The House Speaker and Senate President addressed the Commission on Poverty, emphasizing the need for practical recommendations to ameliorate poverty in the state. Members were also given an overview of the incidence of poverty in Kentucky.

Speaker: Eck Rose - President of the Senate

Joe Clarke - Speaker of the House

Dr. Thomas Ilvento - Department of Sociology, University of Kentucky

Guest speakers described the methods by which the federal government defines and measures poverty. They also explained the results of a demographic analysis of the poor in Kentucky.

Speakers: Dr. Virginia Wilson - Chief Economist, Legislative Research Commission

Ronald Crouch - Kentucky Data Center

Members heard presentations concerning myths and misconceptions about poverty in Kentucky and homelessness in Louisville.

Speakers: Dr. Virginia Wilson - Chief Economist, Legislative Research Commission

Ronald Crouch - Kentucky Data Center

Guest presenters offered their explanations of the causes of poverty in Kentucky and commission members discussed these explanations. The presenters also described programs designed to "break the cycle" of poverty.

Speakers: Brenda Barbieri, Project Leader in the Resource Mother Program - Lexington/Fayette Urban County Health Department

David Richart, Executive Director - Kentucky Youth Advocates

Debra Miller, Deputy Director - Kentucky Youth Advocates

Jean Rosenberg, Program Director - Homemaker and Single Parent Career Development Program - Prestonsburg Community College

Katherine Schneider, Director of the Department of Human Services - Jefferson County

Jane Stephenson, Founder and Director of the New Opportunity School for Women - Berea College

Guest presenters discussed some successful and unsuccessful programs designed to empower communities and reduce poverty.

Speakers: Reverend Ralph Beiting, Chairman - Christian Appalachian Project

Keith Sanders, Executive Director - Hager Foundation

Richard Seckel, Policy Analyst - Office of Kentucky Legal Services

Selena Murdoch, AFDC recipient

The commission held a teleconference with officials from the Oregon Commission on Children and Families to discuss the provisions of Oregon's legislation which established the state commission and mandated local commissions in each of Oregon's counties. Presenters discussed anti-poverty programs utilizing a peer-to-peer approach to "reach" their clientele.

Speakers: Diane Walton, Director - Oregon Commission on Children and Families

Micky Lansing, Regional Coordinator and Administrator of the Poverty- Reduction Benchmark - Oregon Commission on Children and Families

Janet Carlson, Budget Director - Oregon Commission on Children and Families

Lawrence Hager, Founder - Hager Foundation

Keith Sanders, Executive Director - Hager Foundation

Katherine Schneider, Director - Jefferson County Department for Human Services

Rose Nett, Administrative Assistant - Jefferson County Department for Human Services

Wayne Mountz, Chairman - Kentucky Commission on Families and Children

Dr. Karen Main, Deputy Director - University of Kentucky Center for Rural Health (Hazard)

Marion Colette, Director - Whitley County Communities for Children

Officials from the Economic Development Cabinet reviewed several major development programs. A guest speaker from Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation described his organization's development efforts targeted to southeastern Kentucky.

Speakers: Lawrence Brown, Commissioner - Department of Financial Incentives

Steven Jones, Director - Division of Rural Development in the Department of Financial Incentives

Sara Bell, Principal Assistant - Kentucky Enterprise Zone Program in the Department of Financial Incentives

Kenneth Carroll, Executive Director - Bluegrass State Skills Corporation

Jerry Rickett, President and Chief Executive Officer - Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation

June 29, 1995 - Eighth Meeting (Public Hearing)

The commission toured economically-depressed areas in Whitesburg and heard testimony from impoverished residents and others who provide assistance to the poor.

Speakers:

Current or Former Service Recipients

Barbara Hollen

Patricia Stallard

Nina Hess

Doris Adams

Kevin Burchett

- Michael Newton

Freda Campbell

Service Providers

Linda Wright

Jeanette Ladd

Citizens-at-Large

Willy Lamb

Barbara Colter

Officials from the Department of Education and Workforce Development Cabinet discussed general elementary, secondary, and adult education/literacy programs and vocational school programs designed to alleviate poverty.

Speakers: Dr. Johnnie Grissom, Associate Commissioner for the Office of Special Instructional Services - Department of Education

Joseph Clark, Director - Division of Program Resources in the Department of Education

Rodney Kelly, Director - Division of Secondary Vocational Education in the Department of Education

Dr. Ruth Bunch, (then) Executive Director - Office of School-to-Work in the Workforce Development Cabinet

Tara Parker, Commissioner - Department of Technical Education in the Workforce Development Cabinet

Teresa Suter, Commissioner - Department for Adult Education and Literacy in the Workforce Development Cabinet

William Gaunce, Executive Director - Office of Training and Re- Employment in the Workforce Development Cabinet

John Hicks, Executive Director - Office for Policy, Budget, and Personnel in the Workforce Development Cabinet

July 31, 1995 - Tenth Meeting (Public Hearing)

The commission heard testimony from impoverished residents of Louisville and from those responsible for operating antipoverty programs in the area.

Speakers:

Current or Former Service Recipients

Anika Lewis

Shawn Fridenstine

Ples Wilson

Wyndle Duncan

Valerie Leslie

Sharon Rutledge

Debbie Luttrell

Alicia Dailey

Almeda Murrell

Kenny Boyd

Elizabeth Vega-Fowler

Patricia Stuart

June Crowder

Maria Saunders

Linda Fischer

Nickol Irvin

Service Providers

Ken Evans

Lillie Grinter

M. J. Kinman

Linda Leeser

Charlotte Hazas

Ben Schecter

Joyce Wagner

Nana Yaa Asantewa

Citizens-at-Large

Anna Shed

Doris Horsenrader

Susanne Steinbach

Frank Jones

Donna Hill

Deny Grinstadt

Tyler Fairleigh

Guest speakers discussed post-secondary programs targeted to low-income students.

Speakers: Dr. Gary S. Cox, Executive Director - Council on Higher Education

Dr. Ronald Eaglin, President - Morehead State University

Mr. Paul Borden, Executive Director - Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority

August 31, 1995 - Twelfth Meeting (Public Hearing)

The commission heard testimony from impoverished residents of Covington and from those responsible for operating antipoverty programs in the area.

Speakers:

Current or Former Service Recipients

Joy Hayes

Bill Parks

Paul Spratt

Charles Davis

Randall Gross

Service Providers

Barry Grossheim

Faye Massey

Karen Kahle

Ann Perrin

Bob Sellers

Debbie Roller

Laurie Linnemann

Officials from the Cabinet for Human Resources described the agency's programs designed to alleviate poverty.

Speakers: John Clayton, Commissioner - Department for Social Insurance

Peggy Wallace, Commissioner - Department for Social Services

Steven Veno, Director - Division of Child Protective Services in the Department for Social Insurance

Larry McCarthy, Director - Division of Program Development and Budget in the Department for Medicaid Services