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Federal Update on the State of Child Care

In 2021, the United States Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act that provided $24 Billion to stabilize the child care industry with most of those funds specifically dedicated to stabilization payments going directly to child care programs. This supplemental funding stream was dedicated to staff wages, facility expenses, utilities, and health measures utilized by the child care programs.   On September 30th, those funds will have officially expired, and child care programs all over the [...]

By |2023-09-21T12:55:29-04:00September 21st, 2023|Blog, Economic Security, Education|
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New Report – Fostering Connections: Actions Needed to Prevent Homelessness Among Foster Care Alumni

New Report – Fostering Connections: Actions Needed to Prevent Homelessness Among Foster Care Alumni Featuring Findings from Interviews and Surveys with Young Adults with Lived Experience and Recommendations LOUISVILLE, KY – Whether they exit care through adoption, family reunification, or aging out, foster care alumni are at higher risk of experiencing homelessness as a young adult. According to recent data, approximately one in three young adults who leave foster care in Kentucky will experience housing [...]

By |2023-09-21T08:42:57-04:00September 21st, 2023|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Health, News Room, Race Equity|
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Kentucky Youth Speak Out Against Substance Use

We know substance use, among both adults and adolescents, continues to be an issue in communities throughout the Commonwealth.  To better understand just how substance use, as well as the opioid epidemic, are impacting Kentucky’s young people, Bloom Kentucky recently connected with high school students across the state to hear their perspectives on the impact of substance use among their peers and in their communities and how we might address substance use prevention.  We [...]

By |2023-09-14T11:55:50-04:00September 14th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Education, Health|
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Adolescent Mental Health is Declining and We Need To Understand Why

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the prevalence of mental health challenges across the nation, especially among youth. While there were policies proposed to expand access to and affordability of mental health treatment and to improve social indicators of well-being, youth mental health is still declining according to a recent report from Child Trends. Improvements in social indicators of well-being have caused an increase in the thriving index for youth, however, indicators of depression, anxiety, and suicide [...]

By |2023-09-13T11:18:17-04:00September 13th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Education, Health, Race Equity|
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Regions Taking Action for Thriving Families, Safer Children Kentucky

All Kentuckians are mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect. But this responsibility may have subliminally conditioned us to have our eyes open when around parents and stay on constant alert for the worst. We as a society may have become too preoccupied waiting for the anticipated other shoe to drop that we forgot to look at ourselves and see what role we play in the health promotion of families around us. While it’s important [...]

By |2023-09-08T11:56:57-04:00September 7th, 2023|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Race Equity|
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Guest Blog: Kinship Families Are Waiting For A Champion

This originally appeared as an op-ed in the Herald Leader on August 31, 2023. By Norma Hatfield I recently spoke to a legislative committee about Kinship Care. As I sat at the table during the hearing, my heart was hurting for so many kinship families in Kentucky who are in serious need and seem to be forgotten. There are many kids in Kinship Care who’ve been abused, neglected and removed from their homes and placed [...]

By |2023-08-31T19:01:27-04:00August 31st, 2023|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security|
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SNAP Update to Support Youth Aged-Out of Foster Care

Young adults often need a lot of extra support as they transition into adulthood, with many young adults relying on their family or another trusted adult for that support.   However, approximately 650 youth across Kentucky age out of the foster care system every year without permanent family connections. Youth who have aged out of foster care often struggle to meet their basic needs, such as food and housing, with 21% of former Kentucky foster youth [...]

By |2023-08-31T16:49:02-04:00August 31st, 2023|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Health|
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Supporting Afterschool Care Supports Students, Families, and Providers

It is back to school season here in Kentucky! Kids all across the Commonwealth are preparing for another year of learning and reconnecting with friends. At the same time, back to school has left many working parents across Kentucky wondering the same thing: where is my kid going to go until I get off work?  Almost 1,500 organizations across Kentucky address this by providing afterschool care for school-age children. These afterschool programs provide kids with [...]

By |2023-08-30T15:27:55-04:00August 30th, 2023|Blog, Economic Security, Education|
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Back to School and Back On Track with Immunizations!

By Yelena Bagdasaryan, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates  August is National Immunization Awareness Month, an opportunity to recognize the importance of childhood immunizations and answer questions from parents and guardians about necessary immunizations and their safety. As children prepare to start classes and see their friends in August, there are more possibilities for them to contract preventable diseases.  Ensuring students are up to date on their immunizations allows them to safely focus on their studies [...]

By |2023-08-24T15:16:19-04:00August 24th, 2023|Blog, Education, Health|
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Guest Blog: “What can I do to be a helper in my community?”

By Joseph Bargione  For some of us, the name Fred McFeely Rogers may have no meaning.  However, if you grew up before cell phones or social media, and you heard a certain theme song you might smile or sing along.   Fred Rogers created the iconic children’s tv show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, which aired from 1968 to 2001 on 384 Public Broadcast Stations (PBS). At the height of its popularity, it was being viewed in 1.8 [...]

By |2023-08-22T08:31:29-04:00August 22nd, 2023|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Education, Health|
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