Rural Childrens Health and WellBeing: Suggestions for Action

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Rural Childrens Health and Well-BeingSuggestion
s for Action

• Rural Collaborative Forum
• October 29, 2003
• Omaha, NE

Richard Rathge, Ph.D. Director, North Dakota KIDS
COUNT!
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Overview 4 Main Topics

• Explore existing opportunities for data
• Determine agenda for rural data themes
• Determine priorities
• Create short-term vs. long-term strategies

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1. Explore existing opportunities for data

• I. Draw from existing databases
• A. Special tabulations of known data sources
• Example Census Bureau
• Transportation Measure 1
• Run special tabulations to include
• family characteristic data

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1. Explore existing opportunities for data

• I. Draw from existing databases
• B. Lobby other sources for information
• Example Health
• Contact AMA, NHI to locate better information on
  health measures

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1. Explore existing opportunities for data

• II. Altering data collection procedures already
  in place
• A. Standardization of data collection procedures
• Example Child Care

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1. Explore existing opportunities for data

• II. Altering data collection procedures already
  in place
• B. Larger sample sizes
• Example Activities Measure 1
• Increase sample size of NCES survey to include at
  least statewide data
• Increase sample size of YRBSS survey to include
  all county data

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1. Explore existing opportunities for data

• III. Collection of new data
• A. New surveys
• Example Designing a special survey to serve data
  collection needs

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1. Explore existing opportunities for data

• III. Collection of new data
• B. Collection of new data by state agencies,
  county governments, school districts, etc.
• Example Transportation, Activities

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2. Determine agenda for rural data themes

• Are data themes uncovered during focus groups
  generalizable for all rural families, all rural
  areas?
• Rural Great Plains (ND, SD, NE)
• Southern (AL, KY, TN)
• Pacific Northwest (WA, OR)

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3. Determine priorities

• How to create an agenda for establishing
  priorities among rural themes
• Poll the network
• Collaborative discussion with data providers
• Policy directed

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4. Short-term vs. long-term strategies

• Short-term
• Changing existing data
• Initiating discussion for new data/collection
  (American Community Survey)
• Long-term
• Initiating discussion with policy-makers
• Rural Congressional Caucus
• State Legislatures

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Brainstorming and discussion Action Plan

• Verify the appropriateness of rural themes from
  focus groups
• Determine priorities
• Create short-term and long-term goals

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North Dakota KIDS COUNT!P.O. Box 5636Fargo, ND
58105(701) 231-5931
http//www.ndkidscount.org