Unbelievably, I have now been a parent for more than eight months. I have spent 2/3 of a year raising another human being and have mostly enjoyed the wild, hilarious, unexpected ride that parenting has been. I have never had to learn so much, so fast. How much should Nash be sleeping? I don’t know! Should he be talking more? I’m not sure! Will he ever stop putting everything in his mouth? Hopefully! I know [...]
All children, especially those living in low-income and vulnerable families, need access to affordable health care. Today, we released a special report, Medicaid Expansion in Kentucky: Benefits to Kids and Families, which examines the numerous family and child health benefits that result from parents having affordable health coverage. The new report features research that shows parent health impacts child health. More specifically, when parents have health coverage, their children are more likely to be insured, too. [...]
Kentucky Youth Advocates seeks to share voices of children and their families who will be directly impacted by the 1115 Medicaid Waiver proposed by the Bevin Administration. As child advocates, we are concerned with many of the provisions of the waiver and how they will impact vulnerable families. Kinship caregivers often receive little support to help them provide for children they have stepped up to raise. We ask the Bevin Administration to exempt kinship caregivers [...]
This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Courier-Journal on August 25, 2016. Read it online here. “Is it good for kids?” That is the question we at Kentucky Youth Advocates always ask of our decision-makers, and we have carefully considered that question in response to the Bevin administration’s 1115 Waiver proposal to modify Kentucky’s Medicaid program. In reviewing the proposal, known as Kentucky HEALTH, we see some positives but also have concerns. Kentucky Youth Advocates supports [...]
As child advocates, we have concerns about the impact of the Bevin Administration's 1115 Medicaid Waiver proposal on Kentucky kids and families. In this guide, we equip child advocates with information about the 1115 Medicaid Waiver proposal and address a number of frequently asked questions. Read our full position statement here, and download this Child Advocate's Guide as a PDF here. The Bevin Administration is asking the federal government—specifically, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS—to modify [...]
“Is it good for kids?” That is the question we at Kentucky Youth Advocates always ask of our decision-makers, and we have carefully considered that question in response to the Bevin Administration’s 1115 Waiver proposal to modify Kentucky’s Medicaid program. In reviewing the proposal, known as Kentucky HEALTH, we see some positives but also have concerns. To briefly provide context, Medicaid has historically covered low-income, vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, youth [...]
As kids across the Commonwealth head back to school this month, we must remember the 53,000 children being raised by grandparents and other relatives and the unique challenges they face. Kinship caregivers often have informal arrangements and do not have legal custody or guardianship of the children in their care. The informality of care can make it difficult for kin to enroll children in school or access educational or healthcare services. In 2014, the Kentucky [...]
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued their final rule on regulating e-cigarettes, which goes into effect today. With this new rule, the FDA will be able to review new tobacco products entering the market, prevent misguided claims from product manufacturers, inform the public of potential risks on these products, and evaluate how these products are made and what ingredients are included in manufacturing. The FDA also set forth provisions and requirements in the [...]
How many times during these hot, humid summer months have you or your children grabbed the first drink you see in your fridge just to quench your thirst? What you may not think about is what you grab to drink can directly affect your health, especially your dental health. National organizations such as Campaign for Dental Health, the School-Based Health Alliance, the Center for Vulnerable Populations, and The Children’s Partnership have joined forces to encourage parents, [...]
Kentucky’s Health Access Nurturing Development Services, HANDS, is a free, voluntary program for moms-to-be and first time parents who would like support and education throughout pregnancy and the first two years of the baby’s life. The HANDS program is provided in every county in Kentucky for first time parents, and in nearly every county for parents who have more than one child. There are several reasons to participate in the HANDS program, and the positive [...]
