12/17/13 - A report by a private foundation says the percentage of young Michigan children qualifying for federal food assistance has jumped in recent years, including in Livingston County. The annual Kids Count in Michigan project says that across Michigan, more than one in three qualified for nutritional help in 2012, up 53 percent from 2005. While Livingston County ranks first in the state for the lowest rate of children receiving such aid, the number of county children from birth to age 5 receiving food aid more than doubled from 812 in 2005 to 1,681 in 2012. Jane Zehnder-Merrell of the Michigan League for Public Policy says it shows that effects of the recession are continuing even though the economic downturn officially ended years ago. She adds that while the state's decreasing unemployment rate is a good thing, but it doesn't tell the whole story. "Much of the job creation is in retail, restaurant, part-time jobs, and we know that the level of the minimum wage really does not help families support children." The study documented that the number of children in Livingston County families investigated for possible abuse and neglect last year was up more than 8% from 2005, while confirmed victims of child abuse jumped 62% locally in that same time frame. Among recommendations in the report are boosting the earned income tax credit, the minimum wage and the child care subsidy. Zehnder-Merrell said that while Governor Snyderâs push to expand early childhood education in the state is paying off, the report should serve as a red flag about how many other areas of the state's budget that affect children and families still need to be addressed. The report does highlight some bright spots, including a decrease in infant, child and teenage mortality rates, as well as a decline in teen birth rates. Also improving were the reportâs education indicators. Livingston County saw a 35% improvement in fourth-grade reading and a 6% improvement in eighth-grade math between 2008 and 2012. The full report is available on the Michigan League for Public Policy's website, and weâve posted a link below. (JK)
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