Policy News and Information for South Carolina's Children
Policy Post
June 15, 2017
South Carolina Ranks 39th for Child Well-Being in KIDS COUNT National Report 
South Carolina Demonstrated Positive Improvements with Few Exceptions
The combination of an improving economy and policies benefiting children and families have helped place South Carolina at 39th in the nation for overall child well-being, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual KIDS COUNT Data Book rankings, released Tuesday. South Carolina's ranking outpaces several of its southern neighbors, including Florida (40th) and Georgia (42nd). 

While there were some gains, including a seven percent decline in the number of fourth graders below the reading proficiency level, education remains an area in need of additional improvement in the state. Seventy-four percent of eighth graders score below the math proficiency level, and more than half of the state's young children still do not attend school.
Federal Legislation Introduced to Extend Home Visiting Program
New Bill Calls for a 5 Year Extension and Significant Changes for MIECHV Funding
Children’s Trust is the South Carolina lead agency for the federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program, which is currently set to expire at the end of September 2017. Late last week, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Committee introduced legislation reauthorizing MIECHV.

The Increasing Opportunity through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act (H.R. 2824), calls for a five-year extension of the program at the current annual allocation of $400 million. The bill includes significant modifications to MIECHV, including: 

  • A dollar-to-dollar state match of federal MIECHV funds starting in 2020; 
  • Mandatory needs assessment every five years starting no later than 2020; 
  • Impact measurement of "self-sufficiency" that includes previously eliminated metrics of employment, earnings, and receipt of welfare benefits; 
  • An additional tier within the evidence standard for models that demonstrate significant, sizable, sustainable outcomes over multiple sites; and 
  • Extension of allowable use of MIECHV funds to 10 years for funds that are being used to pay for pay-for-success initiatives. 
New Simulation Suggests U.S. Child Welfare Reforms Could Save Billions
RAND think tank, based in Santa Monica, California, built a model using data from 24 million children born between 2010 and 2014. Southern California Public Radio reports they have since used it to simulate how investments in various types of programs could impact child welfare outcomes, estimating that a swath of reforms could save the country's child welfare systems some $12 billion while improving results. 


Link Found Between Foster Care, Multiple Medications, and Teen Pregnancy 
A story in the Casper Star Tribune details the findings of a recent report by Wyoming researchers, which found that girls in foster care and on Medicaid are more likely to be diagnosed with mental health conditions, be prescribed multiple medications and become pregnant as teenagers.
Child Welfare Across the Nation
Penn State Launches National Center for Child Maltreatment Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has granted Pennsylvania State University $7.7 million to develop and construct a national center for child maltreatment research. The center is the first of its kind, according to a story in The Chronicle of Social Change. 
Michigan Legislation Signed to Help Human Trafficking Victims 
U.S. News reports that Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has signed legislation that allows more victims of human trafficking to have their criminal records dismissed.

Policy Post is published by Children's Trust of South Carolina.
Children's Trust of South Carolina is the only statewide organization focused on the prevention of child abuse, neglect and injury. The organization trains and educates professionals who work directly with families and also funds, supports and monitors proven prevention programs. Children's Trust is the voice for South Carolina's children and advocates for strong, well-founded policies that positively impact child well-being. Children's Trust is home to Prevent Child Abuse South Carolina, KIDS COUNT South Carolina and Safe Kids South Carolina.