Scorecard Ranks Children’s Health, Well-Being Across California

Rates for certain health measures related to children's well-being vary across the state, according to a new scorecard by Oakland-based Children Now, the Bakersfield Californian reports (Edelhart, Bakersfield Californian, 10/29).

Details of Scorecard

The 2014-2015 California County Scorecard of Children's Well-Being ranks California counties on 29 key indicators across three categories:

• Child welfare and economic well-being;
• Education; and
• Health (Aredas, Turlock Journal, 11/1).

The data can be viewed by county and are broken down by race and ethnicity.

The annual scorecard also provides overall star ratings for each county.

According to a release, the scorecard is meant to be used by advocates and lawmakers to collaborate on the well-being of children across the state (Business Journal, 10/29).

Findings

The scorecard found that California county rates for:

• Adolescents who are not at risk for depression ranged from 63% to 74%, with the state averaging 70%;
• Asthmatic children who have a plan for managing the illness ranged from 25% to 64%, with the state averaging 40%;
• Children in the child welfare system who have received a medical exam in the past year ranged from 60% to 100%, with the state averaging 86%;
• Children who have a usual source of health care ranged from 85% to 95%, with the state averaging 91%;
• Children who visited a dentist in the past year ranged from 80% to 92%, with the state averaging 88%;
• Children with a healthy weight ranged from 41% to 78%, with the state averaging 56%;
• Children with health insurance for the entire year ranged from 86% to 97%, with the state averaging 92%;
• Newborns exclusively breastfed while in the hospital ranged from 28% to 91%, with the state averaging 63%;
• Schools having health centers ranged from 0% to 14%, with the state averaging 2%;
• Students who receive no-cost or reduced-price breakfasts during the school year ranged from 17% to 75%, with the state averaging 35%;
• Students who receive free or reduced-price meals during the summer ranged from 0% to 46%, with the state averaging 18%; and
• Women receiving early prenatal care ranged from 52% to 94%, with the state averaging 84% (Children Now scorecard, 10/29).

Jessica Mindnich, director of research at Children Now, said no county in the state received the highest-possible score of five stars, adding, "Regardless of where you live, there is always work to be done to improve the well-being of children" (Ibarra, Merced Sun-Star, 10/30).