Home » News Stream » Medical »

Southeast Does Poorly In Caring For Children

By Amy Dominello, Media General News Service, dominello@mediageneral.com

When it comes to a child's well being, where he or she lives may make a big difference. Alabama, Mississippi & Florida rank among the country's worst. Southeast Does Poorly In Caring For Children

Published: Wed, April 02, 2008 - 12:30 pm

WASHINGTON - When it comes to a child's well being, where he or she lives may make a big difference, says a report released Wednesday by a non-partisan children's organization.

States in the Southeast rank among the country's worst on key indicators for children's well-being, according to the Every Child Matters Education Fund, a Washington-based non-profit group.

The report analyzed national data on issues such as infant and childhood mortality, health care, poverty levels and rates of teenage pregnancy, incarceration and abuse.

Six Southeastern states ranked in the bottom 15. Louisiana ranked the nation's worst, with Mississippi next. South Carolina also placed low at 45th in the nation. Alabama, Florida and Georgia were ranked 40th through 38th.

Several Midwest and Southwest also ranked poorly.

In comparison, states in the Northeast led the country. Vermont was No. 1 for children, followed by Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

"The differences between states speaks to wide variations in access to medical attention, education, abuse treatment and a host of other supports and interventions," said Michael R. Petit, the report's author and founder of Every Child Matters.

According to the report, when compared to children in the top 10 states, children in the bottom 10 states are:

- 70 percent more likely to die before their first birthday;

- Twice as likely to die before the age of 14, to live in poverty and be incarcerated as juveniles;

- Three times as likely to be uninsured;

- Seven times as likely to die from abuse and neglect.

Petit said states that ranked low tend to have higher poverty levels, higher proportions of minority children and lower levels of education.

He said those states' governments also tend to have more limited roles when it comes addressing social issues and tax themselves less, resulting in less revenue that could be invested in social programs.

To close the gap, the report recommended that federal and state governments target investments over the next decade.

The organization hopes to use the report as a springboard for discussion about child welfare and education during elections this year throughout the country. It was the first time the group has done the report.

Elizabeth J. Clark, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers, said children - and often poor families - don't vote and more attention needs to be brought to the issues they face.

"Why shouldn't every child - no matter what state he or she lives in - have a chance to succeed?" she said.

The group also hopes closing the gap between the states will be a priority for the next presidential administration. Petit said President Bush's proposed budget "makes significant cutbacks in the federal government's investments in children and families."