Visualizing data by legislative district helps identify areas of need and strengthens communication with your legislator. Kidsdata offers easy access to data for specific legislative districts on various topics. For all other topics where data are not broken down by districts, our legislative boundary overlay tool is a great option. Users can customize a map overlay by Assembly District, State Senate District, and U.S. Congressional District for a visual representation of district borders. Follow these three easy steps to take your map data to the next level!

1. Choose your data map of interest:

2. Click Legislative Boundaries. Select the type of district. If you’re not sure about your district, click “What’s my district?” for more information.

3. Customize the districts you would like to see on the map. You can select as many as you want, or, click “Check All” to view all districts.

Share your map with legislators, stakeholders, and advocates!

7th Grade Alcohol/Drug Use in Past Month, 2013-2015, in California State Assembly Districts Two and Four

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Posted by kidsdata.org

Children with Major Disabilities, by State Senate District, 2011-2015

Updated information on children with special health care needs, those who have a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional condition that requires more than routine health and related services, is now on Kidsdata. Discover the latest data on children with major disabilities by legislative district and by county, city and school district. Also, find special education enrollment by disability and race/ethnicity, the number of active California Children’s Services (CCS) enrollees by age group, and the percentage of insured and uninsured children who have major disabilities.

In California, nearly one in four families has a child with a special health care need, totaling over one million children. Additionally, over 280,000 children ages 0-17 years old had at least one major disability in 2011-2015. For state legislative districts around the Shasta/Cascade, High Sierra, and Gold Country regions, between 3.7% and 5.2% of children had major disabilities compared with under 3.7% in other districts during this period.

Children with special health care needs and their families face many challenges. For example, health care and other necessary support services generally are provided in an uncoordinated manner, and families are left to navigate the fragmented system on their own. For children of color, low-income families, and families living in rural areas, challenges are greater. Programs like CCS are crucial to helping children with special health care needs. Learn how the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health is improving the system of care for California children: lpfch.org/cshcn.

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Using E-Cigarettes At Least Seven Times in Lifetime, by Level of School Connectedness, 2013-2015

California youth with low levels of connectedness to their schools have higher rates of e-cigarette use than their more connected peers. Reporting in 2013-2015, 18% of students with low levels of school connectedness in grades 7, 9, 11, and non-traditional programs had used e-cigarettes at least seven times—almost three times the estimate for youth with high levels of school connectedness (6%).

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found substantial evidence that e-cigarette use among youth increases the risk of transitioning to smoking conventional cigarettes. Data available on kidsdata.org show that e-cigarette use is more common than smoking: 14% of 11th graders in California had used e-cigarettes at least seven times compared to 7% who had smoked cigarettes. This pattern held across levels of school connectedness, grade levels, genders, race/ethnicities, and sexual orientation. Tobacco use or smoking in any form is highly addictive and unsafe, and the long term health risks require intervention at an early age to prevent uptake and escalation.

Efforts across the state are working to address this growing issue. The Tobacco Prevention Toolkit from Stanford School of Medicine is a resource for anyone who works with youth. It contains a set of modules focused on e-cigarettes and vapes, messages on nicotine addiction, information and resources concerning positive youth development, and school policies that provide information about school tobacco policies and tobacco control efforts. Also noteworthy, the California Department of Public Health continues to run a Still Blowing Smoke campaign with special attention to youth and e-cigarettes.

Kidsdata.org’s new indicators about e-cigarette use are among 75 updated indicators on alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use from the California Department of Education’s Healthy Kids Survey. In partnership with WestEd, we are working to feature data on the health and well-being of youth in schools.

Updated Data

We are always updating our data. Click the links below to see the latest:

Characteristics of Children with Special Needs

Active California Children’s Services (CCS) Enrollees, by Age Group

Children with Major Disabilities

• by Legislative District

Insured/Uninsured Children Who Have Major Disabilities

• by Legislative District

Special Education Enrollment

• by Disability

• by Race/Ethnicity

Deaths

all indicators

Youth Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use

all indicators

Posted by kidsdata.org

Firearm Death Rate for Children and Young Adults Ages 24 and Under: 2013-2015

Firearm-related injuries claimed the lives of 1,918 California children and young adults between 2013 and 2015. Homicide is the leading cause of firearm death among young people ages 24 and under, followed by suicide. Of the 19 counties with data in 2013-2015, three recorded firearm death rates that were more than double the state average of 4.9 per 100,000: Merced, Monterey, and Solano. These counties’ rates have been consistently higher than the statewide rate since 2008-2010.

The death of any young person is a tragedy. The tragedy is amplified when the death is preventable. Public policies aimed at prevention, education, and support of youth and families can address preventable death. For example, routine and accessible mental health screening and services for youth can address suicide and harmful behavior to others. Also, school policies that foster a safe and positive school climate can reduce violence.

Kidsdata.org has newly added data on the number and rate of both fatal and non-fatal firearms injuries, by cause, age, gender, and race/ethnicity. Customize and share these data to help prevent youth firearm injury and death in California. If you need assistance navigating our site to get the data you need, please contact us at [email protected].

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From Edward Schor, MD, Senior Vice President at the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health

We all play a role in helping children reach their maximum health potential. This year let us renew our deep commitment to supporting physical and mental health for children. Optimal health is just one part of a continuous cycle in which we can all make an impact—positive behaviors and supportive relationships contribute to improved developmental and educational attainment. In turn, improved development is a stepping stone to economic self-sufficiency and healthful living. This cycle propels our children to healthy and happy lives.

One thing we know for certain is that variation in economic and social resources is associated with significant health disparities. Social structures, the supports we give to children and their families, greatly influence how our children will fare. Kidsdata provides data on social factors such as having adequate food, shelter, and health care access. These factors indicate how well a state or community is creating systems and supports that help children advance through this cycle of health.

We are excited to see how you will use these data to take action! Be sure to check out our new resource (PDF) that provides a great overview of all the information we have including topics, demographic breakdowns, geographic regions, and timeframes.

Here’s to a year of improved health and social well being!

Posted by kidsdata.org

Infant Mortality Rate

1996-1998 to 2013-2015

Kidsdata is excited to feature new data on infant mortality in California for 2013-2015. Infant mortality is a key measure of public health, as it reflects maternal health, quality of and access to medical care, socioeconomic conditions, and public health practices.

Reviewing infant mortality rates indicates troubling disparities. Among counties with data across time, San Mateo County has been consistently lower than the statewide rate since 1996-1998, while Fresno County has had higher infant mortality rates above the statewide rate. Some of the leading causes of infant mortality are preventable, and can be addressed through education and resources, from prenatal care and safe environments, to accessible high quality neonatal care and safe infant sleep practices. Much can be done to help counties improve the health of women and infants.

See how California’s children are faring »

Posted by kidsdata.org

Compelling data go beyond just the numbers. Did you know that all 600+ indicators on Kidsdata include definitions, data sources, and notes?

Click on the “Definition, Source & Notes” link on the indicator page:

You’ll find information to help you interpret the data:

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Posted by kidsdata.org

Children Ages 0-5 with Elevated Blood Lead Levels, 2013

Lead is a leading environmental threat to children’s health in the U.S. When children are exposed to lead—usually through contaminated dust, paint, or soil—it can have lifelong adverse effects, such as disrupted postnatal growth, hearing and learning disabilities, lowered IQ scores, behavioral problems, difficulty paying attention, and hyperactivity.

More than 1,200 California children ages 0-5 who were tested in 2013 had blood lead levels at or above 9.5 micrograms per deciliter (μg/dL), well over the CDC reference level of 5μg/dL. Experts agree that prevention is the best course of action. While regulations and abatement efforts have helped reduce the prevalence of lead in the environment in recent decades, lead continues to pose a health and behavioral threat to children. More must be done.

See policy options that could make a difference »

From October 22 to 28, the CDC and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are promoting National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.

Posted by kidsdata.org

Massive demographic changes create challenges, elevate economic role of next generation

Ensuring children’s health and well being in the U.S. has never been more critical to the nation’s economic and political future, according to The New Importance of Children, a report co-funded by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health and the Children’s Hospital Association.

The Baby Boomer generation is aging and retiring at the same time that birth rates are declining, altering the social and economic landscape. This disproportion due to the relative shortage of children makes each child—regardless of gender, ethnicity, geographic residence or economic background—more important to our future than ever before. As advocates we need to champion the priority of children to those who have the power to promote change.

Read the latest findings »

Posted by kidsdata.org

San Diego, Ventura, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties saw some of the biggest declines from 1980 to 2016. However, San Bernardino had the most days for 2016 with 106 days above the regulatory standard.

Ozone is a serious environmental threat to children’s health and is linked to abnormal lung development as well as asthma and other lung diseases. Strengthening laws and regulations that limit harmful emissions from vehicles, power plants, refineries, and other sources of air pollution is crucial.

See your county’s progress »

Posted by kidsdata.org