Children Won in the 2014 KY General Assembly
The 2014 Kentucky General Assembly wrapped up late last night. The day after, a review of the action taken by legislators in Frankfort this year shows major accomplishments for Kentucky children. Thank you to the many bill sponsors, leaders on budget issues, Governor Beshear, President Stivers, Speaker Stumbo, other members of House and Senate leadership, and all legislators that helped make these accomplishments possible! What do these wins mean? SB 176, sponsored by Senator Denise [...]
If you missed KY Gives Day – You can still Make a Difference
Yesterday, April 9, was KY Gives Day. It was a day when people stepped up to invest in non-profits all across the Commonwealth, and we thank everyone who gave to Kentucky Youth Advocates (KYA) yesterday. If you missed KY Gives Day, you can still make a donation to KYA today or any day at https://kyyouth.org/donate/. Children often don’t have a voice in decisions made by our policymakers, and your support will help make sure Kentucky Youth Advocates can continue [...]
Together, We Can Make Kentucky a Better State to be a Kid
By: Rebecca Ghent, 2013-2014 KYA Intern Every child in this state should have a chance to succeed. A lot of people are committed to making that idea a reality. As a social work student, I have had the opportunity to see the varied efforts of many people hard at work. I have seen it in people working in schools, in lawyers working with refugees and immigrants, and now at Kentucky Youth Advocates. I have met [...]
The Passage of SB 176 Helps Real KY Families
As many of you who follow Kentucky Youth Advocates’ blog know, kinship families in Kentucky saw a major win in this year’s General Assembly with passage of Senate Bill 176, sponsored by Denise Harper Angel. SB 176 allows a relative caregiver to complete an affidavit, under penalty of perjury, stating that they are the primary caregiver of the child, and then by presenting the form they can authorize health care treatment, educational services, and school enrollment. [...]
Change Kids’ Lives by Supporting Kentucky Youth Advocates on KY Gives Day
On April 9, 2014, our community will come together for KY Gives Day, and we need YOU to join us. It's 24 hours of unprecedented nonprofit giving-and it's your chance to make a real difference, right here in our community. Children often don't have a voice in decisions made by our policymakers, and your support will help make sure Kentucky Youth Advocates can continue to be THE independent voice for Kentucky kids. This is YOUR chance to make a real difference for [...]
On the Homestretch for Legislative Wins
We are currently in the homestretch of this year’s legislative session, and as Kentuckians that prioritize speaking up for our most vulnerable citizens, we already have some reasons to celebrate as well as reasons to remain hopeful that the session will result in important wins for kids. An important win for some of our youngest Kentuckians came in the form of the passage of House Bill 157. This bill requires training on the recognition and [...]
Kids’ Bills Progress in the Kentucky Legislature
The legislative session is moving along quickly and this week, a couple of good bills for kids made progress. We are excited about the movement of these bills and look forward to them continuing through the legislative process. Here’s a snapshot on what moved forward this week: SB 176 – Passed Senate Judiciary Committee (Kinship Caregiver Authorization Law) Today’s passage of SB 176 by the Senate Judiciary Committee is a true affirmation of the importance Kentuckians place [...]
Live United Day: March 12
On Wednesday, March 12,2014, advocates from across the state, including Kentucky Youth Advocates, will be attending LIVE UNITED Day at the Capitol in Frankfort to speak out for and support United Way’s priorities including education, income, and health. United Way would specifically like advocates to encourage our legislators to restore funding for the Child Care Assistance Program in the state budget. The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) helps low-income families access to quality child care [...]
Enacting a Kinship Caregiver Authorization Law in Kentucky
Yesterday, Senator Harper Angel filed SB 176 to allow a relative caregiver to access key services for the children in their care when legal custody or guardianship is not feasible. We applaud her for her leadership on this important issue for kids and look forward to the bill moving forward through the Senate and House this session. Children across Kentucky are being denied access to education and health care solely because they are being raised [...]