November 2024 Newsletter
Kansas Action for Children | November 25, 2024
All Counties See More Food Insecurity among Kansas Kids
Last month, we shared the 2024 Kansas KIDS COUNT© Data Book with you. We hope you were able to take a look at the report and take in a full picture of how kids across the state are doing.
As Thanksgiving approaches in just a few days, we’re reminded of one key statistic elevated in the Data Book: from 2021 to 2022, every single Kansas county saw the number of children experiencing food insecurity increase.
Unfortunately, it’s not a shock to us, as 2022 was the first year following the end of many pandemic-era programs. That end of support was compounded by skyrocketing inflation. “Low income and low access” areas (as defined by the U.S. Census) were particularly hit hard as 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.
This data proves that child hunger is a policy choice. As a country and a state, decisionmakers can make a definitive difference in the lives of hungry families by targeting relief to those who need it most – passing or expanding child tax credits, breaking down barriers to food assistance, and reducing the cost of school meals.
The KAC team has been working hard to prepare for the upcoming session and champion policies like these to ensure every Kansas kid knows where their next meal is coming from. If you have the chance, we hope you’ll support our efforts in the Statehouse by making a donation, encouraging like-minded Kansans to follow our work, reading up on educational pieces on our website, or following us on social media (Facebook and X) and being ready to spread the word when something needs the public’s attention.
Thank you in advance for everything you are doing to help the children in your communities. Without people like you, our state wouldn’t be as great as it is today.
New Resources from KAC
TANF Study. In September, the Legislative Division of Post Audit released its findings to the legislative committee about the effectiveness of Kansas’ use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) dollars.
Essentially, the nonpartisan agency found that there are far fewer Kansas families that are able to access TANF, and even if a family is receiving assistance, that assistance does not have the same impact as it would have had before the HOPE Act in 2015.
We’ve summarized the report and lawmakers’ reactions here.
Section 8 Housing Funding: What Is It and How Does It Work? As the country grapples with a housing crisis, we took a look at what supports there are for people struggling to afford housing. One such program is the federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, which provides a subsidy to very low-income households to obtain housing. Read up on the details here.
State Selects Companies to Manage KanCare. Earlier this year, the state chose three companies to manage KanCare (the state’s Medicaid program) for the next three years. Two of the companies (Sunflower Health Plan and United Healthcare Community Plan) are carried over from the previous contract, while the third (Healthy Blue) is new to the plan.
With 61% of those enrolled in KanCare being children, we have a vested interest in examining how services are provided to low-income families. Learn more about the selection process, important details for KanCare members, and what the new contract means for families.
October Revenues Down, but Overall Budget Close to Earlier Estimates. Though Kansas came in around $24 million less than expected for October revenues, Kansas is currently right on track to meet estimates for FY 2025. With the upcoming holiday season, the state should see a boost in retail sales tax collections. How that shapes up could give lawmakers an idea of how much they can afford to spend during the legislative session. Read more of the update on last month’s numbers here.
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