This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Courier Journal November 19, 2020. Jyoti Arora in You Came Like Hope asserts, “it takes only a moment for the destiny to flip over.” The haunting message emanating from the 2020 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book is that far too many boys and girls in the Commonwealth had their destiny flip the moment they were born. Because of the zip code in which they live. Because of [...]
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org 2020 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book: A Look at the Impacts of the “Dual Pandemics” on Kentucky Children and Families Featuring the latest county-level data for key measure of child well-being Louisville, KY – The 2020 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book examines the impacts of the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racial injustice on children and families with data disaggregated by race/ethnicity. The 30th edition of this [...]
By Danielle Hempel, MSSW Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates In 2015, See Us, Support Us was created as a month-long opportunity in October to build national awareness, visibility, and support for children whose parents have been incarcerated. Kentucky has the third highest rate in the nation of children who have experienced parental incarceration. In 2017-2018, 12 percent of all children in the Commonwealth had experienced the incarceration of a parent, exceeding the national average of 7 [...]
By Danielle Hempel, MSSW Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates Children in the foster care system are among our most vulnerable youth due to the trauma many have experienced and the potential for that trauma to be exacerbated by the stressors of foster care. Therefore, it is particularly troubling that racial disparities exist within the foster care system. Numerous studies have found that once involved in the child welfare system, Black children are much more likely to [...]
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Kentucky’s Child Poverty Rate Remained Steady from 2018 to 2019 Household Pulse Survey Data Show Impact of the Pandemic on Family Housing Stability and Food Access Louisville, KY – New data released this week by the U.S Census Bureau reveals that 21.7 percent of Kentucky children lived in poverty in 2019, which is not statistically different than the 2018 rate of 23.0 percent. With over one in five children living in [...]
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Kentucky Child Health Insurance Coverage Remained Virtually Unchanged from 2018 to 2019 Impact of Pandemic on Children’s Coverage Unknown Until Next Year Louisville, KY – New health insurance data released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the percent of Kentucky children under 19 with health coverage was 96.2 percent in 2019 (not statistically different from 2018). When disaggregated by race/ethnicity, the data reveal stark disparities in health coverage [...]
There are no shortage of concerns on the minds of Kentuckians as we prepare to vote this November. This will be a consequential election. The local, state, and federal leaders we select will determine policy that will impact our daily lives for what may be generations to come. But how often do we pause to consider--specifically--how our choices at the ballot box will impact us, and particularly young children who depend on us to make [...]
As we stated back in June, Kentucky Youth Advocates is committed to addressing systemic racism across Kentucky and within our organization. To that end, we wanted to provide a brief update on actions we have taken. To ensure that every Kentucky kid can grow up healthy, safe, and hopeful, Kentucky Youth Advocates is working to address racial disparities by: Establishing an internal race equity team to create an environment in which we are intentional, accountable, [...]
By Judi Jennings, Ph.D. The National Survey of Children’s Health shows Kentucky ranks 3rd highest in the nation (at 12%) of children experiencing parental incarceration. Only Oklahoma and New Mexico rank higher, reflecting the underlying connections between incarceration and systemic poverty. Louisville Family Justice Advocates (LFJA) recently co-led an Urban/Rural Learning Exchange, including a focus on parental incarceration, with two amazing allies: Dreama Gentry, Partners for Education at Berea College and Hasan Davis. Davis is [...]
By Melissa Collins, Child Welfare Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates College is a place where all identities and backgrounds may come together to be celebrated. It is a place where the mind and soul grow alongside one another as differences challenge us to think outside of ourselves and our own experiences in new and positive ways. However, what does it mean when some students do not truly feel celebrated, accepted, or even welcomed within their [...]
