A grim reminder is out - that Arizona could be doing more to keep its youngest residents safe and healthy.

The state's 29th annual Child Fatality Report says a total of 863 Arizona children died last year - and almost half of those deaths were considered preventable.

They include fatalities from abuse and neglect, COVID-19, drowning, firearm injuries - as well as substance-related causes, and sudden unexpected infant deaths. And all increased last year compared to 2020.

Dr. Mary Rimsza - the medical director of the Child Fatality Review program of the Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and chair of the review team - said it's unusual to see such a substantial increase, but this tragic information is useful.

"Frankly," said Rimsza, "a major purpose of us doing this report is to identify preventable deaths and to make recommendations on how future deaths can be prevented. That is our mission."

The report says Arizona's child mortality rate increased 4.7% from 2020 to 2021, and it's higher among boys than among girls.

In 2021, 31 children's deaths were attributed to COVID-19, compared to 12 in 2020.

Another category with an alarming increase was drowning - the rate jumped 108%. And in substance-related deaths, poisoning was the leading factor.

Of the 49 child poisoning fatalities Rimsza said 46 were opiate overdoses, and fentanyl was responsible for 44 of them.

"The deaths due to fentanyl and other opiate overdoses, most all the opiate deaths in children were due to fentanyl," said Rimsza. "It is a huge problem in our state. It is a very tragic event - oftentimes, it could be the first time a young person tried a drug."

Rimsza added that the message to Arizona families is that there are many steps families can take to prevent a tragedy - from ensuring safe sleep environments for infants, to making sure pool areas are supervised and well fenced, to storing firearms safely and securely.

The report contains a full list of recommendations.

California has more than 60,000 children in the foster care system and about 7,000 in extended care up to age 21 but many do not receive all the services for which they are eligible.

This month marks the 25th anniversary of the Chafee Foster Care Program, passed by Congress to greatly expand services for foster youth.

Todd Lloyd, senior policy associate for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said across the U.S., around a half-million people are eligible for Chafee services to help them transition from foster care.

"Of all those eligible young people, less than a quarter are receiving a service in a given year," Lloyd pointed out. "When we looked at their experiences over time, less than half have ever experienced even a single Chafee service."

Some of the services available include tutoring, mentoring and a variety of counseling supports. Extended foster care grants low-income young adults to health insurance via Medi-Cal and food benefits through CalFresh. Young adults in extended foster care may also receive financial assistance for room and board and for college expenses.

Hope Cooper, campaign manager for the advocacy group Journey to Success, a national policy reform effort focused on youth and young adults who experience foster care. She said it's a group that has enormous potential to have happy, prosperous lives.

"We have to provide the supports that they need during these critical transition years," Cooper contended. "Because they face a steep climb in their pathway to young adulthood."

Data show young adults exiting foster care run a greater risk of experiencing housing instability and homelessness, unemployment, physical and mental health issues, and more.

By Melea VanOstrand for WISH-TV.
Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the WISH-TV-Free Press Indiana-Public News Service Collaboration

Inner Beauty Program Inc. and New Breed of Youth Inc. mentoring programs are preparing to host their 2024 Fight For Joy Christmas Extravaganza weekend celebration.

The event will kick off Friday with a free “guns down, gloves up” youth boxing showcase with a dinner provided.

Kareem Hines is founder and chief executive officer of New Breed of Youth’s mentoring program, also known as New B.O.Y. “We’re just using the sport of boxing to help develop character, to help develop self-confidence in these young men, to help develop maturity and their social and emotional awareness, but more importantly to have a conversation with them about what guns are doing to our communities.”

On Saturday, the annual Inner Beauty and New B.O.Y. holiday awards ceremony will highlight and affirm community leaders and young people in the organizations’ mentorship programs.

“We highlight our youth that have been doing amazing things such as our young entrepreneurs, our martial arts class. Inner Beauty has a dance and art program, so these programs are put on full display, and it gives us the opportunity to include these young people’s families.”

One-hundred fifty families with children ages 6 to 17 will participate in a toy giveaway. “Youth will be able to come in and go through four lanes, grab toys from each lane, and just revel in the Christmas spirit. It’s free. We’ll have a Santa so they can take pictures with Santa. We’ll have some really nice toys. The community and different organizations have really stepped up to the plate and provided us with funding so we can have a lot of toys for these young people.

A big ticket lane will be available for children who have a report card with all A’s and B’s. “We’re talking PlayStations, Xboxes, electric bikes, motorcycles, Beats headphones and all those things that kids like in today’s culture.”

It’s the first year that the mentoring organizations have done the toy drive. Hines says it’s important to give back this year because families in the city have experienced a lot of trauma. “We want to be that bright spot. 2024 was a tough year. Some families are not looking forward to the holiday season because of their financial situation. Some families did not have a happy Thanksgiving. We want to make sure we provide a platform and opportunity for them to usher into 2025 with a bright outlook.”

Registration for the toy drive has closed, but Hines says he aims to make it inclusive for anyone who reaches out to New B.O.Y organization.


Melea VanOstrand wrote this article for WISH-TV.


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This month marks the 25th anniversary of a federal law designed to give states flexibility in helping older kids transition out of foster care.

States such as Nebraska have updated their programs, but advocates say services are still underutilized. In 1999, the U.S. government enacted a law that gives states money to carry out independent living programs for kids in foster care, soon to be adults. But the Annie E. Casey Foundation says fewer than half of those eligible receive services.

Hope Cooper, who leads the Journey to Success campaign to raise awareness of this issue, said these kids often face a steep climb at a key stage in life.

"They faced a lot of adversity in their early years," she said, "and we have the opportunity - and we really have to meet that opportunity - to provide some really targeted, additional supports to smooth that climb."

Nebraska's program, which is voluntary, saw more than 340 young adults participate in 2022. The Casey Foundation said only about one in four successfully completed it.

National advocates have urged state and federal lawmakers to do all they can to close gaps. This past year, Nebraska opted to include youths aging out of the juvenile justice system who lack any family support.

Cooper said a range of services under these state-level programs can help with things such as job training and housing stability. Beyond the federal law, she said other forms of support have emerged.

"We're trying to create more educational stability for young people during their junior high and high school years," she said, "and creating more supports for young people as they go and pursue higher-education opportunities."

On a broader scale, she said some "fine-tuning" is needed to implement these programs, to ensure they meet their potential. A number of states have also extended foster care to youths beyond age 18 to help with these transitions. Nebraska's independent living program serves 19- to-21-year-olds.