Nevada continues to wallow among the worst states in the union when it comes to child care and welfare. A damaging new report from the group Every Child Matters says Nevada children are in dangerous territory and more at risk than ever.
It's even worse when you think about how much time and effort has been put into helping Nevada's children.
The numbers and the rankings are stark: Every Child Matters says Nevada actually does very well for affordable child care. We are fourth best in the country at that.
Read the full report
But digging deeper, it gets worse quickly. We rank 46th in the number of uninsured children, 46th in the money spent per-capita for protection from abuse. We are dead last in three and four-year-olds in early kindergarten and also last in federal funds for after school programs.
Amanda Haboush works with the group locally. She says this money is actually preventative spending. She believes these neglected children eventually turn to crime and a strain on the welfare system.
"By not providing preventative services, we are wasting money because more money is needed later to clean up those messes," she said.
Nevada continues to slip in many of these categories, ranking again in the bottom of most every major indicator. This is state and federal spending not likely to change in the upcoming legislative sessions.
The group says it's about shifting priorities and taking a look at cuts to programs like the fight against Yucca Mountain or even tax increases for large businesses. They say the lack of funding for at-risk kids mean they are simply not a priority.
