skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

New Report Underscores Plight of MN Families During Crisis

play audio
Play

Wednesday, December 16, 2020   

MINNEAPOLIS -- There's new evidence that many Minnesota families are dealing with hardships during the pandemic. A new national report includes state-level data on households with children.

The findings from the Annie E. Casey Foundation come from weekly census survey data. In Minnesota, 11% of these households expressed concern about making their rent or mortgage payment, while 8% said they're experiencing food insecurity.

Leslie Boissiere, vice president for external affairs at the Casey Foundation, said it's clear that too many families are having trouble meeting basic needs for their children.

"The result of the pandemic is that many of these indicators of child well-being have suffered tremendously," she said, "and this is creating an increased and profound effect on families across the country."

The report also said 15% of Minnesota households with children described feeling "down, depressed or hopeless" in recent months. The national summary showed the struggles are pronounced for families of color. However, there was no state-level breakdown for racial groups.

The report is prompting renewed calls for Congress to approve another COVID-relief bill. At the state level, Jennifer Bertram, Kids Count coordinator at the Children's Defense Fund's Minnesota office, said leaders have undertaken a lot of efforts to provide help - but the need isn't disappearing.

"We see a pretty high level of unemployment still, for households with children, and added stress of families with young children needing supervision for distance learning," she said. "It is causing a pretty significant strain on families."

This week, the Minnesota Legislature approved a $216 million relief package, geared for boosting small businesses. It also includes an extension of jobless benefits, but Bertram said there's disappointment that $500 payments to low-income families were not included.

Disclosure: Annie E. Casey Foundation contributes to our fund for reporting on Children's Issues, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Education, Juvenile Justice, Welfare Reform. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
A report from the Tennessee HealthCare Campaign recommended the federal government needs to strengthen 340B drug pricing and other federal negotiation mechanisms to make needed medicines more readily available and less expensive for hospitals to purchase and administer. (Spotmatikphoto/AdobeStock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …


Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…


Nearly 13 million Americans receive health coverage through unique plans under both Medicare and Medicaid. They are known as Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

Social Issues

play sound

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …

More than six in 10 Americans favor keeping the abortion pill mifepristone available in the U.S. as a prescription drug, while over a third are opposed, according to a Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

New research shows more than six in 10 abortions in the U.S. last year were medically induced, and U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto - D-NV - is …

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …

Social Issues

play sound

Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021