Colorado kids would face brunt of federal aid cuts
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Thousands of Colorado children rely on federal assistance programs — ones the Trump administration is threatening to gut.
Why it matters: Public benefits, whether food aid or health care, help keep families afloat as Colorado's cost of living continues to climb, according to the annual Kids Count report released Wednesday by the Colorado Children's Campaign.
By the numbers: 1 in 9 Colorado kids lives in poverty, while 1 in 4 faces economic hardship, the latest numbers, from 2024, show. Those struggles are particularly acute in southern Colorado and the Eastern Plains.
Heather Tritten, president and CEO of the Colorado Children's Campaign, said children would bear the brunt of possible federal cuts.
- More than 616,000 kids receive health insurance through Medicaid or the Child Health Plan Plus.
- About 355,000 depend on food assistance through SNAP.
- Roughly 51,000 receive monthly cash stipends through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
- Nearly 28,000 depend on federal child care assistance dollars.
Flashback: Earlier this year, the Trump administration moved to cut millions in federal aid dollars and proposed deep cuts to education and health care programs.
- Most of the changes remain on hold after Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser joined lawsuits to block the moves.
What they're saying: "These programs can make the difference between a child seeing a doctor when they are sick or going without care; between a parent going to work or not; and between a family meeting its basic needs or falling behind," Tritten said.
The big picture: Colorado held its ranking as the 14th best state for children, with high scores in education and faith and community
- The state scored strongest in economic well-being, and health landed closer to the middle of the pack among states.
Zoom in: In El Paso County — the state's largest — about 10% of kids are experiencing poverty, just below the 11% statewide average, the report found. But 30% of households face financial hardship, above the 27% state average.
- Licensed child care capacity for infants, toddlers and preschoolers trails state averages.
In Denver, 18% of children are experiencing poverty and 30% of households face financial hardship, both above statewide levels.
- 4.1% of children don't have health insurance, on par with the state's 4.2% average.