What is the Child Watch Visitation Program?

Prime. lIme/V\a'f • \'\'\7...Child Watchby Job~.s.AragonDuring the last legislativesession, AARP took an activepan in supporting legislationpertaining to children.By so doing we played amajor role in increasingawareness of cbildren'sproblems in this stUe. Whatbenefits children, benefitsus all. Thequality ofour futureis at stake!In recent years, the statusof our nation's children hasdeclined. For example. inthe United States:• Every 8 seconds, a childdrops out ofschool.·• Every (j] seconds, a teenagerhas a baby.• Every 53 minutes, a childdies ofpoverty.• Every day, 100,000 children·~ homeless.The US and South Africaremain the only industrializednations that fail to pr0­Vide universal health cover-. age and child care.Many churches have undertakencbildren'sadvocacy··andjoined the Children'sDefense Fund's"Leave No Child Behind"·campaign. In New Mexico,AARP has joined the Children'sCoalition,YouthandFamilies in the replicationand implementation ofChildWatch. The Child WatchVisitation Program makesstate leaders more aware ofthe variety and extentofchildand family needs.Approximately 122,000New Mexico children arepoor. There are more New~1exicanwomen and infants.without prenatal and well­-child care than in any otherstate. Our teen suicide rate istwice the national rate. 28%·of our children drop out ofschool.Experience shows that itis not until individuals cansee for themselves that they. become motivated to workfor change.Child Watch takes communityleaders to visit pr0­grams serving children, likeunderstaffed health clinics;dikpidated public ho¥Sing'~ts wq~ families stIUggleagainst dIugs and violence;and hosp#al Neonatal Intensiveeare!tJnits, where tinyinfants fight for each breath.The program sensitizes leadersto the obstacles manychildren must overcome.Child Watch also showsparticipants examples of s0­lutions by visiting qualityprograms working on behalfof poor children and families.Also, briefings from expertsand reading materials.AARP volunteers playleading roles in local ChildWatch programsmValencia,Dona Ana and BernalilloCounties. The Coalition forChildren, Youth and Familiessupports those effortslind works With AARP to expandthe programs.For information about theChild Watch Visitation Program,contact:John S. Aragon, Valencia,804 N. 5th St, Belen,87002 (864-8200)Nina Mervine, Dona Ana,4000 PameIaPl., Las Cruces(S25~138)Edythe M. Pierson, Bernalillo,3100Jane Place NE,Albuquerque (296-7813)29