Kentucky Ranked Second in the Nation for Hunger and It’s Only Getting Worse
Kentucky’s food insecurity ranked second highest in the nation between 2022 and 2024, according to recent USDA data. Almost one...
Research
More Kentuckians With Disabilities Need Care in Their Community Than the Legislature Has Funded
For tens of thousands of Kentuckians with an intellectual or developmental disability, or who are simply getting older and less able to care for themselves, Medicaid services provided at home...
Medicaid Cut Vulnerability Index Shows Which Kentucky Counties Are Most at Risk
The Kentucky General Assembly recently enacted a new state budget that underfunds Medicaid relative to the agency’s request, resulting in the administration announcing 4% cuts in the payment rates to Medicaid providers. In addition, the One Big Beautiful Bill...
Kentucky Local Governments Have Spent Only 10% of Opioid Settlement Dollars Despite Continued Need
Between 2022 and 2038, Kentucky will receive more than a billion dollars in proceeds from several national opioid settlements with companies complicit in starting the opioid epidemic in the 1990s....
Over 40,000 Kentuckians Have Lost Food Assistance Since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides vital grocery help to over half a million Kentuckians, including many children, older adults and Kentuckians with disabilities – all while supporting local...
Questions Grow About Who Will Pay the Cost for Big Data Centers in Kentucky
Large “hyperscale” data centers are spreading nationwide, and questions have grown about their true costs and benefits. These projects often move quickly and with limited transparency, leaving state and local...
Most Kentucky School Districts Will Receive Less in State SEEK Payments Next Year
School districts across Kentucky face challenges as they craft their budgets for the 2026-2027 year, and falling state funding is a primary reason why. Recent projections from the Kentucky Department...
A 2022 State Law Slashed Unemployment Insurance, Now Kentuckians Are Running Out of Benefits
In 2022, the General Assembly passed House Bill (HB) 4, a sweeping cut to Kentucky’s unemployment insurance program that reduced the number of weeks workers could claim jobless benefits. For...
Growing Death Rate and International Immigration Are Driving Recent Kentucky Population Trends
Over the past five years, Kentucky’s population grew by 2.2% according to new Census data, ranking the commonwealth 23rd among states. A closer look at the components of population growth...
Fayette County Schools Debate Is Missing the Context of State Funding Cuts
For the last year, Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) has been in the middle of a heated public debate over the district's budget. FCPS reported a $16 million budget shortfall...