Reauthorizing the Child Care & Development Block Grant

Although the US Congress has now passed its Inflation Reduction Act, the bill did not include many of the family supports that were initially anticipated. The bill included affordable health care coverage; however, it left out essentials like affordable child care, extension of the child tax credit, and expanding paid family leave for new parents, kinship situations and foster youth.  The need for accessible, affordable child care is growing every day, and child care owners [...]

By |2022-08-29T16:35:38-04:00August 29th, 2022|Blog, Economic Security, Education|

Bloom Community Spotlight: The Morton Center

To help prevent and mitigate childhood adversity, many on-the-ground community partners are hard at work providing needed resources and support to Kentucky kids and families. The Bloom Community Spotlight blog series highlights the important work being done by Bloom Kentucky community partners throughout the Commonwealth. By Priscilla McIntosh, The Morton Center, Inc. Louisville, KY Photo Credit: The Morton Center I have two children, 13 and 10-year-old daughters.  As a mom, the last two+ [...]

The Power Lies with the Community

As a few Kentucky Youth Advocates staff gathered for a convening in Chattanooga, TN, we were incredibly animated by the work those across the U.S. are doing and have been doing to make the justice system more just. Organizations from 19 states gathered to share ideas, stories, and work already being done to end mass incarceration.  Since 1983, Kentucky has seen a 287% increase in the amount of individuals locked up. We’ve been seeing incarceration [...]

By |2022-08-25T12:34:19-04:00August 25th, 2022|Blog, Justice, Race Equity, Youth Justice|

Save the Date: Children’s Advocacy Week 2023

For over 15 years advocates for kids gathered in Frankfort for Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol to fill the halls of the Capitol and ask their elected officials to step up for Kentucky kids. The critical mass of advocates in the Capitol building led to many policy wins and raising awareness of issues facing kids and their families.   More recently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we've transitioned to Children's Advocacy WEEK with a [...]

Maternal Health, Child Well-being, and MIECHV Reauthorization

We know that maternal health plays a key role in the healthy development of a child at every stage. Mothers need to be healthy, have access to the care and services they need, and have the necessary resources to meet basic needs throughout their pregnancy, birth, and after welcoming a new child.   During the last legislative session, we saw steps taken to support mothers and ensure their needs are met. Senate Bill 178 extended [...]

By |2022-09-21T18:46:02-04:00August 17th, 2022|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Health|

OP-ED: What’s In Their Backpack?

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the NKY Tribune on August 13, 2022. By Joseph Bargione and Jo Cruz Most children returned to school this week. For many, they return with new backpacks and school supplies. However for some, their backpacks also contain things we can’t readily see – Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Traumatic experiences such as abuse, exposure to violence, parental mental health challenges, and negative community events, like the recent flooding and displacement [...]

Launching the Journey to Success Campaign in Kentucky

By Brittani Carlton, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates Thousands of young adults exit foster care, often without the preparation or support they need to succeed in adulthood. With limited resources and services, their paths can lead to homelessness, more trauma, and economic disadvantage. It is imperative to listen to the voices who have endured these experiences and traumas in order to provide advocacy that is relevant to the needs of the individuals in and aging [...]

Kentucky Ranks 37th in Child Well-Being with Too Many Children Suffering from Mental Health Pandemic

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org 502-895-8167 X122   Kentucky Ranks 37th in Child Well-Being with Too Many Children Suffering from Mental Health Pandemic Latest data show 16% of Kentucky kids face anxiety or depression, as effects of the coronavirus crisis linger, Annie E. Casey Foundation finds LOUISVILLE— The latest available data show that as the COVID-19 pandemic began impacting Kentucky and the rest of the nation, the Commonwealth was showing progress in some areas of child [...]

Early Childhood Education Task Force – A Focus on the Business Community

On Tuesday, July 26th, Kentucky’s Early Childhood Task Force met for the second time.  The focus of this meeting was to review the impact that child care has on Kentucky’s business community. Sandy Nott, the Vice President of Administration from Toyota’s Georgetown plant, and Twila Burdette, the Director of Rockcastle Hospital’s Child Development Center, both spoke about how having child care for their employees is an incentive to attract new talent to their businesses.  Ms. [...]

By |2022-08-04T14:23:07-04:00August 4th, 2022|Blog, Economic Security, Education|

Updates on SB 8 Implementation from the Child Welfare Oversight & Advisory Committee

The Child Welfare Oversight and Advisory Committee met last week and heard testimony from the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Community Based Services about the implementation of Senate Bill 8, a policy priority of the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children and the Kosair Charities Face It Movement. SB 8 was sponsored by Senator Julie Raque Adams and reformed pieces of the child welfare system. More importantly, SB 8 expanded access and opportunities [...]

By |2022-07-28T15:28:53-04:00July 28th, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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