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Noting that one of every eight Ohio children live in Appalachian counties and that preparing these children to become productive, contributing members of Appalachia's culture and economy hinges on making sure that all children are healthy, ready for school, and attend safe and effective public schools, this report is the first to examine health care, early care and education, and public education for Ohio's Appalachian children. Among the major findings of the report are that household income in Appalachia increased at a faster rate than in the rest of Ohio during the 1990s, although overall incomes remained lower than those statewide, with child poverty rates higher than those in the rest of the state. Welfare rolls have dropped dramatically since 1995. Compared to the rest of the state, there are fewer health care and child care programs available to serve Appalachian children. Despite fewer educational resources available in Ohio's urban and suburban schools, Appalachia's achievement rates on Ohio's Proficiency Tests are about equal to statewide results. In spite of poverty and limited resources, Appalachian communities are working to create partnerships and services to meet children's needs. The report includes an action agenda detailing suggestions for local leaders, businesses, and other community groups to help ensure the healthy development of children in Ohio's Appalachian region. The report further provides contact information for the programs profiled in the report. Statewide trends are noted for each indicator presented in the accompanying factsheets. Region-wide and county factsheets detail: (1) population, poverty rates, and welfare rolls; (2) children enrolled in Medicaid; (3) key birth outcomes; (4) oral health status of third graders; (5) child care costs, assistance, and supply; (6) Head Start enrollment; and (7) school district proficiency test results and trends. (Contains 36 references.) (KB)

This Kids Count report examines statewide trends in the well-being of Tennessee's children. The statistical portrait is based on 34 indicators of children's well-being in 5 broad areas: (1) infant, child, and teen health, including enrollment in the TennCare (replacement for Tennessee's Medicaid Program) insurance program, prenatal, low birthweight infants, immunizations, enrollment in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and teen pregnancy and birth; (2) child and teen well-being, including child abuse and neglect, child death, teen violent death, juvenile justice, alcohol and substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, and state custody; (3) education, including child care, Head Start, dropout rate, school safety, and school nutrition; and (4) economic security, including poverty, food stamps recipients, and unemployment; and (5) demographics. Following the narrative highlighting major findings, the report provides findings, by county, for each of the indicators. Among the findings are the following: (1) 45 percent of TennCare recipients are 20 years or younger; (2) 74 percent of women received adequate prenatal care; (3) the rate of low birthweight infants increased slightly from the previous year and is still considerably higher than the National Healthy People goal; (4) the infant mortality rate continues to decline; (5) the number of teen births declined, with the rates for Hispanic and African-American teens still higher than that for Caucasians; (6) approximately 12 percent of school-aged children receive special education; and (7) the percentage of 16- to 19-year-olds who are high school dropouts declined by one percentage point. The report concludes with maps, primary and secondary indicators, and data definitions and sources. (Contains 82 references.) (KB)

This Kids Count report examines statewide trends and county data on the well-being of Nebraska's children. Section 1 contains a commentary on promoting quality early childhood care and education services. Section 2, the bulk of this statistical report, presents finding on indicators of well-being in eight areas: (1) child abuse and neglect/domestic violence (investigated and substantiated cases, reporting, types of abuse, child abuse fatalities in 2000, domestic violence/sexual assault programs, how domestic violence affects children); (2) early childhood care and education (early childhood development programs, child care facilities and subsidies); (3) economic well-being (TANF, earned income tax credit, single parent families, divorce and child support); (4) education (high school graduates, school dropouts, expelled students, special education); (5) physical and behavioral health (birth, prenatal care, low birth weight, births to teens, out-of-wedlock births, immunizations, infant mortality, child deaths, access to health care, blood lead levels, mental health and substance abuse treatment, youth risk behavior survey); (6) juvenile justice (juvenile arrests, probation, youth rehabilitation and treatment centers, victims of rape, adult jail and parole for juveniles); (7) nutrition (food stamps, USDA nutrition programs); and (8) out-of-home care and adoption (out-of-home care, state foster care review board, children in out-of-home care, licensed and approved foster homes, multiple placements, race and ethnicity, adoption services). Section 3 presents county data notes. Section 4 presents specific county data in table form. Sections 5 through 7 present information concerning methodology, data sources, definitions, references, and Kids Count Team members. (SD)

The sixth Kids Count publication from New Hampshire, this report departs from past work in that, in addition to updating state data on child health and well-being, it looks at that information in relation to data on the New Hampshire economy. Through detailed statistical analysis, the report explains how the status of children in New Hampshire directly affects the bottom line for government, businesses, and individuals in the state. The report introduces a Child Potential Index for over 200 New Hampshire communities, summarizing the degree to which risk factors that limit children from realizing their full potential are present in each community. The index combines seven community-level measures of child risk known to be highly correlated with poor outcomes for children: (1) teen births as a percentage of all births; (2) percentage of mothers who smoked during pregnancy; (3) percentage of births to single mothers; (4) percentage of births to mothers with less than 12 years of education; (5) percentage of children receiving free or reduced lunch; (6) percentage of births to mothers not receiving prenatal care; and (7) unemployment rate. Appended are: How Child Potential Index Scores are Derived; and Child Potential Index Scores for NH Cities and Towns. (Contains 47 endnotes.) (EV)

This Kids Count report examines statewide and county trends in the well-being of Colorado's children. Indicators are presented in the general areas of demographics, abuse and neglect, child health, family issues, and teen issues. The statistical portrait is based on 16 indicators of well-being: (1) confirmed incidents of child abuse and neglect; (2) abuse and neglect referrals; (3) abuse and neglect referrals investigated; (4) mothers receiving early prenatal care; (5) low birth weight births; (6) children in families receiving Medicaid; (7) enrollment in CHP+; (8) deaths of infants under age 1; (9) deaths of children under age 18; (10) children in families receiving TANF; (11) children qualifying for free/reduced lunch; (12) children under 5 on WIC; (13) children in out-of-home placements; (14) three risk factor births; (15) teen birth rate; and (16) high school graduation rate. Limited data are presented for the following indicators: (1) oral health; (2) immunizations; (3) uninsured children; (4) dropout rates; (5) homicides; and (6) suicides. State and county data are presented as available and range from 1997 to 2001. County rankings are presented as of 1999. The report's findings indicate that progress was made toward improving: infant mortality rates, immunization rates, prenatal care, established paternity for births to unmarried women, teen birth rate, and teen suicide rate. The report's findings indicate change for the worse in the areas of: low birth weight births, children dying due to child abuse, and out-of-home placement rates. (SD)

This KIDS COUNT data book details statewide trends in the well-being of Maine's children. The statistical portrait is based on a variety of indicators in the areas of: (1) physical and mental health; (2) social and economic opportunity; (3) education and learning; and (4) child health care access. The data book presents state level trend data, a Maine state profile, county-by-county profiles, and a special section addressing harassment and violence in Maine schools. Findings indicate that the status of children's physical and mental health is improving in several key areas, including children covered by health insurance, mortality rates (infant, child, and teen), and arrests of children; physical and mental health areas for concern include child victims of abuse and neglect, and a shortage of mental health workers. In the area of social and economic opportunity, progress was seen in statewide unemployment rates, statewide poverty rate, child support enforcement, and teen pregnancy; social and economic concerns include regional and seasonal unemployment rates, regional poverty, children in homeless shelters, and unemployed youth. Highlights in the area of education and learning include high school completion rates and graduates with plans to attend post-secondary schools; concerns in the area of education and learning are for children with disabilities, state child care enrollments, and high school dropouts. (SD)

This Kids Count Data Book provides state and county trends in the well-being of Kansas' children. The statistical portrait is based on 21 indicators of well-being: (1) births to single teens; (2) children in poverty; (3) children approved for free school meals; (4) childhood deaths; (5) infant mortality; (6) births with early prenatal care; (7) kindergartners fully immunized by age two; (8) low birth weight babies; (9) Head Start participation; (10) child care availability; (11) high school graduates pursuing post-secondary education/training; (12) births to mothers with less than the high school degree; (13) students graduating from high school; (14) out-of-home placement; (15) teen violent deaths; (16) reported child abuse and neglect; (17) substantiated child abuse and neglect; (18) juvenile court filings; (19) youth who report using alcohol in past 30 days; (20) youth who report binge drinking; and (21) youth who have ever used drugs other than alcohol. The report's overview notes that childhood and teen violent deaths declined, but rates of low birth weight babies, births to single teens and to mothers with less than a high school diploma, and reported child abuse and neglect worsened. Following this overview, the first part of the data book discusses economic assistance and childhood poverty in Kansas, and provides information on using the data book. The next section presents a description of each indicator and an alphabetical listing of each county comparing base year data from 1995-98 and the current data from 1999. The next section, and bulk of the report, presents state and county statistics for each indicator. The book concludes with data notes and an explanation of sources. (SD)

This KIDS COUNT report details statewide trends in the well-being of Utah's children. The statistical portrait is based on 26 indicators of children's well-being: (1) prenatal care; (2) low birth weight infants; (3) infant mortality; (4) child injury deaths; (5) unintentional injuries; (6) untreated tooth decay; (7) immunization rates; (8) suicide rates; (9) child abuse and neglect; (10) unemployment; (11) poverty; (12) lack of health insurance; (13) child care availability; (14) domestic violence; (15) juvenile and adult adjudication rates; (16) dropouts; (17) pupil/teacher ratios; (18) kindergarten readiness; (19) truancy referrals; (20) teen births; (21) illicit drug use; (22) chlamydia infection rates; (23) tobacco use; (24) overweight youth; (25) physical exercise; and (26) seat belt usage. The report begins with introductory and general population data. Part two of the report provides county and statewide trend data for each of the indicators, organized according to the following five statewide goals: (1) all children safe and happy; (2) all children residing in nurturing and economically secure family environments; (3) all communities safe and supportive; (4) all children succeed in school and are ready to work; and (5) all children choose healthy and safe behaviors. Part three of the report details findings on selected health and safety issues for 61 small areas within the state. Among the findings, positive trends are noted for infant mortality, immunizations, juvenile and adult adjudication, teen smoking, and seatbelt usage. Negative trends are noted for prenatal care, low birthweight babies, and child abuse. (SD)

This Kids Count databook is the seventh annual profile examining statewide trends in the well-being of Rhode Island's children. The statistical portrait is based on 43 indicators in 5 areas: (1) family and community (including child population and children in single-parent families); (2) economic well-being (including median household income, secure parental employment, child poverty, child support, children in the Family Independence Program, children in families receiving food stamps, and children receiving school breakfast); (3) health (including children's health insurance, dental care access, mental health, WIC, prenatal care, birthweight, infant mortality, lead poisoning, asthma, births to teens, and alcohol, drug, and cigarette use by teens); (4) safety (including child and teen deaths, homeless children and youth, juveniles referred to family court, child abuse and neglect, and out-of-home placement); and (5) education (including infant/preschool child care, Head Start enrollment, school-age child care, child care subsidies, special education enrollment, fourth-grade reading skills, school attendance, and high school graduation). The report defines each indicator, describes its significance and trends, provides information on intervention programs, and presents relevant data for the state, 39 cities and towns, and an aggregate of the 5 cities with the highest child poverty rates. The report concludes with a description of the methodology, a list of Kids Count committee members, and acknowledgements. (KB)

This Kids Count data book examines trends in the well-being of California's children, focusing on factors influencing adolescents. The statistical portrait is based on trends in 33 indicators of well-being in 4 areas: (1) family economics, including child poverty rate, median family income, youth unemployment, children in families receiving TANF, child hunger, child care, and child support; (2) health, including uninsured children, Medi-Cal and Healthy Families enrollment, teen births, smoking, drug use, mental health, prenatal care, and infant mortality; (3) education, including high school dropout rate, reading and math skills, per pupil expenditure, and children in Head Start; and (4) safety, including child abuse and neglect rates, foster care, gun violence, juvenile incarceration, and youth homicide. The data book's introduction details key findings, discusses data interpretation, and makes recommendations for public and private organizations, parents, and local communities. The first part of the data book details findings for each indicator, focusing on national averages and California's state rank, and on trends from the mid- to late-1990s. Racial/ethnic differences in indicators are presented when available. The second part contains summary tables organized by indicator detailing state and county findings. The data book's findings indicate that currently teens are more likely to complete high school, less likely to be unemployed, and less likely to become parents at an early age than were teen several years ago. Compared to teens in other states, California teens are less likely to have health insurance and more likely to be incarcerated. African American and Latino youth experience significantly worse outcomes than other youth on many measures. (KB)

This Kids Count report examines statewide trends between 1990 and 1998 in the well-being of Arizona's children. The statistical portrait is based on several indicators of well-being, including: (1) children in poverty; (2) babies born at risk; (3) children in families receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF); (4) children in families receiving food stamps; (5) students approved for free/reduced price lunch; (6) school dropouts; (7) births to teens; (8) juvenile arrests; (9) juvenile arrests for violent crimes; (10) commitments to the Department of Juvenile Corrections; (11) reports of child abuse and neglect; and (12) children in foster care. Chapter 1 of the report indicates that progress has been made in reducing the teen birth rate, increasing the number of families receiving subsidies to help pay for child care, increasing the availability of publicly funded preschool programs, increasing the use of prenatal care, and reducing the arrest of juveniles for violent crimes. However, the rate of children growing up poor, the prevalence of school-age children with limited English skills, the percentage of children with no health insurance, and the incidence of babies born to mothers who are young, single, poor, or lack a high school diploma have all grown. Chapter 2 presents indicators on a county-by-county basis, revealing considerable variation in risk indicators by county. Chapter 3 explores the issue of children and violence. The report's appendices present state and county child populations and data notes and sources. (EV)

This Kids Count report details statewide trends in the well-being of North Dakota's children. The statistical portrait is based on indicators of children's well-being in seven areas: (1) population; (2) family composition; (3) economic condition; (4) child care; (5) child health; (6) education; and (7) children at risk. The report begins with an overview of the data's organization, criteria for data selection, data presentation, and data limitations. Section 2 presents statewide data, including multi-year trend data as available. Section 3 presents state and regional data for eight geographical regions of the state, followed by profiles for each of the state's 53 counties, including multi-year trend data. The final section provides indicator definitions and information on data sources and summarizes North Dakota Kids Count! project activities over the past 6 years. Important findings from the report include increases in foster care placements, number of low birth weight infants, number of mothers receiving inadequate prenatal care, number of children participating in Medicaid, infant mortality rates, special education enrollment, number of seriously emotionally disturbed children, number of child abuse and neglect reports, juvenile arrests for liquor law violations, and out-of-wedlock births to teens. Declines are noted in the number of children eligible for economic assistance programs, the number of licensed child care providers, and school enrollments. (KB)

This report is the fourth to present nationwide data on the well-being of America's children. The statistical portrait is based on indicators of child well-being such as family income and mortality rates. Part 1 of the report, "Population and Family Characteristics," presents information illustrating the changes that have occurred during the last few decades in six key demographic measures, including children as a proportion of the population, racial and ethnic composition, difficulty speaking English, and child care utilization. Part 2, "Indicators of Children's Well-Being," presents data on 25 key indicators in the following areas: (1) Economic Security, including family income, secure parental employment, housing, food security, and access to health care; (2) Health, including activity limitation, immunization rates, and infant, child, and adolescent mortality rates; (3) Behavior and Social Environment, including cigarette smoking, alcohol and illicit drug use, and youth victims and perpetrators of serious violent crimes; (4) Education, including family reading to young children and youth neither enrolled in school nor working; and (5) Special Features, beginning kindergartners' knowledge and skills and youth participation in volunteer activities. For each background measure or indicator, three types of information are presented: reasons the measure or indicator is important to understanding children's well-being, figures showing important facts about trends or population groups, and highlights with information on current status, recent trends, and important population group differences. Additional indicators needed are also noted. Two appendices contain detailed data tables and data source descriptions. Among the key findings, the report notes that although the child poverty rate remains similar to that in 1980, the percentage of children experiencing housing problems or food insecurity increased. Child death rates continue to drop. The percentage of children with low birthweight has steadily increased since 1984, probably due to the rising number of multiple births. Teen birth rates are the lowest in 40 years. Heavy drinking among adolescents has remained stable over the past few years. Violent crimes committed by youth have dropped sharply. Preschool enrollment increases have been the largest among children in poverty, children with mothers not in the labor force, and black, non-Hispanic children. The overall high school completion rate declined, especially among Hispanics. (KB)

This KIDS COUNT report examines statewide trends in the well-being of Tennessee's children. The statistical portrait is based on indicators of children's well-being in five broad areas: (1) healthy babies, including enrollment in the TennCare insurance program, prenatal care, infant mortality and child deaths, and immunizations; (2) healthy children, including teen deaths, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases; (3) healthy minds, including mental health, education, high school dropout rates, and child care and preschool education; (4) healthy families, including population demographics, unemployment, single-parent families, and income and poverty; and (5) healthy communities, including domestic violence, child abuse, juvenile justice, child welfare, and school safety. Following an executive summary highlighting major findings, the report provides findings, by county, for each of the indicators. Among the findings are the following: (1) nearly half of TennCare participants are under age 20; (2) African-American babies died nearly two and a half times more often than white babies; (3) in the 15-19 age group, white teens were 3 times more likely than African American teens to die in an automobile accident, whereas African American teens were 16 times more likely than white teens to die due to homicide; (4) the number of regulated child care agencies in Tennessee has increased; (5) high school dropout rates have decreased; (6) Tennessee ranked 41st among states in median income; (7) food stamp participation has decreased since 1994; (8) child abuse declined slightly between 1997 and 1998; and (9) between 1994-95 and 1998-99 the number of children committed to state custody declined by nearly one third. The report concludes with definitions and data sources. Contains 92 references. (HTH)

This KIDS COUNT report details trends in the well-being of children in the District of Columbia. Following an executive summary describing overall findings, the report presents the statistical portrait based on eight areas of children's well-being: (1) general population trends; (2) economic security; (3) family attachment and community support; (4) homeless children and families; (5) child health; (6) safety and personal security; (7) education; and (8) youth risk behaviors. The report then presents a prevention message based on findings, followed by strategies and recommendations for various stakeholders, including District of Columbia residents, religious and faith-based institutions, health providers, businesses and community groups, and the philanthropic community. The report concludes with information on data gathering, sources and definitions, and acknowledgements. Among the findings are a decline in population, particularly families with children; a loss of jobs; an increase in homeless families; improved overall adequacy of prenatal care; declining rate of deaths among children and teens; improved SAT and math scores, but reading scores still below national average; a decline in graduation rates; and a decline in number of students eligible for free or reduced price lunches. (HTH)

This KIDS COUNT factbook details statewide trends in the well-being of Wyoming's children. Following an overview of key indicators and data sources, the factbook documents trends by county for 23 indicators: (1) child and youth population; (2) births; (3) low birth-weight babies; (4) early prenatal care; (5) infants deaths; (6) child deaths; (7) births to unmarried mothers of all ages; (8) births to mothers who smokes during pregnancy; (9) teen births; (10) children affected by divorce; (11) juvenile crime arrests; (12) teen violent deaths; (13) teen motor vehicle related deaths; (14) teen suicide; (15) education; (16) average daily membership in schools; (17) drop out incidences; (18) 1999 youth risk behavior surveillance; (19) infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with developmental disabilities; (20) licensed child care facilities; (21) poverty; (22) welfare reform; and (23) child health care. The findings indicate declining trends in child population, high school dropouts, children in families receiving welfare, births, early prenatal care, teen birth rate, juvenile violent crime arrests, and the number of licensed day care facilities. Increasing trends are noted for the number of children in poverty, infant deaths and infant mortality, low birthweight babies, babies born to unwed mothers, mothers who smoked during pregnancy, overall juvenile crime arrests, and the number of children with developmental disabilities. (HTH)

This report details the impact of the changing health environment on children's health and access to health care in New York state. The report links key measures of child health with recent policy changes, such as expansions in health insurance coverage, Medicaid managed care, and welfare reform. Data from 1997 are used as a baseline measure for future efforts to track the impact of public policy on child health. The report contains state and national data for indicators of child health in four areas: (1) economics, including poverty rates and public assistance receipt; (2) insurance status, including Medicaid and state health insurance program enrollment; (3) access and use of medical care services such as prenatal care and immunizations; and (4) health and behavioral indicators, including asthma hospitalizations, binge drinking, smoking, and infant mortality rates. Highlights are provided for some indicators comparing county, New York City, and state data. Included is the Web address for a Web-based component providing county and regional comparisons for selected indicators. (KB)

This Kids Count report examines statewide trends in the well-being of South Carolina's children. The statistical portrait is based on 41 indicators in the areas of demographics, family, economic status, health, readiness and early school performance, scholastic achievement, and adolescent risk behaviors. The indicators are: (1) population; (2) births to teen mothers; (3) births to mothers not completing high school; (4) births to single mothers; (5) divorce rate; (6) single-parent family; (7) parents working; (8) abuse and neglect; (9) family violence; (10) out of home placements; (11) adult/child ratio; (12) poverty; (13) barriers to self-sufficiency; (14) income; (15) child support payments; (16) prenatal care; (17) low birth weight; (18) infant mortality; (19) childhood injuries and deaths; (20) immunization; (21) sexually transmitted diseases; (22) healthy lifestyles; (23) tobacco use; (24) disabilities; (25) emotional and behavioral disorders; (26) inadequate healthcare; (27) ambulatory care; (28) first-grade readiness; (29) first-grade failure rates; (30) overage for grade three; (31) special education; (32) achievement trends; (33) Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test; (34) dropout rates; (35) adolescents not in school or employed; (36) sexual activity and pregnancy; (37) alcohol use; (38) heavy drinking; (39) drugs; (40) juvenile delinquency; and (41) adolescent deaths. Statewide data and summary information are provided for each indicator. Fifteen tables are included and summarize specific indicator information. The report's findings indicate that too many children are at risk of not growing up to become self-supporting adults, with 25.1% in single-parent families, 21% in poverty, 30.9% not graduating from school, 37.4% of high school students using alcohol, and 12.8% using drugs each month. (SD)

This KIDS COUNT Data Book provides state and county data on the well-being of Kansas' children. The statistical portrait is based on 22 indicators of well-being: (1) births to single teens; (2) children living in poverty; (3) children receiving free school meals; (4) children in families receiving economic assistance; (5) childhood deaths; (6) infant mortality; (7) births that received early prenatal care; (8) immunizations; (9) low birth weight babies; (10) Head Start participation; (11) child care availability; (12) post-secondary education; (13) high school graduates receiving post-secondary education; (14) births to mothers with less than a high school diploma; (15) students graduating high school; (16) foster care; (17) teen violent deaths; (18) reported child abuse and neglect; (19) substantiated child abuse and neglect; (20) juvenile court filings; (21) youth alcohol use; and (22) youth drug use. Following an overview, the first part of the data book discusses children at risk in Kansas and specific risk factors that measurably limit children's development and narrow their opportunity for succeed in life. The bulk of the data book presents statistics, by county, for each indicator. A state of Kansas profile and county-by-county statistics conclude the data book. Among the findings, infant mortality, Head Start participation, teen violent deaths, out-of-home placements and illicit drug use show improvement; childhood deaths, births that received early prenatal care, and measures of early childhood care and education remain relatively stable; and reports of child abuse and neglect, alcohol use and juvenile court filings, and binge drinking all show deterioration. (KB)

This KIDS COUNT databook is the sixth annual profile examining statewide trends in the well-being of Rhode Island's children. The statistical portrait is based on 37 indicators in 5 areas: (1) family and community (covering child population and children in single-parent families); (2) economic well-being (covering median household income, cost of rent, children receiving child support, children in poverty, children in the Family Independence Program, children in families receiving food stamps, and children receiving school breakfast); (3) health (covering children's health insurance; access to dental care; women and children receiving WIC; women with delayed prenatal care; low birth weight infants; infant mortality; children with lead poisoning; births to teens; alcohol, drug, and cigarette use by teens; children with asthma; and additional children's health issues); (4) safety (covering child deaths, teen deaths, homeless children, homeless youth, juveniles referred to family court, children and domestic violence, and child abuse and neglect); and (5) education (covering infant and preschool child care, children enrolled in Head Start, school-age child care, children receiving child care subsidies, full-day kindergarten, fourth-grade reading proficiency, children enrolled in special education, school attendance, suspensions, high school graduation rate, and teens not in school and not working). The report defines each indicator, describes its significance and trends, provides information on intervention programs, and presents relevant data for the state, each city and town, and an aggregate of the five cities with the highest child poverty rates. The report concludes with a description of the methodology and acknowledgements. (EV)

This Kids Count report examines statewide and county trends in the well-being of Colorado's children. The statistical portrait is based on 24 indicators of well-being: (1) children receiving AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent children); (2) children receiving TANF; (3) children qualifying for free lunch; (4) children in out-of-home placements; (5) births to single women; (6) mothers receiving early prenatal care; (7) low birth weight births; (8) children ages 0-3 with disabilities; (9) children with asthma; (10) children eligible for Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+); (11) CHP+ enrollment; (12) deaths of infants under age 1; (13) deaths of children under age 18; (14) confirmed incidents of abuse/neglect; (15) abuse/neglect referrals; (16) abuse/neglect referrals investigated; (17) child care facility closures; (18) new applications for child care facilities; (19) Child Care Pilot Communities; (20) teen birth rate; (21) three-risk-factor births; (22) teen suicide rate, 5-year average; (23) juvenile crime arrest rate; and (24) committed youth. County-level trends for data are indicated where appropriate, based on 1991, 1994, and 1998 data. The report's findings indicate that significant progress was made toward six Decade of the Child goals: infant mortality rate, immunizations, early prenatal care, deaths from child abuse, teen birth rate, paternity establishment, and teen suicide rate. Numerous strategies are presented to "put data into action." The report also contains a special section on education, which presents information on Colorado's 176 school districts, including student achievement, school enrollment, and ethnicity of students. (EV)

This Kids Count report examines statewide trends and county data on the well-being of Nebraska's children. Section 1 contains a commentary on juvenile justice in Nebraska. Section 2, the bulk of this statistical report, presents findings on indicators of well-being in eight areas: (1) child abuse and neglect/domestic violence (investigated and substantiated cases, reporting, types of abuse, child abuse fatalities in 1999, domestic violence shelters, how domestic violence affects children); (2) early childhood care and education (early childhood development and programs, child care facilities and subsidies, research); (3) economic well-being (TANF, earned income tax credit, single parent families, divorce and child support); (4) education (high school graduates, school dropouts, expelled students, special education); (5) physical and behavioral health (births, prenatal care, low birth weight, births to teens, out-of-wedlock births, immunizations, infant mortality, child deaths, access to health care, blood lead levels, mental health and substance abuse treatment, regional centers, community-based services, youth risk behavior survey); (6) juvenile justice (juvenile arrests, probation, youth rehabilitation and treatment centers, victims of rape, adult jail and parole for juveniles); (7) nutrition (food stamps, USDA nutrition programs); and (8) out-of-home care and adoption (out-of-home care, state foster care review board, children in out-of-home care, licensed and approved foster homes, lack of foster care homes, multiple placements, race and ethnicity, adoption services). Section 3 presents county data notes. Section 4 presents specific county data in table form. Sections 5 through 7 present information concerning methodology, data sources, definitions, references, and Kids Count Team members. (SD)

Intended to inform policymaking in the public and private sectors, this booklet compiles secondary data for 59 health status indicators. The book provides both graphical and textual summaries of data and addresses long-term trends where applicable. Data are presented for the target populations of Title V funding: infants, children, adolescents, children with special health care needs, and women of childbearing age. In addition to health status, the book addresses health services utilization and population characteristics. Following the introduction, which discusses trends and issues in children's health, the booklet has six sections: (1) "Population Characteristics," including children in poverty, maternal age, working mothers, and school dropouts; (2) "Health Status," discussing the health issues related to infants, children, and adolescents; (3) "Health Services and Utilization," including health care financing, vaccination coverage levels, physician visits, service utilization by children with chronic conditions, hospital utilization, and prenatal care; (4) "State-Specific Data," including data tables on infant and neonatal mortality, prenatal care, low birth weight, births to women under 18, Medicaid information, and health insurance; (5) "City Data," focusing on comparisons between cities with populations over 100,000 and national data on infant mortality, low birth weight, and prenatal care; and (6) "Healthy People 2010 Objectives." (Contains 34 references.) (EV)

This Kids Count data book for 2000 examines statewide and county level trends in the well-being of Michigan's children. The statistical portrait is based on indicators of well-being in the areas of: (1) economic security; (2) child health; (3) child safety; (4) adolescence; and (5) education. Part 1 of the data book reviews Michigan's progress on a selected group of child well-being indicators included in the national Healthy People 2000, noting that the state is not close to achieving most of them. Most achievements have been made among the adolescent measures, particularly in reducing violence and pregnancies. Trends in maternal and child health have either been flat throughout the decade or show stalled improvement. Measures for children showed mixed results. Part 2 of the data book features an in-depth discussion of childhood asthma, its effects on children, risk factors for the disease, the scope of the problem in Michigan, initiatives to control and combat asthma, and recommendations for further action. Part 3 summarizes findings of children's well-being compared to other states and summarizes trends represented in the state profile. This part notes that in the past decade, Michigan has shown the most extensive improvements in education and in mortality rates. However, access to health care and economic security worsened between 1988 and 1998. Part 4, comprising the bulk of the data book, presents profiles of child well-being statewide and for each county. The report concludes with data notes and sources. (KB)

This Kids Count report examines state and countywide trends in the well-being of Florida's children. Demographic information is presented along with a statistical portrait for the state and for each county based on the following indicators: (1) births, including births to unwed mothers, teen births, early prenatal care, low birth weight, and infant mortality and deaths; (2) well-being, including child deaths, teen violent deaths, dissolutions of marriage with children affected, and child abuse and neglect; (3) youth and the law, including delinquency and transfers to adult court; and (4) education, including graduation rate, nonpromotions, dropouts, disciplinary actions, academic performance on standardized tests, and students eligible to participate in free/reduced lunches. The bulk of the report presents state and countywide data on demographics and the indicators for 1998-99. The report's 13 appendices list state- and countywide data, with some indicators listed by race or age categories. The report concludes with information on terminology and data sources. (SD)

This Kids Count data book examines statewide trends in the well-being of Connecticut's children. The report first examines how well children have faired during the past 100 years in terms of economics, education, health and safety, and race relations, and how they are doing at the start of the 21st century. This section also outlines the state's objectives or vision for children and the underlying principles of this vision. Following demographic information, the bulk of the report provides a statistical portrait of Connecticut's children based on 17 indicators of well-being: (1) family setting; (2) children in families receiving welfare benefits; (3) children receiving free or reduced-price school meals; (4) high school employment; (5) births to teen mothers; (6) low birthweight; (7) infant mortality; (8) late or no prenatal care; (9) physical fitness tests; (10) preschool experience; (11) performance on Connecticut Mastery Test; (12) performance on Connecticut Academic Performance Test; (13) high school dropout rates; (14) child abuse/neglect; (15) child deaths; (16) preventable teen deaths; and (17) juvenile violent crime arrests. Among the findings, the report indicates that the number of families receiving welfare benefits has decreased; the number of high school students working in excess of 16 hours per week has increased; births to teen mothers have decreased but the number still remains large; infant mortality has decreased as has the problem of late or no prenatal care; and the rate of high school dropouts has improved, as have child abuse/neglect rates. The number of juvenile violent crime arrests has increased. The remaining section of the report provides the child well-being information organized by region rather than indicator. Data sources and notes and a description of the methodology conclude the report. (HTH)

The LINKAGES Project is intended to improve breastfeeding and related complementary feeding and maternal dietary practices. The project, in consultation with technical experts and program managers, identified a set of recommended feeding and dietary practices intended to break the cycle of poor health and nutrition that passes from generation to generation. This booklet presents the technical justification for the recommendations, focusing on: a summary of recommended feeding and dietary practices for infants age 0-6 months (e.g., initiate breastfeeding within about 1 hour of birth, establish good breastfeeding skills, and breastfeed exclusively); breastfed children age 6-24 months (continue frequent, on-demand breastfeeding to 24 months and beyond, introduce complementary food around age 6 months, increase food quantity as the child ages while maintaining frequent breastfeeding, practice active feeding, and practice good hygiene and proper food handling); and adolescent girls (age 10-19 years) and women of reproductive age (e.g., increase food intake as needed, diversify the diet to improve quality and micronutrient intake, use iodized salt, and allow adequate tie between the cessation of lactation and the next pregnancy to replace and build up energy and micronutrient reserves). (SM)

Intended to inform policymaking in the public and private sectors, this booklet compiles secondary data for 54 health status indicators. The book provides both graphical and textual summaries of data, and addresses long-term trends where applicable. Data are presented for the target populations of Title V funding: infants, children, adolescents, and women of childbearing age. In addition to health status, the book addresses health services utilization and population characteristics. Following the introduction, which discusses trends and issues in children's health, the booklet has six sections: (1) "Population Characteristics," including children in poverty, maternal age, working mothers, and school dropouts; (2) "Health Status," discussing the health issues related to infants, children, and adolescents; (3) "Health Services and Utilization," including health care financing, vaccination coverage levels, physician visits, service utilization by children with chronic conditions, hospital utilization, and prenatal care; (4) "State-Specific Data," including data tables on infant and neonatal mortality, prenatal care, low birth weight, births to women under 18, Medicaid information, and health care financing; (5) "City Data," focusing on comparisons between cities with populations over 100,000 and national data on infant mortality, low birth weight, and prenatal care; and (6) "Progress towards Healthy People 2000," summarizing progress toward several prevention objectives. (Contains 32 references.) (HTH)

Minnesota Planning developed the Children's Report Card in 1994 to help the state and its 87 counties gauge the well-being of Minnesota's children and youth. The report was created as an extension of Minnesota Milestones, a long-range plan for the state and a tool to measure results which was developed by Minnesota Planning in 1992. For the first time, this 1999 report card is organized around 6 of the 19 Milestones goals. The new structure is intended to strengthen the state's ability to track trends. With a focus on county-level data on children and youth, the report card presents data on 6 new indicators and 5 revised indicators. The indicators are: (1) children in poverty; (2) children in families receiving welfare; (3) children from low-income families; (4) school transfers; (5) births by teens; (6) children placed out of home; (7) child abuse and neglect; (8) physical abuse; (9) sexual abuse; (10) family alcohol abuse; (11) prenatal care; (12) low birth-weight babies; (13) on-time immunization; (14) third-grade assessment; (15) basic standards; (16) high school graduation; (17) infant mortality; (18) exercise and physical activity; (19) suicide attempts; (20) smoking and tobacco use; (21) alcohol use; (22) sexual activity; (23) volunteering; (24) fighting; (25) driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs; and (26) juvenile apprehensions. The report card notes positive trends, specifically higher rates of on-time immunization, improved scores on elementary assessment tests, lower rates of infant mortality, fewer suicide attempts, reduced sexual activity, more volunteering, and less fighting. Negative trends noted are a greater proportion of low-income children, increased school transfers, increase in low birth-weight babies, and higher rates of juvenile apprehensions. (EV)

This report presents nationwide data on the well-being of America's children. The statistical report is based on indicators of child well-being such as family income and mortality rates. The first part of the report, "Population and Family Characteristics," presents data that illustrate the changes that have taken place during the past few decades in six key demographic measures, including children as a proportion of the U.S. population, family structure, and difficulty speaking English. The second part of the report, "Indicators of Children's Well-Being," presents data on 26 key indicators in the following areas: (1) Economic Security, including family income, secure parental employment, housing, and access to health care; (2) Health, including activity limitation, infant and child mortality rates, and immunization rates; (3) Behavior and Social Environment, including substance abuse, and youth victims and perpetrators of serious violent crimes; (4) Education, including family reading to young children, and youth neither enrolled in school nor working; and (5) Special Features, which covers children who have difficulty performing everyday activities. For each background measure in the report's first section and for each indicator in the second section, three types of information are presented: a short statement about why the measure or indicator is important to understanding the condition of children, figures showing important facts about trends or population groups for each indicator, and highlights with information on current status, recent trends, and important differences by population groups noted. Two appendices contain detailed tables of data and data source descriptions. Among the findings, the report notes that the percentage of children living with two parents has remained stable since 1996, but there are large differences across racial and ethnic groups. Although the poverty rate of children has remained about the same since 1980, shifts in the proportion of children living in families with high income and those living in extreme poverty reflect a growing income disparity among children. While the mortality rate for almost all groups of children continues to fall, it has fallen most dramatically among black children, ages 1 to 4; this rate, however, remains almost twice the rate for whites. The number of youth who were victims of violent crime has declined since 1993, as have the number of juveniles as perpetrators of violent crimes. Preschool enrollment has increased among black, non-Hispanic children, and among children living in poverty. (HTH)

This Kids Count report examines statewide and county trends in the well-being of Colorado's children. The statistical portrait is based on 12 indicators of well-being: (1) infant mortality; (2) low birth weight births; (3) immunizations; (4) child poverty; (5) early prenatal care; (6) child abuse deaths; (7) health insurance; (8) paternity establishment; (9) teen births; (10) teen suicide rate; (11) youth unemployment; and (12) high school graduations. The report begins with a discussion of progress toward the Decade of the Child goals set for the year 2000. The bulk of the report details county- and state-level demographic, economic, health, education, and safety data. County-level trends for data are indicated where appropriate, based on 1991, 1994, and 1997 data. The report's findings indicate that infant mortality, early prenatal care, percentage of young children who are fully immunized, paternity establishment, the number of children dying from abuse or neglect, teen birth rate, and teen suicide rate have all shown improvement since 1990. Low birth weight births and high school graduation rates have worsened during the 1990s. (KB)

This Kids Count data book provides statistics on the well-being of children in Louisiana. Data are provided for the state as a whole and for each of Louisiana's 64 parishes. An introduction summarizes findings for 1999, and a final section summarizes trends in the data over the past several years. Indicators used in the report to measure child well-being are: (1) population; (2) poverty; (3) employment and income (median family income, percent and number unemployed); (4) children receiving aid from Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP), Medicaid, food stamps, Women Infants and Children (WIC) program, child care assistance, and FINDWORK child care; (5) maternal and child health (percent births to teens, percent low birth weight, percent women receiving adequate prenatal care, infant mortality rate, immunization rates); (6) children in trouble (children in custody/under supervision of Office of Youth Development, crimes against property, crimes against persons); (7) child abuse and neglect (physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, children in foster care); and (8) public education (registration, per pupil expenditure, teacher salary, exceptional children program, dropout rates). (EV)

This Kids Count report highlights state and countywide findings on key indicators affecting the educational and life success of Ohio's children. The statistical portrait is based on five indicators: (1) fourth graders' performance on the Ohio fourth grade reading proficiency test; (2) number of children receiving child care assistance or participating in Head Start programs; (3) children's health status; (4) participation in programs that alleviate poverty and promote self-sufficiency; and (5) family movement from welfare to work. Findings indicated that 68 percent of the fourth graders taking the reading proficiency test in 1998 passed; under new 1999 proficiency standards, only 47 percent would have passed. More than $277 million was available in fiscal year 1999 for child care assistance, with a monthly participation of 62,618 children. Head Start participation was 57,159 children in 1998. About 40 percent of Ohio infants born in 1997 had at least one risk factor. In 1997 almost 8 percent of infants were born at low birthweight. The number of children enrolled in Medicaid in December, 1998 was 560,731 and was expected to increase by approximately 104,000. Over 670,000 Ohio families received the federal Earned Income Credit in 1997. Thirty-four percent of families owed child support received at least one cash payment in 1997, up from 21 percent in 1990. Ohio public assistance caseloads dropped by 46 percent from September 1995 to September 1998. However, more than 26,077 Ohio adults may use up their time limit by October, 2000. The report concludes with data definitions, data sources, and calculations. (KB

This Kids Count report provides information on state and countywide trends in the well-being of New Jersey's children between 1990 and 1998. The statistical portrait is based on 19 social indicators: (1) children receiving AFDC/TANF; (2) children receiving food stamps; (3) children receiving Medicaid; (4) Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program enrollees; (5) number of births; (6) percent of births with low birth weight; (7) percent of births receiving no prenatal care; (8) infant mortality rates; (9) number of births to teens; (10) child death rates; (11) teen death rates; (12) juvenile arrest rates; (13) juvenile commitment rates; (14) child abuse; (15) family problems; (16) out of home placements; (17) percent of students scoring level 3 (not proficient) on the reading, writing, and mathematics sections of the Early Warning Test; (18) percentage of 11th grade students passing the state's high school proficiency test; and (19) percent of students taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and their average math and reading scores. Following the state profile, the report presents profiles for each county, then presents the data by indicator for each county. The remainder of the report presents profiles for selected New Jersey cities. A glossary is included. The report shows improvement since 1990 in indicators of economic well being and of child health, but the rate of teen deaths has increased, as have the number of juvenile arrests and commitments. Child welfare indicators also show improvement since 1993. (HTH)

This Kids Count factbook is the fifth to examine statewide and county trends in the well-being of Maryland's children. The statistical portrait is based on indicators in the domains of economic well-being, good health, safety, and preparing for adulthood. The 16 indicators are: (1) child poverty; (2) child support; (3) births to teens; (4) low birth weight infants; (5) infant mortality; (6) early prenatal care; (7) binge drinking; (8) child abuse and neglect; (9) child death rate; (10) teen violent death; (11) school violence; (12) juvenile violent crime arrests; (13) nonviolent juvenile criminal arrests; (14) third grade reading; (15) on-time graduation; and (16) high school completion. The report presents key findings about Maryland's children and describes how Maryland counties rank and how the state ranks nationwide. The bulk of the report presents state and county level data on demographic information and the above indicators from the mid 1980s to the late 1990s. Key findings indicated that there were improvements in percentage of babies born to teenage mothers, percentage of paying child support cases, infant mortality rate, percentage of third grade students performing satisfactorily or above on the reading portion of the Maryland State Performance Assessment Program, teen violent death rate, nonviolent juvenile crime arrests, and the percentage of women beginning prenatal care in the first trimester. There was an increase in child poverty, violence-related arrests, and binge drinking. The report concludes with an appendix presenting data by county on the indicators and information on methodology and data sources. (KB)

This Kids Count data book for 1999 examines statewide and county level trends in the well-being of Michigan's children, featuring available data on young adolescents, ages 10 to 14. The statistical portrait is based on 15 indicators of well-being: (1) child poverty; (2) free and reduced price lunch; (3) inadequate prenatal care; (4) low birthweight infants; (5) infant mortality; (6) child deaths; (7) children in families investigated for abuse or neglect; (8) substantiated victims of abuse or neglect; (9) children in out-of-home care; (10) births to teens, ages 15 to 17; (11) teen deaths by accident, homicide, or suicide; (12) index crime arrests; (13) high school dropouts; (14) students enrolled in special education; and (15) students with inadequate mathematics skills. Section 1 of the report discusses young adolescent well-being with regard to community connections, health, and education, and notes that many communities have adopted a proactive approach to youth development. Section 2 summarizes the latest state trends and includes a state map with county child poverty estimates. Section 3 reviews the background indicators of child population, childcare and early education, family support programs, childhood lead poisoning, and immunization. Section 4 analyzes each trend indicator. Section 5, the bulk of the report, presents state and county profiles. Data indicate that there have been improvements in indicators related to adolescents. However, economic security indicators have shown declines, and there have been mixed results in child health, child safety, and education. (KB)

This KIDS COUNT databook is the fifth annual profile examining statewide trends in the well-being of Rhode Island's children. The statistical portrait is based on 30 indicators in 5 areas: (1) family and community (covering child population and children in single-parent families); (2) economic well-being (covering median household income, cost of rent, children in poverty, children in the Family Independence Program, children in families receiving food stamps, and children receiving school breakfast); (3) health (covering children's health insurance; women and children receiving WIC; women with delayed prenatal care; low birth weight infants; infant mortality; children with lead poisoning; births to teens; alcohol, drug, and cigarette use by teens; children with asthma; and additional children's health issues); (4) safety (covering child deaths, teen deaths, homeless children, homeless youth, juveniles referred to family court, and child abuse and neglect); and (5) education (covering infant and preschool child care, children enrolled in Head Start, school-age child care, fourth-grade reading proficiency, children enrolled in special education, high school graduation rate, and teens not in school and not working). The report defines each indicator, describes its significance and trends, provides information on intervention programs, and presents relevant data for the state, each city and town, and an aggregate of the five cities with the highest child poverty rates. The report concludes with a description of the methodology and acknowledgements. (EV)

The Kids Count Data Book examines trends in the well-being of Kansas children. This statistical portrait is based on trends in 22 indicators of child well-being, grouped into 5 areas: (1) economic well-being--births to single teens, child poverty rates, free school meals, and family economic assistance; (2) physical health and safety--childhood deaths, infant mortality, early prenatal care, immunization rates, and low birth-weight infants; (3) childhood care and education--Head Start participation, child care availability, high school graduates pursuing post-secondary education and training, births to mothers with less than a high school degree, and high school graduation rates; (4) emotional well-being--out-of-home placement, teen violent deaths, and reported and substantiated child abuse and neglect; and (5) social behavior and social control--juvenile court filings, youth alcohol use and binge drinking, and youth who have ever used drugs other than alcohol. Following an executive summary, Section 1 of the report discusses welfare reform in Kansas and makes recommendations for strengthening the safety net for families no longer receiving welfare services. Section 2 consists of tables detailing findings for each indicator by county and statewide. Section 3, the bulk of the report, presents statistics for each county, a graphic and narrative description of trends, and demographic information. Among the findings, the data book shows significant improvement in immunization rates, infant mortality, childhood death, teen violent death rates, youth drug use, and Head Start participation. Concerns were evident in reports and substantiations of child abuse or neglect, juvenile court filings, childhood poverty rates, and low birth-weight infants. Information on data sources is appended. (KB)

This Kids Count report examines statewide trends in the well-being of Pennsylvania's children. The statistical portrait is based on trends in 17 indicators of child well being: (1) birth weight; (2) early prenatal care; (3) infant mortality; (4) substantiated cases of child abuse or neglect; (5) out-of-home placements; (6) delinquent children placed out-of-home; (7) Head Start enrollments; (8) regulated child care capacity; (9) public school dropouts; (10) child mortality; (11) child enrollment in Medicaid; (12) enrollment in Children's Health Insurance Program; (13) children receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Aid to Families with Dependent Children; (14) births to single mothers under age 20; (15) child poverty; (16) children in single-parent families; and (17) unemployment and income. The report is presented in six sections. Section 1 summarizes the findings. Section 2 provides statewide indicator information, including graphic multi-year profiles of the state as a whole; urban, rural, and mixed counties as groups; and Pennsylvania's racial and ethnic minority populations. Section 3 presents information organized by indicator. For each indicator, a two-page map and table show how each county fares on the indicator and how it compares to other counties. The table also compares each county with others in its population category. Section 4 provides profiles of each county, with graphs of multi-year trends, usually from 1983. There are also county-level racial/ethnic breakdowns and municipality breakouts. Section 5 charts performance, resources, and student statistics for all public school districts. Section 6, the report's appendix, defines indicators and lists data sources. Among the findings, the report indicates progress in the areas of regulated child care capacity, enrollment in Head Start, and substantiated reports of child abuse and neglect. The report also indicates negative progress in the areas of children living in poverty, child death rate, children in single parent homes, and children in foster care. (KB)

This Kids Count factbook details statewide trends in the well-being of Wyoming's children. Following an overview of key indicators and data sources, the factbook documents trends by county for 20 indicators, including the following: (1) poverty and population; (2) welfare reform; (3) certified day care facilities; (4) births; (5) infant deaths; (6) early prenatal care; (7) percent of low birth weight babies; (8) children with developmental disabilities; (9) births to mothers who smoked during pregnancy; (10) births to teens; (11) births to unmarried mothers; (12) teenage motor vehicle deaths; (13) teenage suicides; (14) teen violent deaths; (15) juvenile arrests; and (16) dropout rates. The remainder of the factbook presents state and county profiles based on the above listed indicators. The statistical findings show the following: a decrease in the trends of child population, teenage birth rate, the number of children receiving economic assistance, teen violent deaths, and infant mortality; an increase in the trends in the number of dropouts, poverty, percent of low birth weight babies, and babies born to unwed mothers. The factbook concludes with information on Wyoming Children's Action Alliance Partnership, how adults can advocate for children, and members of Wyoming's 55th legislature. (HTH)

This is the fourth edition of an annual report on trends in the well-being of America's children and youth. Part 1 of the report describes national trends for over 90 indicators of child and youth well-being based on data collected by the federal government. The information provided for each indicator includes one or more tables documenting recent historical trends and important population subgroup differences, graphics to highlight key trends and group contrasts, and accompanying text that describes the importance of each indicator and highlights the most salient features of the data. The indicators are grouped into five substantive areas: (1) population, family, and neighborhood; (2) economic security; (3) health conditions and health care; (4) social development, behavioral health, and teen fertility; and (5) education and achievement. Part 2 of the report examines changes in risk-taking among high school students from 1991-1997, while part 3 documents the co-occurrence of teen health risk behaviors. (HTH)

This Kids Count report examines statewide and county trends in the well-being of West Virginia's children. Following a summary which describes overall findings, the bulk of the report presents the statistical portrait, based on 12 indicators of well-being: (1) percent low birth weight babies; (2) infant mortality rate; (3) child death rate; (4) percent of eligible children served by Head Start; (5) percent children approved for free and reduced school meals; (6) child abuse/neglect rate; (7) teen birth rate; (8) percent births to unmarried teens; (9) percent high school dropouts; (10) juvenile delinquency case rate; (11) teen violent death rate; and (12) percent births to mothers with less than a twelfth-grade education. Trends for data are indicated where appropriate, based on 1990 and 1997 data. Statewide, several indicators show improvement, while the rates of low birth weight babies, children approved for free and reduced school meals, births to unmarried teens, and juvenile delinquency have increased. The report includes a special section on day care in West Virginia. (EV)

This Kids Count report details trends in the well-being of the District of Columbia's children. Following an executive summary, which describes overall findings, the bulk of the report presents the statistical portrait-based on eight areas of children's well-being: (1) general population trends; (2) economic security; (3) family attachment and community support; (4) homeless children and families; (5) child health; (6) safety and personal security; (7) education; and (8) selected indicators by ward. The third section addresses children and youth with special needs, including special education, early childhood special needs populations, building a safety net for children at risk for disabilities, and health care availability and quality for children with special needs. The fourth section offers several D.C. Kids Count strategies and recommendations for improving the well-being of the District's children and youth. The final two sections provide further information on data gathering and acknowledgments. The report finds that, although many indicators show improvement this year, much remains to be done. (EV)