Topic: Child Health & Safety

New report shows Oklahoma led nation in improving health insurance coverage, but more than 75,000 Oklahoma children remain uninsured

The rate of Oklahoma children without health care insurance decreased significantly – from 8.6 percent to 7.4 percent between 2019 and 2021, according to a new report from the Georgetown Center for Children and Families. This marked the nation’s largest… Read more [More...]

2022 KIDS COUNT Report Shows Oklahoma Ranks 40th for Child Well-Being, Still Lags Nation

Data from 2020 show nearly 1 in 8 Oklahoma children reported anxiety or depression, according to new Annie E. Casey Foundation report 2022 KIDS COUNT Data Book Oklahoma 2022 KIDS COUNT Fact Sheet Oklahoma KIDS COUNT Data Map dashboard —… Read more [More...]

Tribal-state coordination to prioritize Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare is one way to improve child well-being

Note: References to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in this article will focus on the federal laws, unless otherwise specifically referencing Oklahoma’s state laws related to the Indian Child Welfare Act. — As a state with a high population… Read more [More...]

Increasing economic security in Oklahoma can strengthen families, assist in child abuse prevention (Child Abuse Prevention Month)

When it comes to providing meaningful solutions to stopping child maltreatment, Oklahoma should focus on addressing poverty, which is intrinsically linked with child maltreatment, particularly neglect. If Oklahoma leaders really want to make children a priority in this state, then improving economic stability for their families is the first step.  [More...]

KIDS COUNT 2021: Smart policy decisions can help improve Oklahoma’s dismal child well-being outcomes

Oklahoma children need housing, food, health care, educational opportunities, and stable, nurturing environments to succeed. These essentials, however, are out of reach for many Oklahomans as the result of poverty, structural racism, and other barriers. [More...]

Oklahoma’s children need funding to recover from the COVID-19 crisis

If we want Oklahoma’s children to recover quickly from the COVID-19 crisis and grow up to be healthy, thriving adults, then now is the time to increase our investment in the programs that provide the stability that our children need. [More...]

‘Safe at Home’ slows virus outbreak, but endangers domestic violence survivors (Guest Post: Molly Bryant)

As Oklahoma families hunker down in their homes because of the COVID-19 outbreak, many domestic violence advocates are bracing for the increase in family violence. While essential for public health, the so-called “safe at home” policies have isolated domestic violence survivors with their abusers under tense conditions making them, ironically, less safe at home. [More...]

New report shows number of uninsured children rising in Oklahoma

The report found that 8.2 percent of Oklahoma children in 2018 did not have health insurance, up from 8.1 percent the previous year. [More...]

New KIDS COUNT Data Book ranks Oklahoma in bottom 10 states for child well-being

Oklahoma ranks in the bottom 10 states in the nation for child well-being, according to the 2019 KIDS COUNT® Data Book released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. With an overall ranking of 42nd out of all 50 states,… Read more [More...]

Money matters for child development. Healthier finances means a healthier future for children in Oklahoma.

Policies that support low-income families improve the well-being of children. Policymakers have a number of options for improving economic prospects for Oklahoma’s working families and in turn improving health - including their mental health. Two practical changes are to restore the refundability of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and increase the minimum wage. Both of these policy changes would provide more economic stability for families, reducing the risk of childhood trauma and poor mental health outcomes that stem from these adverse experiences. Improving the financial well-being of families creates healthier and economically thriving communities. [More...]