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About Kentucky Youth Advocates

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So far Kentucky Youth Advocates has created 669 blog entries.

Statement on Passage of SB 48 by the House Families & Children Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Increasing transparency and accountability within child welfare cases is one step closer today with passage of Senate Bill 48 by the House Families & Children Committee. Among several other components to boost efficiency within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, this measure will relocate the Ombudsman’s Office to the state Auditor’s Office – a move that is [...]

By |2023-03-09T08:26:07-05:00March 9th, 2023|Child Welfare & Safety, News Room|
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Statement on Passage of SB 135 by the House Families & Children Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Today, we’re celebrating as the House Families & Children Committee passes Senate Bill 135 to strengthen mental health supports postpartum. Maternal health and well-being play a key role in the healthy development of a child at every stage. As SB 135 advances to the House floor for final consideration, the Commonwealth is one step closer to ensuring new [...]

By |2023-03-09T08:07:49-05:00March 9th, 2023|Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Health, News Room, Race Equity|
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Statement on Passage of SB 229 by the Kentucky Senate

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – At 6th in the nation in the rate of child maltreatment, the Commonwealth has made progress but still has a long way to go in child maltreatment prevention efforts. Yet, we can celebrate today as Kentucky is one step closer to closing gaps in abuse reporting laws and strengthening how we support families at risk. Senate Bill [...]

By |2023-03-03T10:59:49-05:00March 3rd, 2023|Child Welfare & Safety, News Room|
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Statement on Kentucky House Passage of HB 470

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Today was a seminal moment in the Kentucky House. The question at hand: Is the House committed to all of Kentucky's kids or just some of Kentucky's kids? We are appreciative of the "NO" votes on HB 470 from the House Democratic caucus members to be sure. And a special thanks is merited for those House Republicans who also [...]

By |2023-03-02T16:39:33-05:00March 2nd, 2023|Child Welfare & Safety, Health, News Room|
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“I wish for my story of paralyzing fear, shame, and loneliness resulting from abuse by my teacher to be the last in Kentucky.”

By Kotomi Yokokura, BASW Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates I was in high school when my teacher began texting me during and outside of school hours. He would work to gain my trust, offering me homemade food and taking interest in my personal life, all behind the closed doors of his office. While I did not know it at the time, these texts and one on one meetings would be the beginning stages of grooming [...]

By |2023-03-02T15:43:36-05:00March 2nd, 2023|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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Protecting the Mental Heath and Well-being of LGBTQ+ Youth

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Everyone has had struggles over the past few years, but kids have been hit especially hard.  During the pandemic, life was upended for them, and it has furthered the increase in mental health concerns among children and youth. For instance, in 2020, 15.9% of children and teens struggled with anxiety or depression, and in 2022, as many [...]

By |2023-03-02T17:26:18-05:00March 2nd, 2023|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Education, Health|
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2023 Other Legislative Item House Bill 208

Other Legislative Item House Bill 208 Allow for annual mental health wellness exam Summary HB 208 would require that certain health insurance plans cover, at no charge, an annual mental health wellness exam by a mental health professional. Status HB 208 is sponsored by Representative Rachel Roberts. Awaiting Committee Assignment

By |2023-03-07T13:42:19-05:00March 2nd, 2023|Bill Tracker|
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2023 Other Legislative Item House Joint Resolution 039

Other Legislative Item House Joint Resolution 39 Address the benefits cliff  Summary HJR 39 would direct the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to study all public assistance programs for opportunities to address the benefits cliff, study the cost of maintaining certain changes made to the Child Care Assistance Program, implement a user-friendly benefits cliff calculator tool, and develop and implement a federal Earned Income Tax Credit outreach and education program [...]

By |2023-03-23T10:27:59-04:00March 2nd, 2023|Bill Tracker|
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2023 Other Legislative Item 162 Senate Bill 162

Other Legislative Item Senate Bill 162 Improve components of the Department of Juvenile Justice Summary SB 162, with the committee substitute, would strengthen data tracking of the Department of Juvenile Justice, access to mental health treatments, training of staff, and funds to support changes, among other things. Status SB 162 is sponsored by Senator Danny Carroll. It has passed the Kentucky Senate and House and has been delivered to the Governor’s desk [...]

By |2023-03-17T14:12:40-04:00March 2nd, 2023|Bill Tracker|
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Statement on Passage of HB 21 by the Kentucky House

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Youth experiencing homelessness while unaccompanied by an adult deserve the ability to find stability and escape poverty, yet they face significant barriers required to obtain essential documents, such as an ID. House Bill 21, sponsored by Representative Randy Bridges, seeks to address just that by updating Kentucky’s homeless ID law to allow unaccompanied homeless youth to get [...]

By |2023-03-01T14:46:17-05:00March 1st, 2023|Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, News Room, Race Equity|
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