Category: Education

Policy Watch: Alabama Launches Childcare Tax Credit System for Workforce Development Initiative

May 31, 2024 | Kimberly Randall 

Background 

Childcare costs are one of the most widespread barriers to preventing parents from re-entering or staying in the workforce. According to the Economic Policy Institute, in Alabama, the average cost of childcare for a single child is over $6,000 per year, accounting for almost 12% of a median family’s income of $50,335. According to a study by Alabama State University, those numbers are unlikely to improve, as roughly 17% of childcare facilities surveyed said they increased prices due to the pandemic, and prices in those facilities went up by an average of 17%.

An estimated 13,000 parents who are work-eligible are currently unemployed due to childcare restrictions. As Alabama’s economic infrastructure continues to grow, offering affordable solutions for childcare in the state is necessary to access the workforce needed to sustain corporate development. While Alabama has a historically low unemployment rate of 2.2%, workforce participation is among the lowest in the country at just 57.1%, continuing a trend of being under the national average that goes back to the mid-1970s. 

Proposed legislation 

According to the bill text, HB358 “serves a public purpose by conferring a direct public benefit … through the promotion of public health, safety, morals, security, prosperity, contentment, and the general welfare of the community [by] increasing the quality of childcare to the general public, which has the effect of encouraging high-quality care and education for children and facilitating greater workforce participation throughout the state.” Through a series of tax credits to businesses, the legislation hopes to have more Alabamians enter the workforce and gain employment by improving the quality and availability of childcare options for working parents. 

At its core, the legislation offers an incentivized tax credit to employers who assist with the childcare needs of their employees. The tax credit is eligible for employers for: 

  1. The construction, renovation, expansion, or repair of a childcare facility, or for the purchase of equipment for such facility, or for the maintenance and operation thereof.
  2.  Payments made to childcare facilities or employees for the provision of childcare at childcare facilities for children of employees.
  3. Payments made to childcare facilities to reserve services for children of employees.

The bill specifically defines children as direct dependents under the age of 5 and restricts the tax credit to individuals who make less than $80,000 per year before overtime or bonuses. Additionally, the tax credit is tiered depending on the quality rating of the childcare providers, pressuring facilities to increase or maintain their ratings for increased funding opportunities. Each decreasing quality rating results in a decreased tax credit: 

  • (1) Five-star quality rating – two thousand dollars ($2,000) per eligible child.
  • (2) Four-star quality rating – one thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($1,750) per eligible child.
  • (3) Three-star quality rating – one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per eligible child.
  • (4) Two-star quality rating – one thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($1,250) per eligible child.
  • (5) One-star quality rating – one thousand dollars ($1,000) per eligible child.

Companies are eligible to apply for 75% of their expenses as a tax credit if a medium or large-sized organization, and 100% of their expenses in this area if they are small businesses. The bill provides special consideration of funding for small businesses, rural providers, and grants for non-profits. The total tax credits awarded shall not exceed $15,000,000 in its first year but have steady increases year over year until its sundown clause in 2027. 

Impact 

Many solutions for childcare accessibility have been suggested over the years, however, Alabama elected for an employer-first method rather than a direct-to-employee method, largely because of the vast number of Alabamians who file taxes using the standard deductions rather than itemized where the tax credit would appear. Because of this, a large portion of the intended population had the potential to not receive the benefits. Childcare has been highlighted as one of the key barriers in increasing Alabama’s workforce participation rate, alongside transportation and vocational training. 

Women are more dominantly affected by childcare limitations. A growing body of research shows that access to quality childcare in early development results in long-term health outcomes for children, such as improved cardiovascular and metabolic health, and reduced smoking in adulthood. Center-based care, specifically, shows an increase in kindergarten readiness and social skills, allowing for potential educational benefits of this program. 

At an economic level, the childcare tax credit is expected to offer a $1.3 billion of economic activity in the state. 

Next Steps 

HB358 was largely bipartisan, with public support from both the Speaker of the House and the Minority House Leader, who was also the champion, and passed on April 18 unanimously. It was signed into law by Governor Ivey on May 8th. 

The legislation will go into effect on January 1, 2025, and has a current sundown clause of December 31, 2027, if not renewed. The legislation text specifically states that a review of the data collected during this initiative must be analyzed and considered prior to any extensions. 

Policy Review: Workforce Shortage Trends in Dental Care in Rural Alabama

May 16, 2024 | Dr. Conan Davis, DMD; Dr. Stuart Lockwood, DMD; Dr. Carly McKenzie, PhD

Introduction 

Nationwide, populations in America are migrating away from rural areas to urban areas.  We continue to see this happen in Alabama as well.  Historically, younger generations returned to their hometowns after college, military service, or other training to work. However, trends in modern times show more and more people are moving away and choosing to stay in the urban centers where they were trained or have served.  This trend is particularly affecting the healthcare sector in rural areas, including dentistry.

Trends Affecting Access to Dental Care

Dr. Stuart Lockwood and Dr. Conan Davis wrote about how this trend and others were affecting the field of dentistry and impacting access to dental care in rural areas of Alabama in 2018, published by the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy in 2020. The publication was widely distributed and quoted widely in Alabama in news publications, civic and professional organization publications, and within the dental community. The data presented was used by several organizations, educational institutions, and even interested legislators to promote changes that will eventually impact and improve access to dental care in rural areas of Alabama.

This current paper is an attempt to report on some of the changes that have occurred in the state in the intervening years, update the current data, and propose additional measures to aid in the continuing efforts. Some of the changes we report in this paper will identify positive steps that have been taken by authorities within the state to attempt to rectify the problem of access to dental care. However, we will also describe where we are still observing a further decline in the number of state dentists and dental access in rural areas. We will demonstrate the need for further initiatives.

What has happened with the Alabama dental workforce from 2017 to 2024?

1. Alabama remained 51st in the country in dentists per 100,000 population. We currently have 4.1 dentists to every 10,000 people according to a ranking by the American Dental Association in (2024). The national average is 6.1 dentists per 10,000 people. Additionally, the federal government continues to identify a large number (50) of Alabama’s 67 counties as being federal dental professional shortage areas (see map). Several factors determined the designations.

2. The older dentists of 2017 (33% of all Alabama dentists were 60+ years of age in 2017) are retiring or have retired. In 2024 there were 162 fewer dentists aged 60+ than in 2017 and there were 78 fewer dentists in the 60-64 age category alone. Further, in 30 Alabama counties there were no dentists less than 40 years old, and seven counties had only a single dentist younger than 40 years of age (see map). 
3.  Many Alabama counties are losing dentists.  Overall from 2017 to 2024, there was a net loss of 2 dentists in the state, with 28 of 67 counties having fewer dentists in 2024 than in 2017. Further, 18 counties had no change in the number of dentists, and 21 counties had MORE dentists in 2024 than in 2017.  Among the smallest populated 25 counties, 11 of them lost dentists, 12 had no change and 2 counties gained dentists.  Among the 13 most urban counties, 7 counties gained dentists and 5 lost dentists.   

4. The gender effect is pronounced.  Between 2017 and 2024 there was a net loss of 190 male dentists and a net gain of 186 female dentists (28 were unknown).  There is a trend that female dentists are more likely to practice in rural Alabama.  Among the profoundly rural 41 Alabama counties, there was a net gain of 21 female dentists and a net loss of 9 male dentists.

5. Many dental graduates continue to stay in Jefferson County or leave Alabama entirely.  In 2017 there were 543 dentists in Jefferson County alone and 583 dentists in our 54 non-urban counties.  This changed very little in 2024, as there are 552 dentists in Jefferson County and 574 dentists in our 54 non-urban counties. In 2017, 156 of 543 (28.3%) dentists were female, and in 2024, 208 of 552 (37.7%) dentists were female.

A 2021 analysis indicated that for UAB School of Dentistry graduates and where they were living in 2021, only 37%, 49%, and 5% of UAB SOD graduates for the previous three years respectively were living in AL in 2021.

In sum, many Alabama counties are at risk of significant loss of dental services soon.  A crisis is here.  Specific workforce data by county further elucidates the situation:

Nine Alabama counties have either no dentists or only a single dentist in practice:

  • 3 counties (Clay, Greene, Wilcox) have no dentists.
  • 1 county (Coosa) has one dentist, who is 60 years of age and practices 2 days a week.
  • 1 county (Lowndes) has one dentist from a Federally Qualified Health Center in Montgomery who practices in the county 4 days per week. 
  • 4 counties (Conecuh, Fayette, Perry, Washington) have a single dentist.

In addition, many counties are at risk due to a retirement cliff.  For example, a majority of the dentists currently practicing in 15 Alabama counties are over 60 years of age 100% of dentists are 60+ years of age in 4 Alabama counties (Washington, Lawrence, Bullock, Monroe) 

  • 60-83% of dentists are 60+ years of age in 4 Alabama counties (Marengo, Franklin, Tallapoosa, Macon)
  • 50% of dentists are 60+ years of age in 7 Alabama counties (Jackson, Bibb, Butler, Clarke, Marion, Randolph, Sumter)

Therefore, Alabama has 23 counties where dental services are at significant risk in the near future.

 

Facing the Facts, Addressing the Problem

We speculated in 2018 that Alabama would be facing grave consequences in rural access to dental care in 10-15 years.  We proposed that unless significant changes were implemented to affect the current trends in dental practice location selection many areas of the state would be without any reasonably accessible dental services. So, what has transpired in the past 5-6 years since we made these predictions?

Actions Taken

First, a partnership was developed between the Alabama Dental Association (ALDA) leadership and leadership at The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry (UAB SOD).  The support of these two entities was essential to accomplish everything necessary to make the legislative and policy changes needed. These organizations already had a close working relationship, but we knew greater cooperation was needed to address our issues of joint concern.

Secondly, we shared the data and our concerns about the future of dentistry in this state with news publications around the state, including AL.com, Yellowhammer News, and the publication of the League of Municipalities.  All provided news coverage for our concerns, thus helping to elevate the perceived importance and visibility of the issue.

We also published our findings in the Alabama Dental Alumni News and the ALDA newsletter.  We spoke at dental conferences and at an Alabama Rural Health Association conference to educate healthprofessionals about our findings.  Eventually, state legislators and the Governor were informed about these issues and the consequences of inaction.

Thirdly, we proposed making changes to the state Board of Dental Scholarships to be able to provide full-tuition scholarships to graduating dental students willing to serve in an approved rural practice setting for at least 4 years.  Many leaders in the dental community met with the Board and with legislators willing to propose legislation to make these changes.  After many rounds of discussion, legislation was passed and signed by the Governor in 2020.  The new legislation also provided funding of an additional $500,000 to the existing $220,000 currently in place.  Following these changes the focus transitioned from a scholarship award program with small loans to focus entirely on providing scholarships of $180,000 per graduating dental student willing to serve in designated rural areas of Alabama in need of dentists.  Currently, we have placed seven dentists in locations of dire need thus far.

Fourthly, the UAB School of Dentistry used data published in our last paper to make the case for Alabama’s need to train more dental students.  Previously, approximately 55 dentists graduated from UAB SOD each year for many years, though in recent years this number had been slowly rising.  A key component of this increase was an International Dentist Program that allowed UAB SOD to train an additional 12 future dentists per year.  However, these numbers were still not adequate to populate the state with the numbers of dentists we needed.  In response to the workforce shortage, UAB SOD increased total enrollment by 33 seats which raised the approximate number of yearly graduates to 108 students.  This lengthy process involved approvals from both CODA, the national accrediting body, and The University of Alabama System’s Board of Trustees.

The UAB SOD also recognized that development and recruitment programs may help encourage and support promising students from rural and low-income areas of the state to pursue dentistry.  This required legislative action, collaborative partnerships, and funding.  These programs are designed to better equip students from low-income and rural communities to prepare for and navigate activities related to eventual success in dental education.  The basic framework for this program and some initial funding for it has been approved by the legislature but more is needed to accomplish it completely.  Some relevant UAB SOD initiatives are as follows:

• Rural Dental Scholar Program: This five-year pathway program models the Rural Medical Scholars Program framework, a very successful initiative developed by the UAB School of Medicine (SOM) in conjunction with the UA College of Community Health Sciences (CCHS). A key part is a 1-year Master’s program focused on Rural Health. Students engage in a biomedical science prep and study skills/test-taking development in addition to a clinical/practitioner mentor component and extensive education about rural healthcare. The first cohort of Rural Dental Scholars (4 students) received their offers in the 2022-2023 admissions cycle and matriculated at UA CCHS in Fall 2023 with UAB SOD matriculation in July 2024. During the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, five Rural Dental Scholars accepted offers to join the upcoming year’s cohort.
• Blazer to DMD:  This 5-year “red shirt” pathway program intends to develop promising applicants, with a special focus on applicants whose life experiences align with Alabama’s residents, including rural residents. Our initial cohort of 3 students completed a 1-year Master’s program at UAB in Spring 2023 and matriculated as D1’s at SOD in July 2023. Two Blaze to DMD students are expected to matriculate at UAB SOD in July 2024. Four applicants accepted offers to compose the next Blaze to DMD cohort.
• Virtual Education and Engagement Program (VEEP): This development and recruitment program is part of a Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) grant led by the School of Dentistry faculty.  The UAB SOD Admissions team implemented the first program in Spring 2023 and executed the second in Spring 2024. This virtual seminar series is intended to develop, recruit, and engage future applicants from disadvantaged populations with Alabama residents as the primary target. Current plans include 10 scholars in each cohort and DAT Bootcamp access included, as funded by a 3-year HRSA grant. Seminar topics include preparing a competitive admissions portfolio, options for funding dental education, ways to use a DMD degree, and mock interviews with admissions committee members. Scholars also benefit from mentorship programs that connect them with both current dental students and practitioners.
• Board of Dental Scholarships: This initiative is facilitated and supported by UAB SOD although it’s a separate entity housed outside of UAB SOD. This group awards funds to practitioners agreeing to practice in an approved rural AL area for 4-5 years. Several of the pathway programs detailed above are intended to help increase future BDS awards.
• Rural Dental Health Scholar Program: This residential summer program targets rising high school seniors from rural communities in Alabama who express an interest in dentistry. UAB SOD and UA CCHS have partnered to expand the existing Rural Health Scholars summer cohort to target future dentists. The initial cohort of seven will participate in Summer 2024, courtesy of the Board of Dental Scholarships, who have graciously agreed to help fund scholarships for the Rural Dental Health Scholars to participate. The eventual goal is to have 10 high school students enrolled each summer as Rural Dental Health Scholars.

In summary, all the actions and efforts that many in Alabama have pursued over the last 5-6 years should be applauded.  Much has been accomplished.  We are pleased with the response of our state dentists, educators, and legislators in recognizing this potential crisis.  However, we have not yet seen the turn-around in access to dental care in rural Alabama that is so desperately needed.  Additionally, there are other issues that we believe affect the reluctance of new dental graduates to select a more rural area to practice.  In addition to the issues previously outlined, educational debt may be an increasingly weighty influence for recent dental graduates when selecting practice locations and environments.  The increasing presence of corporate dental practices in rural areas may also be influential.  Young dentists can begin working in these group practices and receive a healthy salary to help pay off debt while not incurring additional debt and overhead expenses, hence their popularity with graduates.

Many additional programs and activities will be required to close the gap in access to dental services, especially in Alabama’s rural areas. These are yet to be addressed or considered, but we remain optimistic that solutions can be developed.

Student Submission: The Education and Health Impact of Restricting Diversity, Education, and Inclusion Programming in Alabama

April 12, 2024
Raimi Liebel | UAB Graduate Student, Magic City Acceptance Center Intern

LHC is proud to feature student work on relevant policy issues such as this one. If you are a UAB student interested in contributing to Policy Watch publications, please email lhc@uab.edu.

The concept of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) has become a political hot-button in recent years. DEI in higher education refers to programs, training, events, organizations, and spaces that are centered around historically marginalized identities. Higher education institutions have been incorporating DEI measures since the 1960s following the civil rights movement. DEI is not a new concept and has been integrated into universities and colleges across the country. Historic legislation such as Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) have contributed to the increase in DEI offices, services, and organizations at higher education institutions across the US over the past 60 years.

Since 2022, more than 40 anti-DEI bills have been proposed in the US. Texas, Florida, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and now Alabama have all signed bills into law limiting or banning DEI offices at higher education institutions. Representative Will Barefoot introduced SB 129 to the Alabama Senate on February 20th, which restricts state-funds from being used for DEI offices and sponsored DEI programming, potentially including student organizations such as USGA and SJAC. The University of Alabama at Birmingham alone has 12 DEI offices and more than 150 student organizations that could face state funding loss. SB 129 moved from its first reading to being passed in the Senate within three legislative days before was signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey on March 19th.

According to a 2023 mixed methods analysis, “Students of color thrive and achieve more at higher educational institutions where there are deliberate efforts made to provide diversity, equity, and inclusion activities.” The link between student success, belonging, and graduation rates and DEI programming has been demonstrated in several studies. Academic communities fear that legislation of this kind may prevent students from enrolling in higher education institutions where DEI restrictions are present. Reduced staff and student enrollment or retention can result in economic effects on institutions across the state, especially those that use diversity as an incentive to drive recruitment. DEI efforts at higher education institutions help facilitate students’ learning from a variety of thoughts and perspectives, which has proven to increase cognitive development and cross-cultural empathy.

DEI has been attributed to improved student enrollment, retention, and graduation rates. A 2023 mixed methods study identified significant positive correlations between perceived campus climate, diversity in staff/faculty, curricular diversity, and interactional diversity and college student re-enrollment. Also, explicit DEI policies in workplaces led to more diversity in employment, accounting for 46% of the variance reported in the study. Higher education institutions and workplaces benefit from recruiting and retaining diverse staff.

Attainment of a college degree is positively correlated with improved health outcomes and behaviors. Those who attain a bachelor’s degree or higher earn $1.2 million more than their high school-educated peers over their lifetime, and college degree holders are almost twice as likely to have employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI). ESI covers approximately 60.4% of the US population and is often the most affordable and comprehensive option for workers.

Degree attainment and long-term health are correlated, and historical trends showcase certain populations have lower enrollment and retention rates. The U.S. Department of Education notes that the “participation of underrepresented students of color remains a problem at multiple points across the higher education pipeline including at application, admission, enrollment, persistence, and completion.” DEI bans compounded with lower college enrollment could lead to increased health disparities for marginalized communities. Decreasing diversity in classrooms, workplaces, and communities decreases collaboration, cultural exposure, and productivity.

Other facts of note:

Click here to view this brief in PDF format.

Policy Watch: Alabama Lawmakers Propose Mandated Mental Health Professionals in K-12 Schools

March 17, 2022 | Kimberly Randall, Lister Hill Center Program Coordinator 

Cutout of a head with puzzle pieces in brain

Image Courtesy of Getty Images

Background 

In 2009, the Institute of Medicine compiled a report that recommended local and state governments develop a system to increase access to resources for students for the prevention and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. A year later, the state of Alabama created the School-Based Mental Health Coalition, a subsidiary of the Alabama Department of Mental Health. The agency’s goal was to bridge the various government offices such as the Department of Education and Department of Public Health to ensure that students enrolled in public K-12 schooling had adequate access to adequate mental health intervention, treatment, and prevention services. 

Currently, there are 80 school systems statewide collaborating with just over a dozen mental health agencies to refer students for professional services. The program was expected to increase attendance, reduce the frequency of administrative corrections like suspensions, and integrate mental health practitioners into students’ lives. 

However, the program is not currently statewide, only accounting for 57% of school districts. While the state does offer some funding available for schools to partake in the program, often, the local districts are responsible for a portion of the cost, limiting the ability for poorer districts to join. 

Proposed Legislation 

Senate Bill 306, proposed by Sen. Rodger Smitherman (D-Birmingham), works to establish a minimum set of requirements for a certified mental health services coordinator and mandate that at least one position be required in all school districts within the state. The bill would go into effect with the 2023-2024 academic year. 

The coordinator must have one or more of the following qualifications: 

(1) Have a bachelor’s degree in social work. 

(2) Satisfy State Department of Education qualifications for a school counselor. 

(3) Satisfy State Department of Education qualifications for a school nurse. 

(4) Have professional mental health experience, or have been licensed in a mental health occupation including, but not limited to, licensure as a licensed professional counselor or marriage and family therapist.

(5) Other qualifications as determined by the Alabama Department of Mental Health and the State Department of Education.

Additionally, employees have one year after being hired to complete a certification program developed and implemented by the Alabama Department of Mental Health. 

The legislation also outlines an implementation plan to enact the bill, requiring each local board of education to complete a needs assessment report and a resource map for all public schools in their jurisdiction. These documents are intended to document the status of mental health for the entire school system and create a baseline on which to improve once the program is implemented. 

While the bill does not specify that school districts must join the School-Based Mental Health Coalition, there is substantial overlap between the legislation and the purpose of the SBMHC. 

Impact 

According to the World Health Organization, mental-health-related disabilities are a leading cause of mental health issues worldwide, with over ⅔ of patients receiving no or inadequate treatment for those conditions. Rates of depression have risen almost 50% in the last ten years, but access to mental health services has remained stagnant. Weare and Nind (2011) state that “childhood and adolescence provide key opportunities to develop the foundations for mental health and prevent mental health problems, and the school is a unique resource to help achieve this.” School-based services such as counselors and caseworkers have been shown to positively impact mental health prognosis in children and teens.

Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) are integral to providing proper support to students utilizing a school counselor, social worker, or psychologist. MTTS methods often utilize universal intervention as the primary mechanism for identifying at-risk students, primarily through widespread behavioral testing across the student body. A second tier, narrowed intervention, focuses on a select, smaller unit of students who may be at risk or suspected of behavioral disorders and includes increased monitoring and small-group counseling sessions. Lastly, the final stage of MTSS is an individualized plan of action which may consist of: 

“(a) conducting a functional behavior assessment and developing an individualized behavior plan; (b) direct student-level mental health services provided by a counselor, school psychologist, or school social worker; (c) additional coordinated mental health services with community agencies; or (d) possible identification for special education.” 

However, there can be a substantial delay in getting students access to necessary psychiatric and behavioral resources, negatively impacting mental health outcomes. A study completed by Guerra et al. (2019) found that the presence of a mental health services coordinator was vital to creating an environment that supports mental student health and learning. While there is no accessible data in the state of Alabama correlating improved health outcomes with mental health service coordinators, broad-scale investigations have shown a substantial impact on overall mental health outcomes across districts. The legislation would ensure that coordinators employed in every school district help streamline the processes to get students the help they need. 

Next Steps 

The Alabama Legislative Session is currently underway and will continue for several months. SB306 is presently being discussed in committee and has not yet gone to a vote. If you want to make your voice heard on this or future legislation, click here to identify your elected officials. 

Don’t know what to say? Check out this guide from the American Civil Liberties Union on drafting a letter to your government officials. 

Stay Informed 

Want to learn more? Several state agencies are dedicated to mental health resources in the state, such as the Alabama Department of Mental Health and its subsidiaries, the National Alliance on Mental Health, and the Youth Services Institute. 

Additionally, check out these previous publications that the Lister Hill Center has released about mental health services in Alabama: 

Policy Review: Analyzing Alabama’s Efforts to Improve Mental Health

Policy Review: Medicaid Expansion’s Impact on Mental Health

Policy Review: Student Mental Health at UAB

Policy Watch: Alabama Establishes Grant Program for Public Schools to Provide Feminine Hygeine Products to Students

April 6, 2022 | Kimberly Randall, Lister Hill Center Staff

Female student in bathroom

Background 

The purchase of menstruation products has historically caused financial hardship to a large percentage of the population, particularly individuals and families below the poverty line. In Alabama, feminine hygiene products are not eligible to be covered under SNAP or WIC. Last year, Illinois became the first state to lift this restriction to allow the purchase of tampons and menstrual pads using SNAP benefits; however, no such legislation has been proposed in Alabama. 

Currently, only five states require or provide funds for public schools to offer menstrual products at no cost to students, while 37 states have pending legislation to do so. Legislation in Alabama was proposed in 2020 to obtain funding for period products in schools that passed the House of Representatives but stalled in the Senate. 

Bill 

HB50, sponsored by Representative Rolanda Hollis (D-Birmingham), creates a grant program beginning in the 2022-23 school year for schools to apply for funding to purchase feminine hygiene products for students. Eligible schools must receive Title 1 funding and house students in grades 5-12. Funds will be reimbursed to schools that apply for the program and purchase supplies for students, who will be able to receive the products from a female counselor, teacher, or nurse in their schools. The bill has allocated $200,000 for the first year. The State Department of Education will administer the program.

Impact 

According to the Alliance for Period Supplies, a non-profit started by feminine hygiene brand Kotex, 1 in 5 women and girls between the ages of 11 and 44 live below the poverty line in Alabama. Along with 29 other states, Alabama taxes period products at a sales tax rate of up to 11%. According to a study completed at St. Louis University, two-thirds of women reported an inability to afford period products in the past year. At the same time, 21% of respondents stated that they faced financial hardship concerning period products every month. 

Lack of access to period products can impact the education of students. In a national survey, 1 in 4 students reported skipping class or leaving school early due to lack of access to period products, often due to financial difficulties. Individuals often resort to paper towels, toilet paper, or rags when proper menstruation products are unavailable. According to the University of Michigan, “when menstruators resort to unhygienic alternatives, they are vulnerable to harmful physical and mental outcomes [and are at a higher risk for] urogenital infections, such as urinary tract infections and bacterial vaginosis.” Additionally, the emotional toll caused by a lack of access to proper hygiene products can lead to depression, anxiety, and overall elevated distress. Providing menstrual products would help alleviate students’ mental and financial across the state. 

Next Steps 

HB50 passed unanimously in both the House of Representatives and the Senate on April 5, 2022, and now advances to Governor Kay Ivey’s desk to be signed into law. If you want to make your voice heard on this or future legislation, click here to identify your elected officials. 

Don’t know what to say? Check out this American Civil Liberties Union guide on drafting a letter to your government officials. 

Learn More 

Want to learn more on this issue? Women in Training is a non-profit organization located in Montgomery, Alabama, dedicated to providing menstruation education and period products to underserved women, girls, and nonbinary youth in packages coined WITKITS. Started in 2019 by twin sisters Brooke and Breanna Bennett, the organization also facilitates programs to help girls break the generational cycle of poverty, including:

  • WIT Leadership Development Circle to develop a select group of high school young women into compassionate and culturally aware global leaders
  • WIT Girls STEAM Initiative to expose girls to careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics
  • WIT Mentor Program to match high school girls with university students or professional women to guide them through the educational and early career stages

Incorporating Mindfulness in Schools

October 28, 2021 – Anushree Gade, LHC Student Assistant

Children meditation

Mindful describes mindfulness as the “ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing and feeling”. We can practice mindfulness through meditation. However, mindfulness is not just limited to meditation but also various other practices. You can practice mindfulness throughout the course of your entire day. For example, when you wake up, you can sit in your bed, upright, or find a chair to sit in and just think to yourself about your intentions for the day. You can even practice mindful workouts. Being mindful about your day and your emotions helps you become more aware of your thoughts. 

Researches Tang, Holzel, and Posner have shown that mindfulness practices contribute significantly towards improving physical and mental health; it also helps us improve our cognitive processes. It has also further shown that meditative practices promote awareness, attention, emotion regulation, and self-awareness. Not only does meditation improve these functions, but it also causes physical changes in the brain. Furthermore, the “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Change in Health Related Behaviors” study found the impact of mindfulness on health behaviors has shown that mindfulness enhances dietary choices, physical activity, and sleep quality. Not only does mindfulness promote mental health, but it also positively influences healthy behaviors. This makes it more important for us to discuss mindfulness and its significance in terms of our physical and mental well-being. 

YogaSchoolsHaving said this, how are we promoting mindful practices in the state of Alabama? Earlier this year, in May, Governor Kay Ivey signed a bill (alabama reporter/alabama legislation) that lifted the ban on yoga in public schools. This ban was initiated back in 1993 due to its implication of Hindu and Buddhist cultures on the elementary, middle, and high school children in Alabama. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posited that the meditation involved in yoga helps those who practice yoga to de-stress and focus their attention better than those who do not. Though public schools across Alabama are allowed to teach yoga now, this bill comes with caveats. The bill still prohibits meditation alongside other things such as saying “Namaste” or even using chanting, mudras, or mantras. Yoga can significantly help children with de-stressing and focusing. Furthermore, in accordance with the research we discussed earlier, yoga can also help children be more self-aware and regulate their emotions at an early age. In the long-run, these children will be able to cope better with stressors and maintain good physical/mental health. 

Located in Homewood, Ala., the Magic City Acceptance Academy is a local charter school that is working to promote mindfulness and better mental health in their students. Originally, the intitution was founded to create an affirming LGBTQ environment, however, they have affirmed their commitment to increasing access to mental health resources by: 

  • Assuring the presence of a social worker in the academy 
  • Providing access to therapy groups
  • Including trained mental health professionals in the academy’s staff
  • Ensuring the existence of a functional crisis team/crisis response team 

The social workers, mental health professionals, and teachers support the students through various areas of stress and hardship. Furthermore, they also utilize journaling and mindfulness in their everyday routines. Overall, this academy operates as a local example of how to integrate mindfulness practices and mental health resources in a school environment.