In the latest 2022 Kids Count in Michigan Data Profile, there’s been improvement in 10 of 14 key areas in the last decade. They include declines in rates of child poverty, and births to teens and children placed in out-of-home care because of abuse or neglect. But Kids Count In Michigan director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, Kelsy Perdue, says improvement is needed in other areas.
“While poverty rates have decreased across the state, there are still 1.5 million people who, between low wages and the high cost of basic necessities, are having a hard time making ends meet,” says Perdue. “That’s still an area that needs action and we see disparity based on where you live in the state, based on race, that also need some attention.”
Perdue says they recommend making some COVID-era policy changes permanent and finding revenue to sustain their efforts after federal relief dollars run out.
