March is National Nutrition Month, an important time to recognize and celebrate alongside advocates and the community. Research shows that food and beverage choices are important factors for healthy growth and development, and maintaining good health and oral health. In partnership with the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition, we promote optimal health and oral health throughout the lifetime, but we know that health habits learned early on can lead to healthy choices in adulthood.   One of the Blueprint for Kentucky's Children 2020 legislative priorities related to nutrition – health [...]

February 26, 2021 update: find the latest P-EBT information in this post. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to many schools in Kentucky being closed for in-person learning since March. To help provide food supports for families, Kentucky has leveraged a federal program through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) called Pandemic EBT (P-EBT). These benefits provide money that can be used on grocery items in place of free meals that children would receive [...]

As we move through the summer months and families begin preparing for back-to-school, many questions and answers still remain. What we do know is that this upcoming school year will bring new challenges, experiences, and opportunities for Kentucky students. One opportunity Kentucky schools can leverage is utilizing the Expanded Access Services program to recognize and address the social and emotional supports students need as they begin the new school year. During the 2019-2020 school year, [...]