Report shows Michigan falls behind in supporting children

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – A new report showed that children in Michigan don’t receive the same level of support as children in other states. Researchers found, in Michigan support for everything from education to health is lacking.

Michigan falls in the bottom half of states in family and community factors, economic security, education and health.

“If they are not accessing a good education, health care things like that they’re gonna perform not so well in other areas of their life,” said Wilson.

Ashia Wilson is a program coordinator for an advocacy program in Lansing and has seen a lot of families struggle to provide for their kids.

Kids Count policy director Anne Kuhnen said in order to change Michigan’s ranking, the state needs to invest more into children and their families. Kuhnen said in areas we do invest a lot in, such as children’s access to health insurance, Michigan is doing well.

While Michigan as a whole ranks low on the scale for a child’s well-being, Northwest Initiative in Lansing is doing its best to help change those statistics.

“Our main mission is to primarily work with our low-income families to provide resources to them, emergency services, and teach them about nutrition education,” Peggy Vaughn-Payne.

Helping Children in Lansing succeed.

The Michigan League for Public Policy will be releasing a Kids Count Data Book in August focusing on child well-being in Michigan, highlighting specific counties.

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