Ask Congress to Increase Funding for Child Care
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National politics. Most of us are sick of hearing about it. We turn on our televisions, or most likely, scroll through our phones to stare at the day’s headlines. We are fatigued by the infighting, the suspicion, the intrigue, and the outright salaciousness of our national life. It is tempting to flip the channel to something less stress inducing, or to deactivate our social media in hopes of making the intense political world in which [...]
This was originally posted as an op-ed by the Kosair Charities Face It Movement in the Courier Journal and Kentucky Today. By Dr. MELISSA CURRIE AND DR. CHRISTINA HOWARD It’s finally fall in the commonwealth, which means cooler temperatures, leaves changing, and college football season. As child abuse pediatricians at University of Kentucky and University of Louisville, we are well aware of the deep rivalry when it comes to our sports programs, and we both proudly support [...]
By Alicia Whatley October is National Dental Hygiene Month. This is a great time to celebrate the critical work dental hygienists do and to help raise awareness on the importance of good oral health. It’s especially important as we near Halloween and the endless amounts of candy that never seem to disappear. Practicing good oral hygiene is important for everyone at every age. Engaging in daily dental hygiene practices helps to prevent gum disease, cavities, [...]
The Department for Community Based Services’ annual report on child fatalities and near fatalities due to abuse and neglect was released last month. This report is mandated by law and provides information on the fatalities and near fatalities due to the maltreatment of children under the age of 18 in Kentucky. The report details data on fatalities and near fatalities and discusses demographic information as well as perpetrator information and risk factors present in the [...]
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 [...]
By Alicia Whatley Research shows that kids’ beverage choices are just as important as food choices for healthy growth and development. Teaching healthy beverage choices at a young age can help ensure healthy choices in the future. To guide healthy beverage choices for children, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, America’s Pediatric Dentists, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association have formed a campaign called Healthy Drinks, Healthy Kids outlining the consensus [...]
The reauthorized federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) offers new protections and opportunities to meet the unique needs of some of the most vulnerable kids, especially girls. With expanded federal funding opportunities, Kentucky’s state advisory group, the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board (JJAB), can submit a plan detailing new state programs, projects, and activities to be implemented over a 3-year period within the youth justice system. Proposals can now include “programs that address the [...]
By Jamie Bloyd Kentucky is known for its basketball, bourbon, horses….and high cancer rates. Most Kentuckians are familiar with the high rates of lung cancer in our state. I was too, my grandmother having been diagnosed in my early 20’s. Most Kentuckians also know that we consistently rank at the very top of overall cancer incidence in the country. What I’ve found is that most Kentuckians don’t know that kids get cancer too and in [...]
Photo courtesy of Annie E. Casey Foundation. Results. This season you’ve heard politicians and pundits tout them, your gym advertises them, and your boss demand them. Results make the world go ‘round. Without them, progress is unobtainable and success is unreachable. We live in a country obsessed with results. We post them to our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds for all to see. The rush to produce results, and show those results off, [...]
The federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) was first authorized by Congress in 1974 to establish universal standards for how kids are treated in the youth justice system. With a strong emphasis on supporting prevention-focused programs, rehabilitation, and reintegration while still holding kids accountable for their behaviors, the JJDPA quickly became recognized as one of the most significant laws for kids involved in the justice system. On December 11, 2018, after passing through [...]
