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About Terry Brooks

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So far Terry Brooks has created 168 blog entries.

Protect Gains in Child Well-Being with an Accurate 2020 Census Count

Kentucky ranks 37th in the nation in overall child well-being, according to the 2018 KIDS COUNT® Data Book, released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Data Book tells us some good news for Kentucky kids, as most of the data trends in health, economic well-being, education, and family and community show continued progress. But, without an accurate count of all Kentucky kids in 2020, we risk leaving money on the table that could be used [...]

By |2018-09-17T13:49:58-04:00June 27th, 2018|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Kids Count|
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Bipartisan Wins: An Oxymoron that Works for Kids

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Northern Kentucky Tribune and Kentucky Today. “Bipartisan wins” in Frankfort seems like an oxymoron on the same level as “jumbo shrimp” and “bittersweet.” When reflecting on the recent legislative session, it would be easy to think of 2018 only as the year of placards and protests, accusations and apologies, parliamentary finagles and partisan politics. Yet, when it comes to Kentucky’s kids impacted by abuse or neglect, 2018 [...]

By |2018-04-27T09:12:22-04:00April 26th, 2018|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Health, Justice|
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A State Budget with a Myriad of Opportunities

Last fall, there was much concern as to what the 2018 legislative session and biennial budget would bring because of uncertainties around pension reform and expected revenue shortfalls. However, as we review the proposed budget, we are reassured by our state leaders’ commitment to Kentucky kids. The House version of the proposed executive branch budget embraces a myriad of opportunities to improve the lives and futures of Kentucky kids and families and for that we [...]

By |2018-03-09T11:51:56-05:00March 9th, 2018|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|
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2018 Kentucky State Budget: the Governor’s Proposal

The real takeaway from tonight’s address from Governor Matt Bevin is a question: What kind of commonwealth do we want to be? Is it one in which needed protections for kids are absent and a rising tide of poverty is pervasive? A place where families struggle to stay together and early investments for kids fall to the wayside? Or will we as a commonwealth move towards an environment in which current challenges do not cloud a brighter [...]

By |2018-01-16T21:43:25-05:00January 16th, 2018|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Youth Justice|
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Gifts for Kentucky Kids? Pragmatism and Guts

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Courier Journal on December 22, 2017.  In Tom Loftus’ recent piece, “… Matt Bevin Reaches His Defining Moment as Governor,” we saw a Christmas miracle. Governor Bevin and Representative Jim Wayne, certainly no political doppelgangers, agreed about the imperative of revenue enhancements. The governor wisely — and bravely — proclaimed, “You can’t cut your way into everything. You can’t.” It’s not as if Kentucky has not tried the [...]

By |2017-12-28T17:03:20-05:00December 28th, 2017|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Youth Justice|
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Moving Forward for Kids: Investments in Our Future

In the 2017 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book, we are introducing a more holistic approach to measuring how children are faring in each Kentucky county. The County Data Book offers the latest data on 17 measures of child well-being, showing whether outcomes for children have improved, worsened, or stayed the same over a five-year period. It also calculates how many children would be impacted if Kentucky was able to make just a 10 percent [...]

By |2017-11-14T09:56:48-05:00November 14th, 2017|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Kids Count, Youth Justice|
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It’s Time to Change the Trajectory of Child Poverty

Every year, the KIDS COUNT® Data Book offers us a clear choice. Do we accept mediocrity for the Commonwealth’s children? Are we content with being a bottom half state? Or do citizens and elected leaders look at the data, craft solutions, and invent a better future for our children and youth? This year is no different. Kentucky ranks 34th in the nation in overall child well-being, according to the 2017 KIDS COUNT® Data Book, released [...]

By |2017-06-13T07:13:09-04:00June 13th, 2017|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Kids Count|
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Kentucky Needs a Revolution to End Abuse

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Courier Journal on April 26, 2017. Henry Grunwald, TIME magazine’s former editor-in-chief, asserts that journalism must speak immediately, “while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.” The Courier-Journal has met that standard in facing the plague of child abuse during April, which is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Each Sunday this month, the Courier-Journal has highlighted a [...]

By |2017-04-26T16:12:05-04:00April 26th, 2017|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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Where Kids Live and Learn Impacts Their Health

Children’s health is touched deeply and pervasively by where they live, learn, and play – long before they get to the doctor’s office or dentist’s chair. This week, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute released their annual County Health Rankings. This easy-to-use snapshot compares counties within states to show that where you live influences how well and how long you live. The local level data makes it clear that [...]

By |2017-03-30T14:08:43-04:00March 30th, 2017|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health|
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When It Comes to Education, a “C” Won’t Cut It

Education Week recently released the 21st annual Quality Counts report, which looks at state-by-state education performance on a number of measures, including chance for success, finance, and achievement. Kentucky's overall grade was a "C" and overall state ranking was 28th in the nation. Given many of the challenges facing Kentucky's kids, like poverty, this report is a testament to the hard work and professionalism being applied every day, in every schoolhouse by Kentucky's teachers and principals. And [...]

By |2017-01-11T09:13:46-05:00January 11th, 2017|Blog, Education|
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