Getting to the Root of the Problem

By Greta Hittle I recently had the opportunity to chat with folks around Kentucky about the work being done to prevent and mitigate adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). These folks included state representatives, medical professionals, care and service providers, teachers, counselors, advocates, public health experts, and mental and behavioral health professionals. Just when I thought I had heard every perspective and learned every nuance, I would speak with another one of these folks and realize the [...]

Statement on Priorities for Kids During the Kentucky General Assembly Special Session

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – The easy path as we approach this special session is to devolve to conventional thinking – that the pandemic and Kentucky’s recovery efforts are too polarizing and too complex for thoughtful and direct solutions. Yet, we attest a hope that the special session can be a landmark moment when the General Assembly and the Governor come together for [...]

Update on the Kentucky Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity

When the final gavel sounded on the 2021 General Assembly, several pieces of legislation passed that will begin to close gaps in opportunity for children of color. Among these policies that became law was Senate Bill 10, co-sponsored by Senator David Givens, Senator Whitney Westerfield, and Senate President Robert Stivers, which established a Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity. The Commission is tasked with providing studies, research driven policy proposals, and annual reports crossing [...]

By |2021-09-02T16:58:26-04:00September 2nd, 2021|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Justice, Race Equity, Youth Justice|

Kinship Caregivers, State Leaders, and Advocates Attend Kinship Coalition Virtual Summit

Kinship Caregivers, State Leaders, and Advocates Attend Kinship Coalition Virtual Summit Governor Proclaims September as Kinship Care Awareness Month LOUISVILLE, KY – Dozens of kinship caregivers, child welfare stakeholders, policy makers, and advocates from across Kentucky virtually gathered today for the Kinship Coalition Virtual Summit. Two years after the federal Family First Act implementation, over a year out from a global pandemic, a lawsuit that rose to the level of the Supreme Court, and several [...]

By |2021-09-02T11:32:05-04:00September 2nd, 2021|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, News Room|

Increasing Compensation is Key to Ensuring Child Care is Available for Kentucky Families

As we’ve shared throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the current public health crisis has shown that without child care, our families, our communities, and the economy cannot successfully function. And as many early childhood advocates and providers have continually shared, the pandemic has only exacerbated the challenges facing Kentucky’s child care workforce as a result of limited public investment. According to a survey conducted in late 2020, following mandated shutdown of child care centers to protect [...]

By |2021-09-02T14:29:52-04:00September 1st, 2021|Blog, Economic Security, Education|

The Fruits of Our Labor: New Child Population Data

Remember the 2020 Census? It seems like forever ago in this topsy turvy world, but it was just last year (April through October) that everyone in the U.S. was asked to complete the short questionnaire to determine how many people live here. Despite the many challenges wrought by the pandemic, our state achieved a higher self-response rate for the 2020 Census than in 2010! The fruits of our labor paid off – and when I say “our” [...]

By |2021-08-19T16:01:16-04:00August 19th, 2021|Blog, Kids Count, Race Equity|

Would I Even Know If My Child Has A Developmental Delay?

I will never forget waiting to hear the nurse say how big my children were after giving birth to them. I expected to hear an inflated number because it felt like I had just given birth to a baby elephant every time. Some of the first pieces of information we receive about our children after birth are developmentally-based . . . their weight and height. Vision, hearing, and other tests follow. We wait to hear [...]

By |2021-08-12T16:33:36-04:00August 12th, 2021|Blog, Education, Health|

National Immunization Month – It’s Important for Your Kids to be Up-To-Date on Vaccinations and Here’s Why!

As child advocates, we want to do everything in our power to assure that Kentucky children are healthy and protected against preventable and potentially deadly diseases. A simple and important step in that process is getting children vaccinated. We know questions may arise from parents, guardians, and caretakers around why you should get your child vaccinated and how many vaccines does my child need. National Immunization Awareness Month is an opportune time to highlight the [...]

By |2021-08-27T12:59:00-04:00August 12th, 2021|Blog, Education, Health|

#TakeCareKY Week 2021

As the 2021-22 school year begins gearing up throughout the Commonwealth, it’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of school supply shopping, school schedules, and extra-curriculars. With the uptick in busy schedules and new worries that we might experience in the coming weeks, it is so important to take time to slow down and care for ourselves.  To help do just that, Kentucky Youth Advocates and our partners at the Bounce Coalition are teaming up again this year for [...]

By |2021-08-05T15:29:24-04:00August 5th, 2021|Blog, Health|

Collaboration of Grantmakers Commit to Addressing Kentucky’s High Rate of Childhood Adversity

CONTACT: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Collaboration of Grantmakers Commit to Addressing Kentucky’s High Rate of Childhood Adversity Launches Statewide Initiative Named Bloom Kentucky LOUISVILLE, KY - A collaboration of dedicated grantmaking organizations from across Kentucky gathered today in celebration of the launch of Bloom Kentucky, an initiative focused on statewide policy change that aims to prevent and mitigate the impact of childhood adversity. "Bloom Kentucky is a first-of-its-kind collaborative effort supported by several grantmaking organizations from [...]

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