Smart Talk: State of children in Pa.

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children release reports on child welfare and healthcare

• Scott LaMar
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 Keith Srakocic/The Associated Press

FILE PHOTO: Eight-year-old Abigail Gabriel, center, hugs her mother, Erin, from her wheelchair as Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Teresa Miller, Thursday, Dec. talks about the Children's Health Insurance Program, CHIP, during a news conference, Dec. 7, 2017, in Pittsburgh.

In Pennsylvania, investigations show there are more cases of child neglect than of abuse; almost 25,000 kids are in foster care and about a third are hard-to-place older teenagers; 128,000 children aren’t covered by health insurance, and most of them live in rural areas.

African-American, Hispanic and mixed-race children face even tougher challenges.

Those are all findings of the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children 2020 State of Child Welfare and State of Child Healthcare reports.

Tuesday’s Smart Talk digs deeper into the issues facing many Pennsylvania children and families.

Our guests include Kari King, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, Pennsylvania Secretary of Human Services Teresa Miller and Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman.

For Pennsylvanians looking for insurance options, refer to Pennie.com to discern the details among programs and find one that works for you.