Early Childhood Learning, Prescription Drug Abuse Top Agenda at Children, Health and Human Services Meeting
By Crystal D. Swann
July 4, 2011
The Children, Health and Human Services Standing Committee met June 18 to consider policy resolutions and to engage in a discussion on early childhood learning and prescription drug abuse with experts in the field. The committee meeting was chaired by Green Bay (WI) Mayor James Schmitt and substitute chair Arlington (TX) Mayor Robert Cluck. The committee vice-chairs are Gastonia Mayor Jennifer Stultz and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett.
Early Childhood Education
Executive Vice President of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Ralph Smith, engaged the mayors in a discussion of the foundation’s “Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.” The initiative focuses on grade-level reading proficiency by the end of the third grade and recognizes that children who are not reading on grade level by the 3rd grade are less likely to graduate high school.
Smith stressed that mayors have a unique voice to lend to this discussion and that by doing such things as designating a senior staff member to lead their grade-level reading work and creating an interagency task force to address the issue, as was done in New York City, mayors can provide the local leadership needed to confront this issue. “To move the needle on this issue, communities will need to focus on school readiness, attendance, and summer learning,” stated Smith. Highlighting the learning time lost over the summer months, Smith noted, that learning must continue throughout those summers to retain information learned and to continually prepare students for learning during the in'school times. The goal of the campaign is to increase by at least 50 percent the number of low-income children reading at grade level by the end of the third grade in at least a dozen states and school districts.
Prescription Drug Abuse
While somewhat of a gearshift but no less important, the mayors also heard from Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Deputy Director David Mineta on the emerging crisis of prescription drug abuse in the United States. In early April, ONDCP released its plan to combat the prescription drug epidemic. The plan, “Epidemic: Responding to America’s Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis,” expands upon the Administration’s “National Drug Control Strategy” and includes action in four major areas to reduce prescription drug abuse: education, monitoring, proper disposal and enforcement.
The mayoral discussion covered a wide range of issues from the impact flushing drugs has on the local water supply to the commonplace use of the psychotropic drugs on young people which some feel desensitizing children to the dangers of misusing prescription drug. Mayors also engaged in a discussion on the legal options available to regulate drug “detailers,” or drug company sales representative who often leave drug samples behind that can be misused or abused. ONDCP staff indicated that with regards to the flushing and proper disposal of highly addictive drugs, they are awaiting a final ruling from the Drug Enforcement Administration that would revise the rules governing drug take back programs.
Adopted Policy Resolutions
The mayors also considered ten policy resolutions. The titles of the resolutions are listed below. A full version of the resolutions can be found at usmayors.org.
- In Support of President Obama’s 2011 Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan
- Eliminating Contraband Tobacco Sales
- Combating Childhood Obesity by Strengthening Physical Fitness Education Programs and Intiatives
- In Support of the Community Services Block Grant Program
- Support Health Prevention
- Developing Regional Food Hubs to Strengthen Local and Regional Food Systems
- In Support of Behavioral Health Initiatives
- Let’s Move and End Childhood Obesity
- Regarding Human Trafficking
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