So you want to do ARKids First Outreach? Here are some questions you might encounter along the way. Why do we need ARKids First? Health insurance impacts the economic stability of families as well as their health. ARKids First provides affordable and quality health care, especially important as more and more families face economic uncertainty […]

This issue brief is intended to be used as a supplement to the 2007 Kids Count Databook which is being released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The databook, which is released annually, compares Arkansas to every other state on measures of child well-being. This year’s report ranks Arkansas 45th in the nation. This brief report examines several […]

A significant increase in the number of low-income children accessing dental services pushed Arkansas up the state rankings in a 50-state report card on children’s dental health released Tuesday. The Pew Children’s Dental Campaign gave Arkansas a “C” grade-up from “F” last year-for ensuring that more than half of the children in the state Medicaid […]

Just 38 percent of eligible Arkansas children are getting the regular, comprehensive doctor check-ups they need to stay healthy and avoid long-term problems, according to research by Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. The federal standard is 80 percent of children eligible for Medicaid. “Arkansas children are getting many more health services than in previous […]

The Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program is a federal Medicaid requirement that ensures low-income children receive comprehensive preventive care. It is designed to identify and treat physical or mental health problems that could interfere with child growth or development. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) set 80 percent as the […]

Children covered by Medicaid in Arkansas are not receiving the level of preventive care they need to diagnose potential health problems. The Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program is a Medicaid requirement that ensures low-income children covered by Medicaid receive comprehensive preventive care. This helps identify and treat physical or mental health problems […]

Addressing student health in schools increases academic performance and health of children, report shows. SPRINGDALE – A growing movement to address the health needs of students on school campuses has the potential to improve the health and educational ability of more Arkansas children, according to a new report from Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. […]

Advocates and lawmakers focused on cutting poverty in Arkansas in half by 2020 helped pass several pieces of legislation during the 2011 session of the Arkansas General Assembly. These new laws and others show that the partners, community leaders and citizens who contributed to the work of the Arkansas Legislative Task Force on Reducing Poverty […]

The Arkansas economy continues to strain under the recession that has swept the nation. The Great Recession’s toll on Arkansas workers has been particularly heavy for those who started behind during better times, including minority and low-income families. For them, jobs are still scarce, wages are low, the cost of living is rising and vital […]

The Arkansas Finish Line Coalition was pleased to see Senate Bill 65 signed by Gov. Mike Beebe Wednesday. It will ensure as many as 20,000 children eligible for ARKids First health insurance aren’t pushed out of coverage because of paper work errors. The “Red Tape” bill, sponsored by Senator Jimmy Jeffress and championed in the […]