By: Drew Harwell
This appeared on tampabay.com, see full story
Florida has about 50,000 homeless children, one of the highest rates in the country, according to a new study from the National Center on Family Homelessness.
The state was ranked 43rd in the nation based on homeless population, low-income food programs, health care, governmental planning and other factors, said researchers for “America’s Youngest Outcasts: State Report Card on Child Homelessness,” released Tuesday. More than 20,000 of the state’s homeless are younger than 6.
The center says that one in 50 American children, or about 1.5 million, are homeless. A third of the nation’s 2.3-3.5 million homeless are families. Those figures are projected to increase along with home foreclosures during the recession.
The report blames, among other factors, a lack of affordable housing.
“Housing is a basic right and essential for the healthy growth and development of children. However, in every state, housing costs outpace wages and public assistance for low-income citizens,” the report states. “For families in this situation, even a seemingly minor event can trigger a catastrophic outcome, pushing a family onto the streets.”
Homeless children face higher rates of health and emotional problems and lower levels of education and career income, the study states. Of the more than 5,000 homeless high school students in Florida, only one in four is predicted to graduate.
As for health care, nearly one in five children is uninsured — more than double the national average, the report states. Florida also fails to prioritize homeless children when distributing child care vouchers.
National and state reports can be accessed from the “America’s Youngest Outcasts” Web site.
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