KIDS COUNT

Educating policymakers about the status of New Mexico's kids

Purpose
To improve the health and well being of New Mexico's children by determining what their unmet needs are and communicating those needs to policymakers and the public.

Description
Kids Count allows us to advocate for the unmet needs of our state's children by giving us a clear picture of what those needs are. This is done by identifying and tracking indicators of child well being using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, and state and federal agencies such as the Department of Health. By calling attention to indicators like infant mortality rates, the percentage of children living in poverty, and high school dropout rates, we hope to create public accountability and the political will to drive policies that address these issues.

Publications
We publish an annual New Mexico KIDS COUNT report, with data disaggregated by county, as well as special reports on the unique barriers faced by subsets of New Mexico's children. Our KIDS COUNT publications are available for download and public use with proper citation. The Annie E. Casey Foundation produces a national KIDS COUNT data book every year.

History
We became a KIDS COUNT grantee in the early 1990s and our first New Mexico Kids Count data book, titled It's About Time Kids Count in New Mexico was released in 1992. We are part of a nation-wide network, with KIDS COUNT groups in each of the 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Politicians, teachers, health-care providers, communities, researchers and grant writers regularly use our KIDS COUNT data to inform their own work. We also sponsor KIDS COUNT Day at the state Capitol during the legislative sessions.

Funding Source
Annie E. Casey Foundation

Contacts
Research Director Gerry Bradley, 505-244-9505, ext. 23
KIDS COUNT Program Director Lisa Adams-Shafer, 505-244-9505, ext. 34