NM-leftnright

New Mexico drops to 48th in national KIDS COUNT ranking

ALBUQUERQUE-New Mexico dropped to a ranking of 48th in child well-being in the 2008 national KIDS COUNT Data Report, to be released on June 12 by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Last year the state ranked 47th. The annual report ranks the 50 states based on ten indicators of child well-being such as child poverty rates, teen birth and dropout rates, and infant mortality rates, using the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data available.
 
"It's always disappointing to see New Mexico so close to the bottom," said Lisa Adams-Shafer, KIDS COUNT Program Manager for New Mexico Voices for Children, which co-releases the annual report. "But, as always there are some bright spots. We continue to do very well in terms of infant mortality rates, and we continue to outpace the national average in improvement in high school drop out rates," she added. "Sadly, our child death rates have continued to worsen."
 
New Mexico ranks 16th in infant mortality rates, but 47th in the percentage of teens who are not high school dropouts - despite a 38 percent improvement between 2000 and 2006. The state's death rate for children between 1 and 14 years of age increased by 55 percent between 2000 and 2005, ranking us 48th in this measure. In contrast, the national average decreased 9 percent over the same time period. Despite our low infant mortality rates, our percentage of low-weight babies rose by 6 percent between 2000 and 2005.
 
As in past years, Louisiana and Mississippi ranked lower than New Mexico. Alabama, which ranked 48th last year, moved up to 47th. New Hampshire ranked 1st this year.
 
Because of the lag in data, the effects of recent New Mexico initiatives such as the pre-K program, raising the minimum wage, and the creation of the Working Families Tax Credit, will not show up for a few more years. "These kinds of programs are a great start, but it will take a lot more to move New Mexico out of the bottom ten," said Adams-Shafer. "Dramatically improving child well-being will take a concerted effort that addresses multiple issues, starting with child poverty. We need to expand early care and education programs and cover all kids with health insurance," she added. "The recent launch of Governor Richardson's poverty task force is also good news." Optimal outcomes for child well-being are outlined in Children's Charter, which was launched by NM Voices late last year.
 
Besides the ten indicators, the data book also looks at demographics, such as the percentage of children without health insurance, and focuses on one child-specific issue. This year, the report focuses on juvenile justice - an issue on which New Mexico does relatively well.
 
"Our rate of youth ages 10 to 15 in custody is less than half the national average," said Adams-Shafer. "The KIDS COUNT essay links this, in part, to changes that began in the Bernalillo County juvenile justice system." The data book essay cites changes in Medicaid rules that allowed the creation of an outpatient clinic for mental health treatment as a model of good public policy.
 
The National KIDS COUNT Data Report is available online at http://www.kidscount.org/datacenter/2008databook/

Gas, & Child Health Among Reasons to Explore NM's Backyard, Starting with 'National Trails Day'

 from the NEW MEXICO NEWS CONNECTION - A statewide news service for New Mexico
Albuquerque - With gas prices way up, there's more reason than ever to take the family outdoors this summer, something that's sorely needed for the mental and physical health of New Mexico children, according to recent federal stats on child health. Here in New Mexico gas has surged past four dollars per gallon and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is encouraging more families to "hit the trail" instead of the road this summer vacation. NWF education director Heather White says it's not only healthier for the family budget.  Especially in this age of concern about childhood obesity White says,  "Not only do you have mental health and academic benefits, you also have the physical benefits of exercise." 

Referring to an additional benefit of childhood exercise, White says research has shown that children with attention deficit disorders have improved concentration in the classroom when they spend time outside. According to White this weekend's National Trails Day is a perfect way to start summer in the great outdoors.

The National Wildlife Federation has compiled research that shows today's children are suffering severe "nature deficits." Kevin Coyle with the Federation says some parents keep children indoors because of "stranger danger" fears, which he says are unfounded - and he says there are more risks for kids in the technological world, "The child who's online has a 1 in 5 chance of communicating directly with a sexual predator. It's actually, in our opinion, more dangerous for a kid online than it is outdoors."

A "GrandRally" for NM Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

from the NEW MEXICO NEWS CONNECTION - A statewide news service for New Mexico
Albuquerque - More than 41,000 kids are being raised by grandparents in New Mexico, according to the latest Census figures. A group of grandparents, including several from the Land of Enchantment, who have taken on the parenting role are in Washington, D.C. for the National GrandRally on May 7.

Retirement planning doesn't usually include raising children again, but it's a reality for thousands of New Mexico grandparents. More than 41 thousand kids in the state are being raised by grandparents, according to the latest Census, and 10 thousand more are being raised by other family members. A group of New Mexico grandparents are joining hundreds of others in Washington, D.C. tomorrow for the National GrandRally. Brigitte Castellano with the National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights says a second round of parenting is not an easy role to take on, "We need some recognition for the fine work that relatives do raising these children. Picture all of these children if we were not there, they would be in foster care."

Castellano says there are legal twists and turns, as well as money issues, for relatives raising children - and they're calling on states to make sure laws are in the best interests of the child. And Dr. David Rubin with Safe Place: Center for Child Protection and Health, says he's working on a study that will be released next month that shows that in most cases, the best place for kids displaced from their families is with relatives, "Major differences in terms of the risk of behavioral problems. Children in kinship care, a third of the children have behavioral problems, nearly half of the kids who are in foster care have behavioral problems three years later."  For more information visit www.grandrally.org  .

NM to lose hundreds of millions in Medicaid dollars

Medicaid regulations will weaken NM economy if Congress does not act.

ALBUQUERQUE-A new report from Families USA estimates that New Mexico will lose $183.2 million in federal Medicaid funding in just the first year if rules issued by the Bush Administration go into effect. The report, "Bad Medicine: The President's Medicaid Regulations Will Weaken New Mexico's Economy," concludes that the regulations would result in the loss of $364.7 million in related business activity, $134.6 million in lost wages, and 4,000 lost jobs in one year.

"The federal Medicaid money that is injected into the state's economy is spent on salaries, which are spent, in turn, on living expenses and other goods and services," said NM Voices for Children Research Director Gerry Bradley. "Given the slowdown in the national economy, these regulations were the absolute wrong thing to do," he added. The total cost will be $1.5 billion over five years. The report also concludes that those hardest hit are likely to be children and people with disabilities.

The U.S. House recently passed the Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008 on a 349-62 vote, which would place a moratorium on the regulations until March 2009. Of New Mexico's representatives, Udall and Wilson voted in favor of the bill, Pearce voted against. The Senate has not yet taken final action.

Families USA is a Washington, D.C.-based group advocating for quality, affordable health care for all Americans. Get the report here   http://www.familiesusa.org/assets/pdfs/bad-medicine/new-mexico.pdf

US Hits Record Low Federal Spending on Kids

Programs serving children only receiving one penny of every federal dollar spent

ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Over the past five years only one penny of every new, real non-defense dollar spent by the federal government has gone to children, a new publication revealed today. The report, "Children's Budget 2008," was released by First Focus, a bipartisan children's advocacy organization.

The report looks at the more than 180 federally funded programs that are aimed at enhancing the well-being of our nation's children, and how those programs' appropriations levels have changed over the past five years. After adjusting for inflation, "Children's Budget 2008" finds that just 1 percent of all new spending since fiscal year 2004 is helping America's kids. 

Over the past five years, spending on children's education has been stagnant, resulting in a real decrease in the value of education funding, the report concludes. Nearly 70 education programs have suffered real cuts in funding over the past five years, leading to a 10 percent inflation-adjusted funding decrease.

"The report's findings are deeply disturbing," said Bill Jordan, Policy Director for New Mexico Voices for Children. "Not only is investing in our children the right thing to do by them, it's the right thing to do by our country and economy. We're not giving our children the best chance at succeeding when we're pulling the plug on their education and health care. We should be investing more in education in the 21st century, not less."

"In the past few years we've heard a lot of lip service about family values. This study shows how empty that talk has been," he added. "If our federal budget is a moral document, this shows a great moral deficiency."

Based in Washington, D.C., First Focus is part of America's Promise Alliance, which was founded, in part, by Colin Powell.  The report is posted online at http://www.firstfocus.net/pages/3391/

Supply and Demand Goes Hungry in NM

from the NEW MEXICO NEWS CONNECTION - A statewide news service for New Mexico
Albuquerque - If you haven't heard the news, you've probably noticed it at the local grocery store. Food prices are way up, and that's sending more New Mexicans to food banks, which are also struggling with the higher prices. Comments from Laurel Wyckoff with the New Mexico Association of Food Banks, and Ashley White with the Children's Defense Fund.

Grocery bills are taking a bite out of breakfast, lunch and dinner for New Mexicans. Rising food prices are a trend across the state, and the world, with the biggest price spikes shooting up in recent months. Laurel Wyckoff with the New Mexico Association of Food Banks says the situation has sent more people than ever to food banks, but the problem is, they're feeling the squeeze, too, "When I first started doing this around 2004, spaghetti, or let's say macaroni, was about ten thousand dollars a truckload, now pasta is running 27 thousand dollars a truckload."

Wyckoff adds that Food Stamps don't adjust for the increased prices, sending more low-income and working families to food pantries sooner, further depleting food banks. She says she's also begun to see more families who work full-time, which used to be unheard of.
Ashley White with the Children's Defense Fund says Congress can help address the problem by making long overdue increases to the food stamp program, like adjusting it for inflation, "It's just shameful that in this richest nation there's 12.6 million children living in households struggling against hunger in this past year."

NM Delegation in the 'Middle of the Pack' on Kids' Issues

from the NEW MEXICO NEWS CONNECTION - A statewide news service for New Mexico
Albuquerque, Feb. 27, 2008 - New Mexico comes in 22nd in a report out today from the Children's Defense Fund Action Council. The report ranks Congressional delegations for their votes on children's issues like health care and education. New Mexico's Congressional delegation is coasting through with room to improve when it comes to kids' issues. The Land of Enchantment comes in right around the middle in a Children's Defense Fund Action Council report. The national report looked at lawmakers' votes over the past year on issues affecting children - things like raising the minimum wage, making toys safer, and expanding children's health insurance. Ed Shelleby with the Children's Defense Fund Action Council says Congress still has more work to do, and it's unacceptable that so many children remain at risk, "All of these children have multiple strikes against them, and we are sending tens of thousands of children to prison every year."  Critics of the report say it doesn't take into account other factors, like taxpayer costs, or the effect of legislation on businesses.

Bill Jordan with New Mexico Voices for Children says conditions for children in the state are improving, but there's still a long way to go and more help is needed from Congress, "Frankly, one of the worst states in the nation in which to raise a child if you look at the data - we would hope that our Congressional delegation would keep children as certainly one of their highest priorities."

The full report is available at www.cdfactioncouncil.org .

Reports: Kids Along NM's Border Teetering 'on the Edge' of Survival

from the NEW MEXICO NEWS CONNECTION - A statewide news service for New Mexico
Hatch, NM - June 29, 2007 - A series of new reports out this week from New Mexico Voices for Children shines a light on the dire state of families along New Mexico's border region. The report finds thousands of families living in overwhelming poverty. Report author Lisa Adams-Shafer and State Representative Andy Nunez,  (D, Hatch), say the region needs more long-term economic development and better public education.

We always hear that New Mexico is one of the poorest states in the nation, but along the state's southern border with Mexico, times are especially tough. That's according to a series of reports out this week from New Mexico Voices for Children that look at the well-being of children in the area. They find thousands of kids living at 50 percent of the federal poverty level. When asked what is needed to correct the situation, report author Lisa Adams-Shafer says Click to Hear adams-schafer062907.mp3 ("I think sustainable long-term economic development that will keep companies invested in their communities and pay decent wages for these families.")  She says the new state earned income tax credit and higher minimum wage are steps in the right direction, but she'd like to see more job training, childcare assistance and stronger public schools.

State Representative Andy Nunez from Hatch says there should be more focus on education and training in that area.    He says kids in the area need more and better education and training to compete  Click to Hear nunez062907.mp3 ("So that more of these kids can go out and get a better job; because now with the Spaceport comin' in, we need to start training some kids for some little higher-tech jobs.")  Nunez says the camp program at New Mexico State University is one example of a good training program that could be strengthened to provide more opportunities for the next generation.

See the report snapshots at http://www.nmvoices.org/kidscount.htm .

Your Neighbors are the Hungriest in the Country

from the NEW MEXICO NEWS CONNECTION - A statewide news service for New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM - June 5, 2007- It's National Hunger Awareness Day, and the message is especially critical here in New Mexico, the state with the highest hunger rate. Odds are, you have far more hungry neighbors than the average American. On this National Hunger Awareness Day, Jasmin Holmstrup with Roadrunner Food Bank in Albuquerque says part of the goal is to remind New Mexicans that they live in the hungriest state in the country, Click to Hear holmstrup1.mp3 ("Here in New Mexico, there are approximately 354,000 hungry New Mexicans, that's 1 out of 6 that don't have the resources to purchase food.")

She says part of the reason hunger is so widespread here is that our state is largely rural, Click to Hear  holmstrup2.mp3 ("The combination of poverty and people having to travel long distances to get to a job or to get to food makes it very difficult and increases the number of people at risk for hunger.")

Today, June 5, there will be a "Dine Out For Hunger" event across the state. Over a dozen restaurants in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Artesia, Clovis, Las Vegas and Tucumcari will be donating a portion of their proceeds to the state's food banks. For a list of the restaurants and more ways to fight hunger in New Mexico, visit www.rrfb.org.

Holmstrup says the timing of Hunger Awareness Day isn't a coincidence, and that many people are surprised to learn hunger actually increases in the summer, especially for families with schoolchildren, Click to Hear  holmstrup3.mp3 ("They not only have to pay for three meals a day, they also have to pay for child care, and donations to the nation's food banks actually drop off during the summer.")

Food Stamps Turn 30, but Thousands of New Mexicans Still Hungry

from the NEW MEXICO NEWS CONNECTION - A statewide news service for New Mexico
Washington, D.C. / Albuquerque -May 21, 2007- The modern Food Stamp program turns thirty this week, but many eligible families are still going hungry and not taking advantage of the program. One in six New Mexicans don't know where their next meal is coming from, but thousands of them could be getting help. The modern Food Stamp Program turns thirty years old this week, and Laurel Wyckoff, executive director of the New Mexico Association of Food Banks says over forty percent of eligible families aren't signed up, Click to Hear wykoff1.mp3 ("People are afraid sometimes to go to a government office for assistance. Sometimes they don't want their neighbors or friends to know that they need help.")

Another problem is the large amount of paperwork to sign up. And Wyckoff says long drives to government offices are also a barrier for people in rural areas. Many seniors living on social security are only eligible to receive ten dollars a month in food stamps. Wyckoff says that limit hasn't changed since 1979 and she adds, Click to Hear  wykoff2.mp3 ("I don't know about you, but I don't think I could buy very much food for a month for ten dollars. So, I think that needs to be fixed for sure.")

In New Mexico, the state matches that ten dollars for seniors, but Wyckoff says the problem needs to be fixed at the federal level. The Food Stamp Program is tucked into the federal farm bill, which is up for reauthorization this year. A separate bill before Congress would add 4 billion dollars to the program. The bill to add funding to the Food Stamp program is H.R. 2129, the "Feeding America's Families Act of 2007." For more information about the New Mexico Association of Food Banks visit http://www.nmfoodbanks.org/  .