This op-ed appears in the online edition of the Louisville, Ky., Courier-Journal, March 31, 2015 April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. And while it’s a good time to shine a spotlight on child abuse and neglect, it’s important to understand that children are injured, physically, emotionally, sexually, in the Greater Louisville area and elsewhere every day. Last year, in Jefferson County, 3,467 children were victims of abuse and neglect. Statewide that number totaled more than 19,000, and 12 of those children died. Another 29 were severely injured. In the last five years, there were 350 child fatalities and near fatalities […]

Kentuckiana Authors is holding a book fair benefiting Family & Children’s Place, featuring award-winning children’s writer Meaghan Fisher and 12-15 area authors who write for children and young adults. The book fair, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., EDT, Saturday, April 11, 2015, will be at the agency’s Family Service Center, 525 Zane St., in downtown Louisville. Kentuckiana Authors is a group of authors who, according to its website, “want to be informed … want to meet our readers, meet our fellow authors and promote our work.”  The event will benefit Family & Children’s Place, which works to prevent and […]

The federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides funding for state home visiting programs like the Family & Children’s Place HANDS (Health Access Nurturing Development Services) program. Funding for the program expires on March 31 and reauthorization is important to maintain F&CP and similar services across Kentucky. Kentucky families, especially first-time parents, need this type of support, as do their children. The HANDS program served more than 8,000 families in Kentucky last year. Evaluations on HANDS report that participants experienced healthier pregnancies, reported fewer developmental delays in children, doubled rates of parent employment, and saw a 26 percent […]

Compliments to the Kentucky House and Senate for granting dating couples the same protections from violence, sexual assault and stalking as married or cohabiting couples, or those who have a child together. Just after midnight Tuesday, the final day of the General Assembly’s 2015 session, the House unanimously signed off on the bill, approved earlier in the evening by the Senate. Once signed by Gov. Steve Beshear, the bill will become law Jan. 1, 2016. With this passage, Kentucky joins all other states to afford these critical protections to dating and married couples alike.

Thanks to Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, who we have learned has signed SB 119, which will ensure that educators across the Commonwealth receive critical training and information on how to recognize signs of child abuse. With 49 kids experiencing abuse every day in Kentucky, more than half of them school-aged, it’s essential that professionals who interact with children in their classrooms be equipped to keep kids safe. This legislation supports the great work already being done by Kentucky teachers and gives them another tool to help Kentucky kids succeed, in school and in life. Thanks to Gov. Beshear, and to […]

Thanks to everyone who attended Thursday morning’s first Southern Indiana Building Brighter Futures Breakfast at The Grand in New Albany. And thanks for your commitment to help children and families heal from the trauma of violence, abuse and neglect. Attendees enjoyed a hot breakfast and learned about Family & Children’s Place and progress being made in the battle to end child abuse from Pam Darnall, agency president and CEO. Darnall also shared information about upcoming events, such as the 11 a.m., April 1 Rally to End Child Abuse, on the Kentucky Ramp to the Big Four Bridge; the Louisville Building […]

Mental Health First Aid is a groundbreaking, proven education program that helps you identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. Mental Health First Aid teaches about early intervention and support to foster recovery and resiliency and is based on the belief that individuals experiencing these challenges can and do get better, and can use their strengths to stay well.  You can learn more at http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/cs/ But, don’t take our word for it. Click to see First Lady Michelle Obama’s remarks after recently being trained: http://www.thenationalcouncil.org/capitol-connector/2015/03/first-lady-highlights-mental-health-first-aid-key-shifting-conversation-mental-health/?utm_content=bufferef776&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer Click the links for more information about the upcoming training and registration […]