A Strategic Agenda for Child Well-Being
In education and health, safety and economic well-being, ranking for Kentucky's children consistently place the Commonwealth among the bottom ten in the nation. Responding to a challenge from legislators, a broad-based coalition of advocacy groups came together to develop a clear and workable agenda to rectify this problem. The result is the Blueprint for Kentucky's children.
The Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children offers a ray of hope to Kentucky’s youth. It is the path to take Kentucky from its historic place at the bottom of the nation in child well-being to an exemplary place to be young.
Blueprint Priorities
Blueprint partners believe that to move Kentucky forward, we must make responsible investments in our children. Child advocates throughout the state must speak with a common voice and advocate for a common agenda. With that goal in mind, the Blueprint coalition identified three priorities to improve the well-being of Kentucky's children.
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1. Safe & Healthy Families 2. Fair Opportunity for Every Child Every child needs access to quality child care and education, K-12 education to have a fair shot at leading a productive and happy life. 3. Fair Deal for Working Parents |
View a printable Blueprint for Kentucky's Children Flyer with our 2008 Blueprint Legislative Priorities. (For best results, print on legal paper and do not shrink to fit printer margins.)
Blueprint Progress
Blueprint partners have been working together since June of 2007. Despite a $900 million state budget deficit that created some unexpected challenges, year one of the Blueprint saw great strides for Kentucky' children. View a summary of what the Blueprint has accomplished to date.
Blueprint Design
The Kentucky Blueprint partners are working to ensure that the agenda for children is:
- evidence-based;
- strengthens both child and parental well- being;
- is broad enough to address complex needs;
- reflects the joint priorities of participating organizations;
- focuses enough to target support on critical items;
- sequences action over time;
- reflects specific policy context and fiscal realities; and
- is informed by regional comparison with surrounding states.
The resulting agenda is one solidly based in data. It engages the broadest swath of stakeholders. It reflects the state’s needs as a whole. It is built on nonpartisan policy recommendations.
Blueprint Vision
Imagine a Kentucky in which our children neither live in poverty nor poor health. Imagine a Kentucky where rising child mortality rates are problems of the past. Imagine a Kentucky where every child is a world-class student because learning began long before the first day of kindergarten. Imagine a Kentucky which is the best place in America to be young.
Blueprint Partners
The partners in this initiative come from every region of the state. Metro United Way, The Center for the Study of Social Policy, the Brookings Institution and the Annie E. Casey Foundation all support the work. The following organizations have been involved in the Blueprint:
Appalachian Regional Hospital
Bellarmine University
Catholic Charities
Center for Health Equity
Central Bank
Children’s Alliance
Christ Church United Methodist
Community Coordinated Child Care
Council for Mental Retardation
Crusade for Children
Eastern Kentucky Child Care Coalition
Families and Children First
Family Place
Gheens Foundation
Greater Louisville Inc.
Hager Educational Foundation
Hazard Perry County Community Ministries
Home of the Innocents
Jefferson County School Board
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Kentucky Child Now
Kentucky Court of Justice
Kentucky Youth Advocates
LCCC
Making Connections
Marion County Schools
Mayor Abramson's Office
Mayor's Office of Youth Development
Metro United Way
Metro United Way Success by 6
NAACP
National Center for Literacy
Neighborhood Place
Nelson County Board of Education
Norton Healthcare
Office of Arts and Cultural Heritage
Ohio Valley Education Cooperative
PNC Bank
Prichard Committee
Public Life Foundation
Shelby County School Board
St. Stephen Christian Church
United Way of Kentucky
United Way of Northern Kentucky
University of Louisville
YMCA
Join the Coalition
The Blueprint coalition is open to any group or individual in Kentucky interested in helping us make Kentucky an exemplary place to be young. To join the coalition, contact Kentucky Youth Advocates at 502-895-8167, or e-mail Lacey McNary at lmcnary@kyyouth.org.
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