Back in 2003, a federal commission created by President Bush recommended improving and expanding mental health programs in schools to provide help as early as possible to students with learning problems or those who might turn violent or disruptive.The commission highlighted one means of early diagnosis, the Columbia University “TeenScreen” program, that allows students — with parental permission — to get a mental health “check-up” via a computer-based questionnaire before graduating from high school.The commission’s 86-page report included this suggestion among a long list of recommendations to improve the U.S. mental health system. The report attracted little attention outside mental health circles.But over the past two years, a cottage industry of fiery opposition has grown up around the proposal to expand mental health programs in the schools and has become a popular rallying cry for conservatives who see it as unwarranted government intervention in family life.Opponents of school-based mental health programs point to parents who say their children have been misdiagnosed with problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and forced to take medication under pressure from school officials.To these parents, the commission suggestion to “improve and expand” school mental health programs is the first, inexorable step toward mandatory school mental health screening for all students, and mandatory medication for many, despite repeated assurances by commission members, school officials and congressional experts that this won’t happen.Led by groups like Ablechild.org and EdAction, these parents want to prohibit schools from having anything to do with the mental health of their students, saying it is the job of parents to ensure their children’s well-being.As a first step, the groups are pushing Congress to pass legislation, sponsored by Rep. Ron Paul, R-Tex., and supported by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, to prohibit any federal funding for mental health screening of students without the written consent of their parents.”If [this legislation] is passed, it will prevent wasteful and potentially devastating federal funding while safeguarding the informed consent rights of all parents in what is a most serious matter — their children’s health and safety,” said Patricia Weathers, president and co-founder of Ablechild.org.The educators and medical professionals on the other side of the debate agree parental consent should be required for screenings. But they also think it’s worth studying the idea of promoting voluntary screenings to get help for children who need it as early as possible.”There is this curious coalition of people who are concerned about stuff that we didn’t recommend, and are making a big noise about it,” said Michael Hogan, director of the Ohio Mental Health Department and chairman of what was then called the New Freedom Commission.”The core thing that the commission was concerned about is the fact that a lot of these mental health problems are pretty clearly problems of childhood and adolescent onset… Added to this is the fact that most children never get to see a mental health specialist.”The fundamental logic of what the commission said is that we should take steps to facilitate access to care where children are.”The debate over school screenings is just part of a larger discussion over the role schools should play in ensuring children’s mental heath. Many educators point to a clear connection between mental health and academic achievement.”There are a whole slew of intra-personal variables that contribute to a kid’s ability to learn and are heavily related to their academic success,” said Stacy Skalski, public policy director for the National Association of School Psychologists.”There are also inter-personal variables. Kids don’t come into the world knowing how to relate to others. They need to learn that.”Bruce Hunter, a veteran policy official with the American Association of School Administrators, said it’s clear “the education business is tough enough without getting into the mental health business.
“But if a kid is going to beat the hell out of other kids regularly, and is disrupting the classroom, that’s a child that needs some mental health assistance. One of the things that our members have expressed is a rising concern about students’ mental health, and the ability to get them help when they have a problem,” Hunter said.A complicating factor is that the debate over school mental health problems has become enmeshed in the vehement opposition of some people to medicating children for depression, hyperactivity and other problems. These opponents point to the nasty potential side effects of some commonly prescribed drugs, including suicide, and argue that they simply aren’t safe for children.Hogan and others supporters of school mental health programs agree that more long-term testing should be done on antidepressants and other emotion-altering drugs prescribed for children and teens.”We [commission members] recommended that the scientists and regulatory officials get on top of the safety issue,” Hogan said.Weathers, of Ablechild.org, is among those who believe more attention should be paid to children’s nutrition and behavior management, instead of “being so quick to prescribe a drug.” Her group supports legislation, sponsored by Rep. John Kline, that would prohibit schools from requiring parents to have their children medicated to attend classes.Kline’s bill would expand protections in the Individuals with Disabilities Act, which prohibited schools from requiring special education students to take certain medications, to all students. The bill also would cover more types of medication than in the disability law.”We have 1,000 stories like this,” Weathers said. “Our group is not saying that children don’t have attention or behavior problems. Some kids do. But why should we force parents to drug their children so they can attend school?”

Living a healthy lifestyle is a subject of much debate in the media and throughout the world. Every self-proclaimed fitness guru has a new theory on what a healthy lifestyle is. In reality, it’s pretty hard to make heads or tails of any of it. It’s hard to know what to believe and what to throw out like yesterday’s garbage. Let’s look at some of the ways that you can live a healthy lifestyle.One of the most important factors to living a healthy lifestyle is your diet. What goes inside your body plays a huge role in how healthy it is. This may seem like common sense but you’d be surprised how many people overlook this simple approach. To really be healthy takes some work on your part. You have to take the road less traveled and eat only healthy foods. There are several barriers to this but it can be done.The biggest barrier that must be overcome is inconvenience. Eating healthy is not usually convenient. It’s that simple. It takes some planning on your part. You have to plan out your meals ahead of time and get the food that you need. If you go to the store once a week, then you need to plan out every meal for that week. Taking your lunch with you is one way to make sure of what you’re going to eat every day. Many people won’t eat healthy, simply because it’s too hard. They take the easy way out and just eat whatever sounds good at the time. There’s nothing wrong with that occasionally, but when you make it a habit, it can be destructive. Going to a fast food restaurant saves so much time that many people do that all the time. However, fast food is easily the unhealthiest food that you could put in your body. A greasy burger and fries can give you your entire daily-recommended intake of calories in one meal. Eating one huge, unhealthy meal wreaks havoc on your metabolism and health. Be sure of what is going into your body everyday and you will undoubtedly live a healthy lifestyle.

With the constantly changing nature of home renovations it becomes important for home owners to understand the importance of staying up to date with repairs. Even the smallest problem can end up causing a major headache.Why home repairs:No matter the age of the home, new or old, the wear on the foundation and home itself caused through normal living over time can be costly. Weather plays a major role in causing damages to your home that could be avoided or lessened through constant maintenance. When talking about maintenance many home owners forget but also find it time consuming. Checking for any damages or problems with your home, if planned on a regular basis, can be done in a decent amount of time. It becomes a trade-off of spending time to save money or spending more money on things that could have been avoided.What can be done?Below is an outline of a few common issues that interrupt homeowners lives, time and money. Ensuring that the below set of home problems are looked at, both time and money can be saved, focusing on more important things such as home renovations.Clean Your Gutters: Gutter cleaning can help save you money especially during the winter and summer months. When they get clogged water overflows ending up on the ground surrounding your house which can cause leaks and cracks. Making sure your gutters are cleared of leaves helps save you money in the long run as the eavestrough lasts for years to come.Mold: As a homeowner it is important to make sure mold does not start to grow, mostly in your bathroom and kitchen. Mold can affect your health and sometimes become fatal if not treated. Mold usually has a distinct odor that sometimes could be the only indication if you have it in your home. Other times you will visibly see mold growth which can sometimes be dismissed as dirt. Do not ignore these signs and if you think your home may be affected get a mold inspector to see if you are correct.Air Filters: Improve your air flow and help keep your air units from damaging. Not taking care of this can cause costly repairs that could easily be avoided. Making sure dust does not accumulate helps keep the filter coil clean, keeping performance unharmed. You always want proper air efficiency especially if a family member suffers from asthma or allergies. Home owners often forget about maintaining air filters which may include replacing or washing them but it becomes imperative to do so for your safety.Plumbing: Whether it is a small or large leak, plumbing problems can cause damage to your home. By constantly checking your plumbing system you as a home owner can avoid major repairs in the long run. Making sure your water pressure is consistent, no debris is clogging your drains and fixing running or leaking faucets help ensure problems do not worsen. Make sure to keep your plumbing in proper shape.These are just a few examples of common home issues that should always be thought of. Making sure that these potential problems are always looked after is important for the health of you, your family and your home. Keeping these potential issues up to date will help save you money in the long run.