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The School Safety and Resiliency Act: A Summary

As the 2019 legislative session wrapped up, a significant win for Kentucky’s children in schools across the Commonwealth was signed into law by Governor Bevin – Senate Bill 1, known as the School Safety and Resiliency Act. Since then, there have been a fair amount of questions among educators, health professionals, students, and advocates related to the details and implied impacts of the bill. When it comes to any issue – and that includes school [...]

By |2019-05-02T20:40:26-04:00May 2nd, 2019|Blog, Education, Health|
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30 Days, Infinite Ripples

Sometimes 30 days can feel like way more than 30 days. And the 2019 Kentucky General Assembly felt like WAY more than 30 days! (OK, technically the session started in January and went through the end of March, and legislators were just in chambers for 30 days, but you get the idea. A lot happened during this legislative session, and Kentucky leaders didn’t even have a state budget to work on.) Better behavioral health services [...]

By |2019-04-03T14:42:27-04:00April 3rd, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Education, Health|
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Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on Final Passage of HB 11

Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates Tobacco conversations in Kentucky are complex and bring lots of pressures on our elected leaders, and that is why House Bill 11 is such a profound win for Kentucky’s kids. We’re hearing cheers across the Commonwealth as it clears its final hurdle of the 2019 legislative session. HB 11 establishes a statewide tobacco-free school campus policy, and that [...]

By |2019-03-28T17:04:09-04:00March 28th, 2019|Education, Health, News Room|
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Gavel Comes Down, Party Decorations Go Up: Cheers for Children Celebration on April 11th

As the gavel falls on the 2019 Kentucky General Assembly, party decorations are going up! Kentucky kids—and the committed advocates, caregivers, and volunteers who support those kids every day—have a lot to celebrate. On April 11th you can join the celebration at Cheers for Children, Kentucky Youth Advocates’ annual fundraiser where we ask for your support as the independent voice for Kentucky kids in Frankfort. (Check out a recap of last year’s event, including photos, [...]

By |2019-03-28T16:29:40-04:00March 28th, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Youth Justice|
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Guest Post: It’s Time to Make Kentucky Schools Tobacco Free

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Northern Kentucky Tribune on March 25, 2019.  By Ben Chandler, Terry Brooks, Kerri Shelling, Jack Hillard, David Adkisson Kentucky students need a statewide tobacco-free schools law to protect them from secondhand smoke, e-cigarette aerosol and tobacco product messaging at school. Nearly 60 percent of Kentucky kids attend schools that do not have such policies, so they smell, breathe and otherwise absorb tobacco emissions and messaging during the school [...]

By |2019-03-26T09:25:18-04:00March 25th, 2019|Blog, Education, Health|
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Kick Butts (and E-cigs) Day

Today is National Kick Butts Day, a nationally recognized day led by Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids dating back to 1996, that empowers teachers, youth, and health advocates to stand up and speak out about the issues created by tobacco use in their community, to encourage youth to be tobacco-free, and to urge elected officials to protect youth from tobacco. There are many ways you can participate in Kick Butts Day. Check out the list of [...]

By |2019-03-20T09:22:48-04:00March 19th, 2019|Blog, Education, Health|
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Upset Wins for Kentucky Kids

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Herald Leader on March 15, 2019.  A high and holy season in the Bluegrass is upon us – March Madness. I will deeply dive into the metrics of winning basketball before completing my bracket. And my grandkids will consider elements like favorite mascots and team colors before completing theirs – and they will beat me. So, while I may be unable to accurately project winners, this I know: [...]

By |2019-09-05T12:57:28-04:00March 18th, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice|
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Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on HB 11 Passing Senate Health and Welfare Committee

Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates Kids win when their leaders prioritize them, and the Senate Health and Welfare Committee did just that today with their passage of House Bill 11. With more and more Kentucky middle and high school students using tobacco products like e-cigarettes, a statewide tobacco-free school campus policy is the step in the right direction to protect the next generation [...]

By |2019-03-14T09:53:40-04:00March 14th, 2019|Education, Health, News Room|
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Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on HB 11 Passing Kentucky House

Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates Kentucky is one step closer to making a profound and positive difference for kids’ health with the House’s passage of House Bill 11, championed by Representative Kim Moser. Currently, only 42 percent of Kentucky public school districts have adopted tobacco-free policies. And all of our students deserve to learn and grow in a healthy school environment. The peak [...]

By |2019-03-12T16:08:05-04:00March 12th, 2019|Education, Health, News Room|
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Practicing Self-Care, Especially When You Love Your Job

Image from the New Social Worker® Social workers (and other helping professionals) often work in demanding contexts and help people process difficult situations. We’re expected to be keenly aware of the negative impact this work can have on our well-being and capacity for burnout. However, during my first years in the field, my understanding of self-care was synonymous with (and limited to) taking a bubble bath or getting a massage after a bad [...]

By |2019-03-12T13:30:01-04:00March 12th, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Youth Justice|
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