Issues Library

Here is our collection of the most current and relevant publications produced by Network members.  If you would like to submit a document to the Issues Library, send a link to the document (or the document itself) to Cory Anderson ( canderson@aecf.org ) indicate where (under which issue) we should put your document and the publication date of the document. In the subject line of your email put "Issues Library".

For a link to state level data books, click here.

Advocacy

• VA Legislative Advocacy Manual (December 2007)

Assets

• " Illinois Kids Count - Invest in Our Future: Strengthening Families by Building Assets" (pub. December 2005)
• Your Family's Money Handbook - Connecticut
• Money Matters - Jan 2003 / Kentucky
• The Ends Don't Meet - NJ Sept 2005
• Monthly Family Expenses- Arizona (2006)
• The Family Budget Estimator: What It Really Takes to Get By in Texas (2007)

Birth Outcomes

• Infant Mortality
• Preterm Births in Rhode Island

Budget/Fiscal Analysis

• "Illinois Cannot Grow its Way Out of Fiscal Problems" (pub. Sept. 2006)
• Children and Family Cuts in the 2001-2003 Budget - Children First for Oregon
• Investing In Nevada's Future - 3-24-03
• Tax Reform Issue Briefs - Virginia 2003
• Undocumented Immigrants in New Mexico: State Tax Contributions and Fiscal Concerns - May 2006
• RI 2007 Legislative Wrap Up Final (2008)
• RI Budget Snapshots FY08 (2008)

Child Care

• Child Care in Colorado: The Early Education of Our Children - Aug. 2002
• Whats the Truth About Child Care Subsidies - Arizona Fact Sheet

• High Quality Child Care for Infants and Toddlers -  Pennsylvania   / December 2004

• Quality of Licensed Childcare Centers in Nevada - 2005

Child Safety

• Child Lead Poisoning - Feb. 2003 Rhode Island
• Child Booster Seats : Facts on Kids in South Dakota
• The Right Start for Nevada's Newborns - 2003
• Internet Crimes Against Children - Nevada 2003
• "Gun Safety Begins at Home" North Carolina, July 2006
• Arizona's Abused and Neglected Children- June 2007
• Automobile Occupant Protection- South Dakota (2008)

Child Welfare

• State Call to Action: Working to End Child Abuse and Neglect in Massachusetts (April 2001)
• Child Support in Nevada - Policy Brief - Summer 2002
• Connected by 25: A Plan for Investing in Successful Futures for Foster Youth
• Exceptional Returns: Economic, Fiscal and Social benefits of Investment in Ealry Childhood Development - Mississippi

• Fixing Foster Care - A Five Year Analysis of Trends in New Jersey's Foster Care System - September 2003
• Investing in Community Based Child Abuse Prevention -Children First for Oregon
• Virginia KIDS COUNT on Differential Response System
• Voices for America's Children: Federal Agenda - Maryland
• Not Invisible, Not In Vain: Guidelines for Response to Child Maltreatment Fatalities - NC 2004
• Reducing Collateral Damage on the Home Front - NC 2005
• Newborns Killed or Left to Die by a Parent: A Population-Based Study - NC 2005
• NC Child Protective Services Data Card - NC 2005
• Strategies for Improving Oregon's Child Welfare System - Aug 2005
• Strategies for Fighting Child Poverty in Oregon - April 2005
• Performance Based Contracts: Managing in the Best Interests of the Child? (MO - 2005)
• Who Protects Our Children: An Analysis of Missouri's Child Welfare System (MO - 2004)
• Maine Child Welfare Service's Ombudsman( 2006)
• Issue Brief: Child Welfare (Nebraska) 2007
• "More than Safe: Achieving Positive Outcomes for Foster Youth" North Carolina (October 2007)
• Foster Care in South Dakota- 2007
• OH Kinship Care Issue Brief(August 2007)
• Foster Care Reform in Virginia (Jan 2008)
• Data Snapshot # 4: Low Income Children RI (2008)

Child Well-Being (general)

• Nebraska Family Assistance Resource Guide 2006-2007
• Facts on KIDS in South Dakota: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren-2004
• 2005 Child Health Report Card (North Carolina)
• 2005 Young Victims, Few Consequences: Children's Deaths Associated with Neglect (North Carolina)
• 2005 Transitions: Building Better Lives for Youth Leaving Foster Care (Arizona)
• The Unique Challenges to the Well-being of California's Border Kids- June 2007
• Arkansas: Arkansas Child Well being Issue Brief- July 2007
• Threats to Child Wellbeing Arizona- 2007
• 2007 Report Card- Oregon
• RI Jim Casey Youth information sheet (2008)

Communications/Marketing

Community mobilization

Data-based advocacy

• Setting Targets - A Primer for Making Connections Sites
• A Guide to Using Data for Effective Advocacy
• New American Community Survey Data - MN
• ACS Data Users Guide - 2006
• Kansas Data Notes and Sources-2007
• Understanding Data and Research- South Dakota 2007
• Policy Matters- State Brief RI(2008)

Disabilities/special needs
Domestic Violence

• Addressing the Relationship Between Domestic Violence, Child Abuse and Economic Self Sufficiency

Early Care and Education

• "Nurture for the Future: The Importance of Strengthening Young Children's Relations with Parents and Caregivers" (pub. Feb. 2004)
• Estimating the Size and Components of the U.S. Child Care Workforce and Caregiving Population, - Washington, May 2002
• Economic Impact of the Child Care Industry in Virginia - 2005
• Making KIDS COUNT: Promoting School Readiness Through Healthy Children (Kansas)
• Making KIDS COUNT: Promoting School Readiness for Lower-Income Children (Kansas)
• Making KIDS COUNT: Preparing Kansas Children for Success (Kansas)
• 2005 - Compensation and Credentials: A Survey of Arizona's Early Education Workforce (Arizona)
• 2004 Ready or Not - Here They Come!: What Arizona Kindergarten Teachers Say About Preparing Children for School (Arizona)
• 2005 Start Smart Milwaukee - Giving Milwaukee's Children Their Best Start: A WisKids Report on Early Education (Milwaukee)
• Pre K Report- PA 2005
• Nevada Head Start and Early Head- 2007
• HeadStart Stats ExcelFile

Education

• 390,343 Children Left Behind: Who's Closing the Achivement Gap in Colorado's Schools? (2006)
• Colorado's Prism Magazine Spring 2006
• Denver Public Schools Fact Sheet 2006
• "One Child, Many Needs - The Vital Learning Link Between Education and Human Services" (published Feb. 2005)
• Are Public Expenditures Associated with Better Child Outcomes in the U.S.? A Comparison Across 50 States (2005)
• Addressing the High School Dropout Epidemic - Policy Brief - Summer 2002
• A Call for High School Reform - Colorado, March 2003
• Impact of Substance Use and Violence/Delinquency on Academic Achievement for Groups of Middle and High School Students in Washington - May 2002
• Standardized Testing : On Size Fits All (WI - 2002)
• NC Child Advocacy Statements on Education Reform   - 2005
• Children on the Move - Nevada 2005
• The Linguistic Landscape of Nevada Schools - 2005
• No Time to Waste:Indicators of School Readiness - Maternal Education (VA-2005)
• No Time to Waste:Indicators of School Readiness - PALS-K(VA-2005)
• "One Out of Ten: The Growing Suspension Crisis in North Carolina" (2005)
• Graduation Gap Fact Sheet- PA (2005)
• The High Cost of Dropping Out: How Many, How Come? How Much? - Texas 2006
• "A Case for Cooperation" (Maine, 2006)
• "Short-Term Suspensions; Long- Term Consequences; Real Life Solutions"- North Carolina 2007
• "What Stands Between North Carolina Students and A Sound Basic Education" March 2007
• School Readiness in PA- 2007
• School Readiness Report Hawaii (2008)
• VA HeadStart Report (2008)
• VA Headstart Excel File (2008)
• RI Ready or Not:Preparing RI Kids to be Succeed in School
• RI Graduation Rates IB Final (2008)

Evaluation/assessment

• KIDS COUNT Evaluation Toolkit (2005)
• How to Improve Poverty Measurement in the U.S. R. Blank (Nov 2007)

Family strengthening

• Suppporting Michigan Families - Family Centered Community Approaches
• 2005 Sowing Prosperity: Low-Income Working Families and Connecticut's Economic Future (Connecticut)
• Permanency IB

Fund development

Health

• Kids Connection: Cost-Effective Health Care for Low-Income Nebraska Children (2006)
• Facts on Kids in South Dakota - Children's Health Issues - 2003
• Mental Health Care Counts: Missouri's Fragmented Children's Mental Health System Demands Reform - 2002
• Mental Health Needs Among Colorado Youth - June 2002
• Children's Mental Health: From Parenting to Policy Making (WI - 2002)
• Barriers to Health Care for Children: Gaps in Coverage  Voices for Virginia 's Children
• Barriers to Health Care for Children: Bounced between Medicaid and     Famis Voices for Virginia 's Children
• Indiana's Tiniest Citizens: Born Too Small, Born Too Soon; Indiana Youth Institute, Summer 2003 
• Facts on KIDS in South Dakota: Children's Mental Health-2003
• Health Care Chronicles:  Another Child Left Behind
• Children's Mental Health Data in Minnesota
• 2004 NC Child Health Report Card
• Early Childhood Mental Health - Ensuring Healthy Socio-Emotional Development - (VA-2005)
• Children's Mental Health: Missouri Moves Toward a Comprehensive System (2004)
• Children's Health Care - the Missouri Perspective (2004)
• 2005 Issue Breif - Adoloscent Depression (Nevada)
• School Breakfast and Lunches- Minnesota (Fall 2006)
• "Sex, Drugs and Rock N' Roll: What Teens Do, What Parents Assume and What Parents Can Do"- North Carolina 2006
• "2006 North Carolina Health Report Card" October 2006
• "Lead Poisoning Prevention"- North Carolina 2006
• Maine Children's Mental Health Data Book (2006)
• SCHIP Reauthorization and Family Coverage in IL- 2007
• SCHIP South Dakota- 2007
• A Top Health Concern for Indiana Kids- 2007
• North Carolina Child Health Report Card (2007)
• Health Insurance Issue Brief RI (2008)
• RiteCareWorks-Top 5 Reasons to Support Rite Care RI 2008
• Kids Count RI NEACH Report (2008)

Housing/homelessness

• Colorado's Housing Crisis Puts Children at Risk
• Homeless Youth in Arizona - 2003 Fact Sheet
• Affordable Housing: A Crisis for Wisconsin Families (2002)
• Housing Affordability in Arizona (2006)
• Homeless Service Utilization Report (2006)

Hunger

Immigrant Issues

• Children in Immigrant Families: A California Data Brief (2007)
• Immigration in New Mexico: A KIDS COUNT Special Report (2007)
• Immigration in New Mexico (October 2007)
• New Voices From the Bluegrass: A Portrait of Kentucky's Children In Immigrant Families (2007)
• A Snapshot of Children on the Arizona Border
• New Jersey Immigrant KIDS COUNT- 2007
• Immigrant Children in Nevada- 2007
• RI Children in Immigrant Families (January 2008)

Juvenile justice

• Juvenile Justice System in South Dakota (2006)
• Juvenile Justice System & Disproportionate Minority Contact (2006)
• Violence in our children's lives - Op Ed Maine Children's Alliance - 2002

Leadership development
Local/Neighborhood

• 2007 California County Data Book

Non-profit technology

Obesity

• (2006) Preventing Childhood Obesity in Rhode Island (Rhode Island)
• (2004) The Arkansas Assessment of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity (Arkansas)
• (2005) The Arkansas Assessment of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity (Arkansas)
• Child Overweight and Obesity: Shaping Solutions for the Future (Indiana)
• Vending Machines in Kansas Schools: Jeopardizing the Student Body (Kansas)
• Physical Fitness and Obesity Among Missouri Children (Missouri)
• Childhood Obesity (Nevada)
• Childhood Obesity in North Carolina (North Carolina)
• Oregon Data Book on Obesity (Oregon)
• The Advocate: School Health Issue (Tennessee)

Oral Health

• Virginia KIDS COUNT on Dental Health
• 2004 Kentucky's Cavity: Parents Voice Concerns about Children's Dental Care in Their Communities (Kentucky)
• Oral Health Brief- 2007 CA

Out of School Time

• Research Confirms Success of Youth Programs:  Kids Who Participate Do Better In Life; Indiana Youth Institute, Fall 2003 
• WI SCHOOLS OUT (2007)

Poverty

• Facts on Kids in South Dakota: Children and Poverty - 2003
• Virginia KIDS COUNT on Poverty Statistics
• April 2005 Policy Brief - Strategies for Fighting Child Poverty in Oregon (Oregon)
• August 2005 Policy Brief - Strategies for Fighting Child Poverty in Oregon (Oregon)
• December 2005 "Outcomes by Income: Low-income Children Fare Worse on Many Indicators" (North Carolina)
• Pathways from Poverty for CT's Children (March 2005)
• December 2005 Policy Brief - Strategies for Fighting Child Poverty in Oregon (Oregon)
• Issue Brief: Economic Wellbeing  (Nebraska)-2007
• Connecting the Dots: CT Child Poverty Report 2007
• MI The Changing Face of Poverty (December 2007)
• CT The Child Poverty Prevention Council Experts Report (2007)
• MN Child Poverty Factsheet (Nov 2007)
• The High Price of Being Poor in KY (2007)
• WI Vision 2020 Report Card (2008)
• RI Final Poverty Issue Brief (2008)

Privatization
Program resources

Public Expenditures

• Are Public Expenditures Associated with Better Child Outcomes in the U.S.? A Comparison Across 50 States (2005)
• Energy Assistance Program-Minnesota (Winter 06-07)

Race and ethnicity/diversity

• Mind the Gap: Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Education Demands Commitment (Wisconsin 2006)
• The Real Facts of Life for Children of Color in Washington State - 1999
• Hispanic Numbers Soar as Indiana Attracts New Wave of Immigrants; Indiana Youth Institute, Winter 2004
• All Kids Count!  Assessing the Well-being of African-American, American Indian, Asian and Latino children in Minnesota.
  

Rural

• A Guidebook for Conducting Rural Research
• Rural Kids Count: Sharing the Stories and Statistics from Oklahoma and Arkansas - Fall 2004

Substance Abuse

• Facts on KIDS in South Dakota: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome-2003
• Adolescents and Substance Abuse - Nevada 2003

Trend analysis

• Undocumented Immigrants in New Mexico: State Tax Contributions and Fiscal Concerns
• Aiming for Safety: A Survey of Public Opinion on Gun Policy in Wisconsin -2002
• Capitol Watch for Children:An Update on Federal and State Policies Affecting PA's Children (October 2007)

Urban
Welfare Reform

• Maine KIDS COUNT Census Brief:  Making Welfare to Work Really Work - Summer 2002
• Kids and Welfare Reform:  Different Ages, Different Results; Indiana Youth Institute, Spring 2003 
• Implications for TANF Reauthorization and State TANF Policies - Jan 2004

Working Poor

• Virginia KIDS COUNT on Single Parents
• High Cost of Being Poor Issue Briefs Series - Virginia 2003
• The "State" of Low-Wage Workers: How the EITC Benefits Urban and Rural Communities in the 50 States - Feb 2004
• Working and Poor - Making UI Work for Families - Wisconsin Spring 2004
• Keeping What They've Earned:  Working Minnesotans and Tax Credits.
• Measuring Family Economic Well-being, 2003
• Profile of North Carolina's Children: Outcomes by Income 2005
• KIDS CONNECTION: Cost Effective Health Care for Low-Income Nebraska Children 2006

Young Adults/Teens

• Preparing PA Youth for Success in a 21st Century Economy - 2006 Pennsylvania
• Youth Development Policy Handbook  - 2002
• Emerging Workforce - March 2003 New York
• The Transition of Nevada Adolescents to Adulthood: A RockyRoad 
• 2005 Coming of Age in Colorado: The Challenges Facing Our Youth (Colorado)
• Tracking Recent Teenage Pregnancy and Birth Rates: New York State and the United States
• The State of Washington's Children - Young Motherhood (2004-2005)
• "Sex, Drugs and Rock N' Roll: What Teens Do, What Parents Assume and What Parents Can Do" 2006
• Florida Young Mothers- 2006
• Life As A Teenager in PA- 2006
• Child and Teen Death Rates in South Dakota- 2006
• Suicide Surpasses Homocide as #2 Killer of Indiana Teens- 2007
• "Young Advocates Toolkit" North Carolina July 2007
• The State of Youth Employment in PA- 2007
• Teen Parenting and Pregnancy in Rhode Island (2008)
• Teen pregnancy Snaphot by AECF (2008)