KCHC February Newsletter

Kentucky Coalition For Healthy Children Newsletter

Issue 33 | February 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

Grant Opportunity │School Garden Grants

The Kentucky Farm to School Network invites Kentucky preK - 12 grade schools to apply for a school garden mini-grant opportunity. This project will provide funding for schools to establish school gardens and implement nutrition and cooking education using the produce grown in the school gardens. Letters of intent are due by February 7. Learn more here.

Roadshow | Thrive KY

Join the ThriveKY coalition in 2025 for important updates on the economy, Medicaid, KCHIP, SNAP, housing, transportation, child care, public health, behavioral health, and suicide prevention. You’ll also learn about new tools available to assist community members with meeting basic needs and get tips on being a more effective advocate in your community. Virtual programs are happening on February 10 & 24. Learn more here.

Advocacy | Hunger Free Kentucky Day

Hunger Free Kentucky Day 2025 is happening on February 18. This annual event hosted by Feeding Kentucky brings together folks from all professions to highlight food insecurity, from farmers to teachers, mayors to Senators. It's an excellent chance to meet with your legislators, and serve as expert advisors, standing up for your neighbors. Learn more here.

Training Series │ Youth Substance Use Prevention

Aetna Better Health of Kentucky Pathways is sponsoring the Prevention Training Series online over What You Need to Know About Youth and Substance Use. There will be 3 different training topics, The Brain and Substance Use Disorders: Demystifying Addiction on February 21, Navigating Prevention Science for Adolescent in Foster Care: Understanding SUD and the Developing Brain on February 28, and In the Trenches with Transitional Age Foster Care Youth: Formal and Natural Supports on March 7. More information and registration in the links.

Training │ Systems Thinking, Systems Changing

For those working in and with schools, Cairn Guidance has a great local opportunity in Louisville, an updated Systems Thinking, Systems Changing™ simulation. During team simulations, participants will be confronted with realistic decisions and experiences based in an education setting, be compelled to consider new ways of looking at their goals and their work, be challenged to review what they consider legitimate indicators of success, try proven methods for making system-wide changes, distill their experience into action-oriented learnings and have fun! The facilitation experience allows colleagues to participate in a simulated activity that builds team building and stronger communication.

The training has people registered from all over the US representing a variety of organizations (family engagement, sexual health non-profits, State Departments of Education, Universities) To register for the Systems Thinking, Systems Changing™ Training of Trainers (TOT) February 26th-27th, 2025 in Louisville KY, click here. For more information, contact Jess Lawrence at Jess@cairnguidance.com

Advocacy Week | Save-The-Date

2025 Children’s Advocacy Week, hosted by Kentucky Youth Advocates, is happening March 3- 7. A prep webinar is being hosted on February 26. This will include reminders about events during the week, as well as, provide updates on key policies for advocates to discuss with legislators. Learn more about advocacy week and the webinar here.

Grant Opportunity | Kentucky Department of Education

The Kentucky AED Grant will assist districts with the purchase of new devices when none are presently available; replace AEDs that are more than 8 years old; and increase the inventory of such devices all for the purpose of improving survival rates in the event of a cardiac event. Applications due are February 28. Learn more and apply here.

Conference│ Education and Awareness on Problem Gambling

The Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling is holding its Annual Educational and Awareness Conference. In partnership with the Kentucky Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, the KYCPG is working to address a workforce shortage which is becoming more important with the added legal sports betting in 2023 which can lead to uncontrolled gambling and gambling disorders, already a problem growing in youth. The conference will take place on March 13-14. Registration and information here.

Blog | Building Resilience in Estill County Schools

This blog post from the Bounce Coalition highlights the work going on in Estill County Public Schools to address the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma through a comprehensive approach. With the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky's support, this partnership transforms how schools support students and staff well-being. Read here.

Videos │ Positive Childhood Experiences

Bloom Kentucky, an initiative of several organizations addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and statewide policy change to prevent and mitigate the impact of childhood adversity, has produced a new series of blogs and videos to focus on Positive Childhood Experiences. See them here.

What's New in Children's Health

Black Youth Suicide Prevention

Black youth suicide rates have been on the rise over the past two decades, including here in Kentucky. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has prepared the Issue Brief, Black Youth Suicide Prevention, which addresses the suicide risk factors of Black youth, integrating protective factors, the role of state leaders in reducing Black youth suicide, and way behavioral health systems can improve to address Black youth suicide amid funding limitations.

Medicaid and Student Success

In Kentucky currently over 638,000 children are enrolled in Medicaid or its companion KCHIP, giving them access to the care they need to show up for school ready to learn. The report How Medicaid Supports Student Success, from Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, shows how kids covered by Medicaid are more likely to receive preventive health care and treatment, which keep them at school. Research has shown that Medicaid eligible students are more likely to graduate from high school and complete college than students without access to health care. A 2023 Congressional Budget Office analysis found that just one extra year of Medicaid coverage during childhood leads to higher earnings and better productivity as an adult, boosting the nation’s economy.

Reducing Hunger and Improving School Health through the CEP

The report by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), Community Eligibility: The Key to Hunger-Free Schools, finds that the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) has been associated with benefits for student health as well as a reduction in the administrative burden for schools. Research associates CEP with improvements in student health and education, such as some reduction in childhood obesity, better attendance, reductions in school suspension rates, and improved educational outcomes, particularly in math.

Kentucky Failing in Tobacco Control

The American Lung Association has issued its State of Tobacco Control report, which contains state rankings in tobacco cessation and prevention funding, smoke free air laws, access to cessation services, state tobacco taxes, and flavored tobacco products. Kentucky has received an “F” grade in all but access to cessation services, where it received a “C”. The report provides the details.

In Your Community

Kentucky Students and KSVT File Lawsuit Demanding a Quality Public Education

The Kentucky Student Voice Team (KSVT) has taken a historic step in its mission to advocate for more just and democratic public schools. On January 14, 2025, KSVT and a group of student plaintiffs filed a lawsuit, Kentucky Student Voice Team vs. The Commonwealth, asserting that Kentucky has failed to fulfill its constitutional obligation to provide an adequate and equitable public education.

Standing on the steps of the Franklin Circuit Courthouse, the students and representatives of KSVT highlighted systemic issues undermining the quality of education across the Commonwealth. These include declining literacy rates, the lack of civics education, mental health crises, disparities in arts availability, and wide academic achievement gaps. As Khoa Ta, a policy coordinator for KSVT and a junior from Owensboro Independent High School, explained, “The Kentucky Constitution guarantees every student the right to a quality public education. This right was clarified in the 1989 Rose v. Council for Better Education decision. But today, the legacy of Rose is wilted as its promises have gone unfulfilled for far too many Kentucky students.”

The lawsuit, brought by KSVT as the organizational plaintiff, focuses on addressing systemic failures rather than blaming individual schools or teachers. “We see the dedication of educators every day, but the root cause of these challenges lies in state-level decision-making and resource inequities,” said Luisa Sanchez, a student plaintiff and junior from Boyle County High School.

Looking Back to Move Forward

The lawsuit draws inspiration from the 1989 Rose v. Council for Better Education decision, which led to the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) of 1990, a landmark initiative that transformed the state’s schools. However, subsequent decades have seen declines in funding, teacher pay, and resources, threatening the progress made. As Danielle Chivero, a student plaintiff from Tates Creek High School, emphasized, “Generations before us fought to reimagine Kentucky schools, and we are here to ensure that promise is renewed for every student. Our schools should be places where students are prepared to thrive, regardless of where they live or their family’s income.”

Next Steps: Your Voice Matters

KSVT is complementing the lawsuit with a year-long series of public hearings to gather input from stakeholders across Kentucky. These sessions will inform actionable recommendations for improving Kentucky’s schools and ensuring accountability from decision-makers. “This lawsuit is just the beginning,” said Peter Jefferson, a KSVT litigation coordinator and senior from Henry Clay High School. “Real change will require the input, ideas and commitment of all Kentuckians. Together, we can create a future where every student has access to the education they deserve.”

To learn more about Kentucky Student Voice Team vs. The Commonwealth and KSVT's efforts, visit ksvt.org/rose.

TAKE ACTION!

Assessing Medicaid Cuts to Students in Schools.

Congress is considering significant cuts to Medicaid Funding. The Healthy Schools Campaign, AASA, Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), National Alliance for Medicaid in Education (NAME) and Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) is distributing a survey to gauge the impact these cuts could have in terms of student health services, resources, and funding in your school district. This survey, for school district leaders, administrators and staff, will be used in the aggregate to educate the public and policymakers on the importance of school Medicaid. No identifying information will be included.

The deadline for responses is February 15.

If you are a school district leader, administrator or staff member, you are invited to take this short survey here.

If you have questions about the survey, or about school Medicaid and the proposed cuts, please contact Jessie Mandle, national program director at Healthy Schools Campaign (jessie@healthyschoolscampaign.org).

Following and Acting on Bills that Impact Children and Youth

KCHC and Steering Committee member organizations have begun to track the bills during the 2025 legislative session. The following are links to bill trackers for the bills presented in January 2025. Kentucky legislators will return to Frankfort February 4, so more bills are sure to be filed, which we will also be tracking.

Kentucky Coalition for Healthy Children 2025 Bill Tracker

Kentucky Voices for Health 2025 Health Justice Bill Tracker

Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky 2025 Kentucky General Assembly – Healthy Kentucky Policy Priorities

Kentucky Youth Advocates Bill Tracker

It’s never been more important to advocate for children’s health!

The Advocacy Action Network and Kentucky Voices for Health have developed a 2025 General Assembly Accessibility Guide which contains all the information you need to advocate.