Linda Jensen: Now, more than ever, Idaho must invest in kids' futures

What are Idaho kids thinking about these days? Chances are that many, if not most, are worrying about today, tomorrow and the future. As jobs remain scarce and families continue to lose their homes, the collateral damage of the Great Recession is being felt by our smallest and most vulnerable citizens: our children.

This was the message released in a recent Idaho Kids Count report that was based on focus groups, interviews, surveys and statistics delivered by experts in children and family well-being, and the economy. The "Small Faces in a Big Recession" report includes sobering information on how Idaho's kids are suffering and will continue to suffer in the future unless the public and political will is strong enough to demand action to strengthen the safety net. It is imperative that our state recognize that investing in children now is not only good for our children, but also for the common good as our long-term recovery will require that children are able to contribute at their maximum potential.

Some important findings from this report include the foreboding prediction by the Child Well-being Index that virtually all of the progress made in family economic well-being since 1975 will be wiped away. This means that more children will be living in poverty or under economic stress; more children will have health problems like obesity and childhood diabetes as diets include more fast food to save money; more children will go without health care because parents have lost their insurance coverage; and more children will suffer abuse and neglect as a result of parents breaking under mounting stress.

The statistical and personal data is compelling. Idaho's big economic boom in the early 2000s has been followed by an even bigger economic bust, leaving many families with children bewildered about their new status as the "new poor."

Support systems are cracking under the overwhelming demand. At the same time, state budgets are being slashed. What were once smaller cracks in community systems are now large gaps where more people are getting lost or left behind. The cost of being left behind has gone up. Going without health care used to mean not filling a cavity; now, many refuse ambulance rides or needed emergency room visits.

To make matters worse, Idaho is predicted to have a long jobless recovery as housing and job markets continue to stagnate.

So what's the best medicine to stop the pain and help kids?

One obvious answer is to take full advantage of federal stimulus funds targeted to support children and families during the economic downturn.

Unfortunately, to date, Idaho is the ninth-slowest state in the nation to apply for and receive federal stimulus dollars as a result of investing only 17 percent of available funds.

The remaining available funds can be used to plug critical gaps in programs like Medicaid, child care and education. Accessing all available federal funds is critical to stabilizing the safety net now, in order to prevent much higher costs to children in our economy in the future.

If you want you learn more about what researchers, kids, parents, and providers have to say about this very important topic, visit the Idaho Kids Count Web site at www.idahokidscount.org.

Linda Jensen is the director of Idaho Kids Count.