Blowing smoke on child care and kinship care

Kacey Musgraves is a new country music sensation.  Her opening number, “Blowing Smoke” goes like: Between the lunch and dinner rush Kelly caught that out bound bus for Vegas. And we're all out here talkin trash, makin bets, Lips wrapped round our cigarettes. She always thought she was too good to be a waitress. We all say that we'll quit someday When our ship comes in we'll just sail away. But we're just blowin smoke. [...]

By |2013-07-25T10:40:41-04:00July 25th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|

Sign-on to speak out against cuts to child care and kinship care

Since April 1, no new families have been able to receive child care assistance or apply for the Kinship Care Program. Child care assistance helps low-income working families afford child care while the Kinship Care Program provides financial support to grandparents and other relatives who are raising children because they cannot live safely with their parents. In addition, the state raised income eligibility limits for child care assistance from 150 percent to 100 percent of [...]

By |2013-07-25T10:05:44-04:00July 25th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|

Lessons from Dr. Heckman on early childhood development

“Invest in prevention-not remediation.” That was the primary message of Dr. James Heckman’s lecture that took place in Henderson, Kentucky on Tuesday July 23, 2013. The Nobel Laureate and Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago has been a part of several studies surrounding early childhood development and the relationship that early education has with the economy. Dr. Heckman is also considered an expert in the economics of human development. Dr. Heckman’s research of [...]

By |2013-07-25T09:41:20-04:00July 25th, 2013|Blog, Economic Security, Education|

Cabinet responds to advocates’ concerns regarding cuts to children’s program

Since April 1, no new families have been able to receive child care assistance or apply for the Kinship Care Program, which provides financial support to non-parental, relative caregivers, like grandparents. In addition, the state raised income eligibility limits for child care assistance from 150 percent to 100 percent of the poverty level, causing 8,700 families to lose child care assistance each month. This stems from a decision by the Department for Community Based Services [...]

It takes a lot to get by in Kentucky

It’s pretty clear by now that families across Kentucky are still struggling in the wake of the recession. Although unemployment has been decreasing, the number of children in poverty continues to climb, as does the number of households relying on food stamps to feed their families. Times are tough and they don’t appear to be getting much better. Last week, the Economic Policy Institute released their updated Family Budget Calculator (which you can check out [...]

By |2013-07-10T16:10:17-04:00July 10th, 2013|Blog, Economic Security|

Remember the original meaning of “The Pursuit of Happiness” this Independence Day

“The pursuit of happiness.”  That phrase animates an essay by Jon Meacham in the most recent edition of TIME. It made me remember Mary Kay Tachua – the most brilliant professor I ever experienced.  More than forty years ago, an administrative error at the University of Louisville put Dr. Tachua as the professor of an undergraduate section of American History.  Dr. Tachua was renowned as a graduate professor; social activist; and, perhaps on special and [...]

Kinship care support doesn’t make it easier, it helps to make it possible

I got to know some of the best Kentuckians you could ever meet at last week’s public hearing on the cuts to kinship care and child care subsidies. I had the privilege of driving to Frankfort with Phyllis, a 63 year old grandmother who is stepping up to raise her 16 month and 3 year old granddaughters, both who were born addicted to cocaine. As the married mother of two girls the same age, I [...]

By |2013-05-30T14:56:48-04:00May 30th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security|

Gov. Beshear Needs to Reverse Cuts to Kinship Care and Child Care Assistance

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Courier Journal on May 22, 2013. You can find it online here. It was not as dramatic as scenes in Frankfort can be. There was neither a gallery of cameras nor the moment of confrontation between elected leaders. But on Tuesday, a very important event took place in Frankfort. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services held a public hearing regarding the recent cuts to kinship [...]

By |2013-05-22T10:41:35-04:00May 22nd, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|

A Sure-Fire Bet for Kentucky Kids

When it comes to March Madness, I think I am an expert.  I look at every rating system known to mankind.  I compare offensive and defensive efficiencies of each team.  I analyze the relative strength of every conference.  And the result?  Well, all four granddaughters beat me (and the two youngest are only three years old!) but I did edge out my four year old grandson in our family bracketology contest!  When it comes to [...]

Statement on Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Release of Early Childhood Profiles

The Governor’s Office of Early Childhood released for the first time Early Childhood Profiles on a county-by-county basis. This tool can help communities and schools assess progress and make plans to help youngsters entering kindergarten. We were happy to see that KIDS COUNT data, which we track and report annually, proved useful for these profiles. And the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood is to be commended for this effort. That is the good news. The bad [...]

By |2013-03-12T18:04:37-04:00March 12th, 2013|News Room|
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