According to chfs.ky.gov, many risk factors contribute to CPS becoming involved in a home. These include: Substance Use, Domestic Violence, Mental Health Challenges, Neglect, Poverty/ Economic Insecurity, Lack of Parenting Skills or Support, Medical or Developmental Challenges. Because Webster County is a rural area, caregivers are facing challenges such as limited access to grocery stores with fresh produce, transportation, finding employment, access to mental health related services, parenting resources, affordable childcare, etc. Food/economic insecurity, along with the other stressors of living in a rural area, contribute to the mental load of the caregiver. This puts them at a higher risk of facing problems with mental health and substance abuse, which in turn puts children at a higher risk of abuse or neglect.

In an effort to combat some of these issues and offer resources to caregivers, the FCS Agent partnered with the True Blue DFC Coordinator, DCBS, The Beacon of West KY, FRYSC, and APEX Coordinators to provide a series of classes. The participants were contacted by their DCBS worker to attend classes pertaining to cooking with their children, mental health, and budgeting. The FCS agent provided a cooking class from the Cook Together, Eat Together curriculum as well as a budgeting class with information from the curriculum. The FCS agent provided recipes from the planeatmove website as well as Plate It Up Kentucky Proud recipes. A mental health specialist from River Valley Behavioral Health taught a class as well. FCS students from the high school attended to offer childcare.

Four caregivers attended the first session, one child attended. The following two sessions one parent attended, DCBS was the contact for the parents/caregivers and reminded them each week of the class.

Caregivers commented about learning new ways to save just by staying on the outer edge of the grocery store and how to read price labels by cost per ounce to see what the best deal is. One caregiver said that she would make an effort to bring her child into the kitchen with her while cooking as she had not thought about that as a way to spend time together.