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Study: Obesity rates skyrocket among Kentucky youth
BY NADIA RAMLAGAN KY NEWS CONNECTION More than one in three children is now overweight or obese, according to new research published in the Lancet medical journal. The study found while Kentucky and other southern states are forecast to continue seeing rising levels of childhood obesity, some other states, such as Utah, will experience even…
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Many Kentuckians qualify for dual-needs health coverage
BY NADIA RAMLAGAN KY NEWS CONNECTION Nearly 13 million people nationwide, including the around 2 million people in 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…
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Many Kentucky kids lead fragmented and traumatic lives
BY NADIA RAMLAGAN KY NEWS CONNECTION Nearly one in four Kentucky kids has experienced at least two Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, including abuse, neglect or household dysfunction, according to the latest Kids Count County Data Book. Experts said the findings should prompt policymakers to better measure risk and pave the way for prevention. Terry…
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Kentucky’s older adults now losing millions to fraud
BY NADIA RAMLAGAN KY NEWS CONNECTION A new report from the Federal Trade Commission found older adults nationwide lost nearly $2 billion to fraud. The combined median loss reported by people ages 60 and older was $650, compared with $450s for ages 18-59. For people 80 and older, the average individual loss was more than…
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Study: Most high school students say they have had a traumatic experience
BY NADIA RAMLAGAN KENTUCKY NEWS CONNECTION New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show three of every four high school students nationwide said they have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience, including witnessing domestic violence in the home, parental separation or physical and sexual abuse, among others. Research has shown the…
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Kentucky labor unions want next administration to support PRO Act
BY NADIA RAMLAGAN Kentucky News Connection Labor groups in Kentucky and across the nation are pushing for the next administration to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize, or PRO, Act. The legislation would reform existing labor laws to clamp down on union-busting tactics and strengthen workers’ rights during organizing and bargaining with their employers.…
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Youth detention on the decline in Kentucky
BY NADIA RAMLAGAN KY NEWS CONNECTION A new report showed a decade after being passed, Kentucky’s juvenile justice reform law is getting results. It found 60% of juvenile cases were diverted to alternative programs in 2020, compared to 41% in 2013. Instead of being sent to in detention centers, kids in diversion programs participate in…
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Kentucky wants colleges to redesign admissions with focus on low-income, first-generation students
BY NADIA RAMLAGAN KY NEWS CONNECTION Kentucky is one of a handful of states that’s been awarded a $150,000 grant from Lumina Foundation to test changes to the college admissions process. Colleges nationwide are struggling with enrollment post-pandemic, and over the next decade fewer traditional-age students are expected to enroll. Lilly Massa-McKinley, Ph.D – executive…
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Kentucky bill would strengthen trauma-informed resources in schools
BY NADIA RAMLAGAN KY NEWS CONNECTION Suicide rates among young Kentuckians are rising and proposed legislation would strengthen trauma-informed care in schools and boost youth suicide prevention resources. According to the latest state data, one in seven high school students reported having seriously considered suicide within a 12-month period. Sheila Schuster, executive director of the…
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Kentucky child-care providers face uncertain future when federal funding expires
BY NADIA RAMLAGAN KY NEWS CONNECTION Child-care providers in Kentucky are bracing for severe funding cuts when $330 million in annual federal funding expires in September. A recent survey of hundreds of child-care directors in the Commonwealth shows most expect to raise tuition rates and cut staff pay. Research shows kids who have access to…
Tag: Nadia Ramlagan
