Houston's Latino Children's Health and Education Crisis

HOUSTON — A new report released by Children at Risk and its partners is alarming at the number of health and education challenges facing Latino children, especially in Harris County.

The report, called the Latino Child Health Initiative Report, breaks down the challenges into three key points.

1. diabetes and obesity –More than 75 percent of Latino children in Harris County are overweight or obese, the report says.
2. mental health — The Hispanic community faces challenges accessing mental health services in the Houston area, report says.
3. kindergarten preparation –The percentage of children in the Houston area who are ready for kindergarten varies widely, the report says.

The report says access to transportation, lack of insurance, prejudice, prejudice, immigration status, and language all contribute to these challenges.

The report's authors hope these findings will move the Hispanic community forward.

“We specifically looked at Latino children in the county, and what we know is that this area is the fastest growing part of our community. So how can we make sure that we can be successful so that these kids can thrive and thrive? Be more productive,'' says Children at Risk. said Dr. Bob Sanborn, President and CEO.

Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said Hispanics make up 64% of the district.

“Being in this role as county commissioner, I didn’t want to just sit there and focus on maintaining roads, ditches and bridges,” Garcia said. “We also wanted to focus on human resources, recognizing that Hispanic youth are the future of our county, the future of our state, and the future of our country.”

The report offers solutions to these challenges, including strengthening partnerships with local communities and government agencies, increasing support for Hispanic communities, and raising awareness of issues such as mental health.

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