More of Hawaii’s children are growing up in poverty, but island teens are making healthier choices, with far fewer getting pregnant or abusing alcohol and drugs in recent years, according to a report issued today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

The teen birthrate in Hawaii plummeted 41 percent between 2008 and 2014, and the fraction of teens abusing alcohol and drugs has been cut nearly in half over the same period of time, the 2016 Kids Count Data Book shows.

The data are among the bright spots in Hawaii’s state profile, part of a state-by-state ranking issued annually by the Baltimore-based charity, which works to ensure better futures for kids.

Hawaii ranks 23rd in the nation on overall child well-being this year, compared with 24th last year. It has remained in the middle of the pack nationally for several years. Minnesota held the top spot this year, while Mississippi brought up the rear.

Ivette Rodriguez Stern, Hawaii Kids Count project director at the University of Hawaii Center on the Family, said the most troubling news locally was the harsh economic conditions children face.

The data showed that 15 percent of Hawaii’s children live in poverty, up from 10 percent in 2008, according to a measure that does not take into account the high cost of living in the islands.

“The percent of children in our state living in poverty increased by 50 percent between 2008 and 2014, compared to the 22 percent increase seen across the nation during that time,” Stern said. “The economic situation is not improving. It’s disappointing.”

She called for policy changes including paid family leave, a state Earned Income Tax Credit for low wage earners, and more access to early education for youngsters. The tax credit, available on a federal level, is targeted to working families.

“These changes require state investments, but the returns far outweigh those investments,” she said. “What we know from states who do have the state income tax credit is that it’s good for kids. Some kind of paid family leave would benefit everyone, but it’s especially critical” for low-income families.

Prevention efforts may have helped teens avoid bad choices that could derail their futures. Judith Clark, executive director of the Hawaii Youth Services Network, said increased funding to educate teens on how to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections has paid off.

“It was a combination of new money, a lot of training and culturally relevant materials that contributed to the continuing decline in teen birthrates,” she said.

The funds came from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and local foundations.

There were 23 teen births per 1,000 girls age 15 to 19 in Hawaii in 2014, down from 25 in the previous year and a big drop from the 39 registered in 2008, the report said.

The availability of long-lasting contraception has also played a role, Clark said, as well as outreach to parents to help them learn to talk about sensitive subjects with their kids and what’s appropriate to say at different ages.

“One of the strongest protective factors against unplanned pregnancy is when young people have a trusted adult that they can talk to,” Clark said, noting that the network and its partners have held numerous workshops and meetings for parents.

As far as risky behavior, the report found that 5 percent of teens age 12 to 17 in Hawaii reported dependence on or abuse of alcohol or illicit drugs in 2014, down from 9 percent in 2008.

The report drew on a wide range of government data to assess economic, education, health, family and community factors. The foundation has been tracking the well-being of children for more than 25 years.

“With more young people making smarter decisions, we must fulfill our part of the bargain, by providing them with the educational and economic opportunity that youth deserve,” said Patrick McCarthy, the foundation’s president, in issuing the report.