KTAP

Program Description:

Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (K-TAP) is the monetary assistance program established by Kentucky using Federal funds from the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) block grant. K-TAP provides financial and medical assistance to needy dependent children in Kentucky and the parents, or relatives, with whom the children are living. K-TAP also helps families find jobs or get training that leads to a job.A family can only get K-TAP for 60-months (5 years) in a lifetime. Each month a family gets K-TAP counts toward the 60-month limit. A family does not have to get K-TAP for 60-months straight. For example, a family can get K-TAP for 24-months and stop. Later, the family can get 36-more months.K-TAP payments to families are based on family size and income. In addition to the monetary grant, K-TAP recipients may also be eligible for supportive services such as childcare and transportation assistance through the Kentucky Works program. Relocation Assistance is also available to qualified K-TAP recipients, as are the educational bonus, work incentive bonus, and Employment Retention Assistance.

General Program Requirements:

In order to qualify for this benefit program, you must be a resident of the State of Kentucky, a U.S. citizen or qualified alien, unemployed or under employed (working for very low wages), a parent/relative caregiver who is responsible for children up to the age of 18 (or 19 years old if meeting the school attendance requirement), and have low or very low income.

This program is good for families who suddenly become unemployed and need the financial assistance. This could also be used if you are going through a child support disagreement and get temporary financial assistance until the situation gets resolved.

Kentucky School Breakfast and Lunch Program

Program Description:

The National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs are part of the Division of School & Community Nutrition within the Kentucky Department of Education. Over 1,300 public, private, and parochial schools and residential child care institutions provide a daily breakfast to more than 180,000 students in Kentucky. The oldest of the school nutrition programs, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides lunches to approximately 480,000 students every day in public, private, and parochial schools and residential child care institutions in Kentucky.

General Program Requirements:

In order to qualify for this benefit program, you must be a resident of the State of Kentucky and a parent or primary caregiver responsible for a child(ren) who attends school (high school or under). Those who qualify must also have an annual household income before taxes that must not exceed $23,107 if two people live in the household; $28,990 if three people live in the household; $34,873 if four people live in the household; $40,756 if five people live in the household; $46,639 if six people live in the household, or $52,222 if seven people live in the household. For larger households, add $3,180 for each additional person in the home.

FWS

Federal Work Study is to provide students with part-time employment to help meet college costs , and if possible, provide work experience in a related field. FWS is federally funded and need-based. Your eligibility is based upon the information that you provided on your FAFSA. To become eligible you must show the need on your analysis report. The number of hours that you work will depend on your financial need. The program on-campus employment as well as Community Service jobs. Earnings through FWS vary with the amount of your FWS award, the pay rate, and the hours you can work. Salaries start at $6.40/hr and range upward according to your grade level, and/or whether you work in an On or Off-campus job. Most students work ten to twenty hours a week. Employers usually prefer students to work three or more consecutive hours depending on their class schedules. You will receive FWS pay via direct deposit every two weeks according to the number of hours worked and submitted to the FWS office. FWS does not directly credit a student's billing statement to pay University charges.

To be eligible, you must:

Be a U. S. citizen, national, or permanent resident;
Show need on your FAFSA or Renewal Application need analysis report;
Maintain satisfactory academic progress;
Be enrolled at least half-time as an undergraduate or graduate student; and,
Not have defaulted on or owe a refund to any aid program.

This is great for someone that is on a tight budget and needs a little extra cash for any expenses.

Food Stamps

The Food Stamps Program helps people with little or no money buy food for healthy meals at participating stores. Any household meeting basic income requirements may be eligible to receive food stamps. Adult children who are of the age of 21 or older can qualify for their own food stamp case if they prepare and fix meals separately from the others.
The following people must be included in one household account, regardless of whether they purchase and prepare meals separately:

A spouses of any household member.
Parents living with their natural, adopted or stepchildren who are age 21 or younger.
Children younger than 18 who are dependents of an adult household member.

Only US citizens and legal foreign residents may be eligible to receive food stamps. You have to be within a certain income range depending on the size of the household. This is a good program for families who are struggling and need a little assistance.

Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement: TACT

This is going toward the "Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks" campaign that will educate motorists with the need and importance of leaving more space on the roadways. This serves to crack down on aggressive drivers and highlight why it is important to take extra care when driving around large trucks. Larger moving trucks need time and space to change lanes and stop and having motorists aware of that then that could possible prevent future crashes. The law enforcement can not make drivers more aware but they can ticket you if they feel the need to do so. In return maybe when you have to continue to pay fines and go to court in the end it could result with the loss of your license. Planning this project are representatives from the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, Kentucky State Police, U.S. Department of Transportation, Louisville Metro Police Department, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Boone County Sheriff’s Department, Trimarc, Artimis, FMSCA, Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation Safety, Kentucky Motor Transport Association and Kentucky Transportation Center at the University of Kentucky. This program, which is 80% federally funded, will place law enforcement officers in the listed corridors to aggressively enforce violations.

Even Start

Even Start is a federally funded program that focuses on literacy services for families at risk and children ages birth through seven whose parents are eligible for adult education. Currently there are 33 counties that offer adult education, parent education and support, and early child development. You can get grants for the program through the Department of Education. This is good for parents who maybe did not finish college and maybe struggle helping their children with their homework. This can also expand learning abilities. To me reading is very important, that is something that I would like my own child to be passionate about. To get more information all you need to do is be aware and contact the local Department of Education and they can tell you how to apply and assist you in anyway they can.

Head Start

Head Start is a program that is funded by the federal government that provides comprehensive child development services. This provides preschool education, health services, dental and mental health screening and follow-up. It includes parent involvement training. This is also for 3 and 4 year old children who come from families with they meet the financial standards of the program. There are thirty-three programs that serve 120 counties in Kentucky. Head Start is a good program to consider if you feel that your young child is having communication problems or maybe they are picking up all that they need to be picking up. The program instills the child with early education information. They physically do activities and they sing and read stories and learn responsibility. Parent involvement is also important as well. Parents are one of the most important teachers that a child will have.

Veteran Programs

The Kentucky Office of Employment and Training offices have local veterans employment representatives and disabled veteran outreach specialists assigned to assist veterans with their employment and training needs. These veterans work with the employment services to provide veterans with priority services designed to improve their employ ability and career options. Employers is your local area will list any and all job openings. They will provide with a descriptions of the jobs that are available. You will need to provide information relating to your work history, experience, and skills along with any special training and education that you may have received. If you have any problems you can visit your local office and they can help you register any information on line. In addition to the staff conducting job searches for you, the computer system can automatically match your qualifications with the employer's needs. When you are qualified and are recommended for the job your Local Veteran Representatives will contact you. You may also be contacted by the automated phone notification system to arrange a job referral that will hopefully result with your employment.

Job Search Assistance:

Resume Preparation
Resource Materials
Job Search Workshops
Interviewing Techniques
Internet Access
Labor Market Information
Self Assessment
Eligible Training Providers

CDC/DASH

This is coordinated to help promote school health. This provides professional development and technical assistance on health policy, curriculum, and programming; identifies, develops, and has resources. This works to help integrate school health goals and strategies into school improvement plans, this is in order to help and promote the health of the youth in Kentucky.

Promoting School Health:

Partnering with the Barren River District Health Department to develop a well-coordinated school health program in four school districts.

Providing professional development that addresses CDC’s six youth health risk behaviors to key stakeholders to build support for coordinated school health programs.

Conducting quarterly meetings of the Physical Activity Advisory Council to address physical activity policies and programs.

Conducting regional Youth Tobacco Conferences with the Kentucky Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program to address prevention strategies within schools and local communities.

Participating in the Southern States Collaborative to address common training needs in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and tobacco.

SRTS

SRTS is Kentucky's federally funded program for Safe Routes to School. Kentucky is one of the ten jurisdictions participating in the national partnership network project. The program is managed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The SRTS is the source for state for state coordinator contact details, federal SRTS funding amounts, SRTS applications and guidelines, and state SRTS program information. The program brings to attention bicycle safety and the aspect of pedestrian safety. Safety education and infrastructure are important because there are children that may walk or ride bikes to school without adult supervision if they are within living distance of the schools. It is important that all be aware of the safety of others. Some schools have even constructed Walking School Bus routes that lead to the Elementary schools. The Kentucky Bicycle and Bike way Commission was created in 1992 as part of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and consists of seven members all appointed by the Governor. The Commission supports "share the road" campaign. Share the road is an annual road rally that encourages bicyclists, walkers, and runners of all ages to show support for safe roadways.

LIHEAP

LIHEAP is a federally-funded program to help eligible low income households meet their home heating and/or cooling needs. The Kentucky LIHEAP helps approximately 150,000 families pay their heating bills each winter. The US Department for Health and Human Services allocates funding for Kentucky through the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which contracts with the Community Action Agencies across the state to receive LIHEAP applications and to provide benefits. The federal government began providing home energy assistance in 1974. The LIHEAP has two main components: Subsidy and crisis funding. A third component is added when the funds become available for summer cooling costs. The programs operates in November and December to help residents at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level. Applicants may receive a one-time subsidy benefit. Most subsidy residents are elderly and/ or disabled. From 90,000 to 110,000 households benefit from energy subsidy assistance. The crisis component operates from early January until the middle of March , or until all funds are expended. The clients must meet the criteria and be in a crisis situation involving the immediate loss of their heat. The summer cooling program gives the clients one-time assistance to household's electric provider. When you apply you need receipts or statements of previous electric bills, a recent payroll stub, documentation showing income, final utility termination notice, proof of your current address, need proof of the total members living in the household, social security cards, and proof of US residency. This is a program that needs to be taken seriously and not taken advantage of and they take the necessary steps to make sure that the right people receive the assistance.

Equal Opportunity

Equal Opportunity is the right to all persons to enjoy all the benefits of employment on the basis of qualification, and to participate in programs and services without regard to membership in or identification with any group by federal, state, or local nondiscrimination laws. The Executive Order 11246 requires that affirmative action to be taken to employ and advance qualified women and minorities and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in federally assisted programs. You can not be discriminated against because you become pregnant or any other medical reasons. That is the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. It is prohibited to discriminate against anyone looking for employment at the age 40 or over. That is the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. Basically this world is becoming a world of equal opportunity and you can not be discriminated against. Federal Funded Programs go through a Utilization Analysis and that is a report examining the percentages of women and minorities in the workforce population in specific job groups, as compared to the availability of members of both groups having requisite skills in an area in which the contractor can reasonably recruit. The equal pay act of 1963 prohibits sex-based wage discrimination between men and women. You can not be discriminated against in life or in employment. It is said that all are to be created equal.

KCHIP

KCHIP is the Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Program. It provides health insurance with little or no cost for children who are uninsured. Immunizations, well child check-ups, and other preventive services are provided through the KCHIP service. Eligibility requirements are based on age and the family income. Children from birth up until their 19th birthday from low income families are eligible. The family's income can be and up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). The children must also be residents of Kentucky. If you follow this link it will show you the benefits that come with KCHIP for the child. You can see if you are eligible by going to your local health department and they can further assist you on getting information on KCHIP.

FEMA

This is one program that is especially helpful in times of need. The program is FEMA. FEMA is for disaster related victims and businesses. You can go to the following site FEMA and it gives you the guidelines for assistance for affected individuals and families. The site also shows you the way that you can register by phone or email. The FEMA program can be contacted from 8a.m.-6p.m. (local time). Hurricane Katrina is a good example of a situation of where FEMA was and still is needed. Hurricane Katrina was the costliest and one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States. You can follow the following link Katrina and it gives you all kind of background information on the natural disaster that occurred. President George W. Bush declared a state of emergency in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi two days before the hurricane made landfall. On August 28th New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin ordered the first ever mandatory evacuation of the city. The effects of Hurricane Katrina are still in effect as of today and the ruins that were left behind have still not been completely cleaned up. This is not the only instance in which FEMA can help. They can help if your home has been destroyed during a storm and the insurance does not cover it all then FEMA can cover the rest.

The WIC Program

My main focus is on teenage pregnancy. The WIC program is something that can be extremely helpful. WIC if for mothers during pregnancy and up to 6 weeks after you give birth. You can get WIC for your child for their whole first year. This will help with the formula. After that you get it until the child is 5 years old. When you get it after they are one you get regular milk, juice, cheese, eggs, and stuff like that. You benefit because you and your child are getting nutrional value, and screening and referrals to other health and welfare services. This program is only given so much to work with. I think this could be something very beneficial to young pregnant teenagers.

The HANDS program

The Hands program stands for Health Access Nurturing Development Services. It is a voluntary program that is offered to new and expectant parents. They can address any questions or concerns that you may have about your new bundle of joy. Services can begin before you give birth or anytime before a child is 3-months old. Why you should participate is because the parent(s) are the most important people in a baby's life. Parents are the most important teachers that a child will ever have. Parenting can be very stressful and this can be a helping hand. The program promotes healthy pregnancies and birth, healthy child growth and development, and healthy and safe homes. Mainly young teenage unwed mothers are referred to this program but it can be for any new expectant parent. This is something that I believe would be a huge help to many first time parents and to get in touch with the program all you have to do is get a referral from your local health department. Home visits are possible with a HANDS representative.