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S.E. Idaho Statistics & Info

on Child Health, Safety and Welfare

Note: We don't post negative statistics and information in order to trash Idaho. We do believe that knowledge is power, and that if we don't acknowledge this information, we can do nothing to improve the situation.

Conference: Idahoans commit suicide at a rate 35 percent higher than the national average
AP: Legislative evaluators report failings in Idaho's child-care services
Idaho falls to lowest-ever rating on child issues
Idaho's eighth-graders doing poorly in math
Idaho strengthens life jacket laws
Proposed Law (to Restrain Children Older Than 3 in Vehicles and to Bump Penalty for Seat Belt Violations) is Killed
Children Visit Capitol to Protest Cap on CHIP Program
Police Still Not Allowed to Stop Cars Primarily for Seat Belt Offenses
Idaho DHW Given Award for "Increased Adoptions:
Poverty
Reading Skills
Congressional Records on Child Issues
Child Abandonment
Seat Belt Usage
Child Abuse
Immunizations

Conference: Idahoans commit suicide 35 percent more often than the national average: According to an AP story reported Nov. 26, 2002, in the Idaho State Journal, Idahoans kill themselves at a rate 35 percent higher than the national average. This statistic was reported at a three-day conference sponsored by the Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network and the Idaho Suicide Prevention Organization. According to the AP story, "factors putting one at high risk for suicide include lack of access to mental health care, substance abuse, recent loss of a loved one, incarceration or a history of family abuse or suicide."

AP: Legislative evaluators report failings in Idaho's child-care services: In a Nov. 23, 2002, AP story, legislative evaluators reported that Idaho fell behind several other states in improving services through the Idaho Child Care Program, while also "severely" restricting participation. The program provides child care for low-income families while parents receiving job training or are working. The evaluators also reported that child care standards in Idaho are much lower than in many other states: Idaho's ratio for group care of one adult for every 12 children younger than 5 is among the highest in the nation. State officials said the limitations were due to financial considerations. The evaluators declined to recommend changes.

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Idaho falls to lowest-ever rating on child issues: According to the 2002 Kids Count survey, Idaho's national ranking on child-related issues fell from 23rd in the nation to 28th -- the lowest-ever rating Idaho has received since the Kids Count surveys began in 1990. The annual survey is conducted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and is based on issues such as welfare reform, work statistics, poverty levels, infant mortality, teen births, single parent statistics, and health insurance.

Idaho's eighth-graders doing poorly in math: According to a report published in the May 1, 2002, issue of the Idaho State Journal, "more than half of Idaho eighth-graders recorded less-than-satisfactory scores on the latest Direct Math Assessment" although an improvement was noted in the overall average. Sixty percent of eighth-graders received a "below satisfactory" score in math in the previous year, while 53 percent received that score this year.

Idaho strengthens life jacket laws: In April 2002, Idaho legislators implemented a $75 fine when children younger than 15 are found without life jackets and aboard a boat that's 19 feet long or less. Since the mid-1980s, Idaho has required life jackets to be aboard boats for everyone on board (although no one had to wear them). In 2001, legislators mandated that anyone on personal watercraft or being towed behind boats in some fashion be wearing life jackets.

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Proposed law (to restrain children older than 3 in vehicles and to bump penalty for seat belt violations) is killed: In March, 2002, the House Transportation Committee killed efforts to expand mandatory seat-belt requirements to any passenger younger than 16. Idaho's law is one of the worst in the nation Current law requires passengers age 3 and younger and weighing less than 40 pounds to be restrained. Even this law can be contravened, however, if all seat belts are in use by others or if someone is holding the child in order to nurse or to attend to "other immediate physiological needs." The proposed bill, had it passed, also would have bumped the penalty for seat belt violations from $5 to $25. Reportedly, Republican Rep. Ken Roberts said, "There's no guarantee that usage would go up, based on a law."

Children go to Capitol to protest cap on CHIP program: Almost 70 children from various parts of Idaho (reportedly members of Youth in Action - a branch of the lobbyist group Idaho Community Action Network) went to the Capitol Feb. 18 in protest of a proposal to put a $3.8 million ceiling on the state's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP serves about 12,000 low-income children in Idaho. Last year, Idaho legislators voted to eliminate money for advertising programs that tell the public about CHIP.

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Police not allowed to stop cars primarily for seat belt offenses: In mid-February, 2002, Idaho's Senate Judiciary Committee decided not to allow police to stop motorists for failing to wear seat belts. Police may cite motorists, however, if they are stopped for another offense (the penalty for a seat-belt offense is $5). An Associated Press article (printed Feb. 14 in the Idaho State Journal) said the hour-long hearing on the proposal resulted in a 5-4 vote against, and that during the hearing proposal, critics reportedly argued that there is no statistical correlation between seat belt use and reduced injuries or fatalities. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the National SAFE KIDS Campaign do suggest correlations between seat belt use and reduced injuries and fatalities.

Also according to the AP article, proposal critics argued that "Idaho's fatality rate compared to the national rate is lower than it used to be even though the state hasn't adopted a mandatory seat belt law." But "lower than it used to be" still might not be that good. In 1999, Idaho's overall fatality rate of 13.82 per 100,000 people more than doubled the national average of 6.72. Only seven states had a lower seat-belt use rate than Idaho's 58.6 percent. The national average of seat belt use in that year was 71 percent.

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Idaho Department of Health and Welfare given award for "Increased Adoptions": In November 2001, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Family and Community Services won an "Adoption Excellence Award" in the category of "Increased Adoptions" from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The award was given to the department for its public service announcements highlighting children waiting for adoption. According to the U.S. DHHS, in two years, 87 out of the 133 hardest to place children in Idaho and Eastern Oregon have found homes, and 10 other children are awaiting final selection of adoptive families (a 128 percent increase in Idaho's statewide adoption figures for fiscal year 1999). Meanwhile, across the nation, another estimated 134,000 children in public foster care are waiting for adoptive homes. The majority of the children have special needs, such as a history of maltreatment or physical, mental or learning disabilities; or, they may be of older age (between 7 and 16) or part of a sibling group.

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Poverty cited as No. 1 threat: In July 2001, Douglas Fagerness, president of the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children, reportedly called poverty the No. 1 threat to the health and education of Idaho children. According to a study by Boise State University, 35 percent of Idaho school children qualify for free or reduced lunches. And, although ChildStats.gov said in 2001 that the number of U.S. children living in poverty is declining, the J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Foundation reportedly said that the number in Idaho is increasing.

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Tests Show Half of Young Readers At Grade Level: In July 2001, test results from the Idaho Reading Initiative showed that 57 percent of kindergartners scored at their grade level -- along with 52 percent of first graders, 53 percent of second graders, and 49 percent of third graders. A July 13, 2001 press release from the state says the students show overall improvement, although comparison between winter and summer testing isn't considered appropriate (different students are tested). We found it worrisome that the percentages are so low, and that there were 345 more students testing at "Below grade level" this spring even though there were 1,385 fewer students taking the test.

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Idaho legislators tie for last in the nation on children's issues: According to the Children's Defense Fund, in 2000, Idaho's congressional representatives' voting records tied for last in the nation on issues affecting children: education, child support, gun safety, food stamps, health insurance and minimum wage. New Hampshire and Oklahoma were the two states tying with Idaho for last. North Dakota and Rhode Island tied for first. For the full report, see the Children's Defense Fund.

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Idaho's child abandonment law takes effect July 1, 2001: Idaho's new child abandonment law, effective July 1, 2001, provides immunity from civil and criminal prosecution for abandonment provided that the child is left at a designated "safe haven." Safe havens include Idaho hospitals, licensed doctor's offices and clinics, and emergency medical personnel responding to a 911 call from a parent relinquishing a child.

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Idaho received failing grade for efforts to improve seat belt usage: The National Safety Council released a report in May 2001 saying that Idaho receives a failing grade (of F) for its efforts to promote seat-belt use to protect against highway deaths. The report discussed the fact that seat-belt violations are only secondary offenses in Idaho, resulting in lowest-in-the-nation fines of $5 for adult violators. Idaho's overall fatality rate of 13.82 per 100,000 people in 1999 more than doubles the national average of 6.72. Only seven states had a lower seat-belt use rate than Idaho's 58.6 percent. The national average was 71 percent.

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Idaho Ranked in Worst Five in 1998 for Children Abused Per Capita: The Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reports that in 1998, the number of Idaho children abused per 1,000 population was 22.6. This put Idaho in the top five, at number four. Alaska was worst, at 37.1; Florida - 23.2; Kentucky - 23.1; and Connecticut - 21.4. The states with the lowest rates were Wisconsin - 6.0; Virginia - 5.9; New Jersey - 4.9; New Hampshire - 3.9; and Pennsylvania (the lowest) - 1.9. North Dakota did not report. The national average was 12.9.

Children's Bureau figures for 1999, however, indicate that Idaho's rates improved dramatically. Substantiated incidents fell to 8.4 per 1,000 population. Nevertheless, even one abused child is too many, and national rates of child abuse are dismal. Thirty states reportedly have rates of child abuse of more than 10.0 per 1,000 population (Alaska is the worst at 30.6, followed by the District of Columbia at 24.2, West Virginia at 21.3, Massachusetts at 20.2, and Kentucky at 19.3). The national average was 11.8 per 1,000 population.

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Idaho Ranks Last for Child Immunizations: According to a report issued in April 2001 by Idaho Kids Count, Idaho still ranks last in the nation for proper immunization for children. Only 69 percent of Idaho's children are properly immunized -- the national average is 78 percent. If your children are behind in their immunizations, call the Idaho Careline 1-800-926-2588 (TDD: 208-332-7205) for help.

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