Blog – Page 156 – Kentucky Youth Advocates

Good, bad news on child fatalities

The following letter was printed in the Courier-Journal. You could not open The Courier-Journal last winter without recoiling at the latest tragedy and cover-up around child fatalities due to abuse and neglect. A turning point for me came on a snowy February Saturday morning when 300 Kentucky citizens from 80 counties came together around a summit, sponsored by Kentucky Youth Advocates, about this issue. That morning, there was genuine outrage as the Cabinet for Health and [...]

By admin|2012-11-19T11:40:30-05:00November 19th, 2012|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

Supplemental Poverty Measure Shows that Federal Benefits are Critical to Children

As we recover from an election cycle where candidates spent $6 billion and prepare for an upcoming holiday season where we will spend an estimated $586 billion, a new report released by the U.S. Census Bureau – The Research Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2011 reminds us all that nearly 50 million people live in poverty across the richest nation on earth. The supplemental poverty measure (SPM) takes into account essential expenditures like clothing, food, shelter and [...]

By Paul Colwell|2012-11-15T09:46:07-05:00November 15th, 2012|Blog, Economic Security|

PBS Airing FRONTLINE Film “Poor Kids”

From PBS: In the film, FRONTLINE goes to the Quad Cities, a great American crossroads along the border of Iowa and Illinois, where the Mississippi River intersects Interstate 80 — an area deeply scarred by the Recession. FRONTLINE spent months following three young girls who are growing up against the backdrop of their families’ struggles against financial ruin. The result is an intimate portrait of the economic crisis as it’s rarely seen, through the [...]

By admin|2012-11-13T10:17:26-05:00November 13th, 2012|Blog, Economic Security|

My Experience as a Self-Appointed Secret Shopper of the Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services

When I was a child, my mother worked as a secret shopper for various banks. I still remember going with her as she pretended to be interested in obtaining a car loan or open a bank account. We always had to go to the bathroom to see how clean it was as that was one of many things she had to rank. The banks that hired these secret shoppers were committed to providing their customers [...]

By Andrea Bennett|2012-11-12T10:31:42-05:00November 12th, 2012|Blog, Health|

The 2012 Election is Over – What’s Next for Kids?

It’s over! The election is over. No matter how you voted or how you feel about the results, we can all breathe a sigh of relief, at least for the short while between now and the next election. In his acceptance speech, President Obama illustrated his vision for our future: “Despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America’s future. We want our kids to grow up in a country where they [...]

By Katie Carter|2012-11-08T10:35:53-05:00November 8th, 2012|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Education, Health, Youth Justice|

November is National Adoption month

All children deserves to grow up in a safe, loving and permanent home. Every child who has been placed in foster care should be promised a family who can provide that for them. Sadly, every year there are more than 100,000 children in public foster care waiting to be adopted because they do not have the option of returning to their parents or other relatives. In Kentucky, more than 1,900 children are hoping to be [...]

By Amy Swann|2012-11-07T10:59:10-05:00November 7th, 2012|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

You Can Make a Difference During Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month – a time to pause and remember the effects that child abuse has on our most precious citizens, to recognize the impact it has on all of us, and to commit to doing our part to eliminate it. According to state child protective services, more than 17,000 Kentucky children were victims of abuse or neglect in 2011. But, we know that that number is actually higher. Not all [...]

By Amy Swann|2012-11-06T11:21:55-05:00November 6th, 2012|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

It’s Time to Put Away the Paddle

Today, Kentucky Youth Advocates released a new issue brief, “Ending Corporal Punishment in Kentucky Public Schools.” Kentucky is one of 19 states that still permit the use of corporal punishment in public schools. The issue brief highlights the negative consequences corporal punishment has on students, the disproportionate use with certain student populations, and alternative approaches to school discipine that are more effective and can improve outcomes for all children. In Kentucky, local boards of education determine the [...]

By admin|2012-11-06T09:44:38-05:00November 6th, 2012|Blog, Education|

New Test Results Out for Kentucky Schools

You might have heard that the Kentucky Department of Education released the results of public schools’ achievement tests under the new accountability system of higher standards today. Looking for a simple way to see how well your child’s school or their school district performed? The Courier-Journal has an easy-to-use database where you can see the overall results for schools and districts here, see their results by specific subjects here, and view high school graduation [...]

By Amy Swann|2012-11-02T11:12:48-04:00November 2nd, 2012|Blog, Education|

Doing What Works to Get Kids Back on Track: An Overview of the Unified Juvenile Code Task Force Meeting

Last month’s convening of the Unified Juvenile Code Task Force hosted national speakers from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Council of State Governments Justice Center (CSG), and the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF). The speakers shared national trends and specific examples of states shifting away from the use of incarceration of youth to implementing community-based interventions that have been proven to keep the public safe and help kids get back on track. Across [...]

By admin|2012-11-02T11:04:17-04:00November 2nd, 2012|Blog, Youth Justice|