Contact:
Mara Powell
mpowell@kyyouth.org

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

LOUISVILLE, KY –We at Kentucky Youth Advocates were eager to celebrate final passage of Senate Bill 151 with bipartisan support – especially once the Governor signed it into law in April. We proudly supported Senator Julie Raque Adams’ legislation as a win for kids because of the opportunity for more flexibility and access to financial assistance for Kentucky’s kinship and fictive kin families.

Fast-forward to June, and we along with the Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky and thousands of kinship families across the Commonwealth are left shaking our heads in disappointment at the ongoing disagreement between the Governor’s Administration and the General Assembly. We are left wondering, is this yet another letdown by our state leaders to prioritize and support our kids in kinship care?

The intent of SB 151 is a valiant one – to close gaps in access to additional financial supports by allowing caregivers to apply to become a relative foster parent within 120 days of a child’s placement with a relative or adult with a significant relationship. In a time plagued with confusion and overwhelming emotions, allowing more flexibility to make hard decisions can better set families up for stability and success in the long term.

The Governor and General Assembly must rectify the hold ups on implementing SB 151 and not let kinship families yet again lose in financial disagreements. We do believe there is a path forward for implementation and are hopeful that the Cabinet for Health and Family Services will return with insight on the potential to use federal or state funds to proceed with implementation. The thousands of caregivers stepping up to care for some of Kentucky’s most vulnerable deserve more from their elected leaders.

From Norma Hatfield, president of Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky:

Kentucky has been making progress over the years in providing additional assistance for kinship families. SB 151 gives much needed additional resources, options and time around a pivotal life changing milestone for traumatized children and kinship caregivers. I’m so grateful to the legislators for unanimously passing this bill and also for the Governor signing it into law.  Now, we have to get to work on behalf of the children and families that need it.

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About Kentucky Youth Advocates
Kentucky Youth Advocates believes all children deserve to be safe, healthy, and secure. As THE independent voice for Kentucky’s children, we work to ensure policymakers create investments and policies that are good for children. Learn more at www.kyyouth.org.