Geography Matters: Survival of Children depends on what State they are born in

The Every Child Matters Education Fund has reported startling findings. 13 million US children live in poverty, 8 million kids lack health insurance coverage and 3 million kids are abused and neglected annually. The state a child is born is a determining factor in the health, well-being and even life expectancy of the child.

The highest ranking state for quality of life of children is Vermont. The lowest ranking is Louisiana. Children in the lowest ranking 10 states are 70 times more likely to die before age 1 than kids from the 10 highest ranking states. Children in the bottom 10 states are more likely to end up in jail and teens from the lowest ranking states (Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Arizona, South Dakota, South Carolina, Nevada, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas) are more likely to get pregnant or die than kids living in the 10 highest ranked states (Vermont, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Washington, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Maine).

Vermont, Idaho, Delaware and North Dakota had no fatalities due to child abuse. Texas reported 197. California reported 140 children died due to child abuse. Florida reported 117 child deaths due to child abuse.

Federal spending on children has declined since the 1960's. We are not one nation with justice for all as long as children die from preventable causes. Childrens' health and protecting the vulnerable should be a priority for the next administration

Thank you brassard for use of photo Boxsledding in Baltimore.

Labels: childrens health

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