Health

Efforts to Keep Healthy Smiles During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Efforts to Keep Healthy Smiles During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, all health providers, including dental providers, were required to suspend all elective and non-emergency procedures in March. During this uncertain time, our partners at the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition (KOHC) are dedicated to monitoring the latest updates and recommendations from the CDC, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and other national and state partners on best practices for the oral health community, including: Sharing [...]

By Kentucky Youth Advocates|2020-04-09T16:01:54-04:00April 9th, 2020|Blog, Health|

Guest Post: Make Sure Every Child Is Counted Today

Guest Post: Make Sure Every Child Is Counted Today

This blog was originally posted by the Count All Kids Campaign in partnership with First Focus. On April 1, tell people to count all children at their address who have no permanent residence. As the spread of the Coronavirus has increased, the vulnerabilities within our system have become clear. Children and families living in poverty and experiencing homelessness already lack the financial stability to access nutritious food, stable housing, healthcare, and all of the resources [...]

By Kentucky Youth Advocates|2020-05-20T22:31:03-04:00April 1st, 2020|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Medicaid|

The Impact of the Federal COVID-19 Response Legislation on Kentucky Kids

The Impact of the Federal COVID-19 Response Legislation on Kentucky Kids

It has been a busy couple of weeks for the U.S. Congress! Lawmakers in Washington, D.C. have crafted a bevy of legislation that impacts Kentucky’s kids and their families. Late last week Congress passed and the President signed into law two pieces of legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which provides free Coronavirus testing, paid sick leave, unemployment aid, and nutrition assistance. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic [...]

By Ben Gies|2020-04-03T14:31:52-04:00March 31st, 2020|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Medicaid|

Supporting the Watchdog for Kentucky Kids During COVID-19

Supporting the Watchdog for Kentucky Kids During COVID-19

Now, more than ever, Kentuckians are relying on state and federal leaders to make decisions that put families first. As the watchdog for Kentucky kids, the team at Kentucky Youth Advocates is monitoring policy developments, collaborating with state and national partners, and communicating with decision-makers to help Kentucky through this crisis. We are standing guard for kids and activating solutions at a local, state, and national level for every Kentucky kid. And that is why now, more than ever, Kentucky Youth Advocates is relying on you. We [...]

By Kentucky Youth Advocates|2020-04-01T12:38:09-04:00March 27th, 2020|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Medicaid, Youth Justice|

What’s New in the World of Tobacco and E-cigarette Cessation

What’s New in the World of Tobacco and E-cigarette Cessation

State Update Kentucky continues to make strides towards reducing the youth and teen use of e-cigarette products. The Kentucky House took an important step by passing Senate Bill 56, sponsored by Senator Ralph Alvarado, which codifies in state law the legal purchase age of tobacco products to 21 and removes penalties for youth under age 21 for purchase, use, and possession of tobacco products. This Blueprint for Kentucky's Children priority bill was just signed into [...]

By Alicia Whatley|2020-03-27T17:58:59-04:00March 25th, 2020|Blog, Health|

Statement on SB 56 Heading to the Governor’s Desk

Statement on SB 56 Heading to the Governor’s Desk

Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates With the e-cigarette epidemic impacting kids across the Commonwealth, we applaud Senator Ralph Alvarado for championing Senate Bill 56 to ensure Kentucky complies with the new federal Tobacco-21 law, and we thank the Kentucky House for supporting its passage through consent orders today. This measure seeks to codify in state law a minimum legal sale age of 21 for tobacco [...]

By Kentucky Youth Advocates|2020-03-19T17:27:02-04:00March 19th, 2020|Health, News Room|

For Kids, For Families, For You: Kentucky Youth Advocates Navigates COVID-19

For Kids, For Families, For You: Kentucky Youth Advocates Navigates COVID-19

“It’s been a tough few days” feels like an understatement when describing the COVID-19 crisis. My family is struggling to come to terms with this “new normal” of social distancing—be it for three weeks, or many weeks beyond that. And I know that every other family across Kentucky is grappling with their own challenges. With that in mind, I wanted to give you a couple of updates about how Kentucky Youth Advocates is responding to [...]

By Jessie Whitish|2020-04-01T12:37:18-04:00March 19th, 2020|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Medicaid, Youth Justice|

Forging Ahead: 2020 General Assembly Carries On

Forging Ahead: 2020 General Assembly Carries On

Today’s Kentucky is very different from last week’s Kentucky. Social distancing and the measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are affecting the daily life of every Kentuckian—and the 2020 General Assembly. As of now, the legislature is moving forward on the passage of bills and the state’s biennial budget. Kentucky Youth Advocates, along with many other partners across the state, are continuing to track the progress of bills and work with [...]

By Jessie Whitish|2020-03-19T10:14:01-04:00March 18th, 2020|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Youth Justice|

One More Lesson from the Pandemic: How the Census Provides for the Most Vulnerable Among Us

One More Lesson from the Pandemic: How the Census Provides for the Most Vulnerable Among Us

By Terry Brooks, Kevin Middleton, and Jill Seyfred The coronavirus pandemic has provided a number of lessons for us as individuals, as community members, and as a country. We’ve learned serious lessons like what social distancing is and how to practice it, as well as lighter lessons like how much toilet paper our families use in a month. Another lesson that has become increasingly clear to us: how much the decennial census permeates the institutions, [...]

By Kentucky Youth Advocates|2020-03-18T10:52:39-04:00March 18th, 2020|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Medicaid, Youth Justice|

Count All Kentucky Kids in the 2020 Census

Count All Kentucky Kids in the 2020 Census

The 2020 census is here! The census is a once in a decade opportunity to count every person—adults, children, and babies—living in the United States. The population data gathered during the census count is used for everything from funding allocations for critical programs that serve kids and families to drawing voting districts and planning locations for new schools, hospitals, and retail centers. Most children benefit from at least one of the hundreds of federal programs [...]

By Mara Powell|2020-07-24T17:13:38-04:00March 17th, 2020|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Medicaid, Youth Justice|