children

Update: The USDA’s “Cost of Raising a Child” report has been released for 2011.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) periodically offers data and insights on mental health and related concerns across the population.

In 2012, DHHS issued an updated report, “2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Findings,” which was based on face-to-face survey interviews with 68,487 randomly selected Americans during 2010.

The study’s findings include:

Studies have shown that a young child’s ability to make and maintain friendships is a critical developmental milestone; this early success is typically reflected in subsequent social and behavioral achievements. Less is known, however, about the importance of friendship quality on positive developmental growth.

California established the first sex-offender registry in 1947, and since then such lists have expanded to all 50 states. In 1994 the federal “Megan’s Law” was enacted, requiring public notification of convicted sex offenders’ presence in communities. The stated intent of such registries is to both reduce the number of sexual assaults and increase the ability of law-enforcement officials to find and prosecute offenders when crimes do occur.

The debate over charter schools shows few signs of receding as a central component in the discussion about improving U.S. public education. While proponents see charter schools as a vital source of innovation in public education, opponents feel they are largely ineffective and operate at the expense of large numbers of students. To complicate matters, previous research about the impact of charter schools on student achievement has uncovered mixed results.

Look down a shopping aisle and you will find that labels on household and personal care products list a litany of chemical ingredients. Consumers who prefer less industrial alternatives can choose “green” or “natural” products that claim to be chemical free, but what actually goes into them is often unclear.