Photo by Je'Don Holloway-Talley
Rhonda Mann, executive director of Voices For Alabama's Children, talks to the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce at the Hoover Country Club in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, June 20, 2024.
Shelby County ranked first in the state in child well-being last year, while Jefferson County was 18th out of Alabama’s 67 counties, the executive director of Voices For Alabama’s Children told the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.
Alabama ranked 39th — the highest ranking for the state in the 35-year history of the Alabama Kids Count Data Book, Rhonda Mann shared with the chamber.
Mann, who has served Voices For Alabama’s Children for 24 years and was appointed executive director in October 2022, emphasized the importance of understanding the state's changing demographics to effectively plan for the future. Her work with the Alabama Kids Count Project aims to ensure Alabama’s children are safe, healthy, educated, and economically secure.
“If you are a business person or running a city or are on the county commission, you’re going to want to know how to plan for the future,” Mann. “The data will help you understand a lot about what’s going on with our children. … Behind every number is a child.”
Mann, a Prattville native, highlighted the significance of population trends. While Alabama’s population increased by 750,000 over the last 25 years, the child population only grew by 250,000. The state’s birth rate is down by 1.7 percent, indicating that families are waiting longer to have children, having fewer children or not having children at all.
“To maintain population levels, the birth rate needs to be 2.1 percent or greater, and ours is dropping,” Mann said. “Our child population is shrinking, and the impact on the future workforce is important. The state will have a smaller pool of workers to replace baby boomers and retirees.”
Gov. Kay Ivey has spoken about workforce development, noting that 500,000 new skilled workers are needed to support the economy in the state, she said.
Mann also addressed other pressing issues, including Alabama’s infant mortality rate, birthing deserts in rural counties, lack of health equity, literacy and numeracy challenges.
“I want decision-makers to be educated and understand what they’re doing,” Mann said. “If we’re not ensuring every child has opportunities to succeed and access to resources, they will fall behind, and that’s who we’ll have in the workforce. We cannot leave any child behind.”
Mann also discussed the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, noting significant emotional and mental impacts, with increasing numbers of children experiencing mental health issues beyond anxiety and depression.
“It’s a difficult time for our kids, and teachers are dealing with challenges they’re not equipped for,” she said.
Voices for Alabama’s Children champions six major issues: access to safe, high-quality, affordable child care; exceptional K-12 education; healthcare protection for children and families; food scarcity; school safety; and racial equity.
For more information on Voice’s For Alabama’s Children, visit alavoices.org.
