KCHC December Newsletter

Kentucky Coalition For Healthy Children Newsletter

Issue 43 | December 2025

Working collaboratively on policies and practices in and around schools that promote equity and improve the physical, social, and emotional health and well-being of children, youth, and families.

The opinions and viewpoints expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the positions of all coalition partners.

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KCHC Member Highlights

Summit│ Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children

The Blueprint for Kentucky's Children annual Partner Summit is being held on Thursday, December 4 in Shelbyville. The summit brings together over 100 community partners, advocates, and young people each year to kick off Kentucky Youth Advocate’s advocacy on children’s issues in the upcoming state 2026 legislative session. Register here.

Annual Meeting | Kentucky Voices for Health

Kentucky Voices for Health’s 2025 Annual Meeting is happening on December 9 at the Hyatt Regency Lexington! Join stakeholders from across the Commonwealth to explore the shifting healthcare landscape as we prepare for major changes to health coverage and safety-net funding in 2026. Sessions will touch on the impact of recent state and federal legislation, how providers and communities are preparing for changes, and opportunities for advocacy as we prepare for the 2026 General Assembly. Learn more and register here.

Grand Rounds│ Keeping Students in the Classroom: Trauma-Informed Practices for Behavior Management

Join the Bounce coalition for a Fall Grand Rounds on December 10 to explore the impact of trauma on student behavior. Designed for educators, administrators, and youth-serving professionals, this webinar will provide participants with the opportunity to examine a classroom case study and brainstorm solutions to deepen their understanding of trauma-informed behavior management strategies to keep students engaged in learning environments. Register here.

Webinar | Kentucky KIDS COUNT

The 2025 Kentucky KIDS COUNT Data Dashboard launches on December 11th. It features the latest data on 16 measures of child well-being, showing whether outcomes for children across the Commonwealth have improved, worsened, or stayed the same. Join Kentucky Youth Advocates for this webinar where they will dive into the latest child well-being data in the Data Dashboard. Learn more and register here.

Training Series│ Trauma Informed Care

Aetna Better Health of KY and SKY has announced a free 3-part Trauma Informed Care training series for parents, providers and partners on Adverse Childhood Experiences and Building Resilience in children, families and communities.

During this 3-part series, on December 5, 12, and 19, participants will learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs); the causes and impact of childhood trauma; how to identify signs and symptoms of traumatic stress; implementing positive childhood experiences and protective factors to build resilience in children, families and communities. To register please contact Dawn Burke, Trauma System of Care Administrator for Aetna Better Health of KY and SKY: BurkeD3@Aetna.com

Roadshow | ThriveKY Policy & Advocacy Updates

Join the ThriveKY Coalition for important updates on the economy, Medicaid, KCHIP, SNAP, housing, transportation, childcare, public health, behavioral health, and suicide prevention. This month's program is being held virtually on December 15. Learn more and register here.

What's New in Children's Health

School based Health Services and Medicaid

The Healthy Schools Campaign has issued a report, State Policy Actions: 10 Steps to Maximize Medicaid for School Health Services. The report provides recommended policy actions for all states to fully expand their school Medicaid programs and maximize Medicaid reimbursement for school districts.

Under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) was directed to broaden access to Medicaid-covered health services in schools, including behavioral and mental health care, and to reduce administrative burdens for states and school systems. The steps provided in the report align with the federal school Medicaid guidance issued in 2023 by CMS.

Behind the Numbers: Understanding Chronic Absenteeism

Chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more of school days, doubled during the pandemic, but since then while it has improved in some states, the national rate remains troublingly high, particularly for low-income students and students of color. Whether an absence is excused, unexcused, or tied to disciplinary action, missing school can have serious and lasting impacts that extend far beyond the classroom.

The National Equity Atlas has published a new Chronic Absenteeism Indicator which takes a closer look at the structural barriers that keep students out of school. Students rarely miss school by choice; absences often reflect deeper challenges such as unreliable transportation, chronic health issues, or mental health needs. By examining chronic absenteeism alongside National Equity Atlas data on school policing, school poverty, and access to a car, it is possible to gain a more complete understanding of the forces keeping students from the classroom and can better equip policymakers and advocates to develop data-driven solutions that support students and families.

Child Care Safety Concerns Grow

Parents across Kentucky depend on childcare to work and support their families, but recent data shows a sharp rise in child abuse incidents occurring in childcare settings. According to state data cited in a new issue brief, Improving the Safety of Kentucky’s Youngest Children, released by the Kosair for Kids Face It Movement and Kentucky Youth Advocates, serious injuries in licensed child care centers increased 64% from 2022 to 2024, substantiated abuse and neglect cases rose 73%, and hotline complaints grew 46% over the same period.

The issue brief examines this troubling trend and outlines recommendations to strengthen safety. Barry Dunn, president and CEO of Kosair for Kids, emphasized that every child should be safe in care and that incidents are preventable with proper supports and training.

In Your Community

Bridging Service Gaps in Louisville: Where Trust, Culture, and Community Come Together for Children

Louisville is home to a significant refugee and immigrant population, and one local organization is stepping up to fill critical service gaps. The More Than a Smile Foundation is a community-driven nonprofit working to ensure that underserved youth and their families have the culturally responsive resources they need to thrive.

Founded in 2016 as a volunteer-run tutoring program led by current Director Amina Shale, More Than a Smile has since grown into a comprehensive initiative centered on three core areas: tutoring and mentoring, women’s empowerment, and community engagement. Today, the organization serves more than 300 participants, most of whom are English-language learners and families from Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Afghanistan, and Syria. While many of the families they serve are Somali and Somali Bantu, all immigrant and refugee families are welcome.

With participants speaking Maay Maay, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Arabic, Somali, Spanish, French, and other languages, culturally and linguistically appropriate services are essential. More Than a Smile prioritizes trust-building, recognizing that many community members may feel hesitant to seek support outside familiar environments. As a result, programs are hosted in trusted community spaces, including neighborhood centers, local mosques, and schools, and interpretation is provided by bilingual staff and volunteers.

A cornerstone of their work is their trauma-informed sports and arts programming, which helps more than 100 youth stay active, build confidence, and strengthen community connections. Monthly community engagement events also bring vital resources directly to families, including backpacks, hygiene kits, food, and clothing, made possible through the dedication of 20 volunteers and close partnerships. More Than a Smile collaborates closely with partners such as Metro United Way, the Louisville Metro Office of Violence Prevention, and the Jefferson County Public Schools Multilingual Learners Department to help close longstanding service gaps. After years of providing mobile services, the organization is now expanding to establish a dedicated community center for the Somali community.

Their impact is being recognized well beyond Louisville. The organization’s Fun and Play Community Engagement Program, which focuses on youth mental health, recently earned recognition from the United Nations Youth Office for contributing to the global Youth Mental Health & Well-Being Flagship Initiative. Additionally, their consultation submission for the 70th Commission on the Status of Women will be featured in an upcoming UN Women youth spotlight series.

More Than a Smile continues to grow its reach, proving that community-rooted, culturally responsive support can make a transformative difference for Louisville’s newest neighbors.

Take Action!

House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders introduced the Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025 on November 20 to repeal the harmful Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cuts included in the budget reconciliation law (H.R. 1).

Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis released this summer shows that these cuts will cause widespread harm to millions of Americans, especially children, older adults, parents, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, individuals with disabilities, and working families. The result: empty cupboards, missed meals, and painful trade-offs between food, rent, and medicine. Beyond the human cost, the cuts will also deal a severe economic blow to farmers, food retailers, local communities, and the national economy.

The Food Research and Action Center’s (FRAC) action network has provided a pre-populated email you can use to urge your Members of Congress to cosponsor and swiftly pass the Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025 critical legislation.