UNLV's Center for Business and Economic Research recently announced the release of its 2001 Nevada KIDS COUNT Data Book.
This annual publication represents the ongoing effort of the Nevada KIDS COUNT project to inform public policy-makers about the most current and accessible information available regarding children and youth in Nevada.
Data is collected on several topics, including Nevada child and youth demographics, health conditions and health care, economic well-being, education and achievement, child and youth safety/welfare, and juvenile justice. The indicators reflect a broad range of conditions that influence the well-being of children and youth and span the developmental stages from birth to adolescence.
"Nevada KIDS COUNT aims to be the authoritative data source on the status of children and their families in Nevada," Marlys Morton, project coordinator, said. "The goal of this effort is to enrich discussion regarding the needs and successes of Nevada's children and the promotion of responsible decision-making on their behalf."
This year's publication includes submissions on Native American children and on the developmental assets of youth. Under the health care section, topics such as Medicaid, Nevada Check Up, dental care, immunizations, and prenatal care are presented. New in the economic well-being section are updated federal poverty guidelines, federal programs, child care, and child support information. New education components now include characteristics of the formal education system in Nevada such as testing, proficiency, and college-entrance efforts. A profile of children and youth in special education and Head Start is also provided. Data regarding Nevada's children in out-of-home placements and a profile of children exposed to domestic violence are presented in the safety/welfare section of the book.
The data book is free and available to the public and may be obtained by calling the Center for Business and Economic Research at (702) 895-3191. It is also available in PDF format on the Internet at the following address: http://kidscount.unlv.edu.
