- Kids Count report targeting low weight babies, By Harold Reutter, January 13, 2010, Grand Island Independent: “Although Nebraska is making progress in a number of areas on the well-being of its children, there are a number of areas that should still cause concern. Those conclusions were part of the annual Kids Count in Nebraska 2009 report released Wednesday by the organization Voices for Children in Nebraska. Annmarie Bailey Fowler, host for the Tuesday webinar that preceded the Wednesday release of the Kids Count report, said the 2009 report focused on the area of infant and maternal in addition to immigrant children. She said that indicator was picked because there had been no improvement in the trend of low birth weight babies over time…”
- Report: Nebraska’s infant mortality rate jumps, By Erin Andersen, January 13, 2010, Lincoln Journal Star: “It’s not just children of in poverty or of immigrants who have a rough go of it in ‘the good life’ state, according to the 2009 Kids Count report. In 2007 (the latest year of statistics) Nebraska’s tiniest and youngest citizens died at the highest rate in five years — 6.8 deaths for every 1,000 births, said Dr. Magda Peck, associate dean and professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center…”
- Report: Immigrants’ children fastest growing youth population in Nebraska, By Erin Andersen, January 13, 2010, Lincoln Journal Star: “Nearly one in eight Nebraska kids were born to immigrants in 2008 — making them the state’s fastest growing youth population. But statistics find these kids face more barriers than children of U.S.-born parents, according to the 2009 Kids Count report released Wednesday. Sixty-one percent of children born to immigrants live in poverty — compared with 13.4 percent of Nebraska children as a whole…”
- Immigrant kids’ needs highlighted, By Cindy Gonzalez, January 13, 2010, Omaha World-Herald: “The latest ‘Kids Count in Nebraska’ report ventures into atypical and politically charged territory: immigration. Usually, authors present only a general report card on how children fare in Nebraska. They compile statistics on subjects such as dropout rates, infant mortality and juvenile crime. This year, Voices for Children, a statewide research and policy group that released the 85-page report, chose to highlight barriers faced by immigrant children and parents…”
Day: January 13, 2010
Food Stamp Application Process – Texas
- U.S. food stamp official: State could be aiding more Texans, By Corrie MacLaggan, January 12, 2010, Austin American-Statesman: “Texas could be providing food stamps to 650,000 more people and could increase the amount of federal money it receives for the program each year from $4 billion to $5 billion if the state increased its participation rate to the national average, according to President Barack Obama’s top food stamp official. But Texas officials, who are struggling with a strained application system, say increasing participation is not their goal…”
- Official: Food-stamp application flubs hurt hungry Texas families, By Robert T. Garrett, January 13, 2010, Dallas Morning News: “Texas’ botched experiment with privatization of welfare application screening has caused “a five-year slide” in how fast and accurately the state handles food stamp applications, the federal government’s top food and nutrition official says. Now, the problems are punishing middle-class Texans who’ve recently lost jobs and are seeking government help – many, for the first time, says U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary Kevin Concannon…”
- Official: Texas has worst-ranked food stamp program, By Gary Scharrer, January 12, 2010, Houston Chronicle: “Texas has the worst performing food stamp program in the nation, the federal director for food assistance told state officials here Tuesday. It ranks last among the 50 states and U.S. territories in processing food stamp applications and also does a poor job getting eligible low-income people to apply, said Kevin Concannon, a U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary, in an earlier meeting with reporters. And because Texas does not even come close to the national average in enrolling those eligible, grocery retailers like H-E-B and Randalls are missing out on nearly $1 billion a year in food sales, he said…”
Child Care Subsidies – Massachusetts
Budget cuts making it harder for low-income women to get subsidized child care, Mass. Budget and Policy Center says, By Jim Kinney, January 12, 2010, Springfield Republican: “Cuts in state funding are making it harder for low-income women to get their children into state-subsidized child care, according to a new report issued Tuesday by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center. At the same time, women are also losing their child-care subsidy as they have their hours cut back at work, said Kathleen A. Treglia, vice president of the YMCA of Greater Springfield and executive director of its community services branch. ‘You have to cut somewhere,’ she said. ‘It’s a lot of little things that are adding up, that’s why you are not hearing a huge public outcry…'”