Michigan’s child poverty rate has climbed to 10%, according to a new report, and it suggests without the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, it would rise to 13%.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation report, called "Measuring Access to Opportunity in the United States," said programs like federal food assistance and tax credits have been vital lifelines for families, helping to prevent even deeper hardship across the state.
Anne Kuhnen, Kids Count policy director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, said the figures demonstrate the need for federal support.
"It certainly shows that with a lot of these policy choices that we have, that can have a real impact on child poverty," Kuhnen asserted. "Child poverty declines when families have access to the resources that they need."
The report uses what is known as the Supplemental Poverty Measure. Advocates said it is a more realistic look at what families actually face. It factors in child care, housing and medical costs, and adjusts for living expenses, which vary across the country.
Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said one thing is clear: Policy choices matter. She stressed when children grow up in poverty, every facet of their well-being, from health to education, can be affected.
"They tend to live in neighborhoods that have high concentrations of poverty, often have higher crime rates," Boissiere pointed out. "Schools tend to have lower resources and consequently, the academic achievement of the children, tends to be lower."
Boissiere emphasized wages and anti-poverty programs simply have not kept pace with the rising costs of housing, child care and health care. The report showed public programs meant to support families lifted 8.5 million U.S. children out of poverty last year.
