This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Courier Journal on February 13, 2017. I am that rarest of species – a male who admits he is directionally challenged. In fact, my wife Judy believes we don’t even need a GPS. It’s simple. If I think left, we go right. And if I think right, then – well, you get the picture. And can I simply say that I can’t think of anything more befuddling than finding my way out [...]
What a day, advocates! You rallied, you met with legislators, you packed committee hearings, you tweeted. Your legislators heard you when you asked them to make kids their priority. As rally speaker Tessa Bowling said in her opening speech, “We are leaders, and we have a voice. We are here today to ignite change.” We are still tallying, but it looks like yesterday’s Children’s Advocacy Day was the biggest yet. Thank you to the hundreds [...]
Children's Advocacy Day will be here this Thursday, February 9th! Here is the general agenda and a few reminders: 9:00 Registration begins (Capitol Mezzanine) 10:00 Rally for Kentucky Kids (Capitol Rotunda) 11:00 Attend legislative committee meetings and meet with your legislators 12:30-1:30 Blueprint policy information session (Legislative Annex Room 149) 1. Materials you may want to review in advance. View the Children's Advocacy Day resource booklet online here. The booklet includes a detailed agenda and checklist [...]
A new issue brief released today by Kentucky Youth Advocates, Keep Kindergartners Out of Court: More Effective Responses to the Behavior of Young Children, highlights the importance of responding appropriately to young children who get in trouble to build safer communities and more successful kids. “Kids whose favorite book is Green Eggs and Ham can be charged with a crime in Kentucky,” said Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates. “We need to [...]
February is more than the month of love. It’s also a month when thousands celebrate the smiles of children across the nation. National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM), established by the American Dental Association (ADA) and the ADA Foundation, brings together dedicated dental professionals, healthcare providers, and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their caregivers, teachers, and many others. This year’s NCDHM campaign slogan is “Choose Tap Water for a [...]
With Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol mere days away, I find myself running through a long to-do list to make sure I’ve taken care of all of the necessary action items. What’s the status of your to-do list? Have you registered for Children’s Advocacy Day? Did you attend the Advocacy 101 and Children’s Advocacy Day Prep webinar? (If not, you can view and listen to a recording here.) Have you scheduled an appointment with [...]
When the child welfare system enters a child’s life and determines they are not safe at home, the child’s journey into the out-of-home care system begins. Potential placements include: A recent story on NPR’s Youth Radio details a young man’s 20 years spent in the foster care system. He entered out-of-home care as a baby, his siblings scattered through the system, and finally left the system at age 21. He says they were separated and [...]
We know that youth in Kentucky are key to creating positive change for kids, and their leadership galvanizes other youth, parents, educators, community leaders, and legislators. In the Kentucky Youth Speak Up series, students advocate for policies, encourage other youth to serve their communities, promote strategies for student success, and motivate all of us to build the best commonwealth for Kentucky kids. By Brittany Carson When I was a child, I never imagined waking up to flashing [...]
This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Herald Leader on January 22, 2017. The hottest toy of this past Christmas season was Hatchimals — plastic eggs with one of two interactive creatures inside. The lucky recipient nurtures the egg, causing it to hatch; and after hatching, the creature inside learns to talk, walk and play games with the help of the child. Right about now, the egg is hatching. The same is true [...]
During the FDI World Dental Federation General Assembly this past fall, a new definition of oral health was approved. Previously, there was room for the definition to be modified depending on the individuals or organizations impacted. Now, the new definition acknowledges the multifaceted nature and attributes of oral health and unites patients, health care professionals, policy makers, and other oral health stakeholders on how to best advocate for oral health. Oral health is now defined [...]
