Op-Ed: Risk & Reach Report Helps Mississippi Invest in Its Future

Darrin Webb, PhD, wrote the foreword to our 2021 Mississippi Risk & Reach Report. The Daily Journal published an Op-Ed adapted from that foreword, in which he writes:

This report attempts to quantify the well-being (risks) of children as well as the availability of resources (reach) being provided. This data-driven assessment of the conditions on the ground is essential for anyone hoping to understand the state’s human capital potential, because it points the way forward for our state.

The report is broad in scope with measures in the areas of health, education, economics, and family/community – all of which are encompassed in human capital. It compiles tremendous information into a single easily accessible source. The data are presented at the county level, allowing easy comparisons across regions of the state. The maps are especially helpful for local leaders to compare their area with surrounding areas. These measures lend themselves to being updated annually, which enables us to assess changes through time.

Dr. Webb, the former state economist for Mississippi, is currently senior economist for forecasting and macroeconomics with Premier Insights Inc.