The YMCA of the USA has graded the nation in a series of major
categories that affect families – and the results are not good.
A panel of national experts, including academics, physicians,
researchers and YMCA and other industry professionals, assessed the
situation of families in the following areas: morals and values
instruction; education and child care; physical and mental health and
the provision of health care services; violence, including violent media
“entertainment” and public and domestic violence; and the economy,
including income, shelter and jobs. The panel came up with the following
grades:
Morals and values, education and child care: D-
Health and health care: D+
Violence: D
Economic conditions: C-
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Based on grades in those four areas, the nation earned an overall “D”
in its support of families. According to the panel’s definitions, a “D”
signifies “poor, creating concern and with a need for a great deal of
improvement in one or more areas.”
“For nearly 150 years, YMCAs have been working to combat social ills,”
said Michelle Riendeau, director of communications at the YMCA of
Greater Providence. “And our mission compels us to speak out on these
issues. The Nation’s Report Card shows us all that problems exist
throughout our country, at all levels. As we see every day in our YMCA,
success occurs the same way – collaboration is the key. It takes a
series of small steps and the commitment of the entire community to make
positive change a reality.”
The YMCA’s report card includes a “Call to Action,” which calls on the
nation, its leaders and public-private partnerships to address the
following points:
Government should increase the Child Care and Development Block Grant
to provide more support to low-income working families.
Parents should increase participation in children’s academic and
moral education.
Families should be involved in community volunteer programs.
Partnerships should address social/environmental health factors and
increase access to health care.
Society should take a multi-disciplinary approach to reducing
violence.
Federal, state and local governments should increase the funding of
community-based juvenile delinquency prevention and youth development
programs, as a cost-effective option to incarcerating at-risk youth.
Policymakers should increase their efforts to help poor and working
poor families.
Move toward a collaborative asset-building system.
Copies of the “Nation’s Report Card” can be found on the Internet at
www.YMCA.net.
