FRANKFORT, Ky. -- The coronavirus has surpassed heart disease as the number-one killer of Americans, and a new report finds children are especially vulnerable to the personal and economic consequences of the pandemic.

Based on census household survey data taken this fall, the Annie E. Casey Foundation study found nearly 1 in 5 Kentucky households with children said they had slight or no confidence they would make their next rent or mortgage payment on time. Housing instability has hit Black families the hardest, with 25% reporting insecurity.

Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs at the Foundation, said the economic instability families are facing could affect children's well-being for years to come.

"We have to get back to the basics," Boissiere said. "We have to make sure that the poorest and most fragile families in our economy are taken care of and that we're funding those programs that can have an impact and make sure that everybody's basic needs are met in this country."

Boissiere pointed to the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which allows states to provide short-term cash assistance to low-income families with children, as a stopgap solution. According to the report, the program is long overdue for improvement. In 2019, only 23% of families with kids in poverty received TANF assistance, down from nearly 70% at the program's inception in 1996.

Mahak Kalra, senior policy and advocacy director at Kentucky Youth Advocates, said the $1.8 trillion in federal CARES Act funding lawmakers passed earlier this year prevented more families from slipping into poverty and uncertainty. But she said more could be done as lawmakers weigh another round of economic stimulus.

"I think it would be helpful to have future economic stimulus payments that are for families with mixed immigration status," Kalra said. "That was something that wasn't a part of the federal package in the past."

According to the report, 1 in 10 adults with children in the Commonwealth lacked health insurance, compared with 12% nationwide. Kalra pointed out children's well-being is tied to health of their parents or guardians, as kids are more likely to have insurance if their parents are covered.

She said longstanding disparities in health coverage have fueled the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Black and Brown communities.

"I think we're at 4% of Kentucky children still need access to health coverage," she said. "And so by closing that remaining gap and addressing racial disparities in health coverage, children and families can continue to access coverage when they need it."

The report also found more Kentucky families are struggling with mental health. Nearly one-quarter of respondents with children in their household said they felt down, depressed or hopeless, compared with 21% nationwide.

Everybody loves to get something free and right now, kids aged 12-17 can get a fishing and hunting license at no cost from the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

The license is good for one year and normally sells for $15.

Bobby Jones, outdoor connection coordinator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife, said the free licenses are funded by donations to the Nevada Youth License Fund.

"This is actually the third year that the program's been active," Jones explained. "We keep it open as much as possible. We're just limited by the amount of donations that we have. Right now, we have almost 2,000 available and they go fast."

Youth can get a free license on the Nevada Department of Wildlife website or wherever the licenses are sold. Children under age 12 do not need a fishing license. The state said almost two-thirds of the kids who have taken advantage of the program in the past have never had a hunting or fishing license before.

Jones emphasized the program is designed to tempt kids to leave the digital world behind for a short time and enjoy some time outdoors. It could lead them to even consider a nature-based career like wildlife biology, forest management or outdoor education.

"Essentially what we're up against is a lot of kids are engaged in their phones and social media, TV," Jones pointed out. "They're constantly bombarded with things. We're trying to make it a little bit easier for them to enjoy the outdoors."

Some of the most popular fishing spots include Lahontan in the Fallon area, Wild Horse and South Fork in Eastern Nevada, and Lake Mead down south.


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The University of Nebraska is addressing a shortage of lawyers who represent the state's most vulnerable children, especially in rural areas.

The attorneys are being equipped to work with kids who have suffered through physical, emotional, or financial trauma - and are often living in poverty.

Of Nebraska's 5,500 licensed attorneys, only 7% of them practice in rural areas.

Michelle Paxton, director of the Nebraska Children's Justice and Legal Advocacy Center, said two thirds of child neglect and abuse cases originate outside the Lincoln and Omaha metro areas, in what she calls "rural legal deserts."

"We have twelve counties in Nebraska with zero attorneys living in those counties," said Paxton. "We have 22 with less than three."

Paxton said that there are too few qualified rural child justice attorneys, which means lawyers may drive hundreds of miles for juvenile cases, creating delays and court backlogs.

The University of Nebraska program will add lawyers trained to handle issues unique to children in low-income families.

Attorneys who work on juvenile court cases are getting the tailored knowledge they need, but Paxton added that the program is also creating an opportunity for those attorneys to network and get support from other lawyers in the field - who are often isolated.

"And so they don't often have another attorney doing this type of work that they can rely on for support and mentorship," said Paxton, "and our program provides that support and mentorship so that they are not only willing to continue working in juvenile court, increase their hours in juvenile court and increase their commitment. "

The advocacy center will also develop a case-tracking tool, enabling people to find an attorney online.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.



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Statistics show one in five children in Texas struggles with hunger.

Approximately 10,000 students a day are getting a nutritious meal through the Summer Food Service Program offered by the Houston Food Bank. The meals are distributed across the food bank's 18-county region.

Jourdan Stansberry, senior manager of education programs for Houston Food Bank, said they partner with summer camps, churches and other nonprofit organizations to serve the students. She added anyone who is not near a meal site can take advantage of their non-congregate option.

"Sites that are considered rural by the Texas Department of Agriculture," Stansberry explained. "It's a grab-and-go model where families can pick up the meals, It's like a five-day bundle of frozen meals, breakfast and snacks, so 10 meals all together. They're able to pick it up and take it home."

Locations of the meal sites in the Houston area and across Texas are available at the Department of Agriculture's Summer Meal Site Map. The meals are available to anyone 18 years old or younger or students with a disability, up to 21 years old.

The meals are distributed at more than 250 sites around the Houston area. Students do not have to register to take advantage of the meals. Stansbury emphasized it is a great way to ensure kids have access to fresh fruits and vegetables during the summer. She added the menus consist of more than just a sandwich and chips.

"One thing that I know has been pretty popular is our orange chicken with rice, and we also have broccoli, vegetable-medley side that goes along with that. We saw also chicken tikka masala," Stansbury outlined. "We try to expose them to different meals, not only healthwise but also culturally."

The Houston Food Bank expects to distribute around 800,000 meals this summer. The meal program runs through Aug. 8.


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