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Youth Voice: “Help enforce the existing ‘Tobacco 21′ law to keep these products out of kids’ hands”

As young Kentuckians continue to advocate for meaningful enforcement of Tobacco-21 law and find ways to keep vaping products out of the hands of kids, students are using their voices to speak out on the issue. Sydney Shaffer testifying at the Interim Joint Committee on Licensing and Occupations. Sydney Shaffer, a student from Scott County, shared her experience in a recent Interim Joint Committee on Licensing and Occupations  committee meeting. She shared with [...]

By |2023-11-07T17:04:28-05:00November 7th, 2023|Blog, Education, Health|
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A Look at the Impact of Evictions on Young Children

Kentucky kids and families need a safe, stable home in order to thrive. However, the rising cost and declining supply of housing has made it difficult for 43% of Kentucky renters to find safe, stable housing. For many of these families, a job loss or medical emergency could put them at risk for eviction, seriously impacting their long term economic, food, and housing security. Evictions have long been viewed as an adult problem, but new [...]

By |2023-11-02T14:38:39-04:00November 2nd, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Race Equity|
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Save the Date: Children’s Advocacy Week 2024

For 20 years, advocates for kids have gathered in Frankfort for Children’s Advocacy Day to fill the halls of the Capitol and ask their elected officials to step up for Kentucky kids. The critical mass of advocates in the Capitol building led to many policy wins and raising awareness of issues facing kids and their families.   As we’ve transitioned to Children’s Advocacy WEEK, we've been able to have a series of virtual events with [...]

By |2023-11-01T16:35:45-04:00November 1st, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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Showing up to School Pays Off (Literally)

October is dedicated to National Dropout Prevention Month and in this blog, we will dive into attendance and the role this indicator plays in academic achievement, drop out rates, as well as, funding in Kentucky schools.  Research shows that school absences take a toll on grades and performance on standardized tests. Beyond test scores, irregular attendance can be a predictor of high school drop-out, which has been linked to poor labor market prospects, diminished health, [...]

By |2023-10-31T17:38:50-04:00October 31st, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Education, Kids Count|
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Federal Update to Support Relative Foster Care Providers, LGBTQI+ Foster Children, and Family Legal Representation

Recently, the Biden-Harris Administration proposed three new federal rules related to the child welfare system in an effort to expand supports for children and families who come into contact with the system as a result of child abuse and neglect. Those three new rules are explained below based on how we anticipate Kentucky’s system will be impacted.  Supporting Relative Foster Care Providers As of September 5, 2023, there were over 1,000 children placed in relative [...]

By |2023-10-26T11:35:17-04:00October 26th, 2023|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Race Equity|
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Breaking Barriers: Understanding the Impact of Parental Incarceration on Kentucky Families

Parental Incarceration Awareness Month falls in October and sheds light on an often overlooked issue that affects countless families across the nation. Over 32,00 people in Kentucky are incarcerated in jails and prisons, leaving Kentucky ranked the 7th highest incarceration rate in the world – imagine just how many families this impacts! In Kentucky alone, 1 in 10 kids have experienced the incarceration of a parent. As we delve into this topic, it's crucial to [...]

By |2023-10-24T16:11:56-04:00October 24th, 2023|Blog, Justice, Race Equity|
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Youth Voice: Action Needed to Enforce Tobacco 21 Law

Kentucky kids need environments free from nicotine products to learn, grow, and thrive. Availability of products with high nicotine content is growing rapidly and marketing with bright colors and alluring flavors targets kids in stores across the state. Although Kentucky lawmakers have taken important steps to limit youth access to these products, like raising the legal purchase age to 21, action is still needed.   Griffin Nemeth testifying at the Interim Joint Committee on Licensing [...]

By |2023-10-19T16:16:17-04:00October 19th, 2023|Blog, Education, Health|
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Bloom KY Growing Hope: Kentucky’s First Opioid Symposium

The opioid epidemic has been a devastating crisis across the United States, and Kentucky has not been immune to its effects. However, amid the challenges and heartbreak, there is a glimmer of hope. Kentucky's First Opioid Symposium, hosted by the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, stands as a shining example of the dedication and determination to combat this epidemic. This symposium, held at the Central Bank Convention Center in Lexington, Kentucky, brought together a [...]

By |2023-10-18T10:47:44-04:00October 18th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Health, Justice|
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KYA Welcomes New Class of Board Members

Kentucky Youth Advocates is excited to welcome Karina Barillas, Angie Hatton, and Shane Noem to our Board of Directors. This new class of board members bring expertise and passion to the table as we work collectively to make Kentucky the best place in America to be young.  We asked them a couple of questions to introduce them to the KYA network. Get to know our new board members below! Karina Barillas is a native [...]

By |2023-10-11T17:32:29-04:00October 11th, 2023|Blog|
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Strategies to Improve Maternal Health Outcomes in Kentucky

By Yelena Bagdasaryan, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates  Achieving optimal maternal health is critical to mothers across the Commonwealth and affects future generations in our communities. Nationally, improving maternal health has been a focus area due to high maternal mortality rates across the country. Kentucky also experiences similar negative maternal health outcomes.  In 2018, Kentucky’s maternal mortality rate was 40.8 per 100,000 live births. This is significantly higher than the national rate of 17.4.  In 2021 [...]

By |2023-10-11T16:52:03-04:00October 11th, 2023|Blog, Health, Race Equity|
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