New Mexico Ranks Last Nationwide For Child Well-Being; New Hampshire: First

by Hiram Reisner, InsideSources
June 21, 2019

New Mexico was again ranked 50th out of the 50 states for child well-being by the 2019 edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Data Book. This is the third time in the last decade the state has placed last in the nation: New Mexico fell to 50th in 2013 and in 2018.

James Jimenez, executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, said the results were not surprising. The group is a nonpartisan, statewide advocacy organization, which works to improve the lives of New Mexico’s children.

“New Mexico tried for too long to tax-cut its way to prosperity, and the dismal results should surprise no one. We know that the best way to prosperity is with investments,” Jimenez told InsideSources.

“That means investing in the public structures and services — like education, health care, and infrastructure — that our families, communities, and businesses rely upon,” Jimenez said. “The one notable investment we did make over the past decade was the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.

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