THE COASTAL PACKET: Maine's child well being rank drops sharply

Saturday, June 25

Maine's child well being rank drops sharply

Maine Public Broadcasting - There's been a sharp decline in Maine's ranking when it comes to overall child well-being.  That's according to the Maine Children's Alliance annual Kids Count Data Book, which indicates that Maine ranks 17th in the nation, dropping five spots from last year. The report, by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, finds that child well-being has improved nationally as a result of federal and state policies, but Maine is among states that have seen a dramatic decline. Claire Berkowitz, executive director of the Maine Children's Alliance, says areas of concern in Maine include an increase in the rate of children without health insurance, an increase in the percentage of low-birth-weight babies and stagnant reading scores.

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