HISTORY

• Founded in 1998 by Dr. Thomas Young, a nationally renowned pediatrician, whose vision was to create a unified voice among public, private and nonprofit groups on behalf of children during the 2000 General Assembly.
• Began as a coalition named Kentucky Child 2000 that was instrumental in the passage of the KIDS NOW Initiative, resulting in $56 million for early childhood development services and programs in Kentucky.
• Became a 501c3 organization in 1999.
• Changed its name to Kentucky Child Now! in 2001 to highlight the urgency to focus the resources of the Commonwealth on children NOW!

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MILESTONES

2008

• Organization & Administration
  • Nationally recognized leader, Mary Kate Poling joined as Executive Director
  • National youth development expert, Christy Gibbons joined as Director of Program Operations
  • Internet safety expert, Doris Settles joined as Safe Schools Manager
  • Children's champion and advocate, Phyllis Elder joined as Out-of-School Alliance Coordinator
  • Health advocate, Elizabeth Anderson-Hoagland joined as School-Based Health Care Network Coordinator
  • Hosted 5th Annual Great Kids Summit - SOLD OUT!
  • Hosted 8th Annual Destiny Awards

• Training Institute
  • Conducted training sessions for over 4,000 adults and adolescents on topics which include: Internet safety, positive youth development, safe school climate
  • Developed customized youth development curricula for public librarians and after-school youth serving professionals
  • Introduced i-Jam Initiative to address Internet safety for youth
  • Hosted i-Jam Conference in partnership with the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General and the Kentucky Dept. of Education
  • Expanded training curriculum to include over 50 trainings for youth serving professionals, communities, schools, organizations, and youth
  • Expanded Training Institute cadre to 10 trainers

• School-Based Health Care Network
  • Hosted Inaugural Children's Health Summit and launch of Kentucky School-Based Health Care Network - a division of Kentucky Child Now!
  • Co-sponsored Bridges Out of Poverty conference

• Out-of-School Alliance
  • Increased membership to the Kentucky Out of School Alliance to over 366
  • Successfully recruited two U.S. Congressmen to represent Kentucky's youth on the national Afterschool for All Caucus

• Mental Health Initiative
  • Conducted Child and Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health training sessions for pediatricians and mental health professionals in the Communicare region, River Valley region, and Bluegrass region
  • Conducted Child and Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health private pediatric practice trainings across the state
  • Worked with University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville pediatric residency programs to provide reference materials and sponsored Grand Rounds presenter to over 224 future pediatricians

• Youth Advisory Council
  • Expanded Youth Advisory Council to 22 members
  • Selected by Youth Service America as lead agency for 2008 Global Youth Service Day
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2007

• Selected by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to build and direct a Kentucky Afterschool Network in partnership with the Kentucky Department of Education
• Selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to direct a 2-year pilot project, the Ready by 21™ Quality Counts Initiative, in Kentucky
• Established Kentucky Child Now Training Institute
• Conducted training sessions for 1,782 adults and adolescents on topics which include: Re-thinking Youth: Basic Principles of Positive Youth Development, Advancing Youth Development Basics, Reading Teens, School Climate - Change of Heart, and more
• Introduced the Kentucky Youth Development Coordinating Council�s 2008-10 Strategic Plan
• Inaugural state funding for school based health centers
• School Based Health Center Partnership provided access to health care and health education for over 30,000 students, with over 17,000 student encounters for health services through school based health centers
• Published an updated Early Childhood Mental Health Flowchart
• Selected by Youth Service America as lead agency for 2007 National & Global Youth Service Day
• Hosted 1st Youth Service Institute in Frankfort - over 100 adults and young people completed training on how to plan and execute a service project
• Conducted Child and Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health training sessions for 235 pediatricians and mental health professionals in the Northkey region, Cumberland River region and the Bluegrass region
• Hosted 4th Annual Great Kids Summit
• Hosted 7th Annual Destiny Awards
• Hosted 3rd Annual Creative Youth Expo
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2006

• Sponsored Kentucky's Promise Summit
• Hosted series of Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health trainings in Seven Counties region
• Hosted 3rd Annual Great Kids Summit
• Hosted 6th Annual Destiny Awards
• Hosted 2nd Annual Creative Youth Expo
• Co-sponsored Community Youth Mapping projects in Bowling Green, Lexington, and Louisville
• Drafted and directed legislation (SJR 184) which led to the establishment of the Kentucky Youth Development Coordinating Council
• Updated Kentucky Child Now! logo/image
• Named lead agency for 2006 National & Global Youth Service Day
• Hosted eight regional Youth Development Basics training sessions
• Co-sponsored "Choices" Newspaper in Education
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2005

• Launched Youth Trainers Program
• Named lead agency for Kentucky’s Promise
• Released report, Making the Case for Working Better for Kentucky’s Youth
• Hosted 2nd Annual Great Kids Summit
• Hosted 5th Annual Destiny Awards
• Hosted 1st Annual Creative Youth Expo
• Awarded 3 year grant from DHHS for mental health project
• Launched the Kentucky Youth Leadership Corps
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2004

• Established Youth Advisory Council
• Hosted 4th Annual Destiny Awards
• Hosted Youth Involvement Showcase
• Moved to 1491 Twilight Trail in Frankfort
• Sponsored Healthy Kids Campaign
• Hosted 4th Annual Destiny Awards
• Published Early Childhood Mental Health Flowchart
• Conducted Youth Policy Assessment
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2003

• Hosted 3rd Annual Destiny Awards
• Hosted 1st Annual Great Kids Summit
• Co-sponsored Gubernatorial Candidate Forum on Children’s Issues
• Awarded a 5-year grant from the DHHS/FYSB for a Positive Youth Development State & Local Demonstration Project
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2002

• Released Blueprint for Healthy Kids
• Hosted 2nd Annual Destiny Awards
• Raised awareness of the principles of positive youth development through the Great Kids Campaign
• Launched partnership with the Kentucky School-Based Health Center Collaborative
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2001

• Opened first office at 696 Teton Trail in Frankfort
• Released Assets Assessment Results
• Hosted Asset Ambassador Academy – a 3–day training for communities
• Hosted Spotlight Youth Rally at the Capitol
• Hosted 1st Annual Destiny Awards
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2000

• Conducted Coordinated School Health Assessment in 62 Kentucky schools
• Hosted Developmental Assets video conference at 18 sites in Kentucky
• Awarded a 2-year technical assistance grant from the NGA for a Youth Policy Network
• Awarded a 3-year grant from the DHHS/FYSB for a Youth Development State Collaboration Demonstration Project
• Established Kentucky Youth Development Partnership
• Conducted a statewide assets assessment involving over 12,000 youth in 23 communities
• Released Healthy Kids=Better Student
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1999

• Released Safe Passage Through the New Millennium
• Lead early childhood public awareness campaign in support of the KIDS NOW Initiative
• Co-hosted Early Childhood Gathering
• Released The Early Years: Invest Now or Pay Later
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