Current News

DJJ Medical Advisory - Heat Guidelines

This is the time of year that our youth are exposed to a high climatic heat stress during exercise events. Exercising youth do not adapt as effectively as adults. Consequently, this may affect their performance and well being, increasing their risk for heat-related illness. Heat intolerance increases with youth that have a chronic medical condition associated with excessive fluid loss such as Diabetes, Thyroid Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, congenital heart defects and obesity.

• Heat induced illness is preventable.
• Each staff member must be mindful of the potential hazards of high-intensity exercise during the hot and humid weather conditions and take the necessary measures required to prevent heat-related illness in the youth entrusted to our care.

When air temperatures exceed 80 degrees, adolescents have a markedly lower exercise tolerance than adults. The hotter the temperature and higher the humidity, the more susceptible youth are to heat stress. High humidity can be a significant factor even without extremely high air temperatures.

If the temperature is greater than 90 degrees in combination with humidity levels at or above 50%, all exercise activities must take place indoors.

As temperatures and humidity levels approach this point, extreme caution must be taken when youth are engaged in outdoor activities.

When transitioning to the outdoors and hot, humid weather conditions, a youth must be allowed time to become acclimated to extreme weather conditions before participating in exercise to prevent heat-related illness, heat exhaustion, or fatal heat stroke. A youth requires at least 45 minutes to safely acclimatize to the hot weather prior to engaging in strenuous physical exercise.

Youth frequently do not feel the need to drink enough to replenish fluid loss during prolonged exercise. Youth that are developmentally delayed are at special risk for not recognizing the need to replace the fluid loss. Consequently, this can lead to severe dehydration. A dehydrated youth is more prone to heat-related illness than the fully hydrated youth. Youth should always be well hydrated prior to physical activity and exercise.

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Seeking Bids

The Florida Network of Youth and Family Services are seeking bids to update a 2001 study on program efficacy and cost effectiveness. The Florida Network of Youth and Family Services (Florida Network) provides emergency shelter, assessment, individual and family counseling, parenting classes, and after-care services free-of charge to youth, ages 10 through 17 and their families. The Florida Network serves homeless, truant, ungovernable, runaway and other at-risk youth and their families.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

When: Tuesday & Wednesday October 26-27, 2010

Where: Crown Plaza Riverfront Hotel Jacksonville, Florida

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The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has named the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services a Best Practice in the deinstitutionalization of status offenders.

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AP News Report - Florida Network Serves Children in Need