Tampa Tribune Editorial: Florida Shows Progress In Caring For Its Youth
By DAVID SHERN
Special to The Tampa Tribune
After reviewing the 2004 KIDS COUNT Data Book released last week by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, I feel encouraged. We should take pride in the fact that the well-being of Florida's children is steadily improving. Although we continue to lag behind the national average, we are making progress - even if by small steps.
Florida has shown improvement between 1996 and 2001 in eight of the 10 measures that KIDS COUNT uses in determining kids' well-being. The share of our children living in poverty decreased, the teen death rate dropped, and we were one of only a few states where the share of children living in single-parent homes fell.
KIDS COUNT helps to track our progress and raise public awareness about concerns for our most at-risk youth. This year a major focus of the Kids Count data is 18-to-24-year- olds. This age range is a time of important transitions from high school to college student, from student to employee.
Disconnected youth find it extremely difficult to become successful adults. Those who are not continuing in school or other training programs and have not obtained a job - especially a job with long-term career opportunities - constituted 14 percent of Florida's youth in 2002.
Disconnected youth are at high risk for poor outcomes that are likely to be repeated in their children - including involvement in the welfare and criminal justice systems. They find it more difficult to capitalize on opportunities. Simply turning 18 doesn't mean that you no longer need supports and skills to achieve success.
Youth involved in the foster care and juvenile justice system are of particular concern. Their lack of ties to family and other social resources, their educational and economic disadvantages, as well as the trauma of detention, predict continuing struggles through adulthood. Criminal justice involvement, substance abuse, victimization, and underemployment or unemployment are the likely outcomes for many in these most vulnerable groups.
For the last 30 years, the University of South Florida's Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute has developed and tested techniques to promote positive youth outcomes. We've provided local, statewide and national leadership in identifying effective approaches and moving them into action. While we have much to learn, we also have knowledge of effective prevention and treatment approaches that are not used. We must do better at implementing what we know will work and stopping programs that don't work.
We have an opportunity to do well by doing good - to help avoid the costs of poor adult outcomes and maximize everyone's contribution to this community.
David Shern is the Dean of the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation's Data Book Essay can be read at www.aecf.org
The Department of Child and Family Studies (CFS) is a department of the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida. The faculty and staff of CFS are committed to enhancing the development, mental health and well-being of children and families through leadership in integrating research, theory & practice.