2011 Annual Report
We never forget that behind every statistic is a living, breathing child. While we work each day to examine the causes of large-scale poverty issues in Arkansas, we are reminded that our work has real impact when we see...
News
Proposed budget cuts could be harmful to Arkansas children
After a month of preliminary budget hearings, it came as a surprise this week to see a proposal that would cut more than $20 million from the state budget for fiscal year 2013. Rep. John Burris (R – Harrison)...
ommunity-based alternatives better than secure confinement for juveniles, report says
The National Center for Youth Law and the National Council on Crime and Delinquency released a report today released a report today detailing efforts to transform the juvenile justice system in Arkansas. The gist? Efforts by government officials, advocates, judges, service providers, youth,...
AACF Executive Director Rich Huddleston’s Statement on President Obama’s 2013 Budget Proposa
Statement from our executive director, Rich Huddleston: President Obama’s budget proposal for FY2013 addresses deficit reduction, calls for increased revenues and investments in the future, and largely protects programs that benefit children and low-income families. While the budget...
The 2012 Fiscal Session Starts Next Week
We are less than a week away from the convening of the 2012 General Assembly. Lawmakers return to Little Rock this month for the “fiscal session” in which they are to consider budget bills to fund state government through...
Arkansas Ranked 44th in Recent Assets and Opportunities Scorecard
The Corporation for Enterprise Development released their Assets and Opportunities Scorecard recently, and the news is not great for Arkansas. On balance the state ranks 44 out of 51 (all U.S. states and the District of Columbia), but the...
Arkansas Youth Justice: The Architecture of Reform
The National Center for Youth Law and the National Council on Crime and Delinquency recently released Arkansas Youth Justice: The Architecture of Reform. The report details efforts to transform the juvenile justice system in Arkansas. The gist? Efforts by government officials,...
Get Tickets While They Last!
We may have mild temperatures right now but February should bring colder weather and thoughts of your favorite soups. Plans are underway for our 2012 Soup Sundays, and both lineups are looking quite appetizing. The Little Rock event will...
More Kids Covered by Health Insurance but Challenges Linger
AACF releases study showing that more Arkansas kids are being covered by health insurance, yet many challenges remain. The number of uninsured children dropped in Arkansas even as families continued to feel the effects of the recent recession. Our...
Crossing the Finish Line: The 2011 State of Children’s Health Insurance in Arkansas
It’s no surprise that recession has hurt Arkansas families, especially children. The state’s child poverty rate continues to increase and is now well over 27 percent. But new data on uninsured children provide some good news for Arkansas children...