Arkansas routinely finishes near the bottom for indicators of maternal and infant health when compared to other states. Pete Gess, economic policy director at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, says this phenomenon can largely be attributed to one thing.
“The big problem in Arkansas is we’re a poor state,” Gess told Little Rock Public Radio. “So there’s pretty tremendous childhood and family poverty.”
According to Gess, 21% of children under 5 years old – about 36,000 kids – live in poverty. Nearly 10% of children in Arkansas live in “extreme poverty.” This is defined as 50% of the federal poverty level. In Arkansas that’s under $11,000 for a family of two, and under $16,500 for a family of four…