April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month – a time to pause and remember the effects that child abuse has on our most precious citizens, to recognize the impact it has on all of us, and to commit to doing our part to eliminate it. According to state child protective services, more than 17,000 Kentucky children were victims of abuse or neglect in 2011. But, we know that that number is actually higher. Not all [...]
Like us, you have probably been encouraged to see state leaders begin to take action to address child fatalities due to abuse and neglect. But time is running out, and no bills to address the issue have passed the legislature yet. The following three child welfare related bills have a final shot at passage this session, and legislators need to hear from you. With one three minute phone call TODAY, you can leave a message [...]
The Senate is currently formulating their version of the state budget. They need to hear from you about the need to retain funding for social workers and support staff in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. More than 200 advocates from across Kentucky gathered in Louisville in January of this year at the Kentucky Summit to End Child Abuse Deaths. Participants heard from a range of diverse perspectives including legislators, judges, professionals from multiple [...]
By: Dr. Eugene Foster, Interim Executive Director of True-Up Kentucky lawmakers are responding to the rising voice of foster youth and True Up with legislation that would give foster youth more time and information to decide about continuing their education and state-sponsored support. Senate Bill 213, sponsored by Sen. Ken Winters, R-Murray, would extend the window for foster youth to petition the court to continue in state care from six months to one year following [...]
When we gathered with more than 200 advocates from across Kentucky at the Kentucky Summit to End Child Abuse Deaths last month, the group at large voted on four policy solutions that they asked Kentucky leaders to act on during 2012. The call to action includes: improving transparency and accountability of the Cabinet; increasing funds for proven and effective services such as START, CASA, HANDS, in-home services, and parent advocate programs; increasing funds for additional [...]
Complete Streets are designed to provide safe streets for all users of the state’s transportation system: pedestrians of all ages and abilities, bicyclists, disabled persons, public transportation vehicles and patrons, and those who travel in trucks, buses, and automobiles. We need you to show your support for SB 133 to help Kentucky become a more walkable and bikeable community – allowing children and families to be more physically active and safer. We are asking organizations, neighborhood block [...]
Complete Streets are designed to provide safe streets for all users of the state’s transportation system: pedestrians of all ages and abilities, bicyclists, disabled persons, public transportation vehicles and patrons, and those who travel in trucks, buses, and automobiles. We need you to show your support for SB 133 to help Kentucky become a more walkable and bikeable community – allowing children and families to be more physically active and safer. We are asking organizations, neighborhood block [...]
More than 200 advocates from across Kentucky gathered in Louisville last Saturday at the Kentucky Summit to End Child Abuse Deaths. Participants heard from a range of diverse perspectives including legislators, judges, professionals from multiple disciplines, and officials from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. After the morning panels, attendees at each table prioritized solutions for ending child abuse deaths in Kentucky. The solutions from the table discussions were compiled, and the group at [...]
It should not be a surprise to regular readers of KY Kids in Focus that the recession continues to take a heavy toll on Kentucky children and their families. As previous posts have illustrated, participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program remains high, as does unemployment. A new report from First Focus, The Recession’s Ongoing Impact on America’s Children: Indicators of Children’s Economic Well-Being Through 2011, takes a comprehensive look at this and compares three [...]
Data on child abuse and neglect cases in each county and the state as a whole for calendar year 2010 has been posted to the KIDS COUNT Data Center. This new data portrays some discouraging trends for vulnerable children in the Commonwealth, but as Kentuckians we can use our ingenuity to implement innovative solutions to prevent harm to children. Sadly, the number of substantiated child victims of abuse/neglect is on the rise after gradual declines [...]