All Kansas Counties See Food Insecurity Rates among Children Increase Following End of Pandemic-Era Programs

October 29, 2024

Contact: Jessica Herrera Russell

TOPEKA, KAN. — Every Kansas county saw food insecurity rates among Kansas children increase in 2022, the year following the end of many pandemic-era programs that helped families make ends meet, according to the 2024 Kansas KIDS COUNT® Data Book. This publication analyzes child outcomes in economic well-being, education, and health indicators. The Data Book was created by Kansas Action for Children, which collected state and county data from national and state sources.

Kansas children not knowing where their next meal would come from increased from 13.4% (93,960 kids) in 2021 to 19.1% (131,430 kids) in 2022. Notably, many pandemic-era programs – like enhanced dollars for SNAP recipients, the temporarily expanded federal child tax credit, and cost-free school meals – ended in 2021 or part way through 2022. Families facing food challenges must often choose between buying groceries and paying rent, utilities, or other basic necessities.

“In 2021, we saw how pandemic-era programs improved many outcomes for Kansas kids. But with those programs being temporary, so was much of that progress. The newest data underscores the need for decisionmakers to do everything they can to help kids,” said John Wilson, President and CEO of Kansas Action for Children. “And if leaders don’t act soon, more Kansas families will suffer.”

Several counties in Northwestern Kansas spiked most significantly, some with a nine-point increase from 2021 to 2022. The Data Book states these particular challenges are seen in areas classified as “low income and low access” (previously known as “food deserts”), where the cost of food, availability of fresh groceries, and the distance to the nearest grocery store contribute to a family’s ability to have enough to eat for every meal.

Food insecurity hampers children’s ability to learn and succeed in school. With the most recent data showing concerning reading (67%) and math (69%) proficiency levels among Kansas 3rd through 8th graders, it’s imperative that Kansas lawmakers prioritize food security for every Kansan.

Wilson added that “targeting families most in need can ensure all children have what they need to thrive at home and in school. Passing a state child tax credit, breaking down barriers to food assistance, and considering ways to reduce the cost of school meals are all solutions that can change a family’s trajectory for the better.”

Other notable data shifts highlighted in the report include:

• Child poverty dropped from 14% in 2021 to 13% in 2022. This downward trend is promising, but more must be done to ensure more families have financial freedom.
  
  
• Income statuses of families in Kansas have been on a constant incline since 2011, but there are still large discrepancies between racial groups. For instance, Asian American/Pacific Islander households made around $112,100 in 2022, while Black households were at $49,200.
  
  
• Children living in homes with a high housing cost burden (meaning, housing expenses requiring more than 30% of a family’s income) shot up to 156,000 in 2022 from 139,000 in 2021.
  
  
• More families enrolled their children in the child care subsidy program, which helps parents pay for early learning programs. However, even though nearly 12,000 children were enrolled, this still only represents 12.5% of eligible children actually receiving benefits.
  
  
• More Kansas schools are offering preschool or preschool-aged at-risk programs, and 59 Kansas counties had 80% or more of public schools in their area offering these programs.
  
  
• Prenatal care access continues to stagnate, with 1 in 5 Kansas babies born to mothers who did not receive routine prenatal care throughout their pregnancies. Southwestern Kansas counties in particular struggle to make prenatal care accessible for mothers-to-be.
  
  
• Low birth weights are statistically much higher among Black newborns compared to every other racial/ethnic group. In 2022, around 7.5% of all Kansas newborns were born at less than 5.5 pounds, but the rate of low birth weight for Black babies was twice the state average at 14.4%.
  
  
• In 2022, infant mortality rates among Black babies improved by around three percentage points, but children in this racial group are still more than twice as likely (13.4 per 1,000 births) to die before their first birthday compared to the state average (5.9 per 1,000 births).
  
  
• Children without health coverage slightly increased to 5.2% in 2022 from 5.1% in 2021. But with KanCare redeterminations occurring from mid-2023 to mid-2024, advocates are concerned this data will worsen.

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About the Data Book

The 2024 Kansas KIDS COUNT® Data Book is the state’s extension of the national KIDS COUNT® Data Book produced by The Annie E. Casey Foundation. KIDS COUNT® is a registered trademark of The Annie E. Casey Foundation and is used with permission of the Foundation.
The digital version of the 2024 Kansas KIDS COUNT® Data Book can be found at www.kac.org/2024_data_book.

About Kansas Action for Children

KAC is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to make Kansas a place where every child has the opportunity to grow up healthy and thrive. We engage in bipartisan advocacy, partnerships, and information-sharing on key issues, including early learning and education, health, and economic security for families. We work with policymakers, local organizations, and fellow advocates to inform sound policy, foster collaboration, and promote an equitable tax system. For more than 45 years, KAC has been a resource to leaders and advocates who are working to ensure a brighter future for every child.