Posts tagged child
Population growth unsustainable, says CU prof, and the end will not be pretty
Jul 31st
In an educational video entitled “Population, Consumption, and Climate: A Conversation with Al Bartlett,” the professor reprises themes from his notorious talk on population. Bartlett came to CU-Boulder in 1950 to join the Department of Physics. In the 1950s and today, he notes society and governments view steady growth as the centerpiece of the global economy.
“I got to thinking about the fact that people didn’t really understand the arithmetic of steady growth,” he said. “So I put together a talk. I first gave it in September of 1969 on the arithmetic of growth.”
Bartlett has since delivered that well-known lecture more than 1,700 times to audiences worldwide. He often cites an analogy of human population growth and multiplying bacteria. Using an animation that shows bacteria doubling over a fixed period of time, the video illustrates the arithmetic of steady growth and how quickly resources are depleted as growth continues.
“There will be limits,” cautions Bartlett.
The world population topped 7 billion in March 2012, according to the United States Census Bureau. Bartlett explains that despite the fact that population growth rates in developing countries may be 3-4 times higher than the U.S. rates, a significant problem with population resides in the United States because of high per capita demand for energy and resources.
“The average child born in the United States will have, over its lifetime, 10-20 times the impact on world resources as a child born in an underdeveloped nation,” he says. “So we’ve got to address the problem at home.”
In addition to the strain on the earth’s natural resources, excessive consumption contributes to climate change because resource extraction, manufacturing, and transportation produce a great deal of carbon dioxide. And, according to Bartlett, “if any fraction of global warming can be attributed to the actions of humans, that’s all the proof you need to say the human population today is greater than the carrying capacity of the earth.”
Population, Consumption, and Climate: A Conversation with Al Bartlett is part of a video series viewable at Learn More About Climate, produced by CU-Boulder’s Office for University Outreach and Landlocked Films.
The Learn More About Climate initiative brings climate change-related information to communities across the state.The website is an online outreach tool that localizes climate change through interviews with leading scientists and everyday Coloradans to explain how climate change is affecting our state. The site also offers resources for teachers, students, policy makers, and community members who want to learn more about this critical issue.
Health Fair for children on Friday, Aug.3
Jul 24th
Free dental checkups and low-cost immunizations available for kids
Boulder County, Colo. – Salud Family Health Center’s Longmont Clinic will host its annual Dia de los Niños/Children’s Day celebration on Friday, Aug. 3.
The health fair provides low-cost immunizations, free vision screenings, and free dental checkups in a fun, safe environment to celebrate and encourage good health for children. The Boulder County Healthy Kids Initiative will also be on hand to help families enroll in Medicaid and the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+).
“Medical expenses can make or break family finances and enrolling in Medicaid or CHP+ helps families achieve financial stability and promotes self-sufficiency,” said Stephanie Arenales, Project Coordinator for Boulder County Healthy Kids. “Reliable access to healthcare will improve children’s lives now and in the future.”
What: Children’s Day celebration and healthcare enrollment fair
When: Friday, Aug. 3, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Where: Salud Family Health Center, 220 E. Rogers Road, Longmont
The event is for children of all ages. The Medicaid and CHP+ programs are available for children up to age 19 and pregnant women. Some parents may also be eligible for Medicaid as long as they have a Medicaid-eligible child and meet the income limits.
To qualify for Medicaid or CHP+, an applicant must:
- Meet income eligibility guidelines and age requirements
- Be a Colorado resident
- Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident for at least five years
Background
Boulder County Healthy Kids (BCHK) is a countywide effort to enroll eligible children, their families, and pregnant women in Colorado’s public health insurance programs, Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), and to assist families in securing a medical home. Created in 2008, BCHK supports Boulder County’s commitment to improving access to affordable health, dental health, and mental health services and family self-sufficiency for its most vulnerable residents. In the last year, BCHK has helped nearly 5,500 people secure Medicaid or CHP+ coverage and demonstrated an enrollment rate of 98 percent.
Medicaid is a no-cost health insurance plan for low-income Colorado children, pregnant women, parents with dependent children, and elderly or disabled individuals. CHP+ is a low-cost health insurance plan for Colorado’s uninsured children and pregnant women who cannot afford private health insurance but whose household income is too high to qualify for Medicaid.
For more information about Medicaid or CHP+ eligibility call 303-441-1589 or visit www.bchealthykids.org. For more information about the enrollment fair, call 303-772-1906.
More BoCo families to be eligible for help with child care
Jun 11th
Boulder County, Colo. – As increasing numbers of families in Boulder County struggle with economic challenges, the county is expanding access to quality child care assistance to help them re-establish their self-sufficiency.
Effective July 1, Boulder County will raise Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) income limits by over 25%. Previously, a family with income above 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) was ineligible for financial assistance for child care. Under the expanded eligibility guidelines, a Boulder County family can now have income up to 225% of the FPL and still qualify. As an example, for a family of three, this increases monthly income limits from $2,857 to $3,580. The expansion was requested by the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services (DHHS) and approved by county commissioners.
“Work supports are a crucial part of an economic recovery,” said Jennifer Eads, director of DHHS’ Self-Sufficiency and Community Support Division. “The more we can do to help parents find jobs or complete their education, the better their chances are for re-building a lasting foundation for their families.”
An important part of Boulder County DHHS’ mission is removing barriers to work for families struggling to sustain themselves. CCAP provides crucial supports for parents and caregivers who are looking for a job or who are employed but are unable to afford quality care for their children. Boulder County’s expansion of this program recognizes both the ongoing employment challenges and the high cost of living in the county.
Boulder County Commissioner Deb Gardner said she was happy to support the eligibility expansion. “This has been a difficult past few years for so many of our neighbors,” Gardner said. “If we are going to have a real and lasting recovery, we need to help people get back on their feet.”
Currently, parents and caregivers of nearly 1,000 children are receiving child care assistance through CCAP in Boulder County. Quality child care providers across Boulder County accept CCAP payments. The county currently receives about ten applications per month from families above 185% of the FPL. Of the seventeen Colorado counties now allowing incomes up to 225% of the FPL, Boulder County is the largest in terms of population.
Christina Ostrom, Boulder County’s Family and Resident Support Services Division Manager, oversees the CCAP program and the county’s partnership with Aspen Family Services, which administers the eligibility portion of the program. “I’m thrilled that Boulder County is able to increase the income limit for families struggling to pay child care costs,” she says. “Many families don’t realize they are eligible, and hopefully now they’ll call for a screening.”
The CCAP expansion will be funded through revenue generated by the Temporary Human Services Safety Net (TSN). The TSN (Ballot Initiative 1A) was approved by voters in November 2010, and is a five-year increase in property taxes that is designed to backfill cuts to state funding for human services in Boulder County.
CCAP Eligibility and other requirements are available at www.bouldercountychildcare.org or by calling Aspen Family Services at 303-604-1043, extension 2828.