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Economic Well-Being in
Rhode Island

Children most at risk of not achieving their full potential are children who live in poverty. Families in poverty are often not able to meet their basic needs: the cost of food, clothing, housing, health care, and more.

Economic Well-Being IllustrationIncome supports, such as child care assistance, health care (RIte Care), food assistance and tax credits, can help families with incomes below the federal poverty threshold meet their basic needs.

Poverty is related to every KIDS COUNT indicator. Children in poverty, especially those who experience poverty in early childhood and for extended periods, are more likely to have physical and behavioral health problems, experience difficulty in school, become teen parents, and earn less or be unemployed as adults. Children in poverty are less likely to be enrolled in a child care care center or preschool, more likely to attend schools that lack resources and rigor, and have fewer opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities.

Many working and unemployed families in Rhode Island are eligible for income support services and benefits to help their children grow and thrive. Programs such as health insurance (RIte Care), child care subsidies, tax credits (EITC), nutrition assistance (SNAP and WIC) and cash assistance (RI Works) are available to families with low or moderate incomes. 

Check out our publications

Issue Brief:

  • Opportunity Youth in Rhode Island: Recommendations and Resources for Reconnection — Opportunity Youth are youth and young adults who find themselves disconnected from school and work. These young people are more likely to live in intergenerational poverty, experience poor physical and mental health, have a disability, or be involved with the child welfare system, and are disproportionately People of Color. The report incorporates data and information about: Rhode Island's opportunity youth; racial and ethnic disparities; youth in the child welfare system; multilingual learners and immigrant youth; youth with disabilities; pregnant and parenting youth; youth and young adults experiencing homelessness; college preparation, enrollment, and completion; Opportunity Youth and the workforce; and more. Please see the full report here!

Factbook Indicators

 

The Raising RI Coalition is dedicated to lifting children out of poverty by increasing the RI Works* benefit and to breaking the cycle of poverty by providing parents with education and training opportunities leading to well-paying, secure jobs. Rhode Island KIDS COUNT is a Coalition member. For more, please visit www.raisingri.org.

*RI Works is the state’s cash assistance program for children and their parents or caregivers and a work preparation program for the adults. 

 

Publications

Additional Resources

Rhode Island

National

  • Annie E. Casey Foundation National Data Center – Economic Well-Being Indicators
    Rhode Island KIDS COUNT contributes data to the national KIDS COUNT Data Center, which is managed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.The national KIDS COUNT Data Center connects you to over four million data points about the well-being of children and families in each state and across the country. You can easily access hundreds of indicators related to health, education, employment and income, child welfare, and many other topics. The Data Center is free and available to all.

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT works to improve the health, safety, education, economic security, and development of Rhode Island’s children.

Address

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT
One Union Station
Providence, RI 02903

Contact

401-351-9400
401-351-1758
Email Us

401-351-9400
Email Us

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