FRAC News Digest - December 30, 2004

The weekly Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) News Digest highlights what's new on hunger, nutrition and poverty issues at FRAC, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, around the network of national, state and local anti-poverty and anti-hunger organizations, and in the media. The Digest will alert you to trends, reports, news items and resources and, when available, link you directly to them.

Issue 48, December 30, 2004

New Website a Source for Nutrition and Obesity Prevention
Governors Ask President Not to Cut Medicaid
Colorado: 800 Number to Ease Welfare Backlog
Florida: Privatization in Works for State Agency
Florida: Resignations Should Ring Alarm Bells
Pennsylvania: Grab-and-Go School Breakfast a Hit
Wisconsin: School Breakfast Expansion Recommended
Massachusetts: Seniors Urged to Apply for Food Stamps
North Carolina: Think of Hunger Beyond Holidays

1. New Website a Source for Nutrition and Obesity Prevention

("Nutrition Gov. Website Provides Reliable Information on Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Obesity Prevention," U.S. Department of Agriculture, December 22, 2004)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched a new website designed to help people find answers to nutrition and food related questions. It offers comprehensive information on nutrition and dietary guidance from multiple government agencies, including the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services. The website also links to information on the Food Guide Pyramid, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, dietary supplements, fitness, and how to keep food safe. "Health solutions begin with the availability of reliable nutrition and physical activity information the public can use to make good health choices and maintain a healthy weight," said Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman. Nutrition.gov includes "specialized information for infants and children, adult women and men and seniors." The website supports the President's HealthierUS Initiative and expands on the nutrition information available on the healthierus.gov website.

Press Release:
http://tinyurl.com/58nuv

website:
http://www.nutrition.gov

2. Governors Ask President Not to Cut Medicaid

("Governors Unite in Fight Against Medicaid Cuts," New York Times, December 26, 2004)

Fearful that President Bush plans to shift more Medicaid costs to the states, the nation's governors are unifying in a bipartisan effort to stave off federal cuts to the program. President Bush has pledged to cut the federal budget deficit in half in the next five years, but balancing the federal budget "off the backs of the poorest people in the country is simply unacceptable,"said Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, a Republican and the vice chairman of the National Governors Association. "You don't pull feeding tubes from people. You don't pull the wheelchair out from under the child with muscular dystrophy." The association's chairman, Gov. Mark Warner (D-VA), said the governors were "much more in unanimity on this issue than they are on most issues." Medicaid insures a quarter of the nation's children and two-thirds of its nursing-home patients. The White House has not commented on its plans for Medicaid.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/26/national/26medicaid.html?oref=login

3. Colorado: 800 Number to Ease Welfare Backlog

("Benefits 800 number in the works," Rocky Mountain News, December 28, 2004)

Glitches in the state's new $200 million Colorado Benefits Management System produced backlogs in processing welfare applications, leaving thousands of Coloradans facing shortages of food, cash assistance and medical care. Denver District Judge John Coughlin recently ordered the state to have an emergency unit up and running - complete with an adequately staffed 800 number - to handle the most dire of the 30,000 or so applications that have missed federal deadlines for action. Federal law requires that applications for emergency food-stamp assistance, regular food stamps, and Medicaid be processed within seven, 30, and 45 days of application, respectively. The emergency unit ordered by the judge is supposed to process - in five business days - the past-deadline emergency cases that have been forwarded by counties because they were unable to resolve them in 24 hours.

http://tinyurl.com/5q4ff

4. Florida: Privatization in Works for State Agency

("Florida may go with DCF privatization," Tallahassee.com, December 26, 2004)

Florida is poised to privatize decision-making on eligibility for food stamps, welfare assistance, and Medicaid, despite a report by the Department of Children and Families that shows no savings from the move compared to keeping the job inside the state agency. "We're going to fire people and take it out of government for no savings," said Rep. Loranne Ausley (D-Tallahassee). "If that's the case, and they're projecting a wash, I don't understand why," said Sen. Nancy Argenziano (R-Crystal River), chair of the Senate Government Oversight and Productivity Committee The report lists disadvantages to the five-year $701.4 million privatization contract including: the need for a federal waiver, additional administrative costs of a third-party evaluation, the potential risk to the state and program clients if the vendor defaults, and a 30-month implementation period which will require a dual system and additional overhead. Privatization in Florida already has spawned ethics scandals and flawed performances by some groups that took over services for abused children. Whatever Governor Bush decides, the welfare application process is changing. Floridians will be able to apply for benefits by fax, mail, phone, or ATM-style computer terminals. The computers will be located at community agencies such as senior centers or food pantries, and DCF welfare offices will be closed.

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/local/10499455.htm

5. Florida: Resignations Should Ring Alarm Bells

("Alarm bells at DCF," Miami Herald, December 27, 2004)

The resignation of yet another Department of Children & Families administrator "should ring alarm bells," urges this editorial. Robert Fierro, DCF's director of contract services, oversaw quality assurance of contracts for service for child welfare, mental health and domestic violence programs. Severe staff cuts and unrealistic demands made it impossible to do an adequate job, says Fierro. He said his staff has been cut by half and that they are so rushed to negotiate contracts that quality is jeopardized. The editorial calls the privatization of both delivery and oversight of the care of Florida's most vulnerable residents a "risky" experiment.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/10504221.htm

6. Pennsylvania: Grab-and-Go School Breakfast a Hit

("`Grab-and-go' cart gets kids eating," Chicago Tribune, December 27, 2004)

A "grab-and-go" food cart placed outside the principal's office at a Pennsylvania middle school is giving students a new way to get breakfast. For 20 minutes before homeroom, children may grab a bagel, muffin, cold cereal and fresh fruit, throw them into a paper bag, and take the food to their desks. Teachers have supported the program, despite initial worries about trash in the classrooms. School nutrition experts say grab-and-go breakfast is becoming a popular alternative to the cafeteria. The program makes it easier for children squeezed for time to get breakfast. And it removes the stigma that if you eat breakfast in the school cafeteria, you must be poor. "We've heard in focus groups from low-income moms who say that their children don't want to be seen in the cafeteria in the morning, that they'd rather go hungry," said Nicole Woo of FRAC.

http://tinyurl.com/6gyrf

7. Wisconsin: School Breakfast Expansion Recommended

("Malnourished and inactive; Health survey of Unified students finds room for improvement," Journal Times Online, December 16, 2004)

A majority (55 percent) of students skip breakfast three or more days a week, found a survey of Racine's middle schoolers. The survey of 200 children also found that the meals students were eating often lacked nutritional value. A number of students said they skipped the cafeteria lunch line and chose the a la carte menu instead that offers items such as chips, ice cream, and cookies. Healthiest Racine's nutrition and physical activity task force, composed of members from community groups, health care, school food service, public health, private industry, school representatives and community residents, conducted the survey. The task force recommended the expansion of school breakfast programs in the district. Wisconsin ranks last among all 50 states and the District of Columbia in student participation in the federal school breakfast program. Eating breakfast has been found to improve test scores and reduce tardiness, absenteeism and behavioral problems.

http://www.journaltimes.com/articles/2004/12/16/local/iq_3271690.txt

8. Massachusetts: Seniors Urged to Apply for Food Stamps

("Many seniors qualify for food stamps," Somerville Journal, December 23, 2004)

Many people believe incorrectly that only welfare recipients may apply for food stamps. In reality, a number of seniors also qualify for food stamps. Participants receive food stamp benefits through an ATM-like debit card called Mass EBT. The benefit is worth the effort. A single elderly person can get up to $1,788 a year in food stamps, depending on income and expenses. The average benefit in Massachusetts is around $900 a year. Greater food stamp benefits are available to people with high housing or medical costs, including homemaker and personal care services.

http://tinyurl.com/4sv2w

9. North Carolina: Think of Hunger Beyond Holidays

("Food pantries enjoy feast," News and Observer, December 23, 2004)

During the holidays, food and cash donations flow into food pantries and soup kitchens. But food relief workers wish donations were steadier throughout the year. And Shirley Williams-McClain, head of the North Carolina Hunger Network, wishes more people who are eligible for food stamps would apply for them because food pantries, food banks, and soup kitchens cannot "fulfill the needs of all the people who are really going hungry." Currently only 61 percent of North Carolinians who qualify for food stamps actually apply for and receive them. Williams-McClain would also like to see more promotion of the government food programs that serve the needy and more awareness among the public of the ever-present need.

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1956452p-8322432c.html