AND STORIES
Every Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Leon County Public Library, 200 W. Park Ave., Mr. Gary and his guitar take babies and toddlers on a musical reading adventure. The event is free.
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Tallahassee Democrat, June 9, 2009
Health insurance is available for kids
If 3,000 children in Leon County had an illness, we'd consider that a serious epidemic. Yet 3,000 of our children are uninsured. Affordable coverage exists for many of these children. Whole Child Leon is working to ensure that more eligible children get and maintain the coverage they need.
Children with health insurance are much more likely to have access to health-care providers, receive the care they need, have their prescriptions filled and receive preventive well-child checkups. Access to health care can influence physical and emotional health, growth and development, as well as a child's capacity to reach his or her full potential as an adult. Healthy children arrive at school ready to learn, making classrooms more productive.
Florida KidCare is our state's health insurance program for uninsured children under age 19. It covers doctor visits, check-ups, shots, hospitalization, surgery, prescriptions, emergencies, vision and hearing, dental and mental health. Premiums are based on the household's size and income. Most families pay around $15 per month, and some families qualify for no-cost coverage.
Sharon Daugherty lost health insurance coverage for her family when she was laid off from her job. While Daugherty awaited KidCare processing, her daughter shattered her anklebone, requiring extensive surgery. Daugherty says "After a good cry, I calmed down and remembered that Whole Child and KidCare were linked. My first call went through to Whole Child Leon. They quickly put me through to Courtney Atkins, Whole Child outreach specialist with Leon County Schools. While she made no promises, I knew she was going to do everything within her power to help my daughter. I received a call the next day that my daughter would be placed on temporary emergency Medicaid, dating back to the first of the month. When I tell people my story, we all agree this has been a miracle."
Whole Child Leon is building a community where everyone works together to make sure children thrive. Apply for KidCare online at www.floridakidcare.org.
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Tallahassee Democrat, May 12, 2009
A baby hears your voice from the womb
The womb is not a silent place. A baby can hear blood whooshing through the mother's vessels, gurgling and rumbling from her stomach and intestines, and the tones of her voice and the voices of others, and many other sounds from the outside world.
Ears begin to form at around eight weeks and become structurally complete at about 24 weeks. As early as 18 weeks, the bones of the inner ear and the nerve endings from the brain have developed enough for your baby to hear sounds such as your heartbeat and blood moving through the umbilical cord. By week 25, your baby begins to hear your voice -- and your partner's -- and may even recognize those voices as early as week 27. A baby's heart rate often slows down when its mother is speaking; suggesting that he not only hears and recognizes the sound, but is calmed by it. For the rest of the pregnancy, sound serves as a baby's major information channel.
Babies are very much in tune with what is going on in the "outside world," reacting to all sorts of stimuli. You may notice if your baby is startled by loud noises. Many pregnant women report a fetal jerk or sudden kick just after a door slams or a car backfires. Babies also respond to music you hear while pregnant. After the baby is born, the same calming music played throughout pregnancy can be an effective way to calm a baby when upset.
Whole Child Leon presented "Catching Smiles" to the community in 2007. "Catching Smiles" features the music of talented local musicians who generously donated their songs to produce a CD filled with a beautiful collection of music. The CD includes some relaxing songs perfect for a new baby.
The last song on the CD is a track of a mother's heartbeat and since that was the first and most prominent sound a baby hears while in the womb it is very calming when a baby listens to it! Through a partnership between Whole Child Leon and the Women's Pavilion at TMH, all newborn babies go home with their own copy of "Catching Smiles."
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Tallahassee Democrat, April 7 2009
Create a nontoxic nursery
We want above all else, to protect our children. Yet we often expose them to harm merely because we are uninformed of some health hazards, such as environmental pollutants in our homes. This especially applies to the nursery.
Since babies breathe more frequently than adults and will inhale more pollutants in relation to their body weight, it is very important to keep nurseries free of all toxins and air pollutants. Babies' immature organs are less able to cope with toxins in the environment. With all the best intentions, many parents unknowingly outfit their new baby's room with furniture and decorations that release unhealthy fumes into the air. Many types of paint, finishes, carpet, mattresses, curtains and particleboard contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde, toluene and benzene. Through a process called outgassing, VOCs are released into the air, causing harmful indoor-air pollution.
Here are some hints for making your nursery nontoxic:
- Use milk-based or zero-VOC paints or paint the nursery as soon as you find out you are pregnant, giving plenty of time for the VOCs to offgas. When pregnant, it's best to stay away from paint fumes, so be sure to have someone else paint for you.
- Put lots of plants inside to absorb the chemicals. Orchids and bromeliads are particularly good.
- Use hard surface flooring instead of carpet. Carpet traps pollutants, mold and dust mites that may trigger allergies and asthma. In addition, most synthetic carpet is treated with stain repellents and flame-retardants and is glued down with VOC-containing adhesives, which can release fumes for up to five years. If you already have wall-to-wall carpet, keep carpets clean using a HEPA-filter vacuum. If you want an area rug or are determined to have carpet, use wool carpet, which is a natural flame retardant.
- Choose furniture made from real wood with natural or nontoxic finishes.
- Select a mattress made of untreated pure cotton and wool, preferably organically grown mattresses and linens. Many linens and car seat covers have formaldehyde. If you aren't using organic alternatives, wash everything many times before baby uses them and leave the window of the nursery open for months while everything is outgassing. Also place a regular mattress outside at least for a month to outgas before bringing into the nursery.
- Most toys sold in major toy stores are made from plastics that leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Plastic is a major contributor to indoor air pollution and is linked to ADD, ADHD, allergies, asthma, childhood brain cancer, leukemia and autism.
- Use natural and nontoxic cleaning products and pest controls. Wash clothes and linens with unscented, nontoxic, biodegradable laundry detergent. Avoid using antibacterial products; they prevent children from producing their own antibodies and leave super-resistant strains of viruses.
- Don't use baby powder with talcum when changing baby's diaper. Talcum is a known carcinogen similar to asbestos.
- Use a chlorine filter for bathing water.
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Tallahassee Democrat, March 3 2009
Make sure infant can sleep in safety
Sleeping death is the leading cause of death in infants over 1 month old. Babies are at highest risk before 6 months of age. According to Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition, 5 to 10 healthy infants die in their sleep in our community each year. A variety of causes are implicated in these deaths, including suffocation by bedding or soft materials and wedging between two objects, with the single most common cause being "overlying," in which a deeply sleeping parent rolled over and suffocated a baby.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has determined that bed sharing is dangerous. The Florida Department of Health recommends that parents, caregivers, or other children not share the same sleep surface as infants.
The Florida Department of Health and the Tallahassee Pediatric Foundation say that the safest way for babies to sleep is:
- On their backs in a crib or bassinet with a firm mattress.
- On crib sheets that fit tightly.
- With no loose blankets, comforters or even bumpers.
- With no pillows, soft toys, or stuffed animals.
- In a smoke-free home.
- With only a light blanket when it's cold, coming only as high as the baby's chest, with the blanket tucked into the bottom and sides of the crib.
Despite warnings about co-sleeping, a recent national poll conducted by Parenting magazine indicated that 42 percent of parents report shared sleep with their infant at least part of the time. These parents choose to sleep with their children because research has demonstrated that the proximity of the infant to the parents during sleep is a protective factor against SIDS and unexplained infant death, as well as valuable for bonding and sleep-time parenting.
Many say that there is not evidence to substantiate these findings. The nonprofit organization Attachment Parenting International cautions parents to use their best judgment and follow safe co-sleeping guidelines before banning babies from the family bed. API's Safe Sleep Guidelines are consistent with the Florida Department of Health and Tallahassee Pediatric Foundation recommendations for babies to sleep on their backs on a firm mattress. Visit www.attachmentparenting.org for the group's safe bed-sharing guidelines.
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Area Stats from Brehon Institute’s 2008-2009 Annual Report:
Brehon assisted 1,763 clients with needs including shelter, family support and education.
- Healthy Families Leon: 228 families (536 individuals) received in-home assessment and family support services.
- Brehon House (in Leon): 33 homeless, pregnant women and children (19 families) received transitional housing and support services
- Healthy Families Gadsden: 351 families (841 individuals) received in-home assessment and family support services.
- Project S.A.F.E. (Support and Family Education): 95 families (353 individuals) received services in Madison & Taylor counties.
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Whole Child Leon appoints Executive Director
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Aug. 18, 2009 – Whole Child Leon (WCL) has named Courtney Atkins as its new Executive Director. Atkins will begin her new role on September 8. Atkins is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP). For the past year, she has served as the Whole Child Outreach Specialist with Leon County Schools. In this position she worked to enroll the county’s more than 3,000 uninsured children in Florida KidCare and assist their families in obtaining other needed services.
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