Originally published on The Boston Globe. The beautiful baby girl fidgets in her mother’s lap as the kindly doctor with a stethoscope around her neck approaches her tiny patient with the affection of a doting grandmother who’s just popped in for a visit. “OK, my little friend,’’ the doctor says as 10-month-old Alana Nguyen suddenly […]
On December 23rd, Children’s HealthWatch submitted a public comment on the Department of State’s (DOS) notice of request for public comment on “60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Public Charge Questionnaire.” The changes detailed in the DOS’ previous interim public charge rule and the subsequent DS-5540 public charge questionnaire described in this request for public […]
On December 16th, Children’s HealthWatch submitted a testimony to Chairman Scott and members of the House Committee on Education and Labor on the detrimental impact the Trump Administration’s immigration policies have on the health and well-being of children. As pediatricians and public health researchers, we are gravely concerned about the culture of fear perpetuated by […]
On December 16th, Children’s HealthWatch submitted a public comment on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) proposed rule for “U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements.” The changes detailed in the proposed rule would put the American Dream out of reach for many immigrant families. At […]
Originally published on The Boston Globe. Curbing federal food stamps will only exacerbate poverty, and cost Americans in other ways. Food stamps have long shored up American families when they have struggled to put dinner on the table. But recently it’s become the mantra of certain conservatives that federal food benefits via the Supplemental Nutrition […]
Originally published on Stat News. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is our nation’s first line of defense against food insecurity. It’s a lifeline that can provide enough food for all household members to lead healthy and active lives. As a fundamental component of America’s public health and economic infrastructure, SNAP helps sustain people when the […]
On November 25th, Children’s HealthWatch submitted a public comment on the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s (FNS) Notice of Public Rule Making (NPRM) for “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Standardization of State Heating and Cooling Standard Utility Allowances”. For low-income families, especially those in high utility cost states, the Heating and Cooling Standard Utility Allowance (HCSUA) […]
Abstract Objectives: Among US-born children of Latina US (USB) and Latina foreign-born mothers (FBM), to determine whether 1) household and child characteristics differ; 2) child health outcomes differ; 3) these differences diminish for children of FBM with longer duration of residence (DOR) in the US; and 4) these differences can be explained by food insecurity […]
Abstract: Few studies examined the impact of maternal socioeconomic status and of its combined effects with environmental exposures on birthweight. Our goal was to examine the impact of maternal homelessness (mothers ever homeless or who lived in shelters during pregnancy) and participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) during […]
Abstract Introduction: This study aimed to better understand patient and caregiver perspectives on social risk screening across different healthcare settings. Methods: As part of a mixed-methods multisite study, the authors conducted semistructured interviews with a subset of adult patients and adult caregivers of pediatric patients who had completed the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation […]