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About Melissa Collins

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So far Melissa Collins has created 12 blog entries.

Health Youth Ambassadors 2023 Onboarding Retreat

Last week, our 2023-2024 Health Youth Ambassador cohort came together for the first time in Bowling Green, Kentucky for their two-day overnight onboarding retreat! Representing 8 different counties from across the Commonwealth – including Oldham, Graves, Daviess, Clark, Hardin, Henry, Jefferson, and Crittenden – our new cohort consists of 13 youth advocates. The Health Youth Ambassadors (HYA) program is a statewide cohort that engages high school aged youth to learn about advocacy and policy, [...]

By |2023-09-28T16:34:23-04:00September 28th, 2023|Blog, Education, Health|
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Kentucky Youth Speak Out Against Substance Use

We know substance use, among both adults and adolescents, continues to be an issue in communities throughout the Commonwealth.  To better understand just how substance use, as well as the opioid epidemic, are impacting Kentucky’s young people, Bloom Kentucky recently connected with high school students across the state to hear their perspectives on the impact of substance use among their peers and in their communities and how we might address substance use prevention.  We [...]

By |2023-09-14T11:55:50-04:00September 14th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Education, Health|
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Health Youth Ambassadors are Heating Up: 2023-2024 Cohort Application Now Open!

The summer is heating up, and so is our excitement for the 2023-2024 Health Youth Ambassadors program! Are you a high school student looking to develop your advocacy and leadership skills? Are you interested in connecting with peers from around the Commonwealth to make positive changes in your community and throughout the state? Do you want to help Kentucky kids and families with their overall health and wellbeing? If so, apply TODAY to be a [...]

By |2023-07-05T16:31:25-04:00July 5th, 2023|Blog, Health, Kids Count|
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Health Youth Ambassadors Participate in the Kentucky Youth Tobacco Control Workshop

On April 12th, two of Kentucky Youth Advocates’ Health Youth Ambassadors took part in the Kentucky Youth Tobacco Control Workshop hosted by the Networking for Kentucky Youth (N4KY) and #iCANendthetrend Youth Advisory Board. This youth-developed and youth-led tobacco control workshop was a full-day immersive experience which offered a chance for students from across the state to connect, network, and learn both with and from one another. Throughout the day, students took part in team [...]

By |2023-04-27T13:03:37-04:00April 27th, 2023|Blog, Education, Health, Kids Count|
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Bloom Kentucky: Recapping KYGA23 Efforts to Address ACEs

While the 2023 Kentucky General Assembly saw many confounding moments, we also saw continued positive momentum when it came to addressing childhood adversity. Kentucky’s policymakers, once again, found common ground when it came to the impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on Kentucky’s kids and families.  This year, Bloom Kentucky identified four policy areas to focus on throughout the 2023 legislative session which included 1) supporting the health and well-being of new moms and their [...]

By |2023-04-17T17:27:37-04:00April 17th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Economic Security, Health|
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Health Youth Ambassadors Rally on Behalf of Kentucky Kids and Families

Kentucky Youth Advocates’ Health Youth Ambassadors cohort, made up of high school students from across the state, joined hundreds of fellow young people, community advocates, and elected officials at the Capitol for the Rally for Kentucky Kids on February 8th – the first in-person rally with child advocates since 2020. The cohort took part in a two-day Children’s Advocacy Week Retreat in Frankfort where they spent time prepping Tuesday evening before Wednesday’s Rally Day [...]

By |2023-02-23T13:25:48-05:00February 23rd, 2023|Blog, Health|
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Bloom Kentucky Grantmakers Rally Together for Kentucky Kids and Families

On Wednesday, February 8th, Bloom Kentucky Grantmakers from across the Commonwealth rallied together in Frankfort on behalf of Kentucky's kids and families. The 2023 Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol was a packed schedule–and certainly a packed house! Bloom grantmakers joined youth, fellow advocates, and elected officials in the Capitol Rotunda for the Rally for Kentucky Kids which featured youth performances and remarks from both young people and state leaders. Following the Rally, grantmakers [...]

By |2023-02-16T14:57:36-05:00February 16th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky|
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Bloom Kentucky Announces 2023 State Policy Priorities

On your mark… Get set… GO! The 2023 Kentucky General Assembly is underway, and advocates from across the Commonwealth are sprinting into action to help improve outcomes for kids and families. Bloom Kentucky recently released its 2023 state policy priorities to help advocates in their race to the finish line.  Bloom Kentucky is a collaborative initiative of grantmaking organizations from across the Commonwealth focused on statewide policy changes and budget investments that aim to prevent [...]

By |2023-01-25T14:17:03-05:00January 25th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky|
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Updates from the Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission

Updated December 6, 2022 During their November meeting, the Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission released their new meeting schedule for the first six months of the upcoming 2023 calendar year. The new dates are as follows: Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023 ​Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 Tuesday, March 14, 2023 Tuesday, April 11, 2023 Tuesday, May 9, 2023 ​Tuesday, June 13, 2023 Commission meetings will continue to be held at 1 P.M. ET at Capital Complex East, 1024 [...]

By |2022-12-09T08:46:42-05:00October 17th, 2022|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Health, Justice|
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Health Youth Ambassadors: 2022 Onboarding Retreat

In September, 13 high school students from around the Commonwealth came together in Bowling Green, KY for the first time as the new 2022-2023 Health Youth Ambassadors cohort!  The Health Youth Ambassadors (HYA) program is a statewide cohort that engages youth to learn about advocacy and policy, address social determinants of health through policy change, and advocate for themselves and their peers on health-related issues. The new HYAs met for a two-day immersive policy [...]

By |2023-01-25T15:29:08-05:00October 12th, 2022|Blog, Health, Kids Count|
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