This post was originally featured on the blog of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Image courtesy of AECF If you are a parent or caregiver who has filed taxes before, you may already be familiar with the child tax credit, which most parents claim on their annual income tax return. For years, it has provided an after-the-fact credit for families with children. What’s new is that beginning in July 2021, for most parents, [...]
Kentucky was showing measurable, though slow, progress on family economic well-being and child health coverage immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic but was falling short on curbing youth obesity and having 3- and 4-year-olds in early childhood programs, according to the 2021 KIDS COUNT® Data Book, a 50-state report published today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. “Though the Commonwealth made progress on a number of indicators of child well-being between 2010 and 2019, rankings show [...]
We know that for many children summer brings changes to daily routines formed during the school year, including how children spend their free time and their food and drink choices throughout the day. But licensed child care centers continue to provide a safe, structured environment for children when they are out of school and new regulations took effect this month that codified Senate Bill 45, passed during the 2020 legislative session. SB 45 ensures all [...]
CONTACT: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Kentucky Progress on Child and Family Well-Being Jeopardized by Pandemic Data Across 50 States Show Continued Challenges, But Hopes for Recovery Remain, Annie E. Casey Foundation Finds LOUISVILLE, KY – Kentucky was showing measurable, though slow, progress on family economic well-being and child health coverage immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic but was falling short on curbing youth obesity and having 3- and 4-year-olds in early childhood programs, according to the 2021 KIDS COUNT® [...]
By Nikky Patel, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates In the past year, many Americans have experienced a lack of access to healthy food and, although food insecurity is not a new issue, we have vividly felt its effect throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the federal government and Congressional leaders have been responsive to this issue and continue to apply lessons learned throughout the pandemic to take action that will address hunger and food insecurity in [...]
Among the provisions in the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) to provide COVID-19 relief is reduced-cost health care coverage for uninsured and current enrollees of the federal health insurance marketplace. Research explicitly tells us that there is a link between parent’s coverage and their children’s coverage, which means as more parents receive coverage and care, so will their kids. An estimated 7,100 Kentuckians with income below 150% of the federal poverty level are newly [...]
In partnership with the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence, Kentucky Youth Advocates hosted a virtual behavioral health summit on May 11th. The Closing the Gaps in Behavioral Health Care for Kids summit brought together over one hundred youth, parents, and professionals from various sectors including educators, mental health professionals, legislators, juvenile justice system staff, child advocates, child welfare system representatives, Kentucky’s philanthropic community, and more. The event featured a data presentation on the recent research conducted by KYA and supplemental data from Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) providing context to [...]
Let’s get more communities and families digitally connected! May 12, 2021 marks the launch of the temporary, federal Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program. This program, overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is geared toward connecting more households to the internet at a time when we rely on digital connectivity more than ever before. The $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit program, established by Congress last year in response to ongoing economic hardships caused by the [...]
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Mental health, cyber bullying, and safety online are among the top concerns for families, schools, law enforcement, and child advocates prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and especially now as our kids must navigate the virtual world more regularly. With the announcement from Facebook to launch an Instagram for kids, those concerns will amplify for many. When used properly, [...]
Image courtesy of AECF Among the provisions in the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) to provide COVID-19 relief is an expanded version of the Child Tax Credit. Approximately 1.1 million Kentucky children and their families will be eligible for the one-year expanded tax credit. This includes low-income families who have not historically made enough or have no income at all will be eligible. The program will begin starting in July, [...]
