KENTUCKY — The bluegrass state ranks 14th in the United States in child victims of maltreatment, according to the latest Child Maltreatment report from the Children’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. While there has been a 48% decline in child victims of maltreatment from 2018 to 2022, Kentucky remains around 60% higher than the national rate (7.7 per 1,000) of child maltreatment at 12.3 per 1,000 children.

During this In Focus Kentucky segment, Barry Dunn, president and CEO of Kosair for Kids, the founder and funder of the Face It Movement and Cortney Downs, Chief Equity Officer with Kentucky Youth Advocates join the program to share why the partners advocated to the 2024 General Assembly for state policy and budget priorities that support child victims of maltreatment, including increased investments for foster care, ensuring students have a safe environment to learn that is free from abuse and with appropriate adults, and allowing health care providers to complete child abuse and neglect registry check for current or prospective employees.

You can watch the full ‘In Focus Kentucky’ segment in the player above.