Number of Homeless Children in Ohio Increases

Report: Ohio, nation see rise in homeless children

Heagney, Meredith. Columbus Dispatch, Dec. 13, 2011

According to a new report from the National Center on Family Homelessness, more than 1.6 million American children or 1 in 45 are homeless, the Columbus Dispatch reports.

The number of homeless children in Ohio and across the United States is on the rise.

Over the course of a year, more than 1.6 million American children — or 1 in 45 kids — are homeless, according to a report released this morning by the National Center on Family Homelessness.

That number rose 38 percent from 2007 to 2010.

The Massachusetts-based advocacy group ranked all 50 states from best (1) to worst (50) when it comes to child homelessness.

Overall, Ohio ranks 25th, according to the report.

Ohio had 32,953 homeless children in 2010. That number rose steadily each year since 2006, the first year included in the report, when Ohio was ranked No. 20.

Homeless children suffer from hunger, poor physical and mental health, and they have limited proficiency in math and reading, according to the report.

The organization also grades each state on its planning efforts to help these children; Ohio’s efforts were graded “moderate,” a step below “extensive,” the highest mark for planning.

You can read the entire report or see how Ohio fared.