Michigan ranked 32nd among states for overall well being of kids in the state.
That’s according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation which was released Tuesday.
The Kids Count report looked at a variety of factors from education and health to economic well being.
Alicia Guevara-Warren is the Michigan Kids Count Project Director. She said 1 in 3 children live in homes that are not financially secure.
“In addition to economic well being when we start looking at family and community, we know that communities are really important to quality of life, having access to greenspace, living in safe neighborhoods. We don’t do well their either. We’re actually ranked 41st.”
Guevara-Warren said overall Michigan did not fare well.
“Michigan is ranked 34th in our child poverty rate we have more than 1 in 5 kids at 22 percent of kids who are living in poverty.”
Guevara-Warren said there was one silver lining in this year’s report
“We’re ranked top five with only 3 percent of kids who don’t have access to health insurance. When we think about Michigan being a medicaid expansion state the research shows when parents have access to health insurance they are likely to have their kids covered as well.”
Guevara-Warren said targeted policies things like medicaid expansion, school supports and better wages can help boost support for Michigan’s kids.