Page 38 - Poverty Issues News Today

Some 65 million people on Medicare have about six weeks to review and make changes to their health-care plans and prescription drug coverage. Medicare Open Enrollment started this week, and Texans who miss the Dec. 7 deadline typically must wait a full year before new changes to their health plan are allowed. ...

As television and film have become diverse, there are still some areas people feel are not being addressed. Accent bias is one of them. Saadia Khan, human rights activist and host of the podcast Immigrantly, grew up in Pakistan and found people belonging to certain socio-economic groups looked at how a person speaks English as a way to separate them from the masses. ...

Missouri has made strides in recent years when it comes to the economic stability of families, but advocates stressed there is more work to be done. Missouri ranks 18th for economic well-being in the latest Kids Count Data Book, which also shows a drop in the child poverty rate from 21% in 2012 to 17% in 2020. Melissa Stickel, executive director of the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri, said their programs focus on reducing poverty by helping people attain the skills needed to earn a...

Childrens Hospital Colorado has increased its mental-health inpatient, outpatient and day services by more than 50% to address what it called a state of emergency among children and teenagers, thanks in part to a nearly $2 million investment by Ent Credit Union. Mollie Bell, chief development officer for Ent Credit Union, said suicide is the leading cause of death for Colorado kids and teens, surpassing car accidents and cancer. "We need some focused support from our community to get ...

A strong future for Missouri depends on ensuring its youngest residents grow up healthy and resilient, and partnerships are helping children grow up with their best opportunities for success. The percentage of low-birthweight babies in the state rose from 28% in 2017 to 31% in 2020, according to the latest Kids Count data. Janet Dankert, president and CEO of Community Partnership of the Ozarks, said it is among the issues they are working to address through their home-visitation programs. ...

Understanding future success is closely linked to educational outcomes, organizations in Missouri are helping teens and young adults meet their academic and career goals. The latest Kids Count data showed about 92% of Missouri high schoolers graduate on time, although the percentage is lower in some areas. Robin Hammond, executive director of the St. ...

By Aina Marzia for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Texas News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service Collaboration Year after year, the same foldable table is propped up near the entrance of a high school gym. ...

Community service agencies say requests for home heating assistance were increasing even before National Grid - the power company that serves many in the area - announced energy prices could jump nearly 60% by November 1. Requests for help with the cost of delivered fuels like home heating oil are also unusually high, with prices expected to jump 30% in the next few months. Mary Knittle is director of energy resources at Worcester Community Action Council, which serves western and central Mas...

The amount of income tax Kentucky residents pay is slated to decrease slightly beginning next year, but experts say the Federal Reserves decision to hike interest rates has set the stage for an impending recession, and theyre concerned more tax cuts could drain the state budget and impact critical public services. Jason Bailey, executive director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, said the state uses tax funds to help communities rebuild from natural disasters. He argued given the leve...

A new affordable housing development is coming to Lake Placid, an area facing a workforce housing crisis. Fawn Valley, with six homes and 16 town homes, comes at a time when much of the areas regular housing stock has become short-term rentals. It may benefit vacationers, but workers cannot find affordable housing nearby. ...