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The nation's child poverty rate increased 1.3 percentage points to 13.7 percent in 2023, according to newly released Census data. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

WV poverty rate for children among highest in nation

The number of West Virginia children living in poverty remains among the highest in the nation, and more children are living in households struggling …

Chronic absence from school may be driving learning loss. Thirty percent of all students, or about 14.7 million, were chronically absent in 2021-2022, nearly double pre-pandemic rates, according to new data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: WV kids face sliding reading, math scores

Math and reading proficiency among West Virginia kids has worsened over the past five years, according to new data. The latest Kids Count Data Book …

Children need regular well-child and dental visits to track their development and find health problems early, when they are usually easier to treat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Procedural reasons driving WV kids' loss in health coverage

More than 62,000 West Virginia kids have been dis-enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program or CHIP and most were removed for p…

In 2018, America's top billionaires paid just 23% of their income in taxes, according to Americans for Tax Fairness. (Adobe Stock)

Report: America’s wealthiest now worth a record $5.8 trillion

The nation's billionaires have doubled their wealth over the past seven years, while working people in West Virginia and elsewhere continue to face …

In 2023, more than 3 million children nationwide lost their Medicaid health coverage, according to data from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. (Adobe Stock)

Concern grows over WV kids losing Medicaid coverage

The federal government has warned nine states about an alarming number of children losing Medicaid health coverage, and West Virginia officials say …

Four of the five states that enacted the largest personal income tax cuts in the last few years have had slower job growth since enacting their cuts than the nation as a whole, according to the Center for Policy Budget Policy and Priorities. (Adobe Stock)

Report: WV personal income tax cut will cripple communities

A new report singles out West Virginia for the state's costly tax cuts enacted this year, and the drastic lost in revenue expected to exacerbate …

According to the group West Virginians for Affordable Healthcare, around 30% of West Virginia residents have medical debt in collections. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV could lose hundreds of millions in Medicaid funding

Since West Virginia's Medicaid eligibility review began this spring, around 100,000 residents have been kicked off the rolls. Experts have said many …

The national average cost for child care was nearly $11,000 in 2022, according to a study by Child Care Aware of America. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: More WV Parents Would Work Full-Time with Affordable Child Care

Half of West Virginia voters who are parents working part-time or less say they'd go back to full-time work if they had access to quality child care a…

According to 2021 Census-based data, Medicaid was the most common type of needs-based assistance received by people ages 65 and over. About 10% received Medicaid, either as a supplement or an alternative to Medicare. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Employment Program Helps WV Seniors Increase Income

A West Virginia program helping adults age 55 and older return to the workforce is seeing renewed interest as inflation and high gas prices squeeze th…

In 2021, some 53% of working adults ages 25 to 54 were parents, and more than a third of those parents had young children, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe stock)<br />

Report: More West Virginia Parents Not Working due to Childcare Issues

Thirteen percent of young children in West Virginia lived in families in which someone quit their job or refused a job because of responsibilities wit…

The U.S. could run out of money to pay its bills by June 5, according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Billions in WV Federal Funds at Stake as Debt Ceiling Looms

Over the weekend, lawmakers announced they have reached an agreement to reduce spending and address the debt limit. The deal needs a full signoff …

In 2020, 1,750 children died of abuse and neglect in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Rising Inflation, Poverty, Puts WV Kids at Higher Risk of Abuse

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and experts say ongoing inflation, economic challenges and poverty can place stress on families and increase …

The expanded Child Tax Credit offered families between $300 and $360 per month per child, which helped lift an estimated 3.7 million children out of poverty, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. (Adobe Stock)<br />

As Prices Climb, WV Families Face Hardship without Child Tax Credit

Some parents said they have struggled to make ends meet after federal monthly Child Tax Credit payments of between $300 and $360 a month per child sto…

In 2021, there were fewer than 12,000 coal miners employed in West Virginia, according to state data. (Adobe Stock)

West Virginians Draw from Within to Rebuild Communities

By Quincy Gray McMichael for Yes! Media. Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service, Reporting for the YES! Media-Public News …

A child's chances of thriving depend not only on individual, family and community characteristics but also on the state in which she or he is born and raised, according to research from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (praba_tuty/Public Domain Mark 1.0)

Report: WV Sees Uptick in Kids Diagnosed with Anxiety, Depression

More West Virginia kids are struggling with their mental health, according to the latest Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

It's estimated that more than 4 million children younger than age 19 lacked health insurance coverage in 2020, according to U.S. Census data. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Marking 25th Anniversary, CHIP Advocates Call for Permanent Funding

The federal health-insurance program for children helps keep more than 200,000 West Virginia children insured. Advocates said the Children's Health …

The nonprofit Save the Children says the digital divide is one reason children lagged behind in schoolwork during the pandemic. Four in 10 West Virginia families don't have reliable internet service. (Adobe Stock)

Post-Pandemic, WV Kids Still Catching Up at School

During the COVID pandemic, West Virginia's elementary school enrollment dropped and saw rankings near the bottom among states for some education …

A customized mobile food truck run by the Manna Meal food pantry will soon begin delivering hot meals to Charleston residents in need. (Amy Wolfe/Manna Meal)

Charleston Food Truck to Provide Daily Meals to Those in Need

American Rescue Plan funds will help bring a new food truck to the streets of Charleston, providing free hot meals to the region's most vulnerable …

American billionaires saw their net worth climb by a collective $2 trillion, increasing 70%, during the first two years of the pandemic, according to Forbes data analyzed by Americans for Tax Fairness. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV Could Gain $335 Million a Year from Billionaire Income Tax

State advocacy groups say West Virginia stands to gain from taxing billionaires. The Biden administration's "Billionaire Minimum Income Tax" would …

Research shows Latino and Black children experienced the largest percentage-point increases in poverty since the federal expanded Child Tax Credit expired at the end of 2021. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Without Child Tax Credit, More WV Kids Were Pushed Back into Poverty

It is estimated 50,000 West Virginia children are once again living below the poverty line, since families received their final expanded Child Tax …

The nationwide unemployment rate for Black workers is 73% higher than that of white workers, according to data from the Century Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

WV Lawmakers Move to Slash Jobless Benefits

A bill moving through the West Virginia Legislature would cut unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 12. Lawmakers cite cost and the need to push …

In 2020, around 5% of West Virginia families lacked health insurance coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV Bills Aim to Lower Drug Costs, Prevent Medicaid "Cliff"

West Virginia groups are pushing state lawmakers to pass several bills related to health care, bills they say would lower copays and increase access …

One in three high school students and half of female students now report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, an overall increase of 40% from 2009, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. (Adobe Stock)

WV Families Anticipate More Mental, Financial Stress in New Year

West Virginia families expect increased financial stress and anxiety in the new year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment …

Research from the Urban Institute has found expanding the federal Child Tax Credit would decrease child poverty by 40% nationwide. (Adobe Stock)

End of Child Tax Credit Payments a Worry for WV Families

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The final round of the federal government's Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments ends today, unless Congress votes to extend them …

Roneisha and Tia are two moms receiving guaranteed incomes as part of the Magnolia Mother's Trust. (Art by Brandi Phipps/Ms. Magazine)

Moms Pull Out of Pandemic with Guaranteed-Income Program

By Katie Fleischer for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Lily Böhlke for West Virginia News Service reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News …

Tens of millions of families have been sent the first payment of the expanded child tax credit. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Child Tax Credit Helping WV Families Pay for Transportation, Food

WHEELING, W.Va. -- An estimated 346,000 West Virginia children, 93% of all kids in the state, live in households that likely received their first …

The newest edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book explores how America's child population fared during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Poverty Continues to Stall Progress on WV Kids' Well-Being

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- New survey data offer a clear picture of how West Virginia kids and families are faring. The Mountain State ranks 44th in the …

Clean-energy experts say West Virginia needs help transforming its 91% coal-fired energy supply to renewables. (Adobe stock)

Federal Jobs Funding Could Propel WV Shift Away from Coal

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia clean-energy supporters say President Joe Biden's climate-action goals and jobs plan give the state a unique …

Opponents of a West Virginia bill that would limit needle-sharing programs say it would increase diseases and taxpayer costs for treatment. (Adobe stock)

Groups Push to Reject WV Bills Seen as Punitive

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Advocates for impoverished people are urging West Virginia lawmakers to oppose two bills being heard in a House committee …

A survey shows more than 27% of West Virginia households with children have

WV Groups: Passage of American Rescue Plan Critical for Recovery

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - With the U.S. Senate on the verge of voting on President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID rescue plan, advocates for West Virginia …

About 44% of prisoners in West Virginia's regional jails are being held pretrial because they can't afford cash bail. (Adobe Stock)

As Jails Overflow, WV Lawmakers Examine Reform Measures

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Research shows West Virginia is the only state to increase its jail population in 2020. In an online panel, state lawmakers …

A quarter of West Virginia's families with children are experiencing mental-health issues during the pandemic, according to a new report. (Adobe stock)

Report: West Virginia Families Need Congress to Pass Stimulus

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The new coronavirus stimulus bill will bring some food assistance to hungry Americans, and it couldn't come soon enough for West …

In West Virginia, about 6,700 families in need receive TANF benefits, out of more than 37,500 families living in poverty. (Adobe stock)

Fewer WV Low-Income Families Receive Cash Assistance

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Too few families struggling to make ends meet are able to access cash assistance from the Temporary Assistance for Needy …

An estimated 13,000 kids in West Virginia didn't have health insurance in 2019, a number that likely has increased since the pandemic, a new report finds. (Adobe Stock)

WV’s Opioid Crisis Impacts Surge of Kids without Health Coverage

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Even before the pandemic recession, West Virginia had seen a serious increase in the number of children without health insurance…

Medicaid expansion for the Affordable Care Act has helped more West Virginians receive treatment for substance-abuse disorders. (Adobe stock)

ACA Challenge Threatens Loss of Coverage for Thousands in WV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As the Supreme Court gets set to hear another challenge to the Affordable Care Act in November, experts say taking away the …

Utility cutoffs can start again in West Virginia, increasing financial burdens for some people who've lost jobs as a result of the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

WV Utility Cutoffs to Resume; a “Catastrophic” Hardship for Some

CHARLESTON, W. Va. - A ban on West Virginia utility shutoffs during the pandemic has ended this week, leaving many customers scrambling to pay …

Advocates for renters in West Virginia are already seeing an uptick in evictions since the pandemic began, and expect to see a rise in first-time homelessness as a result of job loss. (Adobe Stock)

WV Housing Groups Brace for Evictions as Courts Reopen

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - West Virginia's court system has reopened, after being closed to limit the spread of the new coronavirus. Now, advocates for …

About 13,000 West Virginia children were uninsured in 2018, according to the latest report. (Adobe Stock)

West Virginians Hit by Coronavirus Job Loss Could Gain Medicaid

CHARLESTON, W. Va. -- Some West Virginians may not be aware that if they've lost their jobs and employer-provided health insurance due to COVID-19…

Some West Virginia residents are facing a polluted water crisis partly from industrial runoff. (Adobe stock)

Report: Clean-Running Water Crisis Hits Underserved Americans

KIMBALL, W.Va. — More than 2 million Americans live without running water and basic indoor plumbing, according to a new report by water access …

The Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition is planning to revamp a deserted coal mine in Morgantown, W. Va., into a composting facility. (Adobe Stock)

Alliance Aims to Transform Deserted Coal Mines into Viable Businesses

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – A coalition of development groups in central Appalachia aims to give new life to abandoned coal mines in the region by …

A new report finds that the majority of children without health insurance in the United States live in the South. (Adobe stock)

Report: Sharp Decline in Insured WV Children

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia ranked fourth best in the nation in 2016 for providing health care insurance to its children. But in 2018…

In most states, school districts where families are primarily poor or minority populations tend to have less money to spend on infrastructure. (Giovannacco/Pixabay)

UCLA Study: Climate Change Overheats Classrooms, Slowing Learning

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Climate change is overheating classrooms and in the process, hurting education, especially for poor and minority students…

Until lifting it last week, West Virginia was one of only three states to maintain a ban on accessing SNAP benefits for people with drug felony convictions. (WV Center on Budget and Policy)

WV Law Praised for Lifting Ban on SNAP Benefits

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Recovering addicts say a change in West Virginia food-assistance rules will help them stay clean and out of trouble…

Critics say that behind the Trump administration's rhetoric, the White House budget contains a lot of cruelty. (Pexels/Pixabay)

Trump's Spending Blueprint Called “Bully’s Budget”

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Critics are calling the Trump administration's latest spending plan a "bully's budget," saying its kiss-up, kick-down …

West Virginia had the nation's worst rate of opioid deaths in 2016, and the worst rate of deaths from prescription and synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, in 2017. (alarsenault/Pixabay)

Study: Opioid Crisis Worst in Troubled Rural Areas and Cities

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – While the opioid crisis has touched West Virginians from all walks of life, new research finds some communities are more …

In 2017, SNAP benefits kept an estimated 3.4 million Americans out of poverty. (kc0uvb/Pixabay)

Trump SNAP Rules "Go Out of Their Way to be Cruel"

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After failing to get deep cuts to nutrition assistance through Congress, President Donald Trump now seems to want to get …

The average SNAP benefit amount now equals $1.36 per meal. (Pixabay)

Hunger Programs Relieved, but Dissatisfied with SNAP Legislation

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The Farm Bill passed by Congress last week did not include major cuts to SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, but food-security …

For a number of years, West Virginia has done a better job of providing healthcare access for children than many other states. (Bess-Hamiti/Pixabay)

More Children Without Health Insurance In WV, Nationwide

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – For the first time in years, the number of children without health insurance has risen, in West Virginia and across the …

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WV: Poverty Issues