As we find ourselves in the midst of National Family Week, it’s a time to celebrate and reflect upon the importance of family (whether blood-related or chosen) and the role that family plays in our lives. Families come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing they all share is the potential to shape our futures. In Chapter 6 of The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma and Adversity – "Lick Your [...]
By Leah Wade, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates November is National Adoption Month, which acknowledges adoption's importance in many families’ lives. The goal of foster care is to reunite children with their parents; when that is not an option, alternatives for permanency are pursued, like adoption. The Children’s Bureau reported that in Kentucky in 2021, 2,453 children are awaiting adoption following the termination of parental rights. In Kentucky, adoption can be pursued through private foster [...]
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women’s, Infant, and Children (WIC) provides vital support for the food and nutrition security of pregnant women, new moms, babies, and young children by providing food assistance via an EBT card, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support. However, we know the program only reaches every three out of five families that are eligible. To better understand how this program operates in the Commonwealth, Kentucky Youth Advocates and our WIC CIAO [...]
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org 2023 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book: A Look at Child Well-Being Data Trends and Investing in the “Kid Workforce” Featuring the latest county-level data for key measures of child well-being Louisville, KY – The 2023 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book, released today by Kentucky Youth Advocates, features the latest data on 16 measures of child well-being, showing whether outcomes for children across the Commonwealth have improved, worsened, or stayed the [...]
Kentucky kids and families need a safe, stable home in order to thrive. However, the rising cost and declining supply of housing has made it difficult for 43% of Kentucky renters to find safe, stable housing. For many of these families, a job loss or medical emergency could put them at risk for eviction, seriously impacting their long term economic, food, and housing security. Evictions have long been viewed as an adult problem, but new [...]
For 20 years, advocates for kids have gathered in Frankfort for Children’s Advocacy Day to fill the halls of the Capitol and ask their elected officials to step up for Kentucky kids. The critical mass of advocates in the Capitol building led to many policy wins and raising awareness of issues facing kids and their families. As we’ve transitioned to Children’s Advocacy WEEK, we've been able to have a series of virtual events with [...]
Recently, the Biden-Harris Administration proposed three new federal rules related to the child welfare system in an effort to expand supports for children and families who come into contact with the system as a result of child abuse and neglect. Those three new rules are explained below based on how we anticipate Kentucky’s system will be impacted. Supporting Relative Foster Care Providers As of September 5, 2023, there were over 1,000 children placed in relative [...]
The opioid epidemic has been a devastating crisis across the United States, and Kentucky has not been immune to its effects. However, amid the challenges and heartbreak, there is a glimmer of hope. Kentucky's First Opioid Symposium, hosted by the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, stands as a shining example of the dedication and determination to combat this epidemic. This symposium, held at the Central Bank Convention Center in Lexington, Kentucky, brought together a [...]
As we embrace October as Substance Use Prevention Month, it's only fitting that we shine a spotlight on the remarkable work being done in local communities to combat the opioid epidemic. In this edition of Bloom Kentucky’s Growing Hope series, where we’re spotlighting opioid abatement efforts across the Commonwealth, we turn our attention to the Barren River Area Development District (BRADD) Opioid Abatement Coalition's recent Opioid Symposium. On September 18, 2023, at the iconic National [...]
Kentucky is now in its third year as a participating site team of the Thriving Families, Safer Children (TFSC) national commitment to child, youth, and family well-being. The vision of the movement is a world in which all children, youth, and families live in just and equitable communities with the supports, opportunities, and resources they need to thrive and remain free of unnecessary child welfare system involvement. Read on for an update on some of [...]
