2014 is the 50th anniversary of the first report of the U.S. Surgeon General on smoking and health. Kentucky has not kept up with other states in reducing smoking and secondhand smoke, but this year is the perfect time to make up for lost time! Kentucky can catch up now and join the majority of other states who have passed laws eliminating exposure to the harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke. Did you know that only [...]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a report that compared parent-reported children’s oral health status and receipt of preventive dental visits across the United States between 2003 and 2011/2012. It was interesting to look at this report and see what improvements have been made, where we have room for growth, and where Kentucky ranks. The report includes the following national results: In 2003, 67.7 percent of parents reported that their children had [...]
Where else could they go? It was either us or a foster home. When you have a loving family that wants to take them in and support them there has to be something to support that. –Grandmother raising 3 grandchildren, Kenton County Kentucky’s strong family values are exemplified by the thousands of relatives stepping up to care for children in their family. With the number of children being cared for by kin nearly doubling over [...]
Contact: Andrea Bennett abennett@kyyouth.org 502-381-1176 Jeffersontown, KY - We join the Governor in celebrating the Race to the Top grant. His Office of Early Childhood is an example of what focused attention can achieve. At this moment of justifiable pride, it is also a time to challenge the Governor and legislative leaders to make the other part of the early childhood arena into a positive. The cuts to child care and kinship care supports have to [...]
Contact: Andrea Bennett abennett@kyyouth.org 502-381-1176 Jeffersontown, KY - Today, the Unified Juvenile Code Task Force announced strong recommendations for changes to Kentucky's juvenile code. The recommendations reflect a commitment to Kentucky's children, to public safety and to using taxpayer dollars effectively to achieve better outcomes. We commend Representative John Tilley and Senator Whitney Westerfield for their bipartisan leadership in guiding the Task Force in a thorough analysis of the data and the status of Kentucky's juvenile [...]
The last eight months have been eventful for the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition, which is a project of Kentucky Youth Advocates. In May we received the Oral Health 2014 DentaQuest planning grant and began the groundwork for developing a statewide oral health literacy campaign by conducting focus groups across the state, collecting information from oral health providers, and holding four stakeholder meetings. We traveled around the state and visited with parents in Campbell, Graves, Hopkins, [...]
Contact: Andrea Bennett abennett@kyyouth.org 502-381-1178 Jeffersontown, KY – The 2013 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book, released today by Kentucky Youth Advocates highlights the need for smart investments to ensure kids in all counties have the best opportunity to thrive in childhood and succeed as adults. This is the 23nd annual release of the Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book, part of the Kentucky KIDS COUNT project. The KIDS COUNT project monitors progress for Kentucky's [...]
Jeffersontown, KY -Thousands of Kentucky families and communities could see immediate and long term benefits, at little cost to the state, if policymakers implemented a state Earned Income Credit (EIC), also known as EITC, according to a new Blueprint for Kentucky's Children issue brief from Kentucky Youth Advocates. The issue brief, A State Earned Income Credit Would Help Kentucky Families and Local Economies, examines the federal EIC's 30-year track record of lifting children and families out of [...]
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and each year every magazine and morning talk show gives advice on what foods you should and should not eat to avoid packing on the pounds. One realm of health that is equally as important but often overlooked is oral health. Thanksgiving is about spending time with friends and family but for many, the real focus is on the food. It’s the one day where people feel like they have a [...]
Since its creation in 1975, the Earned Income Credit has grown to become the nation’s largest and most successful anti-poverty program. In 2011, the Earned Income Credit lifted more than 6 million people out of poverty. Undoubtedly, the Earned Income Credit benefits millions of hard-working families who would have a difficult time making ends meet without the refundable tax credit. Increasingly, however, the Earned Income Credit is also being recognized for its positive impact on [...]
