Monitoring the Impact of COVID-19 on the Child Welfare System

Last updated May 15, 2020 Children in homes where instability was already present are now at an even greater risk with the uncertainty and disruptions in services brought on by the COVID-19 response. Given that Kentucky has the highest rates in the nation for both child maltreatment and kids living in kinship care, we must prioritize investments in the child welfare system and support the kids and families within the system. Investments and state action [...]

By |2020-05-20T18:17:27-04:00April 15th, 2020|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

Monitoring the Impact of COVID-19 on the Child Care Community and Families With Young Children

Last updated May 27, 2020 In March, child care centers in the Commonwealth of Kentucky closed in order to limit the spread of the Coronavirus. As a result, our state and federal leaders have worked to secure much needed support for the child care community and those they serve. Through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Kentucky received an additional $67.2 million in Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding. Continued [...]

By |2020-05-27T17:13:02-04:00April 15th, 2020|Blog, Economic Security, Education|

Monitoring the Impact of COVID-19 on Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

Last updated May 11, 2020 As federal, state, and local governments continue navigating appropriate responses to those most impacted by COVID-19, it’s crucial to remember the significant impact had on youth who are involved with the juvenile justice system, whether they are currently incarcerated, being released, or on probation. The Commonwealth should protect the health, safety, and well-being of youth involved with the Department of Juvenile Justice.  Prioritizing the young people in the juvenile [...]

By |2020-05-20T18:18:42-04:00April 15th, 2020|Blog, Youth Justice|

COVID-19 and Kentucky Kids: The Impact on Health Care

Terry Brooks is joined via phone by Veronica Cecil, Vice President for Policy at the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and former Deputy Commissioner in the Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services, Dr. Julia Richerson, pediatrician practicing at Family Health Centers Iroquois in Louisville, and Dr. Nikki Stone, Dental Director at the UK North Fork Valley Community Health Center in Hazard. They discuss the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health systems, what changes are needed to ensure continuity of [...]

By |2020-04-14T17:02:16-04:00April 14th, 2020|Podcast|

Efforts to Keep Healthy Smiles During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, all health providers, including dental providers, were required to suspend all elective and non-emergency procedures in March. During this uncertain time, our partners at the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition (KOHC) are dedicated to monitoring the latest updates and recommendations from the CDC, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and other national and state partners on best practices for the oral health community, including: Sharing [...]

By |2020-04-09T16:01:54-04:00April 9th, 2020|Blog, Health|

Coping During a Pandemic from the Perspective of a Former Foster Youth

Join a virtual support group with Voices of the Commonwealth members every Friday at 3 PM Central/4 PM Eastern. RSVP to wwilson9@murraystate.edu and the Google Hangouts link or a phone number for conference call will be sent to you. By Tamara Vest My name is Tamara Vest. I am a 23-year-old former foster youth from Kentucky. I am currently a senior at the University of Kentucky finishing my bachelor’s degree in Social Work. I was [...]

By |2020-04-09T14:12:12-04:00April 9th, 2020|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

COVID-19 and Kentucky Kids: The Impact on Child Care

Terry Brooks is joined via phone by Mike Hammons, vice president of advocacy at Learning Grove, and Dr. Sarah Vanover, director of Kentucky's Division of Child Care, to discuss the realities facing the child care sector, what federal investments are still needed to support child care centers, and information for families on setting realistic expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Child care centers and families can find information on available supports via the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. [...]

By |2020-04-09T11:55:22-04:00April 9th, 2020|Podcast|

COVID-19 and Kentucky Kids: The Impact on Education

Terry Brooks is joined via phone by Brigitte Blom Ramsey, president and CEO of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, to discuss the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's learning and the K-12 sector. This is part of a series of conversations where we examine the immediate and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Kentucky kids and the systems that influence their lives – health care, education, early childhood education and [...]

By |2020-04-07T18:10:51-04:00April 7th, 2020|Podcast|

COVID-19 and Kentucky Kids: Understanding Federal Supports

Terry Brooks is joined via phone by Deb Stein of the Partnership for America's Children and Doug Scofield of Volunteers of America Mid-States to dive deeper into the federal COVID-19 relief supports recently passed by Congress and how those will impact the lives of Kentucky families and the businesses that serve them. Read more about the impact of the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act [...]

By |2020-04-02T20:01:08-04:00April 2nd, 2020|Podcast|

The Impact of the Federal COVID-19 Response Legislation on Kentucky Kids

It has been a busy couple of weeks for the U.S. Congress! Lawmakers in Washington, D.C. have crafted a bevy of legislation that impacts Kentucky’s kids and their families.   Late last week Congress passed and the President signed into law two pieces of legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which provides free Coronavirus testing, paid sick leave, unemployment aid, and nutrition assistance. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic [...]

By |2020-04-03T14:31:52-04:00March 31st, 2020|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Medicaid|
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