RI Earns Top Marks In 2019 State Of Babies Yearbook

Rhode Island is one of the best states for babies, according to the 2019 State of Babies Yearbook published by Zero to Three. Twelve other states including Massachusetts and New Hampshire received the highest ranking.

Rankings are given on a scale of G-R-O-W, which stand for getting starting, reaching forward, improving outcomes and working effectively.

Rhode Island received a "W" for in all four core categories included by the study: overall, good health, strong families and positive early learning experiences. The study examines different factors, including family income, food security and health policies in the state.

In Rhode Island, both infant mortality rates and low birth weights were better than the national average, as well as the number of mothers who received little or no prenatal care. At just 1.7 percent, it is one of the best in the country, and well below the national average.

The report praised legislation including medicaid expansions and coverage, paid sick time for child care and paid family leave.

In terms of areas for improvement, Rhode Island scored low in several key areas. The infant and toddler maltreatment rate is considerably higher than the national average, as well as the number of infants who were breastfed at six months old.

Across the country, states in the northeast and west tended to have the highest rankings. The other states to earn the highest overall rankings were: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Vermont and Washington. A full overview of the study can be found here.