KYGA22 Blueprint Policy Mini Series: HB 499

Listen in as Karena Cash, Policy and Advocacy Analyst at Kentucky Youth Advocates, shares more on Blueprint for Kentucky's Children priority House Bill 499, which would establish the framework for the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership. This measure offers Kentucky the critical opportunity to strengthen families’ access to high-quality child care so they can participate in the workforce. ADVOCATES urge the Senate Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor Committee to support this bill! Stay [...]

By |2022-03-24T09:49:28-04:00March 24th, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security|

The Time Is Right to Support Social Workers

By Crystal Willis and Shontelle Davis, MSSW Interns at Kentucky Youth Advocates Although the field of social work is broad, we all have one common goal – to leave this place BETTER than we found it! The role of a social worker is to identify and address the needs of individuals, families, and communities. Social workers take on many roles that include advocating, educating, researching, lobbying, case management, therapy, and much more.  March is Social [...]

By |2022-03-22T18:57:10-04:00March 22nd, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

The Primary Caregiver Law & Minimizing the Impact of Parental Incarceration

Having a loved one who is incarcerated impacts everyone, especially children. Kentucky has the 6th highest rate of parental incarceration with more than one in ten children having a parent who is incarcerated and more than half of all incarcerated adults – 64% of women and 55% of men – being parents. Parental incarceration is an Adverse Childhood Experience, or ACE, because it can negatively affect a child’s short and long-term behavioral, educational, and health [...]

By |2022-03-22T18:30:41-04:00March 22nd, 2022|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Justice|

March Madness for Kids’ Nutrition

For most Kentuckians, March is a sacred time of basketball and brackets. For our school nutrition professionals and students, however, March is also the home of National School Breakfast Week and National Nutrition Month.  Throughout the pandemic, one slam dunk for kids has been the USDA Child Nutrition Programs, which ensure kids across Kentucky have access to at least two meals a day during the school year and one a day during the summer months. [...]

By |2022-03-10T16:02:57-05:00March 10th, 2022|Blog, Economic Security, Education, Health|

Guest Blog: Benefits of Establishing the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership

By Mandy Simpson Here's what we know: Kentucky families are struggling to afford child care. With annual costs reaching up to $11,000 for one infant, this is the largest expense in too many Kentucky homes. Parents are being forced to choose between their careers and caring for their children—and we know which choice they're making. A lack of access to child care is a primary contributor to Kentucky's labor shortage and chronically low workforce participation [...]

By |2022-03-10T17:16:26-05:00March 1st, 2022|Blog, Economic Security|

Youth Voice: Preventing the Next Generation from Becoming Addicted to Nicotine

By Hannah Abdon Picture this: It’s another beautiful high school day when, after lunch, you need to wash your hands and get ready for the last of your classes. Going into the bathrooms at a time like this is almost asking for trouble. You enter and, sure enough, you are greeted with about half a dozen freshmen standing around the sinks using juuls and other E-cigarettes. Unfortunately, they don’t respond too well to outsiders and [...]

By |2022-06-30T16:13:26-04:00February 28th, 2022|Blog, Health|

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|

KYGA22 Blueprint Policy Mini Series: SB 8 and SB 97

Listen in as Cortney Downs, Policy and Advocacy Director at Kentucky Youth Advocates, shares more on Blueprint for Kentucky's Children priority bills, Senate Bill 8 and Senate Bill 97, which will impact children and families within the child welfare system. 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.  Over the past few years, Kentucky has taken [...]

By |2022-02-22T15:18:46-05:00February 17th, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

Youth Voice: Speaking Up for Kami

By Kiera Dunk Kiera and Speaker Osborne testifying on HB 263 before the House Judiciary Committee. Kami was a beautiful 9-month-old baby when her life was changed forever when the man responsible for her safety shook her so violently that she was clinically dead for 23 minutes. Kami survived... BUT due to the trauma, only half her brain remained. Since that day, she has been confined to a wheelchair, nonverbal, requires a feeding [...]

By |2022-02-17T14:51:39-05:00February 16th, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
Go to Top