One out of every 11 of the country’s children lives in Texas—yet the state ranks 44th in overall child health and well-being, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2012 “Kids Count” Data Book.
The book looks at four areas to determine well-being: economic standing, education, health, and the family/community.
Texas also has the third-highest teen birth rate in the country, and ranks 49th in children without health insurance, with an uninsured rate of 14 percent in 2010. This is a 22 percent decrease from 2008, likely due to increased coverage through programs such as Medicaid and CHIP.
“These numbers cry out for a change in direction for Texas’ kids,” said Frances Deviney, Texas Kids Count director at the Center for Public Policy Priorities, in a statement. “That means reinvesting in education, building a health insurance exchange so families can find affordable health coverage for their children, and building our workforce, so that Texas kids can become tomorrow’s leaders.”
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