A San Antonio panel discussed the results of a new survey on the well-being of Texas children Thursday and proposed solutions to the state’s ongoing challenges.
According to the 2024 Texas Kids Count Data Book that was released Thursday, about 2.9 million Texas children live in households that are above the poverty line but earn below what would be considered a living wage.Gaps in access to health care , economic insecurity and mental health challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic continue to top the list of challenges currently facing Texas children today, according to apublished in June by the Annie E.
As of 2023, about 12% of Texas children lack health insurance, more than double the national average. The uninsured rate among Texas children has exceeded the national rate each year since at least 2013. In Texas, the rates vary by age in the state with those aged 6 to 18 more likely to be uninsured than those younger than 6 years old.
The state Legislature also can help ensure parents have better access to Medicaid, he added. Two bills filed this session, one in the, would allow parents applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to also enroll their child in Medicaid, if they are eligible. Broad access to online information and internet technologies might be having an impact, said Jessica Knudsen, CEO and president of the Clarity Child Guidance Center. The proximity to technology throughout the day also makes it more difficult for them to create boundaries with it.
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