By Jarrod Mills Staff Writer Apr 16, 2021 4 hrs ago With Kentucky continuing to lead the nation in child abuse rates, the Whitley County Health Department will bring back an annual tradition in combating those numbers when it hosts its Stand Up for Children walks later this month. Health Educator Kathy Lay says the health department had hosted the walks for four years before having to cancel last yearâs walk due to the pandemic. âWe use the walks to raise awareness about reporting child abuse,â Lay explained. âGetting people to standup for kids and report.â According to data from the Kids Count Data Center compiled from Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department for Community Based Services (DCBS), in 2018, the Tri-County area had some of the highest rates of of reports to DCBS meeting criteria for child abuse/neglect in Kentucky.