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Ina May Gaskin is often referred to as the “mother of modern midwifery.” But when Gaskin was asked at an April 22 birth seminar in Forth Worth, Texas, about the effects of systemic racism on high infant and maternal mortality, her response left many in the Black birthing community questioning her competence. “Drug overdoses, cause number three—that’s a biggie—and I presume these are illegal drugs. Not prescription drugs, but those are also going to be a problem,” said Gaskin, who then...

For the fourth consecutive year, the growth of charter schools—publicly funded and privately managed schools that educate nearly 3.2 million students across the country— has slowed . Between 2017 and 2018, charter schools grew nationally by 1 percent, an all-time low for the sector. Charter industry leaders are debating the exact reasons behind the slowdown. Some say it’s rooted in school districts’ financial woes , which make leaders less inclined to open new schools that could strain...

Productivity is so seductive. It feels wonderful to accomplish a task and check it off our to-do lists. It feels awesome to accomplish more than we even thought possible in a given day. Plus, there are many tasks that are non-negotiable. There are many chores that as responsible, mature, working adults we must do. Or many projects, that if not done today, just get transferred onto our lists for tomorrow. And then we’re behind. And then we’re scrambling. And what if we never catch up? There’s...

A few times a month , in an unmarked white office building on Long Island, a group of Nassau County government employees discuss which children they should separate from their parents. The meeting involves a caseworker, supervisors and attorneys reviewing notes from the caseworker’s investigation into child maltreatment allegations against the parents. If the group makes the difficult decision that a child is not safe at home, the attorneys will drive to the county courthouse down the road...

FREE Webinar - Wednesday, May 22, 3:00-4:00 p.m., EST As more children receive community-based services, everyone agrees that the typical client in child welfare agencies has grown exponentially more acute and complex. Old models are not working and provider agencies are scrambling to manage and treat the extreme behaviors of youth in their care. Recognizing this fact, more and more states are mandating that child welfare agencies become trauma-informed. The state of California, for example,...

"Close to 50% of people say they are often or always exhausted due to work. This is a shockingly high statistic — and it’s a 32% increase from two decades ago. What’s more, there is a significant correlation between feeling lonely and work exhaustion: The more people are exhausted, the lonelier they feel." "The social repercussions of this discomfort directly impact work productivity because people disengage. And both the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University and the Gallup...

By P. Berman, A. Hosack, & K. Hecht Claire was calm on the outside but feeling broken into a million pieces on the inside; would she shatter? She was sitting in her regular place on the sofa next to Mr. Carson. She had just tucked in a tired but hyperactive Davy into bed . He had managed to pull her shirt out of her pants and turn her hair into a bird’s nest . She didn’t know what the family meeting was for but was worried that Mrs. Carson had noticed something was wrong with her at the...

I've just scheduled five free Zoom webinars in the next four weeks, open to you and others interested in learning and trying my "Daily Practice." These are the techniques I've used for more than 25 years to re-regulate my brain and emotions, supporting the healing of Childhood PTSD. There are two particular and simple techniques we'll cover in each 55-minute webinar: 1. Writing fears and resentments 2. 20-minute simple meditation Plus time for Q&A with me Get more info and register here.

Abstract The integration of genomic data into screening, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for clinical and public health practices has been slow and challenging. Implementation science can be applied in tackling the barriers and challenges as well as exploring opportunities and best practices for integrating genomic data into routine clinical and public health practice. In this article, we define the state of disparities in genomic medicine and focus predominantly on late-stage research...

For far too long laws and policies have been used to promote the health of some, but not all. A new guide from ChangeLab Solutions puts the blueprint for change in everyone’s hands. For more than 20 years, the ChangeLab team has been working alongside communities to help them create lasting changes that will help all residents live a healthy life. We know many places are working to achieve equitable outcomes but are struggling with how to do it. A new resource , A Blueprint for Changemakers...

Armon Hurst, 2nd from left, first row, Teens on Target, courtesy of YouthAlive! Eighteen-year-old Armon Hurst serves as vice president of the student body at Castlemont High School in Oakland, Calif. He has a 4.0 grade point average, is an avid baseball player, and is slated to go to college next year. But until a few years ago, Hurst would find himself waking from nightmares in the middle of the night. It was difficult to concentrate at school, and he wasn’t eating well. Armon Hurst “There...

"Zero-tolerance policies require school officials to give students a specific, consistent, and harsh punishment, usually suspension or expulsion, when certain rules are broken. The punishment applies regardless of the circumstances, the reasons for the behavior (such as self-defense), or the student’s history of disciplinary problems. "Zero-tolerance policies were written into school handbooks in the 1990s, created originally to be a deterrent for bringing weapons into schools. These...