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Home > Advocacy > State Fact Sheets for 2007 > Alabama

 
 

ALABAMA'S CHILDREN 2007

Alabama's Children At a Glance

 
 State Population 1  4,557,808 
 Population, Children Under 18 2  1,089,753 
 State Poverty Rate 3  16.7% 
 Poverty Rate, Children Under 18 4  24.8% 
 Poverty Rate, Children Ages 5-17 5  22.5% 
 Poverty Rate, Children Under 5 6  30.1% 
All statistics are for 2005.

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

  • In 2004, Alabama had 31,893 total referrals of child abuse and neglect. Of those, 19,081 reports were referred for investigation. 7
  • In 2004, 9,414 children were substantiated or indicated as abused or neglected in Alabama, a rate of 8.6 per 1,000 children, and representing a 1.3% increase from 2003. Of these children, 43.6% were neglected, 40.5% were physically abused, and 24.0% were sexually abused. 8
  • In 2004, 11 children died as a result of abuse or neglect in Alabama. 9
  • On September 30, 2004, 5,880 children in Alabama lived apart from their families in out-of-home care, compared with 6,079 children on September 30, 2003. In 2004, 25.2% of the children living apart from their families were age 5 or younger, and 23.0% were 16 or older. 10
  • Of the children in out-of-home care on September 30, 2004, 47.8% were white, 49.1% were black, 1.8% were Hispanic, 0.2% were American Indian/Alaskan Native, and 1.1% were children of other races and ethnicities. 11

PERMANENT FAMILIES FOR CHILDREN

  • Of the 3,042 children exiting out-of-home care in 2004, 80.0% were reunited with their parents or other family members. 12
  • In 2004, 398 children were legally adopted through the public child welfare agency in Alabama, a 17.3% increase from 329 in 2003. 13
  • Of the 5,880 children in out-of-home care in 2004, 1,650 or 28.1% were waiting to be adopted. 14

KINSHIP SUPPORT

  • In 2005, approximately 65,823 Alabama grandparents had primary responsibility caring for their grandchildren. 15
  • Of the 5,880 children in out-of-home care on September 30, 2004, 13.7% were living with relatives while in care. 16
  • Of all Alabama children in kinship care on September 30, 2004, 53.5% were white, 44.2% were black, 1.0% were Hispanic, 0.2% were American Indian/Alaskan Native, and 1.1% were of other races. 17

CHILD POVERTY AND INCOME SUPPORT

  • The total number of individuals receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in Alabama decreased from 48,117 in March 2005 to 44,445 in March 2006, a decrease of 8.3%. The number of families receiving TANF in March 2006 was 18,992 , a 6.4% decrease from March 2005. 18
  • In 2002, a family of three receiving only TANF and food stamp benefits in Alabama was at 29.7% of the federal poverty guideline. 19
  • In 2004, Alabama spent $114,194,976 in TANF funds, including 39.3% on basic assistance, 3.5% on transportation, and 57.2% on nonassistance. 20
  • In 2005, Alabama collected and distributed $237,315,365 in child support funds, an increase of 4.8% from 2004. 21
  • In 2005, the fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Alabama was $527 per month. The wage necessary to afford this two-bedroom apartment was $10.14 per hour, working a 40-hour week. 22

CHILD CARE AND HEAD START

  • In 2005, Alabama had an estimated monthly average of 27,100 children served by subsidized child care; 29,200 children received subsidized child care in 2004, and 30,400 in 2003. 23
  • In 2006, to be eligible for subsidized child care in Alabama, a family of three could make no more than $20,916, which is equivalent to 45% of the state's median income. 24
  • In 2006, Alabama had 9,408 children on its waiting list for child care assistance. 25
  • In 2005, Head Start served 16,374 Alabama children, the same number as in 2004. 26

HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

  • In 2002, 417,500 children younger than 19 were enrolled in Medicaid in Alabama, representing 49.4% of the total number of enrollees. 27
  • In 2001, 5,676 foster and adopted children were enrolled in Medicaid in Alabama, representing 1.5% of all children in Medicaid. 28
  • In 2001, Alabama spent $59,641,790 on Medicaid services for children in foster care, and $10,508 on Medicaid services per foster care enrollee. 29
  • Alabama reported spending $12,374,557.00 of its total Medicaid expenditures in 2001 on targeted case management services for foster children. 30
  • Alabama reported spending $88,462.00 of its total Medicaid expenditures in 2001 on rehabilitative services for foster children. 31
  • In 2005, Alabama had 81,856 children enrolled in its State Children's Health Insurance Program, a 3.1% increase from 2004, when 79,407 children were enrolled. 32
  • In 2003, 5,923 babies were born weighing less than 2,500 grams, giving Alabama a ranking of 30 nationally in number of low-weight births (1 being the best, and 50 the worst). 33
  • In 2003, 519 infants younger than 1 year died in Alabama, giving the state a ranking of 32 nationally in infant mortality rates (1 being the best, and 50 the worst). 34
  • In 2004, the birth rate for teens age 15-17 in Alabama was 29.1 births per 1,000 girls; for teens 18-19, the rate was 86.5. This reflects a total rate of 52.4 births per 1,000 girls ages 15-19. 35
  • Cumulative through 2004, 7,669 adults and adolescents, as well as 75 children younger than 13, were reported as having HIV/AIDS in Alabama. 36
  • In 2004, an estimated 28,000 children age 12-17, and 161,000 adults 26 and older, were dependent on or abusing illicit drugs or alcohol in Alabama. 37

VULNERABLE YOUTH

  • In 2004, 58 children aged-out of out-of-home care in Alabama. 38
  • In 2004, 15,000 Alabama teens age 16-19 were high school dropouts. 39
  • In 2004, 8% of teens age 16-19 were not enrolled in school, were not working, and had no degree beyond high school. 40
  • In 2004, approximately 18,000 children age 12-17 in Alabama needed, but had not received, treatment for illicit drug use in the past year. 41
  • In 2004, approximately 17,000 children age 12-17 needed, but had not received, treatment for alcohol use in the past year. 42
  • In 2003, 22 children and youth younger than 20 committed suicide, a rate of 1.79 per 100,000 children. 43

JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION

  • In 2003, 15 children under age 18 were killed in firearm homicides in Alabama--the same number as in 2002. 44
  • In 2005, 11,484 children younger than 18 were arrested in Alabama, a 15.5% decrease from 13,596 arrests in 2004. Of the arrests in 2005, 461 were for violent crimes, and 98 were for possession of a weapon. 45
  • A 2003 census of juvenile offenders showed 1,794 children in juvenile correction facilities in Alabama. 46

FUNDING CHILD WELFARE SERVICES FOR ALABAMA'S CHILDREN

  • In 2004, Alabama spent $278,097,807 for child welfare services. Child welfare services are all direct and administrative services the state agency provides to children and families. 47 Of this amount, 62% was from federal funds, 37% was from state funds, and 1% was from local funds. 48
  • In 2004, of the $173,519,692 in federal funds Alabama received for child welfare, 15% was from Title IV-E Foster Care and Adoption Assistance, 7% came from Title IV-B Child Welfare Services and Promoting Safe and Stable Families, 46% was from Medicaid, 19% came from the Social Services Block Grant, 13% was from TANF, and 1% came from other federal sources. 49
  • Out of 5,880 children in out-of-home care in Alabama on September 30, 2004, only 1,352 , or 23.0%, received Title IV-E federal foster care assistance. 50

ALABAMA'S CHILD WELFARE WORKFORCE

  • A 2003 General Accounting Office (GAO) report documented that staff shortages, high caseloads, high worker turnover and low salaries impinge on delivering services to achieve safety, permanence, and well-being for children. 51
  • The federal Child and Family Service Reviews have demonstrated clearly that the more time a caseworker spends with a child and family, the better the outcomes for those children and families. 52
  • According to the 2003 GAO report, the average caseload for child welfarefoster care caseworkers is 24-31 children; these high caseloads contribute to high worker turnover and insufficient services provided to children and families. CWLA recommends that foster care caseworkers have caseloads of 12-15 children. 53
  • In 2004, the minimum annual salary for a caseworker responsible for investigating reports of abuse and neglect in Alabama was $26,411; the median income for a family of four was $55,448. 54

REFERENCES

  1. U.S. Bureau of the Census, Population Division (2005). Table 1: Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States and States, and for Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005 (NST-EST2005-01). Retrieved online September 18, 2006. Washington, DC: Author. back
  2. U.S. Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey, Population Reference Bureau. (2006). Special tabulations of the supplementary survey. Washington, DC: Author. back
  3. U.S. Bureau of the Census (2006). Current Population Survey, 2006 Annual Social and Economic Supplement. Poverty Status by State: 2005. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: Author. back
  4. U.S. Bureau of the Census (2006). Current Population Survey, 2006 Annual Social and Economic Supplement. Poverty Status by State: 2005 Below 100% and 125% of Poverty--People Under 18 Years of Age. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: Author. back
  5. U.S. Bureau of the Census (2006). 2005 American Community Survey, Selected Economic Characteristics. Retrieved January 23, 2007. back
  6. Ibid. back
  7. Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF). (2006). Child Maltreatment 2004: Reports From the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). back
  8. Ibid.; Administration on Children, Youth, and Families. (2005). Child Maltreatment 2003: Reports From the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: HHS. back
  9. ACYF, Child Maltreatment 2004. back
  10. Child Welfare League of America (CWLA). (2006). Special tabulation of the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System AFCARS). Washington, DC: Author. back
  11. "Other races and ethnicities" includes Asian, Pacific Islander, Hawaiian Native, unknown or unable to determine, missing data and two or more races; CWLA, Special tabulation from AFCARS, 2006. back
  12. Ibid. back
  13. Ibid.; CWLA. (2005). Special tabulation from AFCARS. back
  14. CWLA, Special tabulation from AFCARS, 2006. back
  15. U.S. Census Bureau. (2005). American Community Survey, Data Profile. Selected Social Characteristics: 2005. Retrieved online January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: Author. back
  16. CWLA, Special tabulation from AFCARS, 2006. back
  17. Ibid. back
  18. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance. (2006, 2005). Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Separate State Program-Maintenance of Effort Aid to Families with Dependant Children: Caseload Data. Retrieved online, January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: HHS. back
  19. Calculations by CWLA, based on Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance. (2004). Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program: Sixth Annual Report to Congress. (Table 1:14, Average Monthly Amount of Assistance per Family and per Recipient Fiscal Year 2002). Retrieved online January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: HHS; Food and Nutrition Service. (2005). Food Stamp Program--Annual State Level Data--State Level Participation. Food Stamp Program: Average Monthly Benefit Per Household (FY 2002). Retrieved online October 13, 2005. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. (2002). The 2002 HHS Poverty Guidelines. Retrieved online January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: HHS. back
  20. Administration for Children and Families. (2004). TANF Financial Data. Table F: Combined Spending of Federal and States Funds Expended in FY 2004 Through the Fourth Quarter. Retrieved online January 23, 2007, from www.acf.hhs.govprograms/ofs/data/2004/tableF_2004.html. Washington, DC: HHS. back
  21. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement. (2006). Child Support Enforcement, FY 2005 Preliminary Data. Table 3--Total Distributed Collections, FY 2005. Retrieved online, January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: HHS; Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement. (2005). Child Support Enforcement Program Results for FY 2004. Table 3--Total Distributed Collections, FY 2004. Retrieved online, January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: HHS. back
  22. Pitcoff, W.; Pelletiere, D.; Crowley, S.; Treskon, M.; & Dolbeare, C. (2005). Out of Reach 2005. Retrieved online, September 27, 2006. Washington, DC: National Low Income Housing Coalition. back
  23. Administration for Children and Families, Child Care Bureau. (2005). FFY 2005 CCDF Data Tables and Charts; Average Monthly Adjusted Number of Children and Families Served. Retrieved online, January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: HHS; Administration for Children and Families, Child Care Bureau. (2003). FFY 2003 CCDF Data Tables and Charts; Average Monthly Adjusted Number of Children and Families Served. Retrieved online, January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: HHS; Administration for Children and Families, Child Care Bureau. (2004). FFY 2004 CCDF Data Tables and Charts; Average Monthly Adjusted Number of Children and Families Served. Retrieved online, January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: HHS. back
  24. Schulman, K. & Blank, H. (2006). State Child Care Assistance Policies 2006: Gaps Remain with New Challenges Ahead. Retrieved online, January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: National Women's Law Center. back
  25. Ibid. back
  26. Administration for Children and Families, Head Start Bureau. (2006). Head Start fact sheet. Retrieved January 23, 2007, from www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/research/2006.htm. Washington, DC: HHS; Administration for Children and Families, Head Start Bureau. (2005). Head Start program fact sheet. Retrieved January 23, 2007, from www.acf.hhs.gov/programs /hsb/research/2005.htm. Washington, DC: HHS. back
  27. Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2006). Medicaid enrollment by group, FFY 2002. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Menlo Park, CA: Author. back
  28. Geen, R., Sommers, A., & Cohen, M. (2005). Medicaid Spending on Foster Children. Retrieved online, January 17, 2007. Washington, DC: Urban Institute. back
  29. Ibid. back
  30. Urban Institute estimates based on data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2001). Medicaid Statistical Information System, Summary File, Baltimore: Author. back
  31. Ibid. back
  32. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2006). FY 2005 number of children ever enrolled year--SCHIP by program type. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Baltimore: Author. back
  33. Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2006). Kids Count. State Level Data Online: Comparisons by Topic: Low-birthweight babies: Number: 2003. Retrieved online, January 17, 2007. Baltimore: Author. back
  34. Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2006). Kids Count. State Level Data Online: Comparisons by Topic: Infant Mortality: Number: 2003. Retrieved online, January 17, 2007. Baltimore: Author. back
  35. Martin, J.A.; Hamilton, B.E.; Sutton, P.D.; Ventura, S.J.; Menacker, F.; & Kirmeyer, S. (2006). Births: Final data for 2004. National Vital Statistics Reports 55(1). Retrieved January 23, 2007. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. back
  36. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005). HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, 2004. Vol. 16. Retrieved online January 23, 2007. Atlanta: Author. back
  37. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Office of Applied Studies. (2006). State estimates of substance use from the 2003-2004 national surveys on drug use and health. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Rockville, MD: Author. back
  38. Children who aged out of foster care are captured by the AFCARS emancipation data element. Children who exit care to emancipation are those who reached the age of majority; AFCARS. back
  39. Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2006). Kids Count data book indicators: Teens who are high school dropouts: Number: 2004. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Baltimore: Author; Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2006). Kids Count data book indicators: Teens who are high school dropouts: Number: 2000. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Baltimore: Author. back
  40. Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2006). Kids Count data book indicators: Teens who are high school dropouts: Number: 2004. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Baltimore: Author; Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2006). Kids Count data book indicators: Teens who are high school dropouts: Number: 2000. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Baltimore: Author. back
  41. SAMHSA, State Estimates of Substance Use from the 2003-2004 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. back
  42. Ibid. back
  43. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (2006). Injury Mortality Reports, 1999-2004. Retrieved online, January 23, 2007. Atlanta: Author. back
  44. Ibid. back
  45. Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2006). Crime in the United States 2005 (Table 69). Retrieved January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: Author; Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2006). Crime in the United States 2004 (Table 69). Retrieved January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: Author. back
  46. Sickmund, M., Sladky, T.J., & and Kang, W. (2005). Census of juveniles in residential placement databook. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. back
  47. Examples of direct services include child abuse and neglect investigations, foster care, community-based programs, case management, and all such services required for the safety, permanency, and well-being of children. Examples of administrative services include management information systems, training programs, eligibility determination processes, and all services that provide the infrastructure supports for the public agency. back
  48. Scarcella, C.A.; Bess, R.; Zielewski, E.H.; & Geen, R. (2006). The Cost of Protecting Vulnerable Children V: Understanding State Variation in Child Welfare Financing. Retrieved online, January 17, 2007. Washington, DC: Urban Institute. back
  49. Ibid. back
  50. CWLA, Special tabulation from AFCARS, 2005. back
  51. U.S. General Accounting Office. (March 2003). Child Welfare: HHS Could Play a Greater Role in Helping Child Welfare Agencies Recruit and Retain Staff. Retrieved online, January 17, 2007. Washington, DC: Author. back
  52. Ibid. back
  53. Ibid. back
  54. U.S. General Accounting Office. (March 2003). Child Welfare: HHS Could Play a Greater Role in Helping Child Welfare Agencies Recruit and Retain Staff. Retrieved online, January 17, 2007. Washington, DC: Author. back




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