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As National Suicide Prevention Month wraps up, we believe it’s important to discuss prevention efforts for children, teens, and young adults throughout the year. One way we’re committed to doing just that is through ongoing advocacy that emphasizes the mental health needs of Kentucky youth. The School Safety and Resiliency Act of 2019 (SB 1), developed in response to the tragic 2018 Marshall County High School shooting, ensures all students are able to learn in a [...]
This school year, pending federal Centers of Medicaid and Medicare approval, local school districts will have the opportunity to expand health and behavioral health services already offered to students in schools by leveraging federal Medicaid dollars. By expanding health services to all students and billing services for Medicaid-eligible students, schools can help address immediate health care needs, connect students to quality health providers, and keep students learning. Additionally, this opportunity, called free care, creates a [...]
As summer break winds down for many Kentucky students, parents and caregivers are preparing to get school supplies together, health forms filled out, after-school care figured out, and more for the new school year. Whether your little one is off to kindergarten or senior year, below are helpful tips your family can utilize to ensure your child’s health will be in good shape as they head back to school and settle into their school routine. [...]
Yulie and Jenna presented at a recent Coalition for a Smoke-free Tomorrow press conference announcing the filing of the e-cigarette tax bill. “In the last year and a half, I went to 3 proms, 2 homecomings, graduated high school, got a job, AND I saw the rise of e-cigarette usage in high schools and middle schools across Kentucky and the nation. For a device that's small enough to fit between my thumb and [...]
Throughout the month of May, we’re joining partners at the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition from across the state in celebrating National Dental Care Month. National Dental Care Month is a celebration aimed to help bring awareness to the importance of preventative dental care. One of the most important components of maintaining good overall health throughout our childhood and adulthood is by establishing positive dental habits at an early age, such as, visiting a dentist after the first baby [...]
This week, a federal judge halted the April 1st implementation of the Bevin Administration’s 1115 Medicaid Waiver, also known as Kentucky HEALTH. We expect the Bevin Administration to announce next step decisions in the coming days, but as of right now, no plans have been unveiled yet. Though several vulnerable populations are exempt from the 1115 waiver, as it protects children, pregnant women, and transition-aged youth in foster care from the potential negative impacts of [...]
Today is National Kick Butts Day, a nationally recognized day led by Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids dating back to 1996, that empowers teachers, youth, and health advocates to stand up and speak out about the issues created by tobacco use in their community, to encourage youth to be tobacco-free, and to urge elected officials to protect youth from tobacco. There are many ways you can participate in Kick Butts Day. Check out the list of [...]
As February comes to an end, so does Children’s Dental Health Month 2019, but that doesn’t mean advocating for children’s dental health and maintaining good dental hygiene is not important all year round! One of the most important components of maintaining good overall health throughout our childhood and our adulthood is through establishing positive dental habits at an early age. According to the 2016 Making Smiles Happen surveillance study, socioeconomic status is a major predictor [...]
All Kentucky children deserve a safe environment in which to learn and grow. The Kentucky General Assembly’s School Safety Working Group (SSWG), led by Senator Max Wise and Representative Bam Carney, focused on just that. The bipartisan working group, comprised of legislators, citizens, such as Dr. Joe Bargione, who is a champion of the outstanding work of the BOUNCE Coalition in Louisville, and other experts in school safety, met since June 2018 to listen to and discuss proposals to [...]
Photo provided by the Annie E. Casey Foundation As the state moves forward with changes to the Medicaid system through a 1115 Medicaid Waiver, a new and separate Medicaid policy took effect on January 1st related to co-payments for Medicaid and Medicaid Expansion eligible recipients. Co-payment is an amount of money people pay to a healthcare provider for a health service, such as an office visit or prescription medication. The amount differs depending [...]
