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Healthy Children (Calvert)

Story Behind the Curve

  • small percentage of the county population without health insurance, resulting in lack of preventative care
  • lack of specialized care, especially for behavioral health needs, resulting in either commuting for services at a higher expense to families
  • recreation resources are limited, especially for families in poverty and lacking transportation
  • need more treatment, prevention and support for parents with substance use disorders
  • as a result of stigma, mental health problems or trauma's were not adequately addressed in childhood
  • use of opiates, starting with access to family's members prescription drugs

Strategies to improve these indicators

  • expanded recreation services
  • increase access to transportation for medical and/or recreation with ride sharing or transportation vouchers
  • low cost psychiatric services for underinsured
  • mental health awareness & advocacy
  • reducing access to prescription opiates

Why Is This Important?

In order to thrive, youth need to be physically, emotionally, and mentally healthy and addiction free, and to be raised in families where those conditions exist as well. Youth who possess this kind of vibrant health will be able to achieve their potential and live happy productive lives.

To stay healthy, children require regular checkups, dental and vision care, and medical attention for illness and injury. Children with health insurance are more likely to have better health throughout their childhood and adolescence. They are more likely to receive required immunizations, fall ill less frequently, obtain necessary treatment when they do get sick, and perform better at school. Having health insurance lowers barriers to accessing care, which is likely to prevent the development of more serious illnesses.

The immunization of young children is a positive predictor of avoidance of illness, death, disability, or developmental delay associated with immunization-preventable diseases.Additionally, childhood immunization is an important step in maintaining high vaccination levels within the population, which prevent outbreaks of such diseases.

Childhood injuries requiring inpatient hospitalization present risks of long-term illness and disability. Injuries may be the result of unintentional or intentional events. Most unintentional injuries are related to motor vehicles, falls, fires and burns, poisonings, choking and suffocation, and drowning. Intentional injuries include assaults and self-inflicted injuries.

Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term health impacts. Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and are more likely than their normal weight peers to be teased and stigmatized which can lead to poor self-esteem. Moreover, obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

Healthy behavior patterns formed in adolescence play a crucial role in health throughout life. Use of substances, whether it be alcohol, tobacco or drugs, decreases ability to make good choices, engage in learning, develop age-appropriate maturity levels, and remain disease-free. The increase in the use of opiate drugs, whether prescription or heroin, endangers the life of the users, especially teens who do not have knowledge of lethality or the ability to gauge risk.

Child deaths due to homicide, suicide, and unintentional injury are all deemed potentially
preventable, and responsive to interventions.

Data Discussion

Clear Impact Suite is an easy-to-use, web-based software platform that helps your staff collaborate with external stakeholders and community partners by utilizing the combination of data collection, performance reporting, and program planning.

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