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So far Kentucky Youth Advocates has created 950 blog entries.

Racial Disparities in Foster Care: A Continuing Crisis

This blog was originally published on True Up. By: Tatum Abel, Peer Engagement Coordinator The foster care system is designed to protect children in vulnerable situations, offering them a haven when their biological families cannot safely provide care. However, data compiled by Kentucky Youth Advocates persistently shows that Black children are being removed from their homes more than their white peers once involved with the child welfare system.  In 2021, more than 390,000 youth across the country [...]

By |2025-05-15T15:30:55-04:00May 15th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Race Equity|
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Regional Prevention Collaboratives Taking Action on Educational Neglect

By Andrew Alvey and Shontelle Davis Many states, including Kentucky, have turned their attention to preventative efforts to ensure that children are safe and families are thriving. The goal of these prevention efforts is to intervene before a crisis occurs and keep families from engaging with the child welfare system or if CPS involvement is necessary to keep families together, when safe. The concept of meeting families where they are starts with acknowledging that [...]

By |2025-05-08T16:46:08-04:00May 8th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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Experts, Policymakers, and Advocates Join Bloom Kentucky’s Together We Bloom Summit on ACEs Prevention

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org SHELBYVILLE, KY – Today, the Together We Bloom Summit, hosted by Bloom Kentucky, is bringing together hundreds of advocates, policymakers, and community leaders from across the Commonwealth focused on mitigating Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and cultivating Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) through policy and systems change. The sold out, one-day conference offers attendees the opportunity to hear from experts on ACEs and resilience, attend workshops on messaging and advocating for policy [...]

By |2025-05-08T08:19:11-04:00May 7th, 2025|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Economic Security, Education, Health, News Room|
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A Conversation on Child Abuse Prevention Efforts and the Kosair for Kids Face It Movement

Terry Brooks is joined by Larry Craig, Executive Committee member of the Kosair for Kids Board of Directors and owner of Craig & Landreth Cars; Dr. Jerry Rabalais, member of the Kosair for Kids Advisory Council and Emeritus Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville; and Dr. Shannon Moody, Chief Policy & Strategy Officer at Kentucky Youth Advocates and lead of the Kosair for Kids Face It Movement. They discuss [...]

By |2025-05-01T14:56:23-04:00April 30th, 2025|Podcast|
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OP-ED: Child abuse prevention builds on small moments of support and connection

This originally appeared as an op-ed in the Kentucky Lantern on April 28, 2025. By Barry Dunn and Shannon Moody Photo Credit: Kentucky Lantern, Getty Images In a moment, so much can change in a family’s life. A last-minute work schedule change that leads to relying on an unsafe babysitter. An unsupportive reaction from a bystander that could have been a connection point for support and kindness rather than further shame and frustration. A [...]

By |2025-04-29T10:05:39-04:00April 29th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, News Room|
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A Conversation with Young People on Advocacy & KYGA25

Guest host Alicia Whatley is joined by three Kentucky young people: Phoenix Berry, a member of KYA’s 2025 Housing Policy Ambassadors cohort from Lexington; Kiera Dunk, 10th grade student and child abuse prevention advocate from Oldham County; and, Griffin Nemeth, the Youth Advisory Board Coordinator for the #iCANendthetrend program at the University of Kentucky. They discuss their advocacy journeys and share their tips for other young people wanting to make an impact in their [...]

By |2025-04-22T13:27:05-04:00April 22nd, 2025|Podcast|
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Safe Storage Saves Lives: Investing Opioid Settlement Funds in Prevention

By Peyton Walker, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates In Kentucky, far too many families know the pain of losing a loved one to an accidental overdose. As the opioid epidemic continues to impact communities across the Commonwealth, prevention remains a critical tool in protecting children and families.  According to the 2024 Annual Report by the Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel, the rate of fatal pediatric ingestions/overdoses has risen steadily over the past five years, [...]

By |2025-04-17T14:23:06-04:00April 17th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Health|
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Creating Hope and Change: Reflections for Child Abuse Prevention Month in Kentucky

By Theda Simpson-Mosby, member of KY SEAT Child Abuse Prevention Month is a time for reflection, advocacy, and an urgent call to action to protect our families and communities. For me, this month holds profound personal significance. As a mother, advocate, and member of the Kentucky Statewide Birth Parent Advisory Council (KY SEAT), my journey through the complexities of the Child Welfare System has shaped my commitment to fostering change and providing hope for families [...]

By |2025-04-15T17:07:46-04:00April 15th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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2025 Bloom Kentucky Legislative Recap

By Hannah McCarty & Hannah Edelen  The Bloom Kentucky initiative is focused on statewide policy changes and budget investments that aim to prevent and mitigate the multi-generational impact of childhood adversity so that all kids and families can flourish.  Bloom Kentucky identified several policy priorities for the 2025 state legislative session to prevent ACEs and address the systemic barriers that families face.  Here’s a recap of how our 2025 Bloom policy priorities fared:  Enact Caregiver [...]

By |2025-04-09T13:22:24-04:00April 9th, 2025|Blog, Bloom Kentucky|
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KYGA25 Reflections: Wins, Missed Opportunities, and Head Scratchers

As we enter April and we look forward to warmer days, Kentucky Youth Advocates is reflecting on another legislative session in the Commonwealth – one that brought wins, missed opportunities, and some puzzling moments for Kentucky kids. Review the recap of the 2025 state legislative session and final status of Blueprint for Kentucky's Children priorities below and check out ways you can still take action for kids.  2025 Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children State Policy Wins [...]

By |2025-04-01T16:27:12-04:00April 1st, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice|
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