FRANKFORT, Ky. — A Kentucky childcare advocacy organization is using an $8 million grant to support rural childcare and early education in Appalachian Kentucky.

Nearly all households in the region’s counties face childcare barriers and in 79 of the state’s 120 counties, there are not enough childcare providers to meet demand.

Chelsi Harville, Kentucky state director for the nonprofit Save the Children, said her organization is working to build up the local workforce with funding from the Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies.

“On average, most children in these rural communities, children under the age of 5, do not have access to a childcare center within 10 miles of their home,” Harville reported. “We also see that the providers of these childcare centers face persistent obstacles.”

The effort, which began in 2024, is expected to help nearly 400 people over a five-year period.

Harville explained the goal is to help people obtain certifications to start their own childcare business or pursue higher education.

“We are offering access to obtaining the Child Development Associates credential in infant, toddler, preschool, or family childcare, leading to qualifications for immediate employment,” Harville outlined.

Credentials, degrees and training are earned through Eastern Kentucky University, the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, and other regional institutions.

Karen Harrison, lead adviser of workforce development for Save the Children, added the program also offers total or partial paid tuition along with stipends.

“We want to be able to provide some cash so that individuals can use that towards childcare, they can use it towards transportation, they can use it towards technology needs, whatever they might need individually,” Harrison explained.

Kentucky lawmakers passed significant childcare reforms through House Bill 6 this year, which creates a statewide childcare microcenter pilot program. It is also expected to strengthen the state’s Child Care Assistance Program and streamline regulations for providers.

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Utility debt is a growing crisis affecting rural communities across Kentucky.

The average overdue debt balance in Kentucky is $549 and more than 127,000 households in the Commonwealth are in the red, according to a new report from the advocacy group Protect Borrowers.

Aissa Canchola Banez, policy director for Protect Borrowers, said the average bill has risen considerably over the past few years and utility costs are now taking up a larger amount of families’ budgets.

“They’ve grown significantly across Appalachia and parts of the South,” Banez observed. “We know that in Kentucky, for example, energy bills have increased more than 26 percent.”

The explosion of artificial intelligence data centers, along with their high demand for energy, is sending household utility costs nationwide through the roof. Data from Protect Borrowers showed Black households are three times as likely as white households to carry overdue utility balances.

The issue is exacerbating overall debt, including medical and student loan debt, which many households also are struggling to repay. Beginning this year, the Trump administration is resuming wage garnishment for student loan borrowers who have been unable to make payments for at least nine months. Banez argued utility debt is only worsening the crisis, as borrowers face a mountain of different payments.

“These are folks who have fallen so severely behind that they are experiencing, or set to experience, being subjected to debt collection as a result,” Banez noted.

Around one in six U.S. households are currently behind on their utility bills as of late 2025, with total household energy debt reaching about $23 billion, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.

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FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky state lawmakers convene in Frankfort today for the start of the legislative session, where they will craft the next two-year state budget.

Experts said it will be challenging to address an anticipated budget shortfall and new costs expected from the rollback of funding for federal programs many Kentuckians depend on.

Jason Bailey, executive director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, said families are stretched thin and funding for some services, like the popular Meals on Wheels program, was only restored after public backlash.

“What is decided for the budget is very consequential for services that Kentuckians rely on and things they care about,” Bailey explained.

After years of surplus state revenue, Kentucky is expected to see a shortfall of around $156 million, according to Consensus Forecasting Group, and a new report from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy said the state’s budget woes partly stem from an imbalanced tax system.

Bailey added new costs are being shifted onto Kentucky, particularly for SNAP, the program helping more than 500,000 kids, older adults, people with disabilities and low-wage workers put food on the table. Under the Trump administration, the state will be required to pick up the tab for SNAP, around $180 million per year, by 2028.

“We’re talking about a potentially very large new outlay of resources that the General Assembly is going to have to find,” Bailey stressed. “At the same time that, again, revenues are slowing down.”

According to the center’s analysis, the wealthiest 5 percent of Kentuckians now pay around $3 billion less a year in state and federal taxes under changes made a few years ago. The report’s authors said restoring a graduated income tax could help pull the state out of the red.

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In Kentucky, nearly 1-in-5 youths from ages 6-to-17 are obese, according to new county-level data on measures of child well-being in the Commonwealth.

The increase mirrors a nationwide trend. There has been a more than 270 percent increase in the number of obese children compared to the 1970s.

Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, said while more kids are hungry today, more kids are also obese, adding the solutions are not quick hits.

“It involves more access, more affordability when it comes to nutritious and fresh foods, especially for vulnerable families,” Brooks outlined. “It’s recalibrating after the hiccup with SNAP.”

Most Kentucky schools are able to provide free meals to all students through the Community Eligibility Provision and national research shows those participating schools saw a relative reduction in obesity compared to nonparticipating schools.

Aliete Yanes Medina, a Jefferson County senior high school student, said social media can trigger mental health problems in students who don’t have a certain body type.

“Sometimes if they don’t look the same as they see in social media, they may think that they are less worthy,” Medina observed. “It’s honestly something really, really sad.”

Karena Cash, data and research director for Kentucky Youth Advocates, explained food insecurity is closely linked to poor nutrition.

“Parents just having to rely on really cheap, ultraprocessed food that’s closely associated with obesity,” Cash stressed. “We also know that kids struggle to access food because they just don’t live close to grocery stores.”

Research shows kids living in high-poverty neighborhoods – a reality for nearly one in three children in Kentucky – are at higher risk of developing obesity throughout their childhood and adolescence.

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FRANKFORT, Ky. — A statewide program in Kentucky aims to provide credentialing and pathways to a career in social work for people in substance use disorder recovery. Advocates say the Career Ladders in Mental and Behavioral Health or CLIMB-Health program is vital for the state to boost the mental health and social services workforce.

Carl Wilson, senior fellow for healthcare development and initiatives with the Kentucky Council on Secondary Education, said it also provides opportunities for those in recovery to make a living and expand their career horizons.

“You can gain both occupation credentials and or employment all the way up through a professional level within this program. So the program offers individuals with lived experience a tailored pathway,” he said.

Community colleges across the state serving more than 100,000 residents are now working with people who have been state-certified peer support specialists, to transfer their training toward Bachelor of Social Work degrees. The CLIMB-Health program began on Kentucky Community & Technical College System campuses in counties with the highest overdose deaths.

Wilson said residents in drug court programs in all 120 counties face barriers to employment.

“When they get to that employer interview, and that employer runs that background, and they see the addiction issue, they see in most cases, the justice involvement, they’re locked out of opportunities,” he added.

The goal is to fill urgent gaps in the state’s healthcare system and boost long-term economic stability for people living in recovery.

“We have approximately 50,000 to 0,000 untapped workers for our workforce in Kentucky that have not been given that opportunity to have a specialized program which addresses them,” Wilson continued.

While overdose rates in other states are declining Kentucky ranks among the top ten states in the nation for drug overdose deaths, according to the CDC.

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Nearly 13 million people nationwide, including the around 2 million peoplein Kentucky enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid, may qualify for coverage under a Dual Special Needs Plan.

Chloe Atwater, health justice attorney at the Kentucky Equal Justice Center, said nearly 40% of the state’s population is low-income. She noted the additional coverage option is for people who are older and lower-income and/or live with disabilities.

She pointed out Kentuckians can learn more about them through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, known as “SHIP.”

“I think that’s a decision that people need to make individually and that they can do so intelligently with counseling from a SHIP counselor,” Atwater explained.

In 2023, more than 5 million people were enrolled in dual plans. This year’s deadline to enroll is Dec. 7.

Marian Cabanillas of UnitedHealthcare Community and State, said the dual plan provides benefits not typically associated with standard health coverage, including healthy food, such as fruits and vegetables and meat and even over-the-counter products such as toothpaste. She believes people tend to put off health care when they are unsure if they can afford it, and a dual plan could help alleviate the fear.

“The earlier that we can diagnose and treat issues, the better you have of a chance of having better outcomes,” Cabanillas emphasized.

Cabanillas added for people who qualify, dual plans can be used to help pay utility bills but millions of people who are eligible for the plans are not enrolled, perhaps because they do not know it is an option.

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A federal nutrition program for low-income moms and babies now includes canned fish and beans, whole grains such as quinoa and cornmeal, and more money for fruits and vegetables.

Theda Simpson, a former participant in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children from Metcalfe County, said she relied on the funds for extra help paying for supplemental formula for her daughter and sons, who had milk allergies as infants. She found out about the program through her local health department and stressed it was a lifesaver for preventing her children from going hungry.

“I hope that every mother finds out about it, knows about the program, is able to access and get the help that they need to be able to feed their children,” Simpson emphasized.

Under the new changes, children ages 1-4 will now receive $24 per month, pregnant and postpartum women will now receive $43 per month and breastfeeding women will now receive $47 per month, under recent USDA updates.

Research has shown the WIC program helps improve pregnancy outcomes, including lower incidences of premature births, infant mortality and low-birthweight babies.

Karena Cash, data and research director for Kentucky Youth Advocates, said WIC is not reaching every available mom or mom-to-be in the state, although advocates have been doing work to reach more households, especially in Latino communities and among kinship caregivers. The data show two of every eligible five families are not participating in the program.

“About 96% of infants in Kentucky are enrolled, whereas only about 60% of women and 51% of eligible children one to five,” Cash reported. “We see some pretty big discrepancies.”

Tanya Torp, executive director of the nonprofit Step By Step in Lexington serving young, single mothers and their babies, said a major barrier is a lack of understanding among grocery stores about how WIC works and what products are covered under the program.

“For us, being able to work with some of the stores is going to be really important,” Torp explained. “To train the employees at the stores so that they will be able to help when someone comes in and asks questions about WIC.”

Advocacy groups have developed an online toolkit for local communities and leaders, and professionals who serve young children to help get the word out about the WIC program. Nationwide, more than 6 million women and children rely on WIC each month.

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JENKINS, Ky. — A $20,000 grant from AARP Kentucky will help rebuild damaged sidewalks, create a walking trail, install benches and create a mural in Jenkins, as part of the recovery from the deadly 2022 flood that took the lives of 45 residents across Eastern Kentucky.

Rachel Rosolina, communications director for the nonprofit Appalshop, explained because its headquarters was severely damaged by the flooding, staff has temporarily moved to neighboring Jenkins, where the grant will help improve walkability.

She noted the new walking trail and benches will begin at a local senior center and extend about a mile into downtown.

“Twenty-four percent of the county is over the age of 59 and the poverty rate is also like over 38 percent,” Rosolina pointed out. “We want to be part of this community for as long as they will have us, but we also want to work with the city and use our resources to make improvements and make things safer.”

Other 2024 Community Challenge grants awardees include Hotel Inc., a Bowling Green organization providing training on home safety and aging in place for older adults; and Casey County Public Library, to build a series of public displays and activities grandparents can do with their grandchildren.

Tiffany Sturdivant, interim executive director of Appalshop, said while the flood was devastating, it brought out the best in a close-knit community.

“Speaking as someone who was present during the recovery, it was a special time where Eastern Kentucky really shined,” Sturdivant recounted. “I feel like it shined its brightest because it brought out that deep-rooted togetherness and everybody was just pitching in.”

Rosolina added the mural, designed by local artist Lacy Hale, will highlight residents’ perseverance.

“Art is one way to process trauma and I think the flood is going to be part of all of these communities for the rest of time,” Rosolina observed. “It’s part of the history now. So having something beautiful come out of that, I think, is really important.”

She added the art display will be formally presented to the public during the Jenkins Homecoming Days Festival at the end of August.

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FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentuckians have less than a week to register to vote in next month’s primary election.

If folks miss the April 22 deadline, residents can still register to vote in the presidential election this fall.

Laura Weinstein, chair of the League of Women Voters of Kentucky, is encouraging people to take action now. Voters will need to bring photo identification to the polls. A list of acceptable forms of identification is on the Secretary of State’s website.

Weinstein added the website vote411.org includes personalized information about registration and what’s on the ballot.

“We’ll be posting what are called voter guides,” Weinstein explained. “The candidates will be filling out questionnaires so voters can have a better sense of the candidates’ positions before going to the polls.”

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Election Day, May 21 and early voting runs from May 16-18. This year, Kentuckians will vote for state legislative and local offices, nominate candidates for Congress, and nominate their pick for the next U.S. president.

Weinstein noted there is still time to sign up to be a poll worker, through the website powerthepolls.org.

“And you can get compensated,” Weinstein pointed out. “You get $260 for Election Day and it’s a great way to learn, again, more about the process. So, that’s another excellent way to participate in a primary election as a voter this year.”

Research shows primaries typically have lower voter turnout than general elections. Weinstein stressed in a climate of widespread polarization and mistrust in elections, it is more important than ever people participate in the electoral process.

“We also know that voting is habit-forming,” Weinstein observed. “Even though there may not be a competitive race in your district, the more you go vote, the more likely it is you’ll vote in the future.”

More than more than two million Kentuckians showed up at the polls in the last presidential election in 2020, according to the Kentucky State Board of Elections.

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The shrinking supply of child-care workers continues to impact Kentucky, and advocates say helping more people receive a Child Development Associate degree could fill critical gaps in child care and early learning — especially in rural regions.

Jennifer Roe is an early-childhood coordinator with Save the Children’s Early Steps Program who’s currently enrolled in a CDA program at Eastern Kentucky University.

She said it hasn’t been easy working full time while in school, but says Save the Children’s Career Pathways Program has helped with tuition and other resources, putting her on track on track to graduate next spring.

“When I walk across that stage with that diploma in my hand, it’s going to be one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done,” said Roe. “And not only for myself, but for the families that I serve and for my community.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average, more than 153,000 openings for child-care workers are projected over the next decade — largely driven by the need to replace workers who have left the field or retired.

Save the Children’s Career in Education Workforce Development Managing Director Karen Harrison said the program aims to reduce barriers to obtaining a credential or higher-education degree.

“We either pay all or partial of their tuition,” said Harrison. “We pay stipends for books, supplies and materials. And we also give barrier-reduction stipends; we know that child care for participants themselves can be an issue.”

Roe added that a CDA degree opens the door to immediate job opportunities working in day-care centers, opening a child-care business, or teaching preschool.

“We can’t wait ’til they get to kindergarten and expect them to know their ABCs and such,” said Roe. “They’ve got to know when they get there because, if they don’t, they’re already behind.”

Meanwhile, Kentucky child-care providers say the state’s industry is on the verge of collapse when federal pandemic funds expire this fall.

In a recent letter, hundreds of providers across the state asked lawmakers to pass a supplemental funding bill to help centers stay afloat.

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