Statement on SB 119 (Education on Child Abuse Recognition for School Personnel) Passing KY Senate
Jeffersontown, KY - Today's passage of SB 119 by the Kentucky Senate is an encouraging step forward in the effort to protect children from abuse and neglect. SB 119 will support the great job educators do in protecting children by ensuring they receive education on recognizing signs of child abuse and neglect. This is an important step forward, as school personnel are one of the only groups of professionals who, despite being mandated reporters, are not required to receive this type of education. SB 119 will ensure teachers are equipped to recognize warning signs of abuse and know how to intervene to [...]
Statement on HB 145 Passing KY House to Clear Indoor Air of Smoke
Jeffersontown, KY - Today’s passage of HB 145 by the Kentucky House represents an important step forward in the effort to improve the health of Kentuckians and protect children and pregnant women from secondhand smoke. HB 145 will help clear the air in indoor establishments with a statewide law. We thank the Kentucky House for taking up this important bill this session and for all members who supported the measure. We also thank Representative Susan Westrom and Dr. David Watkins for their leadership on this bill and all those who spoke on the House floor in favor of the bill. We [...]
Statement on SB 119 (Child Abuse Education for School Personnel) Passing Senate Judiciary
Jeffersontown, KY - Today's passage of Senate Bill 119 by the Senate Judiciary Committee is an important step forward in the effort to combat child abuse and neglect in Kentucky. The bill ensures school personnel receive education on how to recognize and prevent child abuse. Right now, educators, despite being mandated reporters, are one of the only groups of professionals who interact with children who are not required to receive education on child abuse recognition. We know teachers care and want to protect the kids they work with every day. This education will help support them in that important role. We thank [...]
Statement on HB 8 (Extending Protective Orders) Passing House Judiciary
Jeffersontown, KY - The passage of HB 8 today in the House Judiciary Committee that will extend protective orders to additional groups of victims represents an important step toward giving Kentucky children and their families a safe environment free from violence. We applaud the work of the bill's sponsor, Representative John Tilley for his work with Senator Whitney Westerfield, to craft bipartisan legislation that will improve the lives of Kentucky children and families. Currently, Kentucky statute only allows protective orders for those who have been married, lived with, or had a child with the offender. This leaves many people, including many teens, [...]
Statement in Response to 2015 State of the Commonwealth Address
Contact: Andrea Bennett abennett@kyyouth.org 502-381-1176 Jeffersontown, KY - For seven years, kids and families have been a focus of Governor Beshear and his 8th State of the Commonwealth holds good news for Kentucky's youngest citizens once again. There has been real progress for Kentucky's children and youth and, as the Governor noted, that progress is a result of bi-partisan and collaborative leadership in areas from education to health to family economics. It was encouraging to hear the Governor reaffirm commitments to several priorities from the 2015 Blueprint for Kentucky's Children. As an example, a comprehensive statewide smoke-free law will protect children [...]
New KIDS COUNT Report Emphasizes Two-Generation Approaches to Break the Cycle of Poverty
Contact: Andrea Bennett abennett@kyyouth.org 502-381-1176 Jeffersontown, KY - The Annie E. Casey Foundation, in collaboration with Kentucky Youth Advocates, released the report Creating Opportunity for Families: A Two-Generation Approach today. This latest KIDS COUNT® policy report focuses on America’s 10 million low-income families with young children living below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The report makes the case that a child’s success is tied to the family’s stability and well-being. The impact of poverty on children’s healthy development, educational attainment, future employment prospects, and financial security has been documented for over a quarter of a century. Because 42 [...]
Statement in response to the Judiciary Committee Hearing on Extending Protective Orders for Victims of Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking
Today’s Interim Joint Judiciary Committee hearing on offering protective orders to additional victims represents an important step forward in ensuring Kentucky children are in a safe environment as they grow and develop. Currently, Kentucky statute only allows protective orders for those who have been married, lived with, or had a child with the offender. This leaves many people, including many teens, without one of the most effective forms of protection from being exposed to or experiencing violence – protective orders. Children of victims who experience dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking are also left unprotected from being exposed to violence, [...]
National Report Shows Need for Continued Investments in Child Care Assistance for Kentucky Families
Contact: Andrea Bennett abennett@kyyouth.org 502-381-1176 Jeffersontown, KY - Kentucky Youth Advocates joins the National Women's Law Center today in releasing the state-by-state report, Turning the Corner: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2014. The report examines five critical factors that determine the affordability, accessibility and quality of child care assistance for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Turning the Corner: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2014 compares data from February 2014 to data from February 2013 and 2001 on income eligibility, waiting lists for assistance, copayments required of parents receiving assistance, reimbursement rates for child care providers and eligibility for parents searching for [...]
Kentucky Child Poverty Remains High, but Policy Changes Continue to Boost Health Coverage
Contact: Andrea Bennett 502-381-1176 abennett@kyyouth.org Jeffersontown, KY - Today, new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey confirms that child poverty remains high in Kentucky. This data provides stronger estimates due to larger sample sizes and different methodology than the Current Population Survey supplemental data released on Tuesday. The American Community Survey data released today revealed that in 2013, 25.3 percent of Kentucky children lived in poverty, compared to 22.2 percent nationwide. This put Kentucky at 40th in the nation for child poverty out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. “This is the second key report of the week around child poverty, and both paint a compelling portrait [...]
While National Child Poverty Rate Improves, Kentucky Moving in Wrong Direction
Contact: Andrea Bennett 502-381-1176 abennett@kyyouth.org Jeffersontown, KY – New Current Population Survey supplemental data, released today by the U.S. Census Bureau, provides an updated status of kids and families in Kentucky, including new data on poverty. Additional data will be released on Thursday, September 18 from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, which tracks similar measures. While the national data shows the child poverty rate declined for the first time since 2000, Kentucky’s data is in stark contrast to the nation. Child poverty in Kentucky rose to 31.8 percent in 2013 from 22.4 percent in 2009. This increase put Kentucky [...]