Office of Children’s Mental Health Focuses on Eliminating Childhood Poverty

Office of Children’s Mental Health Director Linda Hall today announces the publication of a new fact sheet Supporting Child Well-being through Eliminating Childhood Poverty, and details what our communities, schools, parents, and policymakers can do to make a difference.

• Growing up in poverty is detrimental to a child’s overall well-being, affecting virtually every area of their life.
• When we stop the cycle of intergenerational poverty, children have an increased opportunity to attend a post-secondary program, achieve higher incomes, live in stable housing, and have better quality and length of life.
• When the cost of childcare, economic safety net programs, and tax burdens placed on low-income workers is considered, the percentage of families living in poverty has been increasing since 2015.
• Adults in households that are struggling often work as cashiers, nursing assistants, laborers, and security guards. Any change in expenses may push them into poverty.
• 70% of Single Female with Children households don’t have enough income to make ends meet, but earn too much for safety net programs.
• Food insecurity and housing instability plague children in poverty, but the pandemic makes it more difficult for families to provide basic needs. Black and Brown families are having a harder time providing basic needs than White families.

What We Can Do

• Parents can encourage and support children to complete high school and avoid risk factors for poverty.
• Communities can remove barriers to child-care and transportation so adults have access to more job opportunities.
• Schools can teach children how to build strong relationship skills to ensure successful school and employment outcomes.
• Policymakers can raise the minimum wage and Earned Income Tax Credits.

See the complete fact sheet

See previous fact sheets

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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