Children’s Dental Health Month & Policies for Good Oral Health

This blog was originally posted by the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition.   As the Kentucky legislature considers hundreds of bills and prioritizes investments in the next biennial state budget, it’s imperative that we as a Commonwealth ensure that all Kentuckians, including our youngest, have access to the support they need for their healthy development – and a healthy mouth. We know that health impacts every aspect of a child’s life and is a key component of [...]

By |2022-02-24T14:50:57-05:00February 24th, 2022|Blog, Health|

KYGA22 Blueprint Policy Mini Series: HB 174

Listen in as Alicia Whatley, Policy and Advocacy Analyst at Kentucky Youth Advocates, shares more on Blueprint for Kentucky's Children priority House Bill 174, which extends Medicaid eligibility for new mothers for up to 12 months postpartum so they can have continuous, uninterrupted access to health care. Stay up-to-date on Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children priorities and other bills that are good for kids on our Kentucky General Assembly Bill Tracker.  Parents’ [...]

By |2022-02-22T15:15:32-05:00February 22nd, 2022|Blog, Health, Race Equity|

Statement on Passage of HB 174 by the Kentucky House

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Today, we are celebrating unanimous passage of House Bill 174 by the Kentucky House of Representatives. HB 174, co-sponsored by Representatives McKenzie Cantrell and Kim Moser, will extend Medicaid eligibility for new mothers for up to 12 months postpartum so they can have continuous, uninterrupted access to health care. Despite the increased risk of postpartum death and illness, [...]

By |2022-02-18T09:32:24-05:00February 18th, 2022|Health, News Room, Race Equity|

Statement on Passage of Senate Bill 151 by the Senate Education Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Students who start their school day with a full belly are more likely to perform better on tests, attend more days of school, and graduate from high school – setting them on a path to become less likely to struggle with hunger as adults. By recognizing this connection between school breakfast and academic achievement, Kentucky is rethinking how [...]

By |2022-02-17T12:05:55-05:00February 17th, 2022|Education, Health, News Room, Race Equity|

Statement on Passage of HB 174 by the House Health & Family Services Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Access to quality health care and coverage postpartum is not only critical to the health and well-being of the new mother, but also that of their newborn. We applaud the House Health and Family Services Committee for recognizing that imperative today with passage of House Bill 174, co-sponsored by Representative McKenzie Cantrell and House Health and Family Services [...]

By |2022-02-10T12:42:52-05:00February 10th, 2022|Health, News Room, Race Equity|

Celebrating the 2022 Champions for Children

Elected leaders and advocates step up for Kentucky kids in countless ways every day, especially in Frankfort throughout the legislative session. During Children’s Advocacy Week, Kentucky Youth Advocates and partners in the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children present Champion for Children and Step Up for Kids awards to honor those state leaders and advocates for their efforts. At this year’s Rally for Kentucky Kids, we honored several members of the 2022 Kentucky General Assembly for [...]

Statement on the Governor and the House State Budget Proposals

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – In Kentucky, we are used to arguing about dollars and cents in budgets that are restrictive, limited, and far too scarce – and that is tough work. This year, we are learning that arguing about dollars and cents in a budget that has unprecedented one-time federal dollars is also tough work. The needs of Kentucky’s kids simply [...]

2022 State Budget Checklist for Kentucky Kids

It’s week two of Kentucky’s 60-day legislative session! The end of week 1 unveiled a budget proposed by the Kentucky House of Representatives, which signals the fast-track nature of the 2022 budget process. This week, the Governor outlined his budget proposals for pre-K-12 education and health care.  As the week continues, we will hear the remaining components of the Governor’s budget proposal during his budget address on Thursday, January 13 at 7:00 PM ET, as [...]

OP-ED: A New Year’s resolution for the Kentucky General Assembly

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Courier Journal on January 2, 2022. By Dr. Terry Brooks This time of year, we all waver between setting New Year’s resolutions and simply dismissing the process as an inevitable failure. (Really?  No snacks after 8 p.m.?  I’m going to learn a new hobby?  And, of course, I’ll be at the gym by 6 a.m. at least four mornings a week!) But “Psychology Today” lists several reasons why setting [...]

November 2021 Update on the KY Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity

Read about the October meeting of the Commission on Race and Opportunity here.  At the last meeting of 2021 for the Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity, Kentucky Youth Advocates (KYA) was given the opportunity to testify around the 2021 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book and solutions to advance racial equity in the Commonwealth. We highlighted two policy arenas – Health and Family and Community - that we hope can move legislative and community leaders from simply reading data on a [...]

By |2021-12-09T15:52:21-05:00December 9th, 2021|Blog, Economic Security, Health, Medicaid, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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