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Nationwide in 2021, 44% of youths in the one-day count of youth incarceration were in detention and 53% had been committed to a secure-placement facility, which is the juvenile equivalent of imprisonment. (Danheller/Adobe Stock)

TN youth incarceration snapshot reveals hope amid disparities

A new report showed the rate of juvenile crime continues to fall but disparities remain in Tennessee and nationwide. The Sentencing Project report …

In 2023, 72% of patients at Tennessee's Community Health Centers aged 12 and older were screened for depression and received a follow-up plan, up 7% from 2020. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

TN community health centers see significant growth in patient care

Tennessee's community health centers are vital to the well-being of nearly 428,000 residents, according to new data. The centers must report …

A recent Vanderbilt University poll found nearly one in three Tennessee children have had a mental health diagnosis, including 17% diagnosed with anxiety and 10% with depression. (Adobe Stock)

Experts offer health tips for TN kids back in classroom

With Tennessee children back in school, health experts have advice on how parents can prioritize their children's well-being. Medical professionals …

Tennessee's child care cost burden, measured as a percentage of median household income, rose dramatically to 40.9% in 2022-23. Hardin County faced the highest burden, at 105.7%, while Fayette and Williamson Counties had the lowest, at 19.6% each. (davit85/Adobe Stock)

TN rural counties show slight improvement in poverty rates

The latest report on the well-being of Tennessee's children noted improvements in some areas and challenges in others. Statewide, child poverty …

The latest EPA Clean School Bus funding of $940 million goes beyond health and environmental benefits. It supports school districts' transportation needs as well. (Adobe Stock)

$12 million in EPA rebates for clean school buses in Tennessee

Some Tennessee school districts are among 41 in the Southeast receiving funding from the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus rebate pro…

As of March, Tennessee still had about 23% of its federal education funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program, which could be used to help boost achievement. The deadline to allocate the funding is Sept. 30. (Adobe Stock)

Kids Count Data Book shows some improvement for TN children

Tennessee ranks in the middle among states for the well-being of its children, at 36th overall in the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

Compared to other states, Tennessee ranks 41st in the country for its higher prevalence of mental illness and lower rates of access to care for youth. (WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

Nashville superintendent works to nurture students' mental health

In Tennessee and across the country, Black women who are school superintendents are tackling the challenges faced by students from marginalized …

The Tennessee Lead and Copper Rule tests taps at risk of lead contamination. If more than 10% exceeds the limit, water systems must take action. (GDM photo and video/Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

EDF maps show progress on Tennessee lead service line replacement

Tennessee has fallen behind on lead service line replacement, with the Environmental Defense Fund's new maps showing only one utility with a public …

Every dollar spent on SNAP generates between $1.50 and $1.80 in local economic activity. For Tennessee, that is a total expected economic impact of up to $140 million from Summer EBT benefits. (NDABCREATIVITY/Adobe Stock)

Summer EBT food program estimated to help 644,000 kids

One in eight Tennesseans who have experienced hunger is a child. The Volunteer State is tackling childhood hunger this summer by opting into the new …

The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimates a state-level, fully refundable Child Tax Credit of $1,300 for those younger than 18, and $1,560 for children younger than 6, would cut Tennessee's child poverty rate by 25%. (Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)

State of Child report: One in five children younger than 5 lives in poverty

Tennessee's "State of the Child" 2023 report shows some progress, but also highlights ongoing areas of concern. From the Tennessee Commission on …

Hispanic and multiracial high schoolers were most likely to report poor mental health, while Black and Hispanic students were most likely to report symptoms of depression, according to The Sycamore Institute report. (Highwaystarz/Adobe Stock)

Report uncovers trends in TN youth mental health crisis

More young people in Tennessee are experiencing poor mental health and symptoms of depression, and suicide attempts have been trending upward…

A 2020 study found the COVID-19 pandemic affected Gen Z and their views in key areas such as leadership and living with their parents as well as well-being, and how the pandemic has shaped their beliefs about the future of work, education and much more. (Jacob Lund/AdobeStock)

Groups Provide Vital Resources for Gen Z During Mental-Health Crisis

Mental health has emerged as a pressing concern for young individuals belonging to Generation Z, those born after 1996. A recent study shed light on …

Three in 10 transgender youths aged 13 to 17 live in states that have passed bans on gender-affirming care, according to the Human Relations Campaign. (Adragan/AdobeStock)

Tennessee Ban on Health Care for Transgender Youths Takes Effect

A new law banning gender-affirming health care for transgender youths is now in effect in the Tennessee. The law prohibits medical providers from …

Black/African American students of both genders, Hispanic/Latino females, and white males saw growth in college-going rates above the statewide growth of 1.5 percentage points, according to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. (Kyta Willet)

Trade School Programs In Hot Demand in Tennessee

By Olivia Sanchez for The Hechinger Report.Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Tennessee News Service reporting for The Hechinger Report-Public Ne…

The 2023 Kids Count Data Book reports the median pay for child care workers, who typically must hold a range of credentials, was $28,520 per year or $13.71 an hour in 2022. (Cherryandbees/Adobe Stock)

'Kids Count' Data Show Some Improvement for TN Children

The annual Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E Casey Foundation ranked Tennessee 36th among the states for children's well-being. The report found …

In 2022, Save the Children reached nearly 900,000 children in the United States and distributed more than 5 million meals. (AdobeStock)

Summer Break is Broken for Many Rural Tennessee Kids

An advocacy group is expanding summer learning opportunities for families in the Volunteer State. In Tennessee and across the country, isolation and …

In 2022, Tennessee had close to one million K-12 students enrolled in nearly 1,906 schools in 148 school districts. (WavebreakMediaMicro/AdobeSTock)

TN School Districts Urged to Focus On Mental Health Support

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and an education advocacy group wants school districts in Tennessee and across the country to focus on critical m…

Adults with ADHD often cope with difficulties at work and in their personal and family lives related to ADHD symptoms. (Rawpixel.com/AdobeStock)

Drug Shortage Leads Some to Alternative Treatment Options

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and in Tennessee and across the country there is a shortage of medication used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperac…

An Annie E. Casey Foundation report showed 55% of youth age 21 in Tennessee in 2021 were employed part-time or full-time, and 63% had stable housing. (LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS/AdobeStock)

Report: TN Shows Strength in Foster Youth Transitioning To Adulthood

In Tennessee, the number of foster youths near adulthood has dropped slightly, according to a new report. The Annie E. Casey Foundation looked at …

A new EPA report states climate change can increase children's pollen exposures as seasons lengthen and temperatures warm. (WavebreakMediaMicro/AdobeStock)

Report Links EPA Climate Change, Children’s Health and Well-Being in TN

In Tennessee and across the country, children's growing and developing bodies are uniquely vulnerable to climate change, according to a new report …

A report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families notes Medicaid covers about 83.5 million people, including more than 34.2 million children - a 31% increase since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Alena Ozerova/Adobe Stock)

TN Kids' Uninsured Rate Could Rise as Health Emergency Ends

A pandemic-era law to help keep children and families continuously covered with health insurance is set to expire this spring, and advocates are …

Un informe del Centro para la Infancia y la Familia de la Universidad de Georgetown se�ala que Medicaid cubre a unos 83.5 millones de personas, entre ellas m�s de 34.2 millones de ni�os, lo que supone un aumento del 31% desde antes de la pandemia de COVID-19. (Alena Ozerova/Adobe Stock)

Tasa de niños sin seguro de TN podría aumentar si finaliza la emergencia sanitaria

Una ley de la era de la pandemia para ayudar a mantener a los niños y las familias continuamente cubiertos con seguro de salud está a punto …

According to the Tennessee Reconnect annual report, women make up a larger percentage of grant recipients and adult student populations at Reconnect-eligible institutions. In the first year of the program, 71% of Reconnectors were women. (AdobeStock)

Report: TN Working to Increase College Enrollment, Degree Attainment

Tennessee and the rest of the country are making progress in getting higher education to more people. A new report from the Lumina Foundation found …

Report: Tennessee's 'State of the Child' is Improving

Tennessee's "State of the Child 2022" report is an assessment of how children are faring, and this year's edition focuses on the situation for …

In Tennessee, foster care is supposed to be a temporary service until the family and the child in some cases can address the problems leading to the placement, according to the state's Department of Children's Services. (AnnaStills/Adobe Stock)

'I Belong Project' Raises Awareness for TN Adoption

National Adoption Month comes to an end today, but in Tennessee, more than 9,000 children are in foster care and waiting for new families through …

Nashville State Community College and other partners offer what's known as

TN School Works to Attract More Students of Color to Higher Ed

A new report on Black students in the community college system found fewer are signing up to attend two-year schools, an enrollment downturn made …

In Tennessee, more than 800,000 people are facing hunger, and more than 230,000 of them are children. (Africa Studio/AdobeStock)

Advocates Calling on Congress for Better Investment in Kids

Advocates for children's well-being are in Washington, D.C. today, calling on lawmakers to invest in kids. The Save the Children advocacy summit is …

Earlier year, the FDA temporarily banned all Juul products from the market, but was forced to reverse that decision after the company challenged the agency in court. (Adobe Stock)

TN to Receive $13 Million in Juul Deceptive Marketing Settlement

After an investigation found the e-cigarette maker Juul Labs deliberately targeted young people using a variety of marketing practices, Tennessee is …

In September 2021, around 40% of Tennessee youths reported feeling down, depressed or hopeless nearly every day for the past two weeks, according to new state-level data released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

New Data Indicates TN’s Kids Struggling with Mental Health

An increasing number of Tennessee kids are experiencing chronic anxiety and depression, according to new data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

Student loan debt and stagnating wages are steering many young people into vocational and technical training over a four-year college degree. (Adobe Stock)

Vocational-Tech High Schools Could Help Lower TN Dropout Rate

Tennessee high school graduation rates have been declining over the past few years, and some experts believe providing more opportunities for …

Data shows youths of color encounter police more often than their white peers and are disproportionately arrested, according to The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Experts: County-Level Disparities in TN Child Incarceration

Children living in certain counties in Tennessee are more likely to be arrested and jailed, and experts contended they are not seeing signs the state …

A recent report by the Hope Center calls on states to increase funding for HBCUs to help close the gap in addressing students' basic needs. (Adobe Stock)

Hunger Persists at HBCUs, Despite Record Federal Funding

Tennessee's six Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) collectively received more than $131 million in the past year through the America…

Nationwide community college enrollment declined 11% in Spring 2021 compared to the year prior, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. (Adobe Stock)

Report: College Degrees Boost Income; TN Program Helps Adult Learners

A new study adds to evidence that higher-education credentials can increase a person's earning power over a lifetime. The research from economists …

Undocumented immigrants, youths involved in the juvenile-justice or foster-care system, and people with substance-use disorders are at higher risk for human trafficking, according to the Polaris Project. (Adobe Stock)

TN Hotline Received More than 1,000 Human-Trafficking Tips in 2021

January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and state public health officials said it is important to recognize the warning signs and risk …

In a ranking of states where foster-care instability was defined as three or more home placements, Tennessee had the highest rate at 31%, according to a new report by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth. (Adobe Stock)

Foster Care Instability Continues to Impact Tennessee Kids

Last year, approximately one in three children in state custody remained in foster care for more than a year, according to a new report by the …

Healthcare provisions in The Build Back Better Act would increase Medicaid and CHIP coverage for people after a pregnancy, from 60 days to one year postpartum. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Potential in Congress to Close TN Health-Coverage Gap

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Many low-income Tennesseans without health insurance would quality for 'zero-dollar' out-of-pocket health coverage under a new …

More than 7,000 active DACA recipients currently live in Tennessee, according to the American Immigration Council. DACA has been granted to more than 9,000 people in the state over the past decade. (Adobe Stock)

Communities Give Input on Proposed DACA Changes as Deadline Looms

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The deadline for public comments on proposed rule changes to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) is Nov. 29…

The three economic downturns since the turn of the millennium hit young people particularly hard. The share of people ages 16 to 21 who are working is down by 14 percentage points since 2000, according to a new report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: From Preschool to College, Young People Need Streamlined Support

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A new report from the Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce, found the nation's disjointed education …

Black men comprise only 2% of the national teacher workforce, according to 2016 data from the Department of Education. (Adobe Stock)

More Black Male Educators Sought Across TN

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Among Tennessee students, 40% are children of color, yet only about 3% of teachers in the state are Black men. In Memphis…

Research has found SNAP benefits cover 43% to 60% of what it costs to eat meals consistent with federal guidelines for what constitutes a healthy diet. (Adobe Stock)

SNAP Benefit Boost Could Help More TN Families Afford Healthy Diet

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Advocates say the USDA's recent 25% Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit increase, slated to go into effect …

Students' identities can be easily obtained online from school postings on Facebook. (Adobe Stock)<br />

School Posts on Facebook Could Threaten Student Privacy

By Joshua Rosenberg for The Conversation.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Tennessee News Service. Like many of us, schools in the United …

Some 40% of mothers new to the 2020 Magnolia Mother's Trust program said they had money saved for emergencies. After receiving $1,000 a month for 12 months, that increased to more than 85%. (Wikimedia Commons)

Groups Urge Long-Term Solutions After States Cut Federal Unemployment

By Katie Fleischer for Ms. MagazineBroadcast version by Lily Böhlke for Tennessee News Service/Public News Service NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- After …

According to the CDC, vaccine-preventable diseases have a costly impact, resulting in doctor's visits, hospitalizations and premature deaths, all of which could be avoided. (Adobe Stock)

Routine Checkups Urged for TN Kids Before School Starts

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A new report by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, urged parents to get …

Approximately 4 million students enrolled in higher education are struggling with internet access, according to the New American Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

Pell Recipients Can Get Help Toward Internet Bills

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - College students receiving Pell Grants are eligible for a temporary federal program that provides $50 per month, or $75 in Tribal …

According to a report by the nonprofit Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education, around 33% of the state's community college students graduate in six years, compared with 61% for university students. (Adobe Stock)

Micro-Grants, Flexible Credits Could Help TN College Students Graduate

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A pilot program in Knox County provides cash to cover emergencies for college students in the region, and education experts say …

At least one in seven children have experienced child abuse and/or neglect in the past year, and in 2019, 1,840 children died of maltreatment in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Increasing Supports for TN Parents Urged to Curb Child Maltreatment

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Calls to the state's child-abuse hotline declined by 15% over the past year, but experts say increased isolation and disrupted …

Se estima que el 48% de los estudiantes hispanos son estudiantes de primera generaci�n, en comparaci�n con el 28% de los estudiantes blancos, seg�n el Instituto Nacional de Pol�tica Postsecundaria. (Adobe Stock)

"Descenso precipitado" de estudiantes universitarios Latinos

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- La cantidad de estudiantes latinos en los campus universitarios se han reducido en un 20% el año pasado, en gran parte …

M�s de un tercio de los hogares de EE.UU. con planes de educaci�n postsecundaria, informaron que al menos un miembro del hogar ha cancelado sus planes como resultado de la pandemia. (Adobe Stock)

Informe: La mayoría de los hogares de TN han cambiado sus planes universitarios

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Alrededor del 77% de los hogares de Tennessee con planes universitarios dicen que sus propósitos han cambiado debido a la …

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 19, 2024

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TN: Youth