Families Count: Child and Family Well-Being in New Orleans

Louisiana’s numbers are hard to ignore. The latest KIDS COUNT Data Book ranks the state near the bottom nationally for overall child well-being. At the same time, Louisiana is one of the few states showing progress in education since 2019.

Both things can be true at once. Families are raising children in a state where the challenges are deep, but the data also shows that progress is possible  when leaders and communities stay focused. 

Deep South Today and Verite News are bringing that conversation to New Orleans.

The evening will be grounded in the latest KIDS COUNT data and Verite News reporting in the KIDS COUNT data. Sen. Royce Duplessis will help frame what the numbers mean in New Orleans, what families are facing and what public systems can do next. Additional civic and community voices will join conversations connected to children’s health, family support, schools, special education and stability.

Verite’s reporting gives the evening a local anchor. Recent stories have examined unsafe lead levels in New Orleans playgrounds and the end of federal oversight of special education in city schools, two issues that show how public systems shape daily life for children and caregivers.

This is a conversation for parents, educators, health leaders, advocates, policymakers, nonprofit leaders, funders and community members who care about what children and families need next.

What We’ll Discuss

• The latest KIDS COUNT data on child and family well-being in Louisiana
• Children’s health and the systems families rely on for support
• Schools, special education and stability for children and caregivers
• Where communities, advocates and policymakers are working toward progress
• What New Orleans families need next from public systems and civic leaders

Date: September 8  2026

Time: 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

Doors Open: 5:30 p.m.

Location: New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market, 1436 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., New Orleans

Admission: Free with RSVP

Presented in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation