New statistics on New York City children showed high numbers of Latino children living in serious poverty and failing to graduate high school. They also accessed the city's public mental health system at a much higher rate than other groups, according to the Citizens Committee for Children. 

Based on 2013 data, the annual report said there were roughly 1.7 million children in New York City, 35 percent of them Latino. They comprise the largest group of children in New York City. Latino families have the lowest annual median income, close to $36,000 which is about half the median income for white families. And while Latino children comprise just over a third of the kids in the city, they account for 48 percent of kids receiving mental health services. In comparison, African-American children account for 30 percent of kids in the mental health system.

Maria Astudillo, director of mental health at the Children's Aid Society, said poverty contributed to the emotional distress within Latino families. 

"Your anxiety level obviously increases significantly when you're worrying if you're going to have to food to eat tonight or if you're going to have clothes to wear tomorrow because there's not enough money or if your home is going to be there or not or if you're going to end up homeless," Astudillo said. 

Mental health counselors also said immigrant children brought to the United States by parents after years of separation often have trouble adjusting while kids born in the U.S. were more likely to clash with their foreign-born parents.  

Several service providers agreed depression and anxiety were high among Latino kids. They also said many children were labeled or mis-diagnosed incorrectly, after displaying behavioral problems at school. 

Jennifer March, director of the Citizens Committee for Children, said that vulnerable families needed services that would make their lives easier. 

"Things like making sure that early education is accessible, affordable, after school [programs] as well," she said. "Making sure that children that come from households with limited incomes are actually accessing breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack."

The statistics also showed Latinos have a 13 percent high school drop-out rate, the highest in the city.   March said graduation rates for Latinos were improving even if they still lagged behind other groups.