Want to Raise Happy & Healthy Kids? These are the States to Avoid, Research Reveals

Connecticut is the best state for raising happy, healthy children – while Mississippi is the worst. New research reveals disparities in mental and physical health support for children.

 | Source: VocoVision VocoVision

ATLANTA, GA., June 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New research finds that Connecticut (1), Massachusetts (2), and New York (3) have the happiest and healthiest child populations, while Mississippi (50) and South Carolina (49) have the least.

VocoVision released the Happy Child Index, which ranks all 50 states on ten factors that impact children’s mental and physical health, to better understand the disparities in mental and physical health support for children in communities and schools nationwide.

Connecticut (1), the overall happiest and healthiest state for children, has the fifth highest rate of children living in neighborhoods with a library. In addition, children in the state have the sixth best access to parks and recreation facilities in the nation. 

Connecticut has the fifth lowest youth suicide rate and the seventh best mental health provider per population ratio, meaning children and teenagers in the state have the support they need to stay in school, start careers, and live healthy lives.

The Top 10 Happiest & Healthiest States for Children

  1. Connecticut
  2. Massachusetts
  3. New York
  4. Maryland
  5. Rhode Island
  6. Illinois
  7. Utah
  8. New Jersey
  9. Nebraska
  10. Minnesota

Mississippi (50) ranked last in the happiest and healthiest states for children with the second worst access to healthy foods and the second worst access to parks and recreation facilities.

The state’s rate of children who live in neighborhoods with access to a library is also the second lowest in the nation. Mississippi also has the second lowest rate of children in the state receiving the recommended age-appropriate hours of sleep.

The state has the seventh highest disconnected youth rate, with 8.73% of teens and young adults ages 16-19 who are neither working nor in school, therefore at an increased risk of violence and emotional deficits.

Additional Findings:

  • Massachusetts (2) has the highest number of mental health providers per population ratio, with one provider for every 145 residents.
  • New Jersey (8) has the highest rate of children living in neighborhoods with a library, at 83.9%.
  • Children in Utah (7) get the most sleep, with 74.9% of children receiving the recommended age-appropriate hours of sleep each night.
  • Louisiana (43) is the easiest state to find mental healthcare treatment or counseling for children in. However, Louisiana has the fourth highest disconnected youth rate in the nation at 10%, and the state has the third worst access to healthy food.
  • Alaska (44) has the highest youth suicide rate and disconnected youth rate in the country.
  • Children in New York (3) have the best access to healthy foods in the nation. The state also offers the third best access to libraries, the eighth best access to parks, and the fourth lowest youth suicide rate.

The analysis is based on the following ten categories: access to neighborhood libraries; child sleep quality; access to mental healthcare providers and counselors for children; mental health provider to population ratio; youth suicide rate; disconnected youth rate; access to parks and recreation facilities, such as a YMCA; access to healthy foods; level of difficulty children experience when making friends; and air pollution.

VocoVision Vice President Jessica Marlow commented:  

“At VocoVision, we believe that every child, regardless of their geographical location, deserves equal access to resources, care, and opportunities to cultivate their overall well-being. The Happy Child Index provides an in-depth analysis of the crucial aspects affecting our children's daily lives, such as access to quality healthcare, nutritious food, and emotional support networks. By examining these factors, we aspire to spark a nationwide conversation on the importance of understanding and addressing the varying needs of children in different communities," said Marlow.

For a full breakdown of where each state ranked in the index, please visit the Happy Child Index here.

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About VocoVision
Founded in 2011, VocoVision’s mission is to find imaginative solutions to ensure that education and special services are more accessible. VocoVision offers a state-of-the-art network that makes it possible for schools and school districts to connect with highly qualified educators and therapists in any part of the country. VocoVision teleservice solutions empower students to experience the face-to-face connections they need to break down barriers and go further than they ever imagined. For more information, visit vocovision.com.

Methodology
For the full methodology, please visit the Happy Child Index. The ten categories and data sources utilized in the Happy Child Index include:

  1. Limited Access to Healthy Foods: Percentage of the population who are low-income and do not live close to a grocery store in 2019. Retrieved from USDA Food Environment Atlas.
  2. Mental Health Provider Ratio: Ratio of population to mental health providers, retrieved from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) National Provider Identification Registry.
  3. Suicide Rate of 15-24 Age Group: The average number of intentional self-harm deaths per 100,000 in the 15-24 age group from 2018-2021, retrieved from the CDC National Center for Health Statistics National Vital Statistics System.
  4. Disconnected Youth Rate: Percentage of teens and young adults ages 16-19 who are neither working nor in school, therefore at an increased risk of violence, smoking, alcohol consumption and marijuana use, and may have emotional deficits and less cognitive and academic skills than their peers who are working and/or in school, retrieved from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), 5-year estimates.
  5. Access to Exercise Opportunities: Percentage of population with adequate access to locations for physical activity, such as public parks and exercise facilities, retrieved from Business Analyst, ESRI, YMCA & U.S. Census Tigerline Files.
  6. Air Pollution: Average daily density of fine particulate matter in micrograms per cubic meter (PM2.5), retrieved from the CDC’s National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network.
  7. Access to Friendships: Percentage of respondents choosing “No Difficulty Making or Keeping Friends” in response to the question, “Compared to other children their age, how much difficulty does this child have making or keeping friends, age 6-17 years?” Retrieved from the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) data query.
  8. Child Sleep Quality: Percentage of children (age 3-17 years) receiving the recommended age-appropriate hours of sleep each night, retrieved from the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) data query.
  9. Access to Neighborhood Libraries: Percentage of children who live in neighborhoods with a library or bookmobile. Retrieved from the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) data query.
  10. Access to Mental Healthcare for Children: Percentage of respondents who say getting the mental health treatment or counseling that this child (age 3-17 years) needed was not difficult. Retrieved from the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) data query.

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                Best States for Children's Mental Health
                        

                
            

        

    








    

        

        
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