The state of the child in Indiana is good, but not good enough.

That’s according to Indiana Youth Institute President and CEO Tami Silverman.

“If Indiana’s kids aren’t reading at grade level, if they’re struggling with mental health, that’s the responsibility of all of us,” Silverman told lawmakers and advocates on Monday, Feb. 19, at the Indiana Statehouse.

She was there to present findings from her organization’s annual KIDS COUNT Data Book.

The Indiana Youth Institute is a nonprofit that focuses on research and education of youth issues. Though it does not directly provide youth programs, it often partners with those that do, and its reports are frequently used by youth organizations as they apply for grants supporting child services.

“When we’re hearing the data, we’re hearing what needs to be done and what can be done,” said Mark Fairchild, executive director of Indiana’s Commission on Improving the Status of Children.

New in this year’s 145-page report are county data tables showing how each of Indiana’s 92 countries compare on issues such as prenatal care, home internet access and the cost of child care. The report is also accompanied by an interactive county dashboard, which is available on the Indiana Youth Institute’s website.

Progress among teens, but mental health support needed

The report shines a light on some improvements in children’s issues over the last year. High school graduation rates are up to their highest point since 2016; the number of children without health insurance is down to 6%; and the rates of youth drinking, smoking, vaping and using illegal drugs are all down. 

But Silverman was quick to point out that Indiana’s ranking of 24th in the United States for child well-being —​​ although an improvement from the state’s 28th place rating last year — still puts Indiana in the middle of the pack nationally.

More than half of Indiana’s third through eighth graders are behind in reading skills and more than a third of Hoosier high schoolers reported feeling sad or hopeless almost every day in a two-week period. The state has the 10th worst rate nationally for children at risk of depression.

Most alarming, 17% of Indiana high school students has seriously considered suicide, Silverman said.

“That’s one in six of our high school students,” Silverman said, “which means it is someone that you know.”

Marion County has seen a decrease in youth who have died by suicide, according to the data. The county’s high school graduation and dropout rates both showed improvements over the last year, while its absenteeism rate continued to rank among the worst in Central Indiana. More than one in four Marion County students were chronically absent in 2023.

Silverman praised the state and Lilly Endowment’s ongoing $111 million investment in literacy education. And new initiatives like the Youth Worker Well-Being Project are launching to assist those who work with kids through peer support groups and free telemedicine services.

“Since launching on Jan. 1, over 11,000 youth workers from more than 200 organizations have signed up for these vital services,” Silverman said. “And that’s real progress.”

Early childhood access lagging

But still, Silverman said, more can be done, especially when it comes to the youngest Hoosiers. Silverman drew attention to the rising cost of child care. 

In Indiana, infant care can cost more than tuition at a four-year college.

The need for early childhood programming outpaces licensed providers by nearly twice what is available, Silverman said. Of those providers, only half are considered high quality by Early Learning Indiana, a nonprofit that works with the state to help Hoosier families find accessible early learning centers. 

Just 40% of Hoosier kids ages 3 and 4 are in school.

“That’s unfair to our kids because we know that children who have access to that high-quality care are less likely to drop out of school, and they’re more likely to contribute to society over their lifetime,” Silverman said. “In fact, it’s estimated that for every dollar we spend in one of those programs, we get a return of $4.”

The Indiana Youth Institute will give a presentation specific to Marion County data this spring. The discussion is expected to cover the effects of COVID-19 on Indianapolis youth and ethnic disparities across local health, education and economic well-being.

Registration for the March 21 event at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana is available on the Indiana Youth Institute website.

Mirror Indy reporter Carley Lanich covers early childhood and K-12 education. Contact her at carley.lanich@mirrorindy.org or follow her on X @carleylanich.