Contact:
Mara Powell
502-895-8167 *122
mpowell@kyyouth.org

Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates

Today, the U.S. House passed the Championing Healthy Kids Act to extend funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program for five years. We thank the House of Representatives for taking action on this critical five-year CHIP funding extension and moving the bill forward. However, we are concerned with how this bill proposes to finance the funding extension for the CHIP program, specifically by making cuts to prevention and public health funding.

We now call on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the full Senate to step up to address the concerns so that Kentucky children can count on the health care they currently have. Nearly 93,000 Kentucky kids depend on CHIP to stay up-to-date on their immunizations and wellness visits, and to access much needed dental care and mental health services. We urge Congress to continue negotiations with the goal of reaching a bipartisan agreement before Kentucky children are impacted.