East St. Louis, IL (KSDK) - The future of children in Illinois could be in trouble, according to the Illinois Kids Count 2012 report released on Thursday.
Local community leaders and families gathered in East St. Louis to discuss the launch of Voices for Illinois Children's Kids Count 2012 data book, the most thorough yearly examination of children's lives in the state.
Conferences were held in Southern Illinois, Champaign, DuPage, East St. Louis, Joliet, Peoria, Quad Cities and Quincy. This years theme of was "Investing in Opportunities for Children - Now."
The Kids Count 2012 report revealed the heavy toll the recession has has on Illinois families, and how policymakers are neglecting long-term investments in children.
The report assessed gains and setbacks in various areas of opportunity for children, including education, health and development, and economic security.
Major findings in the report revealed that budget cuts and delayed payments to early childhood education between 2009-2011 and additional budget cuts in 2012 could mean elimination of pre-K services for thousands of children.
It also revealed that state funding for Teen REACH after-school programs, which offer prevention-focused services for at-risk youth, has been cut by more than half since 2008.
Other important facts revealed in the report showed that state funding for school-based and community-based mental health services for children and adolescents has been cut by 20% since 2009, and a new restriction in the Illinois Child Care Assistance Program that could result in the loss of services for more than 9,000 children.
The report concluded by emphasizing that strategies for reducing budget deficits and promoting economic growth must include effective public investments in children.
The entire Kids Count 2012 report is available at www.voice4kids.org.
KSDK