While people may have heard of the Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) registry, many may not have an idea of how it functions or the implications it can present. It has the potential to impact people in all aspects of life, sometimes in ways that are unexpected. “The time my daughter spent in care was one of the most horrible moments of my life. When I got her back and the case was closed, [...]
This originally appeared as an op-ed in the Kentucky Lantern on July 5, 2024. By Terry Brooks The annual national KIDS COUNT Data Book includes more data into which to dive than column inches allow. But an overview of the report reminds us that Kentucky is not the best place in America to be young. Or the second-best place. Or the 10th or the 20th or even 30th. Instead, the 2024 report card on the [...]
Co-authored by Kathleen Baldwin, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates During the 2024 legislative session we saw some MAJOR wins for kinship families in Kentucky, which will be going into effect over the coming months. Research shows that placement with family members or a safe adult known to the child, rather than traditional foster care, can have lifelong benefits for a child and their family. Children placed in kinship settings have more placement stability, are less [...]
This originally appeared as an op-ed in the Herald Leader on June 27, 2024. By Norma Hatfield Norma Hatfield with her granddaughters I am shocked and saddened as I reflect upon recent events regarding Senate Bill (SB) 151 for kinship caregivers. There are many questions, beginning with, how is nothing better than something for children, when we know we can do better? The story requires some background; I begin with the term, ‘kinship care.’ It’s [...]
This originally appeared as an op-ed in the Herald Leader on June 27, 2024. By Valerie Frost and members of KY SEAT In 2010, the American Bar Association (ABA) Center on Children and the Law and other national partners began recognizing June as National Reunification Month. This month in particular, but also year-round, the mother and father members of KY SEAT – Kentucky’s statewide birth parent advisory council – want people to know that parents [...]
During June as National Oral Health Month, the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition has launched a new series of oral health resources. KOHC’s Oral Health Resource Hub now includes several flyers for oral health providers and community-based organizations to display and distribute in dental offices, schools, libraries, and other locations. “The flyers are very user friendly – the pictures, colorful text boxes, and plain language make challenging concepts more easily understood. It is so helpful to [...]
Every nine minutes a young child goes to the emergency department because of an accidental medicine-related poisoning, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. In Kentucky, the latest Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel report shows that overdose/ingestion continues to be one of the most common types of cases reviewed by the Panel, especially impacting children four years or younger. The good news: the Panel found that the majority of these cases were unintentional ingestions [...]
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 [...]
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, [...]
Evictions have a major impact on the safety and stability of Kentucky kids, often forcing families to move away from systems of support and into housing insecurity. However, a new report from Louisville’s Center for Health Equity shows that the impact of evictions goes much deeper than stability, also impacting the health of children and families. Evictions are both common and impact families of color more than other groups. Over 16,000 evictions were filed just [...]
