Mass. takes second place on United Way state index  

By Katherine Bonamici

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Massachusetts is ranked second in the nation on the United Way of America's first ever "State of Caring" Index, a comprehensive study of how each state measures up on a variety of social and economic issues.

"The State of Caring Index is a critical barometer of the nation's capacity for caring," said Peter Morici, a Senior Fellow at the Economic Strategy Institute in Washington who worked on the development of the index. "There is a real need for an objective and independent index that measures economic and social conditions."

The Index, which used data ending in 1998, was presented Wednesday at the National Press Club by Betty Beene, president and CEO of the United Way. Beene said she hopes the index can serve as a catalyst for social change, allowing states and communities to identify the areas they need to improve, and helping corporations and other groups to focus their charitable donations.

The "State of Caring" differs from other indexes in its far-reaching approach, according to Beene. While other indexes may focus on many issues within a state or one issue across all the states, she said, the United Way's approach examines all 50 states and includes six broad components-economic and financial well being, education, health, volunteerism, charity and civic engagement, safety and natural environment. Within those topics are 32 subcategories, ranging from infant mortality to literacy levels.

Helping Massachusetts's overall third-place ranking was a third-place percentage of fourth graders at or above proficiency in reading. The state was ranked fourth for teacher-pupil ratios in public schools, and has the seventh-highest expenditures per public school student. The state also has the second highest per-capita level of financial support to non-profit agencies.

Massachusetts has the lowest rate of injury-related deaths per 100,000 residents, and has the third lowest percentage of the population living below the poverty level. It has the third lowest infant mortality rate and the seventh lowest percentage of uninsured residents.

Minnesota was ranked first overall in the index, and Connecticut was third. New Hampshire ranked fourth, Maine was ranked fifth, and Vermont was number seven.