Health & Nutrition
1 out of every 5 uninsured children in the United States lives in Texas
CHILDREN AT RISK believes all children deserve a healthy food environment, safe opportunities for an active lifestyle, and access to preventative health services.
Center for Child Health Research & Policy
Without access to adequate healthcare and nutrition, children can’t properly grow, learn, and thrive. Early gaps, in a child’s fundamental health needs, have proven to have long-term consequences for health, educational attainment, and economic security later in life. CHILDREN AT RISK’s Center for Child Health Research & Policy (CCHRP) strives to improve the health of all children through collaboration, policy, research, and education. The Center believes that organizations across sectors should work together to create an infrastructure that aims to provide all children with a healthy food environment, safe opportunities for an active lifestyle, and access to preventative health services for them and their caregivers.
The Center for Child Health Research & Policy
Researches the root causes of economic, racial, and social disparities in children’s health.
Collaborates with community health experts, hospital systems, clinics, and schools to address disparities in health, prevent adverse childhood experiences, and tackle food insecurity.
Advocates for strategies to increase access to healthy foods, policies that protect recess and outdoor playtime for children in schools, supports maternal health, and extends health coverage for children.
Featured Resources
Kroger School Food Rankings
Free or Low-Cost Meals Maps
Universal School Breakfast & Afterschool Meal Case Studies
OUR LATEST HEALTH RESEARCH & RESOURCES
The Latest on Kids and Social Media
By: Lauren Biegel, Asst. Director, Programs Social media is everywhere. Especially through COVID-19 sheltering, social media connects many of us to people across the world, and there’s a lot to love about it: funny videos, life hacks, and updates on friends we...
Op-Ed: Every student in Texas should access a free school meal
As published in Dallas Morning News, December 12, 2022. By Bob Sanborn and Laura HayesAccording to Feeding America, 1 out of 5 children in North Texas faces hunger due to limited resources, poverty and parental unemployment. Just like a car running out of gas, hungry...
Experts Gathered to Discuss the Importance of Texas Mothers During May 5 Summit
Researchers and advocates gather to discuss federal and state policy implications maternal health outcomes, family planning, and economic justice at first-ever Texas Motherhood Summit.On May 5, Children at Risk and Texas Family Leadership Council (TXFLC) presented...
How Caregivers Can Be Aware of – and Support – Their Child’s Mental Health
By Jarret GuajardoChildren’s mental health is a key element of child wellbeing, one that is too often neglected. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, one in five US children aged 12-17 had experienced a major depressive episode, 37% of high school students had reported...
Petro-Proximate Learning in Texas
Media Contact: Rashena Flagg, 713.301.4577 Research shows petrochemical plants within close proximity to schools negatively impact a child’s performance. On April 25, CHILDREN AT RISK released a new report analyzing the proximity of petrochemical plants to...
Thought Leaders Convene for Second-Annual Border Health Summit
EXPERTS gathered to explore the INNOVATIVE PRACTICES AND UNIQuE HEALTH CHALLENGES IN THE TEXAS BORDERLANDS DURING APRIL 7 SUMMIT While the health challenges impacting the Borderlands are many, the strong sense of collaboration within the region has created unique...
2022 Kroger School Food Rankings
Across Texas, over 3.7 million students from low-income households qualify for free or reduced-price school meals through federal programs, such as the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. For many of these children, meals eaten at school...
Rapid Roundtable ǀ TREC Hosts Conversation Centered on Health Equity and Access in the Texas-Mexico Border Region
On Wednesday, April 6, CHILDREN AT RISK and the Texas Racial Equity Collaborative (TREC) hosted the fifth in a series of monthly roundtables centered on racial equities experienced by Texas children and their families. Each month, speakers discuss pervasive issues...
CHILDREN AT RISK & TXFLC host “A Fighting Chance: Summit on Basic Needs and Child Success”
Health leaders, researchers, and advocates gathered to explore the basic needs children need to thrive and the best practices we can implement to better support them. In today's uncertain world, it's more important than ever to make sure our children have everything...
Children at Risk Statement on Access to Healthcare for Transgender Children in Texas
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE On Feb. 22 the state of Texas issued a non-binding opinion declaring pediatric gender-affirming care to be criminal child abuse. This was followed by a directive to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to classify...
The Impact of Social Media on Children | Working Paper
In the digital age, social media has become an integral part of our everyday lives. It is nearly impossible for children or young adults to imagine life without Facebook - Instagram plus all the counterparts that came before them! As more kids grow up in this society...
The Importance of Structured Sleep for Children |Blog
Bedtime can be a difficult time for parents and their children. Bedtime routines, bedtime stories, and cuddles all help prepare children for sleep. A structured routine helps to ensure that the child is well-rested in order to grow their brain cells! Bedtimes are not...