A study released today ranks Mississippi last in the nation in overall child well-being.
The study, conducted by the Anne E. Casey Foundation and KIDS COUNT, measures economic well-being, education, health and family and community resources to determine overall well-being. The Magnolia State ranks at the bottom of almost every category: 50th in economic well-being; 48th in education; 50th in health; and 50th and family and community resources.
The report highlights economic hardship nationwide.
Nationwide, the study finds that 1.7 million more children are living in poverty today than at the height of the Great Recession. Twenty-two percent of America’s children lived in poverty in 2013, compared to 18 percent in 2008, the study found.
In the Golden Triangle, childhood poverty rates remained high in 2013.
Lowndes County had a childhood poverty rate of 36 percent; 33 percent of Oktibbeha County children lived in property; and in Clay County 48 percent of children lived in poverty.
“With almost a quarter of the nation’s children living in low-income households, all sectors in our nation must work to ensure that the economic recovery reaches all families, especially those who are losing ground in our recent transparency,” said Patrick McCarthy, CEO of the Casey Foundation. “Even though we’ve seen an increase in employment in recent years, many of these jobs are low-wage and cannot support even basic family expenses. The outcome is that millions of families are struggling to provide for the day-to-day needs of our children.”
In Mississippi, 34 percent of children lived in poverty in 2013, up four percent from 2008. Twelve percent of Mississippi teens were not in school or working in 2013, the study found. That year, 48 percent of Mississippi children lived in single parent families, an increase of three percent from 2008.
Not all the news is bad for Mississippi, which showed improvement in several categories. High School graduation rates increased from 64 percent to 68 percent in the five year window. Teen birthrate dropped more than 20 percent, from 64 teen births per 1,000 to 43. Eight percent of Mississippi children lacked insurance in 2013, compared to 13 percent in 2008.
Nationwide the rate of children living in high poverty areas–where the poverty rate is more than 30 percent– was 14 percent in 2013; in Mississippi, 27 percent of children lived in high-poverty areas.
“Never has it been more critical to make strategic investments in Mississippi’s children, particularly in terms of investing early in children’s education and health,” said MS KIDS COUNT director Dr. Linda Southward. “The research is clear. Children who are healthy are more likely to attend school. Children who attend school regularly are more likely to be better readers and also graduate from high school. The long-term economic impact of job attainment and stability increases when one is healthier and more educated. Changing the trajectory to reduce both childhood poverty and adult poverty is attainable, by investing early, while simultaneously engaging both families and communities.”
Nationally, the Midwest overtook the Northeast for the top spot in overall child well-being, with Minnesota placing first. The South and Southwest continue to place at the bottom of the list.
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