The group Voices For Utah Children has been traveling the state, sharing their research and hearing from local populations about the problems affecting youngsters in the state.
On Monday, they held a session in Park City.
The group's CEO, Mo Hickey, said that they’ve visited 25 of the state’s 29 counties.
They’ve found that mental-health problems are increasing for teenagers and for even younger age groups.
Hickey said they see a problem on two fronts.
“We don’t have providers. So when you go south of Utah County, until you hit Washington County, there are basically no providers for mental health. And when you go north of Salt Lake, same situation. I was up in Box Elder. They have two providers for the whole county. On the other side, the students and the children have the same issues as we have on the Wasatch Front, and then they don’t have providers. So for example, if you’re in Iron County, you have to go down to Washington County to find a provider, if you can get in, because we have an overall shortage state-wide as well.”
He said youngsters in Utah need access to health insurance year-round.
“Medicaid will cover a lot of the issues, if they can get a provider, so that’s a problem. The way our Medicaid works in Utah is, we don’t get a full year. It goes month by month based on the parent’s income. So one of the things we’re working with is to make continuous coverage year-round. So if a parent works overtime or picks up an extra shift this month, right now their child could lose their insurance next month cause they go above the threshold. So we’re pushing like most states, 44 states, that if you signed up, say, February 1st, you would be covered until January 31st next year. So it will be continuous for one year. Also, just having children insured overall. We have the largest growth over the past two years, 22 percent growth, in uninsured children in the state.”
Hickey said they’ve heard about a wide range of problems around the state. The northern end of Weber County is doing well, but central Ogden is hurting, with no industry entering the city. Poverty levels are climbing in Carbon and Emery Counties, where the coal industry is fading. A school district in Wayne County had to hold a Truth In Taxation hearing in order to hire one social worker. In Richfield, a school district with 4700 students recorded eight suicides last year.
Also, in many rural areas, meth addiction is coming back, and is overtaking opioids as a problem.
He said truancy is a state-wide issue, and certainly a concern in Park City.
“Chronic truancy is going up across the state. You asked about Park City. Park City is right at the state average for chronic truancy right now. And chronic truancy is defined by missing 18 days or more a year. And we’re at about 8.3 percent for Summit County, and Park City’s right around the same. But there are places where that number’s over 20 percent. We’re hearing a lot of anecdotal things, right? So we’re hearing that parents that are facing mental health issues aren’t bringing the kids to school.”
Another serious issue is affordable and accessible child care.
“Right now, state-wide, it costs more for a year of college, on average, than it does for a year of child care for a zero-to-three-year old. And it’s starting to have an economic affect. It’s starting to have a human affect. People are just not taking jobs. I talked to some people who are, if they have two kids, one of the people in the house is choosing not to work, because it’s so expensive to pay for the child care, they’re actually losing money by taking the job. There is movement. We’re working on as a partner on a tax bill. So the corporations that provide child care in their communities would now be eligible for a tax credit. And it looks like that has bipartisan support for the coming session.”
But during their tour, they also heard good news from some localities.
“I was down in San Juan County. And personally I went in there expecting to hear all the problems they’re having. They partner with the Navajo Indian Health Services. And they actually have a scholarship program for Native students who are going into health and mental health fields. And they go to USU down there, and they’re giving back to their community. So they don’t’ have a shortage of providers in San Juan County of all places. Another one is Davis County. They’re doing dental screening at the Food Bank.”
Finally, Hickey said the tax reform proposal being considered by Utah lawmakers could have a critical impact on their efforts to fund education and health.
“Right now, the way it currently stands, everybody in education should be extremely concerned, and anybody who has a child in public education should be extremely concerned. Anybody who works with people in poverty should be concerned. This plan has so many challenges to it. And right now it looks like it’s moving forward. And so we’ve been urging people to contact their local representative. That’s the key. If local people call local representatives, there’s a chance of moving the needle.”
Mo Hickey, the CEO for Voices For Utah Children.
