The Emporia Gazette

May 28, 2012

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More Lyon County children are living in poverty, a report from the annual Kids Count states.

The 17th annual Kids Count by the Kansas Action for Children was released this week and the key finding was that the percentage of children living below 100 percent of the federal poverty level in Lyon County was up from 17.10 percent the previous year to 20.10 percent. The federal poverty level is $17,600 per year or less for a family of three. Lyon County is above the statewide rate of 15.20 percent.

“With increasing numbers of children living in poverty, there is a correlating need for increased early learning opportunities,” said Gary Brunk, president and CEO of the Kansas Action for Children. “Early education programs — like Head Start and pre-K serve the community’s most vulnerable children. It’s critical that those programs are funded at a level that will allow for increased capacity to meet the growing demand.”

Other findings in the report included the Free and Reduced Lunch Program and Earned Income Tax Credits. Statewide, 39.84 percent of children are enrolled in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program.

Lyon County is well above that with 55.77 percent. Regarding the Earned Income Tax credits, 17.86 percent of families claimed the credits on their income tax returns. Statewide that number stands at 14.17 percent.

“The poverty numbers for children are of grave concern to Lyon County and an indicator that our community must continue to watch in light of the recent workforce reductions that occurred during the first quarter of 2008 with Tyson Fresh Meats,” said Lougene Marsh, executive director of Flint Hills Community Health Center.

Marsh said the rise in the poverty numbers in Lyon County was unexpected and could lead to other problems.

“... Because of the high correlation between poverty and other indicators of childhood well being, including health issues and education, the community must pay careful attention to safeguarding negative impacts of increasing poverty of our children.”

Other findings in the report:

• Access to all-day kindergarten increased significantly in Lyon County, rising more than 12 percent over the past five years. Access to all-day kindergarten also ranks higher than the state availability rate. The rate in Lyon County is 85 percent, compared to 65 percent statewide.

• The percentage of pregnant women receiving adequate prenatal care in Lyon County declined slightly from the prior year and ranks below the statewide rate.

• Tobacco use and binge drinking among Lyon County youth decreased slightly over the past five years, from 12.78 percent to 11.5 percent.

• The number of available early education slots for children under age 5 has decreased in Lyon County over the previous five years.

• More children in Lyon County are being born to mothers who do not have a high school diploma. The rate increased from 24.65 percent to 25.09 percent. The statewide rate is 18.64 percent.