HAPPENINGS
Christine James-Brown, president and CEO of the Child Welfare League of America, spoke at the third lecture of the Dean’s 2007-08 Lecture Series on February 13. Although meeting needs of vulnerable children is not presently a priority in our country, “we must make sure that every child is safe, happy, healthy, and able to reach full potential,” she said. Even as James-Brown shared statistics, she reminded her audience to consider the personal stories they represent: 900,000 substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect in the United States each year; more than 1,400 deaths resulting from abuse; half a million children in out-of-home care, more than 80% of which have developmental, emotional, or behavioral problems. Poor children and children of color tend to spend more time in out-of-home care and move more often from one home to another than children who are well-off or White.
“Equal opportunity” diabetes With a rapidly growing elderly population and increased diagnoses of diabetes in the country, the Winkelman Lecture topic on diabetes proved timely. This year’s speaker was Dr. Jeffrey Halter, director of the Geriatrics Center and Institute of Gerontology, chief of the Division of Geriatric Medicine, and professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan. “Diabetes affects people in many different ways,” Dr. Halter began. “It is an equal opportunity health care problem.” Though the disease affects all populations, some are more at risk than others. Some elderly patients have no symptoms of type 2 diabetes, yet a blood test screening will reveal that they have the disease; for others, diabetes has a major effect on their everyday life, Halter said. At the March 4 lecture, entitled “Diabetes in the Heterogeneous Geriatric Population: Challenges and Opportunities,” Halter discussed how type 2 diabetes develops, as well as management challenges, long-term complications, and comorbidities. Interventions have been shown to work over a period of years. Dr. Halter acknowledged the benefit of a team approach to treatment, which includes the role of social workers. U-M Photo Services: Lin Jones
Christine James-Brown of the Child Welfare League of America speaks on the challenges in child welfare.
U-M Photo Services: Scott Soderberg
Lecture: Nation must prioritize child welfare
James-Brown believes that those who work in the field of child welfare have a responsibility to speak with one voice. Caseworkers’ caseloads are twice as high as League standards, and trained social workers are needed. James-Brown served as United Way International’s fifth president and CEO from 2004 to 2007 and as president and CEO of United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania for the previous ten years. She has served as a member of the boards of the School District of Philadelphia, Community College of Philadelphia, the Samuel S. Fels Fund, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Citizens Bank, Public/Private Ventures, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Commission.
Jeffrey Halter, MD, delivers the Winkelman Lecture on diabetes among the elderly.
Dr. Jeffrey Halter is an author of over 200 research papers and book chapters, and is a co-editor of the 5th edition of Principles of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, published by McGraw-Hill in 2003. He is a past president and chairman of the board of directors of the American Geriatrics Society and a past chair of the Clinical Medicine Section of the Gerontological Society of America.
Ongoing Summer/Fall 2008
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