‘Prevention is quiet work’

By Burton Cole

Jordyn Johnson says that her appointment to the Upstream Academy finally gives Pendleton County a seat at the table on child abuse issues.

“It also lets someone like me, who grew up in hard circumstances and now works with families every day, bring real, practical solutions back to a rural community that’s often overlooked,” the Grant County woman with Pendleton ties said.

Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky announced in November that Johnson, a judicial support specialist, had been selected to represent Pendleton County in the 2025 Upstream Academy, which it calls “a powerful initiative that is transforming child abuse prevention across the commonwealth.”

“Pendleton County doesn’t always show up clearly in statewide child abuse numbers,” Johnson said. “When your county’s data gets blended into regional statistics or marked as ‘insufficient,’ it creates a blind spot — and that blind spot affects everything. Funding, services, staffing and even the state’s understanding of our needs all depend on clear data.

“When the numbers aren’t strong or visible, rural counties get overlooked, even when the need is real and ongoing,” she said. “Pendleton is often overlooked, misunderstood, and left behind when resources are handed out.”

Johnson said that she doesn’t believe people in Pendleton ignore child abuse. “What gets missed are the early signs leading up to it. Truancy, behavior issues, kids who withdraw, unstable housing or simply overwhelmed parents are treated as isolated issues instead of warnings that a family needs support early on,” she said.

“Prevention is quiet work. It doesn’t make headlines, but it saves families.”

UPSTREAM

“The Upstream Academy is designed to equip concerned Kentuckians with knowledge, tools and technical assistance to lead upstream solutions that address challenges before they become crises,” PCAK Executive Director Jill Seyfred said.

“With child abuse and neglect impacting thousands of families each year, this work has never been more urgent or more hopeful.”

Upstream Academy participants are selected for their commitment to making a difference in their communities and their readiness to lead, according to Seyfred. Over several months, they’ll engage in strategic learning, statewide collaboration, and prevention-focused training all guided by PCAK’s 35+ years of experience in this field.

“We know prevention works, and we know it begins with strong local leadership,” Amanda Clark, Upstream Academy coordinator at PCAK, said. “Through Upstream Academy, we’re investing in the people who are ready to take action and lead change in every corner of our state.”

Johnson said, “Every job I’ve had — Child Protection Services, mental health case management, Quick Response Team work, and now the court system — has shown me what it looks like when support shows up way too late. I’ve met families at their breaking point for years, and I’ve always felt pulled toward prevention.

“Upstream lines up exactly with what I believe: if we want to protect kids and strengthen families, we must reach them early, before they’re drowning,” she said.

GOALS

“With the Upstream training, I want to bring back strategies that actually fit communities like ours,” Johnson said.

“One idea I’m passionate about is using extracurricular activities as an early intervention tool. I’d love to see judges be able to order kids with behavior issues into sports, clubs or other school activities — not as a punishment, but as a way to get them connected to positive adults and structure.

“And I think there should be a built-in ‘safe adult’ tied to that activity — someone who already works with kids and has the school-required background checks, like a coach, team mom, parent volunteer, band instructor or staff member.

“A safe adult who sees that child regularly truly gets to know them, sees the family dynamics and notices when something feels ‘off,’” she said.

“Another piece I’d like to create is a full community resource list of the safe adults and natural helpers who consistently show up for families in Pendleton County. These are the people doing the real work in everyday life — helping parents, guiding kids, noticing needs and knowing who to call when something’s wrong.

“I also believe in the simple, everyday prevention steps that any community member can do. Checking in on a stressed-out parent, offering a ride when someone has no transportation, finding a coat for a child when a family can’t afford one, inviting a child to join a team or group, being the adult who listens and being willing to speak up when something feels off — those small things matter more than people realize. They often prevent bigger issues down the road,” Johnson said.

“At the end of the day, prevention doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s people helping people early, before situations spiral into crisis.”

WHO SHE IS

“A lot of why I am the way I am comes from my childhood. I call myself a ‘nomad’ because I spent my entire life on the move — Detroit, Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Whitley County,” Johnson said.

“My parents divorced when I was 3. My mom battled addiction and went in and out of jail. My dad worked constantly. I lived with aunts, grandparents, whoever could take us in at the time.

“When people hear pieces of my story, they automatically think CPS should’ve been involved. But I don’t see it that way. My life was messy, but I was loved. Someone always showed up — an aunt, a grandparent, a neighbor. And that shaped everything about me.

“I know what it feels like to be overlooked and misunderstood. I know what it feels like to be loved by imperfect people. And I know how powerful a single caring adult can be.”

Her mom attended Pendleton County High School for a time, Johnson said.

As for herself, she graduated in 2016 from Northern Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in social work as a Public Child Welfare Certification Program student.

First, she became a Child Protection Services worker and later joined the KORE grant at the Kenton County Detention Center as part of the Quick Response Team.

“We responded to overdoses — sometimes at the worst moments of people’s lives — and tried to meet them with compassion, resources and hope.”

Her supervisor and mentor on the Quick Response Team was former Falmouth Mayor April DeFalco.

“She taught me so much about the people and the culture there (in Pendleton County). We’re still connected and already have a meeting scheduled after the new year to plan my first Upstream training with the health department.

“On top of that, my husband has built a friendship with the director of Pendleton County Youth Football and Cheer, which gives me an immediate connection to the youth sports community — where I believe prevention work thrives,” Johnson said.

“When COVID shut that program down, my path shifted into the court system,” she said. “I started as the Zoom coordinator for Grant, Carroll and Owen counties.

“The way my judge and I ran remote court got noticed by the Administrative Office of the Courts, and suddenly I was training judges and clerks statewide. That role opened doors I never expected, including connections in Pendleton County.

“Eventually, I became a judicial support specialist, basically the judge’s right hand. And for the first time in my career, I haven’t been drowning under impossible caseloads. I actually have space to breathe… and because of that, I can help people — truly help them — not just push paperwork.”

She is married to her high school sweetheart, Corey, and they have one son, Eli.

“We moved to Grant County about five years ago because we both grew up bouncing from place to place, and we wanted our son to have what we didn’t — a stable home, rooted in community, surrounded by people who care,” she said.

“Beyond everything else I do, I’m helping launch a nonprofit ministry called Corine’s House, which will support people experiencing homelessness in Grant County — and anyone from surrounding counties, including Pendleton. Our mission is simple: show love first, meet needs with dignity and meet people exactly where they are.

“My next chapter is law school. I plan to take an LSAT prep course early next year, study through 2026, and hopefully start law school in 2027. I want to be one of the people who makes the system better, not just one of the people who works inside it.”

A woman of faith, she also is active in her church, and has been part of other community programs, including youth football — sometimes shaking things up.

“I’ve made enemies in youth sports, too, because I don’t tolerate the ‘good ol’ boy’ system — especially when it hurts kids. When Eli joined youth football, the program was basically falling apart. Money was missing, leadership was weak and people were scared of conflict. I’m not.

“Over the last five years, we rebuilt everything. We took the program from 75 athletes to 150, and from $500 to over $20,000. Corey is now the director, and I’ve become the person families come to when they need help, support or simply someone to advocate for them.

As for a Grant County woman representing Pendleton, Johnson said, “I may not live there, but I will not disappoint Pendleton County.

“Loving people like Jesus does is my entire mission. And honestly… I think it’s time those WWJD bracelets make a comeback.”