Celebrating Children’s Dental Health Month

Along with bringing a first glimpse of warmer temperatures, February is also the time to spread awareness about National Children’s Dental Health Month. Every child deserves a healthy smile so they can talk, eat, and learn without pain. In Kentucky, limited access to oral health care creates a barrier for many kids and families to achieve optimal outcomes. Recent data shows that despite high rates of health insurance coverage among Kentucky kids, less than half [...]

By |2026-02-11T11:03:26-05:00February 11th, 2026|Blog, Health|

Kentucky Continues to See Double National Rate of Child Maltreatment in Latest Report

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org LOUISVILLE, KY – The latest national Child Maltreatment report, released last month by the Children’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, shows a total of 14,505 child victims of maltreatment in Kentucky during the reporting period (FFY 2024). While there has been a 13% reduction in child victims of maltreatment from 2020 to 2024, Kentucky continues to see nearly double the national rate (7.2 per 1,000) of [...]

By |2026-02-09T15:35:04-05:00February 10th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, News Room|

What’s Coming Next with the State Budget and How to Take Action

Updated March 20, 2026 With just ten working days to go in the 2026 legislative session, the state budget process is nearing its conclusion. As we detailed in early January, the General Assembly spent a bulk of the legislative time in 2026 crafting a two-year state budget that will be complete before the final gavel on April 15th.  What’s Already Happened? So far, the Governor released his proposed budget during the State of the Commonwealth [...]

Making the Case for a Refundable State Child Tax Credit

Raising children is expensive and the rising cost of diapers, food, housing, and childcare, are making it increasingly difficult for many Kentucky families to make ends meet.  Access to basic necessities is critical for healthy child development, yet financial stress can strain families’ ability to provide the safe, stable, and supportive environment young children need to grow and thrive.  One proven tool to help working families stay afloat is the federal Child Tax Credit (CTC).  [...]

By |2026-02-03T09:05:45-05:00February 2nd, 2026|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security|

Hoosiers & Touchdowns for Kids – The Bloom Agenda in the “First Quarter”

We’re officially about a quarter of the way through the 60-day session and Bloom Kentucky is proud to share that 4 of our 5 policy priorities from the 2026 agenda have been filed. Like the Indiana Hoosier’s recent historic win, Kentucky legislators have an opportunity to make history for kids this session if they can come together and work as a team for kids and families.  Bloom’s agenda is gaining momentum, and like the game [...]

By |2026-02-05T13:50:06-05:00January 27th, 2026|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Health|

Understanding and Recognizing Grooming Behaviors

This blog was originally published on Face It Movement. Everyone can play a role in keeping kids safe, but that only happens when people know the signs to look out for. Some warning signs of child abuse, like grooming behaviors, can be difficult to spot because they appear as normal adult-child relationships especially when the abuser is a family member or a close family friend.  Grooming is defined as a pattern of complex and deceptive [...]

By |2026-02-05T13:50:34-05:00January 22nd, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

Looking Ahead to Children’s Advocacy Week 2026

This year, as lawmakers begin their work in Frankfort, we’re preparing to show up with urgency, purpose, and a shared commitment to putting Kentucky kids first.  Children’s Advocacy Week, coming up March 2nd - 6th, offers a powerful opportunity for advocates to rally together, connect directly with legislators, and ensure children and families remain a top priority throughout the session.  To make the most of the week, we have included some updates and tips for [...]

By |2026-01-21T11:43:02-05:00January 20th, 2026|Blog|

New year, new goals: Setting a path to achieve community goals to address the opioid epidemic

Each new year, people across Kentucky join in the time-honored tradition of reflecting on the year past and thinking ahead to goals for the upcoming year. With many years of goals to think back on, one takeaway is clear – I’m more likely to achieve that goal if I have a plan in place for how to do it.  In the past, when I set a goal to run the Kentucky Derby half marathon at [...]

Building Kentucky’s Budget: Implications of Federal Actions and State Taskforces

The 2026 state legislative session is underway and lawmakers have been busy in Frankfort filing more than 350 bills in the first week. Among the bills that remain to be seen is the budget bill that will detail legislative proposals for the state’s next two year operating budget. Originating in the House, this bill will see several rounds of revisions over the next two months before final passage by April 15th.  Governor Beshear kicked off [...]

By |2026-01-14T16:01:59-05:00January 14th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Health, Medicaid|

Bloom Kentucky Sprout-Out: Ohio County United for Youth

As part of Bloom Kentucky, “sprout outs” are our way of giving a meaningful shout out to programs fostering hope and resilience in our communities. We’re proud to spotlight the incredible work of Ohio County United for Youth. Ohio County United for Youth is an organization led by young people in partnership with adult volunteers in Ohio County, Kentucky. Their work is guided by the Developmental Assets Framework, which “identifies 40 research-based positive experiences that [...]

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