Suicide Mission
Washington Post
Some people who work with suicidal teens would like to see students screened for depression and suicidal tendencies. Others would rather discuss suicide openly with all teens as part of suicide intervention programs. Both sides agree that outreach efforts need to improve in order to better combat the problem. Feb. 25. www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50955-2003Feb22.html.
Juvenile Jails Assume Role in Treatment
The Charleston Gazette
An examination of West Virginia’s two systems for children who are struggling socially: The Bureau for Children and Families cares for mentally, behaviorally and environmentally disturbed youth who have not committed crimes, while the juvenile services agency handles similar youth who have been adjudicated. But child welfare and mental health professionals contend that the two groups of children are very similar, and the agency they end up with depends largely on the intervention of caring adults. March 17. www.wvgazette.com/section/News/200303171.
Casinos Cash in With Child Care for Players
New York Daily News
Child care workers at the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut recount tales of driving home at sunrise because a parent left a child in the casino’s child care center. With basketball courts, computers and adult supervision, the increasing number of child care centers available at casinos may cause as many problems as it solves. Feb. 22. www.nydailynews.com/news/story/61733p-57671c.html.
Homework Crunch: Is There Time to Just Be a Kid?
St. Petersburg Times
Homework and out-of-school activities continue to add up for teens with an eye toward college, and elementary-age curricula
grow more advanced. Many say they can shoulder the burden, but parents say they are concerned about the lack of free time their kids have. March 16. www.sptimes.com/2003/03/16/TampaBay/Homework_crunch__Is_t.shtml.
Compiled from news reports, the Casey Journalism Center for Children and Families, and Connect for Kids.
