Latest news with #BrightFutures
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
$1 billion in school mental health grants won't be renewed; PA organizations are worried
(WHTM) – The Strong Minds, Bright Futures is a statewide partnership of over 60 organizations dedicated to improving youth mental health across Pennsylvania. They are strongly urging the Department of Education to reconsider the decision to cut $1 billion in federal grants supporting school-based mental health services. 'I think many of our kids, our families and even our teachers and principals don't yet understand the negative impact that this is going to have,' said CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Marcus Allen. Advocates say if this decision is not reversed, it will leave more than 250,000 students across the Commonwealth without mental health support. Families will lose access to school counselors, social workers, and programs designed to support students' well-being and prevent youth suicide. 'The Trump administration taking a wrecking ball to this funding that provides these critical services for students who are experiencing behave, role and emotional challenges. It's incredibly shortsighted,' said Chris Lilienthal with the Pennsylvania State Education Association. This funding stems from a law passed in 2022 following the tragic shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The law is called the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. 'It was designed to help schools hire mental health professionals including counselors and social workers,' said Allen. 36 schools across Pennsylvania received funding, including four in the Midstate. Senator John Fetterman shared a statement with abc27: 'We're facing a mental health crisis in this country, and I don't know any Pennsylvanian who thinks our kids have the mental health support system they need in our classrooms. As a senator, but more importantly, as a parent, I'm working to improve access and increase the number of counselors in our schools. Instead, the Trump administration is gutting the very program that would make these improvements possible. It's a cruel move that will only hurt our kids. I'm calling on the administration to immediately reverse course.' Department of Education Deputy Assistant Secretary, Madi Biedermann said in a statement: 'The Department decided not to continue funding these grants beyond the initial award terms. These grants are intended to improve American students' mental health by funding additional mental health professionals in schools and on campuses. Instead, under the deeply flawed priorities of the Biden Administration, grant recipients used the funding to implement race-based actions like recruiting quotas in ways that have nothing to do with mental health and could hurt the very students the grants are supposed to help. We owe it to American families to ensure that tax-payer dollars are supporting evidence-based practices that are truly focused on improving students' mental health.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
US rice found to have high levels of arsenic, cadmium
[Source] New testing reveals that virtually all rice sold in the U.S. contains arsenic and cadmium, with one-fourth of samples exceeding federal safety limits established for infant rice cereal. Key findings: Tests of 145 rice samples from retailers nationwide detected arsenic — a highly toxic metalloid — in 100% of samples, with more than one in four exceeding the FDA's 100 parts-per-billion limit set for infant rice cereal in 2021. California-grown rice had the lowest overall heavy metal content at 65 parts per billion, while U.S.-grown brown rice contained the highest at 151 parts per billion. Cadmium, a highly toxic heavy metal, was also found in all but one sample, with higher concentrations in Indian basmati and Italian Arborio varieties. Tests of 66 samples of alternative grains like barley, couscous, farro and quinoa showed significantly lower levels of these toxic metals, with overall levels three times lower than rice. Dangers: Jane Houlihan, the national director of science and health at Healthy Babies, Bright Futures — which produced the report — said parents should not have to worry that a common first food such as rice could pose hidden risks. 'Even at low levels, both arsenic and cadmium have been linked to serious health harms, including diabetes, developmental delays, reproductive toxicity and heart disease,' she told CNN. Trending on NextShark: What you can do: Rice accounts for 54.5% of arsenic exposure in diets of Asian children between 18 and 24 months, the tests found. To reduce exposure by up to 60%, families are encouraged to cook rice like pasta, using six to 10 cups of water per cup of rice and draining the excess before eating. Simply rinsing rice before cooking does not work, but soaking rice for a half hour or overnight before cooking further reduces contamination levels. ' Parents can also choose lower-risk varieties like California-grown, Thai jasmine or Indian basmati rice and incorporate alternative grains with lower metal content. Additionally, consuming foods rich in B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, iron and zinc can help reduce the body's absorption of contaminants or speed up their excretion. The findings come as research shows climate change could worsen the problem, with a Columbia University-led study finding that projected 2050 temperature and CO₂ levels could significantly increase inorganic arsenic in rice. Trending on NextShark: This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Associated Press
24-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Kimberly-Clark Foundation Awards 30 Bright Futures Scholarships to High School Seniors
May 23, 2025 /3BL/ - Kimberly-Clark announced the recipients of its Bright Futures college scholarships, awarding 30 high school seniors from across North America. These students, children of Kimberly-Clark employees, were selected based on their academic achievements, leadership qualities, work experience, and extracurricular activities. Now in its 33rd year, the Bright Futures program provides scholarship grants worth up to $20,000, or $5,000 per school year, for full-time students attending accredited colleges and universities. Administered by the Kimberly-Clark Foundation, the program has awarded nearly $50 million in scholarships to more than 2,400 students since its inception. 'The Bright Futures scholarship program exemplifies our commitment to developing the next generation of leaders. These students have demonstrated exceptional dedication to their studies and communities, and we are proud to support their journey toward academic and professional success,' said Kurt Laufer, Interim President, Kimberly-Clark North America. 'We believe in their potential to make a significant impact in the world, and we are excited to see what they will achieve.' The average GPA for this year's Bright Futures scholarship class is 3.98. Awardees will attend leading colleges and universities, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Wheaton College, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the University of Wisconsin. Past scholarship recipients have gone on to pursue successful careers in medicine, education, the armed forces, and engineering. For more information on this year's award recipients, click here. About the Kimberly-Clark Foundation Established in 1952, the Kimberly-Clark Foundation is the charitable arm of Kimberly-Clark Corporation and is dedicated to supporting global causes that create lasting social change. Together with funding from the corporation and employees, its primary focus is on social impact investments that help advance essential care for women and girls on their journeys through puberty and motherhood. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Kimberly-Clark Corporation
UPI
16-05-2025
- Health
- UPI
Toxic metals found in all rice samples in study
The report, released by Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, found arsenic in 100% of rice samples tested from stores in 20 metropolitan areas, including New York City, Los Angeles and Miami. May 16 (UPI) -- A new report says rice sold in U.S. stores contains toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. The report, released by Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, found arsenic in 100% of rice samples tested from stores in 20 metropolitan areas, including New York City, Los Angeles and Miami, CBS News reported. What's more, 1 in 4 samples exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's arsenic limit for infant rice cereal, which is 100 parts per billion. That rule was set in 2021, but it only applies to rice cereal made for babies, not to the rice that the rest of the family eats. "No such limit exists for rice itself -- the bags and boxes of rice served at family meals -- despite it being widely consumed by infants and toddlers," the authors note. The study tested 145 popular brands of rice, including Trader Joe's and Ben's and Goya. On average, total heavy metal levels across the samples ranged from 63 to 188 ppb, with some going as high as 240 ppb, CBS News said. Arsenic showed up at the highest levels, followed by cadmium. Lead and mercury were found in smaller amounts. Responding to the report, the USA Rice Federation acknowledged consumers' concerns. "We know that arsenic in food is alarming for many consumers and that you may have questions," the group said in a statement emailed to CBS News. "And while we do not agree that there is a public health safety issue as a result of trace amounts of arsenic in rice, we will continue to work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ensure the U.S. rice supply meets any threshold established." The FDA and National Institutes of Health note that inorganic arsenic -- the form found in higher amounts in this study -- is more toxic than the naturally occurring kind. The Environmental Protection Agency also classifies it as a carcinogen, or a cancer-causing substance. To lower your exposure, the report offered three tips: • Cook rice like pasta. Use 6 to 10 cups of water per 1 cup of rice, then drain any extra before eating. • Try alternatives. Foods like quinoa, barley and couscous have lower levels of heavy metals. • Choose rice wisely. White rice from California, sushi rice, Thai jasmine and Indian Basmati tend to have lower levels of heavy metals and elements. Avoid brown rice, white rice grown in the southeastern United States and arborio rice from Italy, which were shown to have higher levels. More information The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more on environmental contaminants in food. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Exclusive: Arsenic and cadmium levels dangerously high in store-bought rice, report finds. Here's what to do
Samples of store-bought rice from more than 100 different brands purchased in the United States contained dangerously high levels of arsenic and cadmium, according to a new report released exclusively to CNN. 'Even at low levels, both arsenic and cadmium have been linked to serious health harms, including diabetes, developmental delays, reproductive toxicity and heart disease,' said coauthor Jane Houlihan, research director for Healthy Babies, Bright Futures. The organization, which is dedicated to reducing children's exposure to toxic chemicals, produced the report. 'Heavy metal contamination in young children is especially concerning, as early-life exposures are associated with reduced IQ and a range of cognitive and behavioral problems,' Houlihan said. One in four samples of rice purchased from grocery and retail stores across the United States exceeded levels of inorganic arsenic set in 2021 by the US Food and Drug Administration for infant rice cereal, according to the report published Thursday. 'The FDA set a limit for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal of 100 parts per billion, and since then we've seen levels in those cereals drop by 45%,' Houlihan said. 'But the FDA did not address inorganic arsenic levels in the rice families purchased to cook and serve. 'Yet it turns out that for very young children, ages 0 to 2 years, rice is a more important source of inorganic arsenic than infant rice cereal,' she added. 'It's really the rice itself that's driving higher exposures.' Arsenic is a natural element found in soil, water and air, with the inorganic form being the most toxic. 'Inorganic' is a chemical term and has nothing to do with the method of farming. Arsenic is also a carcinogen, and early-life exposures — including during pregnancy — are especially dangerous, possibly leading to spontaneous abortion, stillbirth and preterm birth as well as later neurodevelopmental disorders, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The USA Rice Federation, which represents American growers, told CNN via email that rice grown in the United States contains the lowest levels of inorganic arsenic in the world. 'While we do not agree that there is a public health safety issue as a result of trace amounts of arsenic in rice, we will continue to work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure the U.S. rice supply meets any threshold established,' said Michael Klein, vice president of communications and strategic development at USA Rice. 'It is worth noting (that) the top source (42%) of arsenic in the diet of Americans is fruits, vegetables, and fruit juice. Rice is 17 percent,' Klein said. That's an unfair comparison, Houlihan said, because dozens of different fruits and vegetables contribute to that figure of 42%. 'In contrast, rice alone — one specific food — contributes 17%, likely making it the single largest individual food source of arsenic in the American diet,' she said. Rice is the 'most widely consumed solid food in the world,' according to the report, and a regular part of the diets of more than 1 billion children globally. In some cultures, rice is served at every meal. 'On average, for all children ages 0 to 2 years, rice accounts for 7.5% of their arsenic exposure, more than any other solid food,' Houlihan said. 'For Hispanic and Latino children of the same age, that level rises to 14%.' However, many Latino families are not aware of the dangers of arsenic in rice, said Juan Roberto Madrid, an advocate for the environmental advocacy association GreenLatinos, which partnered on the new report. 'In fact many of our full time staff were not even aware of the dangers of arsenic in rice,' Madrid said in an email. 'Our communities must understand what arsenic does to babies and that there are alternatives available. This is not a cause for alarm, but rather a cause for concern.' For Asian children, the levels are even higher, Houlihan said. 'For babies 0 to 2 (years), rice accounts for 30.5% of the arsenic in their diet. It's even higher for Asian children between 18 (months) and 24 months. Rice accounts for nearly 55% of their arsenic exposure.' Some Asian families are aware of the presence of heavy metals in rice, but not the dangers posed by arsenic, said Gloria Tan, executive director of Gum Moon's women's residence at the Asian Women's Resource Center in San Francisco. Gum Moon, which stands for 'golden door,' has been providing services to Asian women since 1868 and was a partner in the new report. 'Knowing that there are dangers of arsenic might make families reconsider their rice choice,' Tan said in an email. 'I think some families may be receptive to the idea of switching to a less contaminated grain.' The new report analyzed the total heavy metal content in 145 samples of rice varieties grown in India, Italy, Thailand and the United States that were purchased by shoppers in the US. 'The researchers used a certified, accredited lab to measure arsenic and other heavy metals in rice samples, confirming that this is an issue with real-world implications,' said Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, via email. EWG is a consumer organization that monitors exposure to heavy metals, plastics and other dangerous chemicals. Stoiber was not involved in the new research. The independent lab also tested another 66 samples of nine ancient grains: amaranth, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, couscous, farro, millet, quinoa and spelt. Results showed rice purchased by shoppers contained 28 times more arsenic than the alternative grains. The group of alternative grains, however, contained 1.5 times more cadmium than rice. Still, overall levels of heavy metals were three times lower in the nine grains compared with the levels found in the purchased rice. Like arsenic, cadmium easily crosses the placental barrier to the fetus, potentially causing neurodevelopmental harm. Cadmium is also a known carcinogen and has been connected to harm to the kidneys, bone, stomach, lungs and more. 'Most research has focused solely on arsenic, but that leaves out an important part of the rice safety story,' Houlihan said. 'By including cadmium in our analysis, we're able to give a more complete picture of how different rice types compare in terms of overall toxic metal exposure.' The type of rice and how it's grown and processed can impact levels of arsenic and other heavy metals, experts say. Brown and wild rice often contain the highest levels because the milling process used to create white rice removes the outer layers of the hull, where heavy metals are concentrated. Lab testing found purchased samples of US-grown brown rice contained 151 parts per billion of heavy metals — 129 of that due to arsenic. Arborio rice grown in Italy, which is typically used to make risotto, and white rice grown in the Southeast US (often labeled as simply 'USA') were almost as high in total heavy metals as brown rice, the report said. Arborio rice from Italy contained 101 parts per billion of arsenic — total heavy metal load in the purchased samples was 142 parts per billion. White rice grown in the US contained 95 parts per billion of arsenic, with a total heavy metal count of 118 parts per billion. Basmati rice from India, jasmine rice from Thailand and California-grown sushi and Calrose rice (a form of sushi rice) were at or below the 100 parts per billion levels set by the FDA for arsenic in infant rice cereals. However, the Indian basmati and Italian Arborio varieties contained the highest average levels of cadmium. The California-grown rice had the lowest overall heavy metal content — 65 parts per billion, with 55 parts per billion from arsenic — making it an excellent choice to reduce overall exposure, Houlihan said. Consumers should be wary, however, of precooked rice, including instant (one-minute and five-minute rice), parboiled (10-minute rice), and ready-to-heat-and-eat packaged rice, she said. 'Studies have shown the processing used to create instant rice can create additional toxins, and the ready-to-heat products are cooked inside the plastic containers, potentially releasing toxic chemicals,' Houlihan said. While the report does list the names of the 105 brands tested, that's not what's important when choosing rice with the lowest levels of heavy metals, she added. 'Results between brands didn't tend to vary,' Houlihan said. 'The controlling factors for avoiding heavy metal levels seems to be the rice variety and the country of origin, not the brand of rice. So make sure you know where your rice comes from. 'Unfortunately, not all brands label the source of their product, so you'll have to do some shopping to find those that do,' she added. This lack of clear package labeling is a gap that should be addressed by industry and the federal government, EWG's Stoiber said. 'Stronger federal oversight and clearer labeling would go a long way to keep children safe from exposure to arsenic in food.' The FDA takes the presence of heavy metals in food extremely seriously, said Andrew Nixon, director of communications for the US Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA. 'Under Secretary (Robert F.) Kennedy (Jr.)'s leadership, HHS is conducting a comprehensive review of chemicals in the food supply — both those added intentionally and those like heavy metals that are environmental contaminants,' Nixon said in an email. There is an easy way to eliminate nearly two-thirds of the arsenic in rice — cook it like pasta. Using 6 to 10 cups of water for every cup of rice and draining the excess before eating can remove up to 60% of arsenic. However, only rinsing rice before cooking doesn't work, according to the report. To further the amount of arsenic removed, soak rice for a half hour or overnight and drain before cooking as suggested. Keep in mind that boiling and draining will also remove some of the fortified iron added to rice. Iron is important for proper development and many babies are often deficient, the report said, so consult a pediatrician about adding iron-rich foods. Beans, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean red meat, and poultry are good sources. In addition, there are nutrients such as B vitamins, calcium, zinc and vitamin C that can help 'reduce the body's absorption of contaminants or speed up their excretion,' the report said. 'Find them in foods like lean meat, yogurt, cheese, leafy greens, broccoli, beans and lentils, citrus fruits, strawberries, and peppers.'
