Hannah Edelen, Author at Kentucky Youth Advocates

Amendment 2: Perspectives, History, & a Little Nuance

Amendment 2: Perspectives, History, & a Little Nuance

Co-authored by Ellen Ward, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates In the heart of the Bluegrass State, the debate about Amendment 2 is heating up as we approach Election Day on November 5th, raising important questions about access, equity, and the future of education for Kentucky’s students. Amendment 2, while framed as a school choice measure, essentially puts it to Kentucky voters to grant legislative authority to explore what funding outside the public school system would [...]

By Hannah Edelen|2024-10-24T10:54:34-04:00October 24th, 2024|Blog, Education|

Nurturing Positive Childhood Experiences: A Campaign to Strengthen Kentucky’s Future

Nurturing Positive Childhood Experiences: A Campaign to Strengthen Kentucky’s Future

In the 1990s, groundbreaking research through the Landmark Study of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) opened our eyes to the profound impact early negative experiences have on lifelong health, well-being, and social outcomes. For many, these findings were a wake-up call—showing that childhood adversity could contribute to a cycle of trauma that could echo through generations. But with greater understanding came a hopeful message: adversity is a fact, but it is not fate. Fast forward [...]

By Hannah Edelen|2024-11-07T11:00:01-05:00October 10th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky|

Planting Seeds for Youth Substance Use Prevention

Planting Seeds for Youth Substance Use Prevention

One of my favorite quotes is: "Legacy. What is a legacy? It's planting seeds in a garden you may never get to see." This particular iteration is from Hamilton, but you’ve likely encountered a variation of this quote either biblically or from someone in your life. This idea perfectly encapsulates the bold and forward-thinking action taken by Attorney General Russell Coleman in the recent meeting with the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission. During the meeting, [...]

By Hannah Edelen|2024-09-11T13:58:12-04:00September 11th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Education, Health|

Together We Bloom Summit: Cultivating Kentucky’s Future

Together We Bloom Summit: Cultivating Kentucky’s Future

MARK YOUR CALENDARS on May 7, 2025, as community leaders, policymakers, and advocates will gather at the Shelbyville Conference and Welcome Center in Shelbyville for the Together We Bloom Summit, hosted by Bloom Kentucky. This one-day event will focus on cultivating positive childhood experiences through both policy and systems change across the Commonwealth, offering a unique platform to explore new strategies for fostering resilience and mitigating Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Kentucky’s children. The [...]

By Hannah Edelen|2024-09-11T10:01:07-04:00September 10th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Race Equity|

Sowing Seeds of Hope this Recovery Month

Sowing Seeds of Hope this Recovery Month

September is National Recovery Month, a time to acknowledge the challenges of substance use and celebrate the progress of those on their journey to recovery. For me, this month resonates deeply. Throughout my childhood and life, I’ve witnessed firsthand how substance use can profoundly affect a family. My family, like many others, knows this struggle all too well. For years, substance use has been heavily stigmatized. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, stigma is “a strong [...]

By Hannah Edelen|2024-09-09T16:24:25-04:00September 9th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Health|

Tackling America’s Health Crisis: The Urgent Need for ACEs Prevention

Tackling America’s Health Crisis: The Urgent Need for ACEs Prevention

Trust for America’s Health recently released their 2024 report, revealing a 142% increase in deaths from alcohol, drugs, and suicide from 2002 to 2022 in the United States. The report's findings are alarming, with 207,827 deaths in 2022 alone. While there was a small decline in alcohol-induced deaths, rates for drug overdoses and suicides remained steady, underscoring the ongoing crisis. Key Recommendation: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) One of the [...]

By Hannah Edelen|2024-08-21T14:43:25-04:00August 21st, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Health|

Bloom KY Growing Hope: Spotlight on Hardin County’s Opioid Abatement Efforts

Bloom KY Growing Hope: Spotlight on Hardin County’s Opioid Abatement Efforts

Shana Norton, Deputy Coroner of Hardin County, is passionate about her community and is committed to making a difference. In this edition of Bloom Kentucky’s Growing Hope series, we’re highlighting the incredible opioid abatement efforts in Hardin County (and the incredible people too!). Norton describes her role as “one piece of the larger puzzle” when talking about coming together to address the opioid epidemic in her community. Norton is part of an Overdose Fatality Review [...]

By Hannah Edelen|2024-08-08T10:23:31-04:00August 8th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Health|

Bloom KY Growing Hope: Spotlight on Scott County’s Opioid Abatement Efforts

Bloom KY Growing Hope: Spotlight on Scott County’s Opioid Abatement Efforts

In this edition of Bloom Kentucky’s Growing Hope series, we’re highlighting the incredible opioid abatement efforts in Scott County. Recently named a “Recovery Ready Community,” Scott County has shown a commitment to providing resources for treatment, recovery support, and workforce reintegration for residents struggling with substance use disorder. Scott County has used their local opioid dollars to support some key initiatives. Those initiatives include: Community Paramedicine Program: This initiative aims to partner with local agencies [...]

By Hannah Edelen|2024-07-18T09:06:35-04:00July 17th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Education, Health|

Bloom Kentucky: Youth Engage with Attorney General on Substance Use Prevention Efforts

Bloom Kentucky: Youth Engage with Attorney General on Substance Use Prevention Efforts

As Bloom Kentucky continues to look for ways to improve and expand opioid prevention efforts across the state, we recently partnered with the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General (KYOAG) so that Attorney General Russell Coleman and leaders of the Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission could hear from students directly. In the halls of the State Capitol, 15 students from six counties in every corner of the state convened to provide valuable insights and bring [...]

By Hannah Edelen|2024-06-21T09:04:38-04:00June 20th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky|

KYGA24: Unpacking HB 2 and the School Choice Ballot Initiative

KYGA24: Unpacking HB 2 and the School Choice Ballot Initiative

The 2024 state legislative session was marked by a diverse range of K-12 education legislation, covering topics from bus safety to cursive writing to enhancements in mathematics interventions, and adjustments to substitute teacher certification. There was notable legislation passed with aims of supporting the teacher pipeline and others around safety and student wellbeing – see a full recap of K-12 education and other legislation impacting kids here. To add to the business of the session, [...]

By Hannah Edelen|2024-06-12T11:52:30-04:00June 12th, 2024|Blog, Education|

About Hannah Edelen