Kacey Musgraves is a new country music sensation. Her opening number, “Blowing Smoke” goes like: Between the lunch and dinner rush Kelly caught that out bound bus for Vegas. And we're all out here talkin trash, makin bets, Lips wrapped round our cigarettes. She always thought she was too good to be a waitress. We all say that we'll quit someday When our ship comes in we'll just sail away. But we're just blowin smoke. [...]
Since April 1, no new families have been able to receive child care assistance or apply for the Kinship Care Program. Child care assistance helps low-income working families afford child care while the Kinship Care Program provides financial support to grandparents and other relatives who are raising children because they cannot live safely with their parents. In addition, the state raised income eligibility limits for child care assistance from 150 percent to 100 percent of [...]
Since April 1, no new families have been able to receive child care assistance or apply for the Kinship Care Program, which provides financial support to non-parental, relative caregivers, like grandparents. In addition, the state raised income eligibility limits for child care assistance from 150 percent to 100 percent of the poverty level, causing 8,700 families to lose child care assistance each month. This stems from a decision by the Department for Community Based Services [...]
“The pursuit of happiness.” That phrase animates an essay by Jon Meacham in the most recent edition of TIME. It made me remember Mary Kay Tachua – the most brilliant professor I ever experienced. More than forty years ago, an administrative error at the University of Louisville put Dr. Tachua as the professor of an undergraduate section of American History. Dr. Tachua was renowned as a graduate professor; social activist; and, perhaps on special and [...]
On July 1, major cuts to child care supports go into effect causing 8,700 families to lose child care assistance each month. Helping families pay for child care makes it more likely they can get and keep a job. The state has also stopped new applications for the Kinship Care Program, which provides financial support to non-parental, relative caregivers, like grandparents. Research shows that children who have been abused and neglected experience less trauma when placed [...]
I got to know some of the best Kentuckians you could ever meet at last week’s public hearing on the cuts to kinship care and child care subsidies. I had the privilege of driving to Frankfort with Phyllis, a 63 year old grandmother who is stepping up to raise her 16 month and 3 year old granddaughters, both who were born addicted to cocaine. As the married mother of two girls the same age, I [...]
This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Courier Journal on May 22, 2013. You can find it online here. It was not as dramatic as scenes in Frankfort can be. There was neither a gallery of cameras nor the moment of confrontation between elected leaders. But on Tuesday, a very important event took place in Frankfort. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services held a public hearing regarding the recent cuts to kinship [...]
A few weeks ago, we met the grandparents pictured left, who have taken on the role of raising their 4-year old grandchild. This scenario of grandparents and relatives raising their kin is becoming more and more common in Kentucky. In fact, estimates suggest there are approximately 63,000 children across the state being cared for by relatives other than their parents. The state recently stopped accepting new applications for the Kinship Care Program which supports people, [...]
When it comes to March Madness, I think I am an expert. I look at every rating system known to mankind. I compare offensive and defensive efficiencies of each team. I analyze the relative strength of every conference. And the result? Well, all four granddaughters beat me (and the two youngest are only three years old!) but I did edge out my four year old grandson in our family bracketology contest! When it comes to [...]
There is a swirl of speculation about the topic. Is the Governor going to call a special session, and – if so – what will be on “the call?” Or what are the priorities emerging at this very moment in Cabinet-level planning for the 2014-16 budget? Any talk about budgets offers us both hope and worry. Will it spotlight the very real need for fundamental and systemic changes in the state’s tax and budget structures [...]
