A recent report proclaimed Minnesota as the best state in the nation for children, but before we pat ourselves on the back, the ranking requires some context.

The Kids Count Data Book, an annual survey released last week by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, measures 16 factors of child well-being in four major categories of education, economic well-being, health, and family and community. Nationally, 22 percent of American children were living in poverty in 2013 compared to 18 percent in 2008. The findings weren’t all disappointing as the report said high school graduation rates are at a record high and the percentage of uninsured children is falling.

“Minnesota typically ranks in the upper end on many factors that relate to children, but there is more work to be done,” said Margene Gunderson, associate director of Olmsted County Public Health.

That’s because child welfare officials at the county and state level see uncomfortable trends — specifically childhood poverty and the achievement gap — that could drop Minnesota in future rankings.

The report, using state data compiled by the Children’s Defense Fund, found the rate of Minnesota children living in poverty dipped from 15 percent in 2012 to 14 percent in 2013. While we’re grateful for the improvement, it’s galling that a state as affluent as Minnesota has one in seven children living in poverty.

It’s even more disturbing when you realize the number of Minnesota children living in poverty was 11 percent in 2008 during the onset of the Great Recession, suggesting that many young families have been left behind amid the nation’s economic recovery. While Olmsted County fares better with a 10.3 percent child-poverty rate, the racial disparities are alarming as 54 percent of black children live in poverty compared to 6 percent of white children.

The most recent Olmsted County Community Health Needs Assessment listed financial stress and homelessness as one of its five priority issues. The report noted that “26 percent of adults had a time in the last year when they have been worried or stressed about having money to pay monthly bills.” As much as parents try to shield their children from the tension, that stress is felt throughout the household.

Olmsted County Public Health addresses these needs by providing services such as Family Home Visiting; Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Service; Child and Teen Checkup Outreach; the Follow Along Program; School Public Health Nursing; and immunization clinics.

Gov. Mark Dayton, who unsuccessfully advocated for universal preschool during the 2015 legislative session, used the Kids Count report to assert his call for increased early childhood education funding for the next legislative session. “I want to lay down the marker that we’re not done here,” Dayton said.

“It’s important people understand the foundations of healthy child development,” said Marilyn Deling, nurse manager for our Healthy Children and Families division. “It’s all about brain development, and poverty is the single greatest threat to healthy infant/child brain development.”

We agree. If Minnesota is going to maintain its No. 1 ranking in child well-being, we have a lot of work to do.

 

— Rochester Post Bulletin, July 30