Statement from Terry Brooks on the Governor’s Executive Order Establishing a Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Team
A New Day for Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness in Child Protection Jeffersontown, KY - Others will no doubt see the big story of today as the state’s appeal to the Supreme Court around the release of child fatalities and near fatalities records. That is important, but let’s face it – that is an old battle being waged to its bitter end. The critical element of today’s news is the Governor’s Executive Order that establishes a Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel and that is a promising development for Kentucky’s children and families. There are a myriad of details [...]
Call for Photos of Kentucky Children and Youth
Jeffersontown, KY - Kentucky Youth Advocates is seeking new photographs of Kentucky children and youth to use in the 2012 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book. The annual KIDS COUNT book documents the condition of children in Kentucky over time, and photos of children – from infants to teenagers – are used to help illustrate the publication. Photos that showcase Kentucky children and youth in settings representative of Kentucky, including diversity in terms of age, race, ethnicity, and ability are being requested. This year’s KIDS COUNT book will especially need photos relevant to the topic of education – everything from [...]
Twice as Many Kentucky Children Raised By Relatives and Family Friends
Jeffersontown, KY – When biological parents can no longer raise their children or when children’s safety or well-being is at risk, grandparents, other relatives, and close family friends have traditionally stepped up as caregivers in Kentucky. A new KIDS COUNT® report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Stepping Up for Kids: What Government and Communities Should Do to Support Kinship Families, shows Kentucky has the second highest rate in the nation of children living with such “kin” caregivers. Between 2008-2010, an average of 6 percent of Kentucky children lived with kin, representing 63,000 children, up from 31,000 during 1999-2001. Kin [...]
New Data Show Youth Incarcerations for Misbehavior High In Kentucky, but Declining
New Data Show Youth Incarcerations for Misbehavior High In Kentucky, but Declining Community Alternatives Cheaper and Better for Public Safety than Jail Jeffersontown, KY – Kentucky has one of the highest rates of any state in the nation of putting kids in jail for things like running away or missing school, yet the trend is moving to fewer youth incarcerated, according to an updated report, Ending the Use of Incarceration for Status Offenses in Kentucky, released today by Kentucky Youth Advocates. The report recommends continuing to lower the number of youth in jail for misbehaviors by shifting to more effective [...]
New Study Shows Kentucky Schools and Community Agencies Often Collaborate to Share Facilities
Opportunities for Physical Activity Abound with Shared-Use New Study Shows Kentucky Schools and Community Agencies Often Collaborate to Share Facilities Jeffersontown, KY – Schools across Kentucky have opened their facilities to their communities during non-school hours for many years, allowing people of all ages to use their gymnasiums, tracks, cafeterias, and athletic fields for recreation. This practice, known as “shared-use,” not only saves cost, it deepens school and community connections and expands opportunities for physical activity. According to a new study, Sharing School Facilities: How Collaboration Can Increase Physical Activity in Communities, by Kentucky Youth Advocates and the Kentucky Cancer [...]
A State Earned Income Tax Credit Would Help Thousands on Tax Day
A New report shows a state EITC would help families and local businesses at very little cost Jeffersontown, KY –Thousands of Kentucky families and communities could see immediate and long term benefits, at very little cost to the state, if policymakers implemented a state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), according to a new issue brief from Kentucky Youth Advocates. The issue brief, A State Earned Income Tax Credit Would Help Kentucky Families and Local Economies, examines the federal EITC’s 30-year track record of lifting children and families out of poverty, and highlights the benefits a state EITC would provide to [...]
Where we Live Matters to our Health
Where we Live Matters to our Health Statement by Terry Brooks, Executive Director of Kentucky Youth Advocates on Release of Third Annual County Health Rankings. “Communities across Kentucky now know where their counties stand on health and how they compare to others in the Commonwealth. The rankings serve as a call to action from Oldham County to Owsley, and Martin to McCracken. Even the healthiest counties have areas for improvement. The good news is that people from all parts of the state are joining forces to close some of the gaps that appear in the County Health Rankings. For example, [...]
More Kentucky Children Living in High-Poverty Communities than a Decade Ago
The future prosperity of the Commonwealth depends on our ability to foster the health and well-being of the next generation. Wise investments in children and families today will be paid back by upcoming generations through a lifetime of productivity and responsible citizenship. A new KIDS COUNT Data Snapshot from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows Kentucky’s kids are in need of such investments. The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey reveals that 13 percent of Kentucky’s children are growing up in areas where at least 30 percent of the residents live below the federal poverty level [...]
Kentucky Medicaid Managed Care Story Bank Hotline Now Available
As Managed Care Transition Continues, Ongoing Issues are Cause for Concern 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 affect members in Jefferson County and the 15 surrounding counties served by the Passport Health Plan. “We are in a pivotal place, where we could either improve or damage [...]
Statement: Focusing Solely on Spending in State Budget Ignored Realities Facing Kentucky Families
Focusing Solely on Spending in State Budget Ignores Realities Facing Kentucky Families Statement by Terry Brooks, Executive Director, Kentucky Youth Advocates “The Kentucky Chamber released a follow-up to their 2009 study, the Leaky Bucket, with an update focusing on reforming state spending in Kentucky. The Chamber provides a valuable voice on the issue and represents the business community with real power. Unfortunately, the Chamber’s report ignores the realities of whatKentucky children and families face, particularly in the wake of the recession. While the report makes some excellent and necessary recommendations, like rebuilding the “state rainy day fund” and eliminating the [...]