All children deserve the best possible health opportunities to set the stage for positive health outcomes into adulthood. Unfortunately, childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels, putting thousands of Kentucky children at risk for poor health. Kentucky has the 3rd highest rate in the nation of overweight and obese children ages 10-17 at 37.1 percent. Childhood obesity affects very young children as well. In 2010, the obesity rate for Kentucky children ages 2-4 in the Supplemental [...]

Do you have a personal or organizational story about Kentucky’s new “Medicaid managed care” system? In November 2011, Kentucky Medicaid changed the way it operates its Medicaid program by expanding managed care coverage to all areas of the state. Medicaid contracted with three new managed care organizations (MCOs) to coordinate health care for most Medicaid members. The new MCOs are: CoventryCares of Kentucky, Kentucky Spirit Health Plan and WellCare of Kentucky. This change did not [...]

The Smoke-Free Kentucky campaign is now in full swing!  Rep. Susan Westrom introduced House Bill 289 that will make all workplaces in Kentucky smoke-free. Now is the time for your legislators to hear from you.  Even if you have contacted them before, please take just a minute to call your House Representative. Call  1-800-372-7181 and ask your legislator to vote for House Bill 289 to protect the rights of all Kentuckians to breathe smoke-free air [...]

Children fare best when they have a healthy start in life, and this opportunity begins during pregnancy. But many healthy starts are compromised in Kentucky due to mothers smoking during pregnancy. During the 2007-2009 period, 25 percent of all births were to mothers who smoked at some point during pregnancy. Kentucky’s rate of smoking during pregnancy – the highest in the nation – is particularly troubling given the serious consequences on children’s health. The U.S. [...]

By: Jim Cecil, DMD, MPH Oral health is intimately associated with overall health! By extension, oral diseases, infections and conditions are associated with systemic conditions and diseases. Recent reports indicate that oral infections are associated with diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obesity, stroke, adverse birth outcomes, and other common and chronic systemic diseases. Given these significant associations, I believe this represents a clarion call for integration of the health care delivery [...]

Kentucky continues to cover children with health insurance at a rate well above the national average, according to a new report authored by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute’s Center for Children and Families and released by Kentucky Youth Advocates, the Kentucky Equal Justice Center, Kentucky Voices for Health, and Covering Kentucky Kids and Families. Kentucky’s rate of uninsured kids was measured at 6.0% in 2010, not statistically different from the measured rate of 6.5% [...]

The 2011 County Data Book, released today by Kentucky Youth Advocates finds that Kentucky has made progress in ensuring low-income children receive dental services, yet much work remains to improve children’s oral health in the state. This is the 21st annual release of the County Data Book, part of the Kentucky KIDS COUNT project. The KIDS COUNT project monitors progress for Kentucky’s one million children on over 100 measures of child well-being, including health, safety, [...]