Report: Pandemic has parents worried about mortgage, food, mental health
Messenger-InquirerDec 15, 2020
A survey, which used
Those statistics are part of a national report compiled from Kids Count data. The report was released Monday by Kentucky Youth Advocates.
The report found 16% of
"I think without a second relief package coming from the federal government, it is definitely going to be hard times," Tennen said Monday.
One area where
"We expanded Medicaid" in
"That has proven to be a very effective safety net," Tennen said.
The Census data compiled in the report looked at questions of family economics and stability across racial and ethnic groups. Nationally, Black families fared worse than white families, or families of Asian or Latino ethnicity. For example, while 10% of white families nationally reported occasionally or frequently not having enough food, the figure was 23% for Black families.
Racial disparities can be found across the state, Tennen said.
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Policies that exacerbate the racial disparities highlighted by the report need to be identified and changed with the input from the groups that are hurt by them, Tennen said.
In the past, the racial impact of policies was intentional. But even a seemingly neutral policy can harm minority communities.
"Now, there are unintended consequences, and that's why it's important to look at the impacts," Tennen said. When looking at policies that hurt minority groups, officials must "talk to the community groups that are impacted and can tell us, 'these are the barriers we are facing,' " Tennen said.
On dealing with feeling helpless and depressed, people need access to resources such as telehealth.
"Already,
Schools will need additional resources for mental health when schools reopen because of the strains the pandemic has put on children, Tennen said.
Future federal support should include funding for child care and unemployment, along with food assistance, KYA said in a press release.
Tennen said programs that need to be continued include the "Pandemic EBT," which provided food assistance to families of school-age children.
State support for families should continue to be funded in the upcoming state budget that lawmakers will craft in the upcoming legislative session.
"We have to make sure there are no barriers" to accessing services, Tennen said. "There's still a long road ahead."
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