SAN ANTONIO — Children At Risk, the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, and Family Service Association of San Antonio released a 2026 report Wednesday in San Antonio that examines child mental health, nutrition and kindergarten readiness in Bexar County, where more than 500,000 residents are under 18.
Nonprofit leaders and public health experts met at a Family Service location on the West Side to discuss the findings and the growing demand for services as the county’s child population increases.
The report states that 21.1% of children in Bexar County experience food insecurity and about 80,000 are uninsured. It lists the county’s child obesity rate at 15% in 2022, compared with 14% statewide and 12% nationally.
The report also cites a student-to-counselor ratio of 425 to 1 in Bexar County schools, exceeding the recommended ratio of 250 to 1. It states that 49% of children are kindergarten ready.
Researchers identify barriers to services, including limited neighborhood access, transportation challenges and difficulty navigating assistance systems. The report recommends creating centralized service hubs, expanding mental health resources and increasing coordination among nonprofits, government agencies and private partners.
