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How are Kids’ Issues Faring in the 2016 General Assembly?

This week marks the halfway point of the 2016 legislative session for the Kentucky General Assembly. We have seen progress in the legislature for several Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children legislative priorities, including: Accommodate of a child’s testimony of repeated abuse, known as continuous course of conduct Help parents get back to work by erasing criminal records for low-level felonies after time passes with no more offenses Enact a state Earned Income Tax Credit to help [...]

By |2016-02-16T17:12:48-05:00February 16th, 2016|Blog|
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Prioritize the Most Vulnerable in the Budget

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Courier-Journal on February 13, 2016. Read it online here.  Budgets – be they for a family, a business or a state – are a statement about values and priorities. What do you invest in and what don’t you? That alone makes building Kentucky’s biennial budget a tough proposition. Add to that the fiscal constraints that confront Gov. Bevin and legislative leaders, and you have an even tougher proposition. And yet, I [...]

By |2016-02-15T13:57:53-05:00February 15th, 2016|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|
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Is It Bullying?

Bullying Basics, Trudy Ludwig What is bullying? For too long Kentucky schools have combated the problem of bullying without the guidance of a standard definition. According to a 2011 United States Department of Education analysis of states’ bullying laws and policies, Kentucky and Alabama are the only two states to generally prohibit harassment without any mention of bullying. This session, lawmakers have the opportunity to improve existing legislation with the introduction of HB [...]

By |2016-02-10T09:36:46-05:00February 10th, 2016|Blog, Education|
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Guest Post: Child Care Advocates of Kentucky Speaking Out

By Ruth Ann Hornback The childcare industry in Kentucky has been impacted the last couple of years with all of the changes to the state’s Child Care Assistance Program.  Right now our industry employs over 13,000 people statewide. Our voice is important as we pay a good sum in payroll taxes to the Commonwealth and to local governments. We also pay property taxes, so having a thriving industry is a benefit to everyone. We are [...]

By |2016-02-09T09:53:38-05:00February 9th, 2016|Blog, Education|
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Join Oral Health Advocates in Observing National Children’s Dental Health Month

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM). Each year during the month of February, the American Dental Association (ADA) and the ADA Foundation team up to provide a new NCDHM campaign. The campaign for 2016 is the “Sugar Wars.” Dental and healthcare professionals, educators, advocates, and caregivers are encouraged to join the fight against the “sweet tooth invaders,” and teach children healthy oral hygiene and eating habits. Many resources are available to help spread [...]

By |2016-02-08T14:06:27-05:00February 8th, 2016|Blog, Health|
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3 Ways SB 200 Reforms Show Impact

When reforms to Kentucky’s juvenile justice system were discussed in the General Assembly in 2014, the efforts focused on several core goals: holding youth accountable, achieving better outcomes for youth, and maintaining public safety. Two years later, and just 6 months after full implementation of SB 200, the numbers are already showing the positive impact of the reforms. Data reported at the Juvenile Justice Oversight Council in January showed progress on a number of fronts: [...]

By |2016-02-05T09:45:28-05:00February 5th, 2016|Blog, Youth Justice|
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Family Preservation Programs: A Smart Investment in Families

All children need safe and nurturing caregivers to thrive, but some parents struggle to effectively care for their children. For families at risk of child abuse and neglect, family preservation and diversion services are offered to work with caregivers to alleviate issues in a home and promote a safe environment for the child. Diversion programs are utilized when adolescents are at risk of removal in order to stabilize the family system with the goal of [...]

By |2016-02-04T11:50:55-05:00February 4th, 2016|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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We are the Voices of the Future

At the 12th annual Children’s Advocacy Day rally on January 14th, Katie Okumu, a junior at Berea Community High School and a GEAR UP student, shared her story with over 900 advocates in the Capitol Rotunda. Read her story or watch her speech on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qBQBi5kHG0 We are all here today because there are issues in our communities that affect us as young people. I want to start off by telling you why today matters [...]

By |2016-02-02T10:29:40-05:00February 2nd, 2016|Blog|
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Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day 2016

2016 marks the 10th anniversary of Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Awareness Day!  If you work and earn under $54,000, you may be eligible for the federal EITC when you file your tax return this year.  Make the EITC work for you and don’t forget to claim the tax credit if you qualify. What is the federal EITC? The EITC is an important federal tax credit providing a financial benefit for working individuals and families. [...]

By |2016-01-28T14:49:36-05:00January 28th, 2016|Blog, Economic Security|
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“Bright Spots” Abound for KY Kids in Governor Bevin’s Proposed Budget

On Tuesday, Governor Bevin delivered his first State of the Commonwealth Budget Address to a joint session of the Kentucky House and Senate. Governor Bevin focused his remarks on themes such as making Kentucky the best version of itself, the need to deal with debt facing our state, and taking care of Kentucky’s most vulnerable citizens. While any assessment of Governor Bevin’s budget proposal Tuesday evening will require more time to ensure accuracy and understanding, there [...]

By |2016-01-27T14:27:34-05:00January 27th, 2016|Blog|
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