Author Archives: frank

All-Terrain Vehicles in Mississippi: Policy Options for Saving Lives

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The use of all-terrain vehicles (ATV’s) is very popular in Mississippi, but the vehicles are associated with considerable risk of injury or death, particular for children and youth.  Mississippians are 3.5 times more likely to die from ATV accidents than persons in other states.

Policy Options for Saving Lives

The Center for Mississippi Health Policy recently examined the impact of ATV use in Mississippi. Three key findings emerged:

  • the risk of injury or death is significant for Mississippians of all
… Read more...

Mississippi Bends the Curve

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Researchers Find Child Obesity Rates Leveling Off

Obesity rates for Mississippi school children appear to have leveled off, according to a 2009 study by researchers at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM).  The research, published in the March issue of the Journal of the Mississippi Medical Association, is the most recent in a series of data collected every other year to measure the prevalence of obesity among the state’s children.

The leveling of rates coincides with national data showing … Read more...

Assessing the Impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act on Childhood Obesity: Year 1 Research

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The Center for Mississippi Health Policy has released a report summarizing key findings from the first year of research, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Bower Foundation, evaluating the impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act.  The report, Assessing the Impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act, presents the results of studies conducted by three Mississippi universities that provide valuable information for educators and policy-makers as they look toward the next three years of the Act’s … Read more...

Building Mississippi’s System of Care: An Interagency Solution for Mississippi’s Children

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The state statute that establishes and governs the Interagency System of Care for children and youth with serious emotional/behavioral disorders (§43-14-1) sunsets July 1, 2010.  This law must be re-enacted by the Legislature in 2010 in order for the system to continue.

The System of Care model is an interagency, multi-disciplinary approach to care for children and youth with serious emotional disturbances and their families.  It is intended to reduce the number of inappropriate out-of-home placements and inappropriate school suspensions … Read more...

The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009: Implications for Mississippi

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The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009: Implications for Mississippi in February 2009, Congress passed the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA), to extend the statutory authorization for the Children’s Health Insurance Program.  The new law contains significant changes in funding, benefits, eligibility, and administrative requirements for the Program and offers states several new policy options.  The Center for Mississippi Health Policy has issued an Issue Brief that examines the major provisions of CHIPRA and … Read more...