A study released today is hoping to draw attention to at-risk youth in the greater Mankato area.It looked at how cuts in funding may be having a direct affect on some area youth.News 12's Erin Reed explains.Its no surprise that decreasing budgets have caused many organizations to make some big cuts...But what is surprising is that a new study by Mankato Area Healthy Youth, MSU's Social Work Department and the YWCA shows that a lack of funding for youth programs is becoming a problem throughout the community.The study found that funding for programs that target the needs of youth throughout the area has drastically decreased while demand is higher then ever.Dr. Nancy Fitzsimons says, "The resources that have been available in our community to meet the needs of children, youth and families are no longer there. Our non-profit, social service agencies are struggling and that some of the trends of how kids are doing in our community are troubling."Those trouble trends include steep increase on poverty rates from 2002 to now.Arrests rates for juveniles have also seen a significant increase - going up 97.8 percent from 2006 to 2007.Those numbers have children in the community doing their part to promote how import these programs are in their lives.Emma Baynes says, "You're not just getting to have fun with your friends, but also you're learning new skills about what you want to do when you grow up."Dr. Fitzsimons says the study doesn't provide any concrete solutions because change is something that will take the entire community to get behind.Dr. Fitzsimons says, "What we want people to do is to see this report, to read it and to think about how we as a community can come together to try to address these issues."In Mankato Erin Reed, News 12.The full study can be viewed by going to our website keyc dot tv and click on featured links..