FacebookInstagramXYouTubeEmail

Kentucky Progress on Child and Family Well-Being Jeopardized by Pandemic

CONTACT: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Kentucky Progress on Child and Family Well-Being Jeopardized by Pandemic Data Across 50 States Show Continued Challenges, But Hopes for Recovery Remain, Annie E. Casey Foundation Finds LOUISVILLE, KY – Kentucky was showing measurable, though slow, progress on family economic well-being and child health coverage immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic but was falling short on curbing youth obesity and having 3- and 4-year-olds in early childhood programs, according to the 2021 KIDS COUNT® [...]

By |2021-06-21T17:43:22-04:00June 21st, 2021|Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Kids Count, News Room, Race Equity|
Read More

Actions to Mitigate Food Insecurity in the United States

By Nikky Patel, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates In the past year, many Americans have experienced a lack of access to healthy food and, although food insecurity is not a new issue, we have vividly felt its effect throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the federal government and Congressional leaders have been responsive to this issue and continue to apply lessons learned throughout the pandemic to take action that will address hunger and food insecurity in [...]

By |2021-06-30T14:28:55-04:00June 16th, 2021|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Race Equity|
Read More

Emergency Broadband Benefit: Let’s Get Families Connected

Let’s get more communities and families digitally connected! May 12, 2021 marks the launch of the temporary, federal Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program. This program, overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is geared toward connecting more households to the internet at a time when we rely on digital connectivity more than ever before. The $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit program, established by Congress last year in response to ongoing economic hardships caused by the [...]

By |2021-05-13T09:49:10-04:00May 13th, 2021|Blog, Economic Security, Education, Health|
Read More

The Child Tax Credit of 2021: What You Need to Know

Image courtesy of AECF Among the provisions in the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) to provide COVID-19 relief is an expanded version of the Child Tax Credit. Approximately 1.1 million Kentucky children and their families will be eligible for the one-year expanded tax credit. This includes low-income families who have not historically made enough or have no income at all will be eligible. The program will begin starting in July, [...]

By |2021-06-23T13:33:31-04:00May 5th, 2021|Blog, Economic Security|
Read More

Thank You: Wins for Kids in the 2021 General Assembly

The final gavel sounded on the 2021 General Assembly this week! This year, the Governor and the Kentucky General Assembly were tasked with crafting a continuation budget, addressing the systemic injustices that impact our children and families of color, advancing policies to address the COVID-19 pandemic, and other policy priorities that would be good for the communities they represent and the Commonwealth. If we take a second to reflect, that’s a heavy lift in a [...]

By |2021-04-15T16:57:00-04:00March 31st, 2021|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Medicaid, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
Read More

Statement on Final Budget Passage by the Kentucky General Assembly

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – From the start, the 2021 state budget process was filled with perplexing complexities. One, because the Governor and Kentucky General Assembly were tasked with crafting a continuation budget due to timing constraints brought on by the pandemic during the 2020 legislative session. Two, leaders were faced with tough decisions as Kentucky embraces the ongoing ripple effects of [...]

By |2021-03-31T15:07:13-04:00March 31st, 2021|Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Medicaid, News Room, Race Equity|
Read More

Supporting Child Hunger Efforts Beyond Nutrition Month

During Nutrition Month in March, national and state advocacy groups are asking for increased supports and efforts around feeding programs. As Kentucky continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we know child feeding programs are essential for kids and families as more than 20% of Kentucky households with children reported sometimes or often not having enough food to eat at the end of 2020, a rate that has been increasing since October. Temporary changes to [...]

By |2021-04-06T12:40:58-04:00March 31st, 2021|Blog, Economic Security, Health|
Read More

Statement on Passage of Senate Bill 148 by the Kentucky House

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org LOUISVILLE, KY – With final passage by the Kentucky House of Representatives, Senate Bill 148 advances closer to becoming law today – good news for families, communities, and the economy. SB 148, sponsored by Senator Danny Carroll, is an important step to strengthen options for families seeking regulated home-based family child care in their community, especially as families across the commonwealth face child care deserts.   Even prior to the pandemic, over one in 10 parents quit a job, did not take a job, or greatly changed their job due to [...]

By |2021-03-16T17:52:42-04:00March 16th, 2021|Economic Security, Education, News Room|
Read More

The American Rescue Plan: What’s in it and how will it impact families?

This week, the U.S. Congress passed, and President Biden signed into law, the American Rescue Plan, which aims to deliver continued aid to the American people as the COVID-19 pandemic begins to subside. The legislation provides a total of approximately $1.9 trillion divided among numerous priorities and is considered to be among the most progressive pieces of legislation in a generation.   Here are some of the ways the American Rescue Plan will impact children and [...]

By |2021-03-11T20:44:36-05:00March 11th, 2021|Blog, Economic Security, Education, Health|
Read More

Statement on Passage of Senate Bill 148 by the House Health and Family Services Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org LOUISVILLE, KY – Senate Bill 148, sponsored by Senator Danny Carroll, advanced closer to its final passage today with approval by the House Health and Family Services Committee. SB 148 will begin to simplify the planning and zoning process for home-based small businesses that offer a regulated child care option to up to six unrelated children in their community. This measure is an important step to strengthen local options for families [...]

By |2021-03-05T13:02:50-05:00March 5th, 2021|Economic Security, Education, News Room|
Read More
Go to Top