NORRISTOWN — The majority of Montgomery County children are living healthy lives, according to the latest report from Public Citizens for Children and Youth titled “The Bottom Line is Children: Children’s Health Status in Montgomery County.”

Despite a countywide increase in children’s access to health care, a decrease in asthma related hospitalizations, and a decrease in teen birth rates, the report indicates there are still a few problem areas Montgomery County officials and citizens must address.

The remaining children in the county who lack health insurance, an increase in child obesity and a lack of lead screenings for youth are all issues PCCY hopes to combat in a combined effort with county officials, including Montgomery County commissioners’ Chairman Josh Shapiro, who sat in on a conference call with the authors of the report on Tuesday.

PCCY Executive Director Donna Cooper and Health Director Colleen McCauley both agreed that the majority of the county’s children are healthy.

“Research proves healthy children are more likely to grow up to become healthy, successful adults,” the report said, citing a study by the Robert Wood Foundation. “Better childhood health is linked to improved educational attainment, better employment opportunities and higher income in adulthood,”

In Montgomery County, teen birth rates decreased 28 percent from 2007 to 2011. Asthma diagnoses are down from 26,922 in 2004 to 23,414 in 2012 and asthma-induced hospitalizations are down 2 percent from 2007 to 2011.

Ninety-seven percent of the county’s estimated 178,000 children are insured, leaving only 5,787 without insurance, according to the report.

Shapiro said the report’s findings are indicators of the overall health of the county.

“I am proud of the work we are doing in Montgomery County, and we look forward to partnering with PCCY to make further strides in protecting the health and welfare of the children of our county,” he said.

Cooper said the findings are a good start, but there is still work ahead for the county.

“It should not be a surprise that children in the stable and strong families and communities are doing well,” Cooper said. “However, there is still strain on some lives in the county.”

It is mostly poor or undocumented children who are suffering, McCauley said. The majority of the 5,787 without insurance are undocumented immigrants, she said.

All documented children in Pennsylvania are eligible for Medical Assistance or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, according to the report.

“The only people who don’t qualify are undocumented children who do not have qualifying immigration status,” McCauley said.

Two other problem areas are childhood obesity and lead-based paint screenings.

The report indicates 8,800 children became overweight or obese in the last five years, and 14 percent of children under 6 were screened for lead even though two-thirds of homes in the county were built before 1978, meaning they potentially contain lead-based paints.

Again, McCauley indicated that poor or undocumented parents are more likely to make poor decisions regarding physical exercise and proper nutrition for their children. In addition, less fortunate families cannot afford the expensive paint-removal renovations.

Cooper, McCauley and Shapiro all agreed some problems stem from cuts in funding at the state and federal level.

“Funding has been cut at state and federal levels for programs that battle obesity and screen for lead,” Shapiro said.

The report lists several ways that county officials can partner with PCCY and other organizations to help combat these remaining issues. The initiatives include adding to the county’s already strong health insurance enrollment through the Affordable Care Act, working on new opportunities with school district leaders, removing the barriers facing undocumented children in procuring insurance, encouraging physical education programs in schools and offering incentives for Medicaid managed care companies to combat obesity.

Shapiro said he is on board with the effort.

“I will continue to call for comprehensive immigration reform at the state and federal level,” Shapiro said. “Montgomery County has shown we are a leader in terms of how we invest in the wellbeing of our children. The commissioners will continue to work in partnership with PCCY to take the initiative in Pennsylvania to get these children comprehensive health care.”

For the full report and previous reports in the “The Bottom Line is Children” series, PCCY encourages Montgomery County residents to visit www.childrenfirstpa.org.

The next report in PCCY’s series is expected to be released Wednesday and is called “The Bottom Line is Children: Early Care and Education in Montgomery County” and will document early education in Montgomery County.

The Times Herald – February 11, 2014 – Read article online