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Statement on Governor Beshear’s 2024 State Budget Address

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – It’s become almost a cliché and yet it is very true. A budget is really not about dollars and cents but rather a profound statement of values and priorities. So, what can we learn about Governor Beshear’s vision for Kentucky’s kids in his second term from tonight’s state budget address? First, tonight’s budget proposal underscores what we [...]

By |2023-12-19T08:36:48-05:00December 18th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Medicaid, News Room, Youth Justice|
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Stabilizing Child Care Requires Investing in Child Care

The federal stabilization payments for child care – dedicated to wages and fixed expenses – funded through the American Rescue Plan have all been dispersed. This month, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the Beshear Administration will issue one final stabilization payment to child care providers. Beginning in 2024, all the additional American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds will focus on projects like the Child Care Assistance Program, start-up grants for family child care [...]

By |2023-12-07T13:00:04-05:00December 7th, 2023|Blog, Economic Security, Education|
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Announcing the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children 2024 State Policy and Budget Priorities Agenda

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Louisville, KY – Today, Kentucky Youth Advocates and partners from across the Commonwealth released the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children 2024 priority agenda. The Blueprint speaks with a common voice to create brighter futures for all Kentucky kids and their families. The Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children is a coalition of non-profit, public, and private organizations that stands on three pillars: thriving communities launch strong families, strong families launch successful kids, and successful [...]

By |2023-12-06T10:13:43-05:00December 6th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Medicaid, News Room, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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Journey to Success KY: Community Conversations

When the Fostering Youth Transitions report was released earlier this year, True Up Kentucky and Journey to Success Kentucky lifted up the data trends that could be celebrated as progress, as well as those that highlighted the need for continued advocacy for policies and practices that improve the experiences for Kentucky’s transition-age youth.  In Kentucky, emerging trends made clear that advocates must rally to: Address the overrepresentation of youth of color in the child welfare system. [...]

By |2023-11-30T11:17:52-05:00November 30th, 2023|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Race Equity|
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A Focus on Youth Mental Health and Improving Outcomes

By Yelena Bagdasaryan, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates  Mental health is an integral part of kids’ everyday lives and a focus area nationally as mental health issues among youth have increased in recent years. Addressing these concerns is vital for youth since mental health struggles are leading causes for poor health outcomes and difficulties in school and relationships. Since the pandemic, mental health among youth has declined drastically in Kentucky, which can be attributed to [...]

By |2023-11-22T11:13:23-05:00November 20th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Education, Health, Kids Count|
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2023 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book: A Look at Child Well-Being Data Trends and Investing in the “Kid Workforce”

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org 2023 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book: A Look at Child Well-Being Data Trends and Investing in the “Kid Workforce” Featuring the latest county-level data for key measures of child well-being Louisville, KY – The 2023 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book, released today by Kentucky Youth Advocates, features the latest data on 16 measures of child well-being, showing whether outcomes for children across the Commonwealth have improved, worsened, or stayed the [...]

By |2023-11-14T14:38:15-05:00November 15th, 2023|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, News Room, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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Future Teachers of America Day – Nov. 20th

Kandice Williams and students You may have once heard the quote, “Teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions.” As we look toward celebrating the Future Teachers of America Day, which is celebrated annually on November 20th– it’s important that we pause and reflect on how we are empowering Kentucky’s future teacher workforce. During a recent Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee, the Office of Education Accountability (OEA) presented on Kentucky [...]

By |2023-11-09T15:39:30-05:00November 9th, 2023|Blog, Education|
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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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