Mississippi Event Highlights Child Health, Poverty, Coverage Gaps
At a "Families Count in the Deep South" event hosted by Mississippi Today in Jackson, Rep. Zakiya Summers urged lawmakers to prioritize funding for childcare, maternal health and education, citing the Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS Count Data Book showing Mississippi ranks last overall in child well-being despite 16th-place education rankings. Panelists discussed food insecurity, noting roughly 1 in 4 Mississippi children face hunger, and Gov. Tate Reeves' third consecutive rejection of summer food benefits for about 320,000 children. Healthcare panelists noted Mississippi remains one of 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid, and said active marketplace enrollment fell by about 70,000 Mississippians between February 2025 and February 2026 after enhanced subsidies expired in December 2025, warning this will strain charitable organizations and raise costs for hospitals and the state.