FacebookInstagramXYouTubeEmail

The Time Is Now: Investing in Youth Nicotine Prevention and Cessation

August is in full swing, and with it comes the start of a new school year in Kentucky. As in previous years, new trends and persistent concerns among Kentucky kids are making headlines. One issue that continues to raise alarms in schools across the Commonwealth is nicotine dependence among students.  While the conversation around youth nicotine use is not new, the landscape has shifted significantly over the last year. Some recent changes include:   Kentucky [...]

By |2025-08-20T16:46:07-04:00August 20th, 2025|Blog, Health|
Read More

What are Child Impact Statements and How Does it Impact Policy Change?

What are Impact Statements? Impact statements are used by local, state, and federal agencies and branches of government to assess implications of proposed legislation, administrative procedures, cases, amongst other decisions. Impact statements can cover topics such as  criminal justice, environment, higher education, poverty, open government, amongst other areas of focus.  Most widely known are fiscal impact statements which examine budget implications and may include information related to estimated costs and potential savings of a proposed [...]

By |2025-08-19T12:51:51-04:00August 19th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice|
Read More

Support the Health of All Kentucky Kids by Ensuring Up-to-Date Childhood Immunizations

As we welcome August, kids and families across the state are gearing up for another school year and a long list of last minute to-dos. Along with school supply shopping and soaking up the last days of summer, back to school is the perfect time to make sure your child is up to date on routine childhood immunizations. August not only welcomes students back to the classroom, it is also recognized as National Immunization Awareness [...]

By |2025-08-06T11:26:36-04:00August 6th, 2025|Blog, Health|
Read More

Youth Care and Are Aware: Let’s Listen to Their Input on Substance Abuse Prevention

By: Liltoyria Bohler, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates I attended The Kentucky Harm Reduction Summit, which was a gathering for people to learn and share ways to reduce the harm to individuals and communities associated with drug usage. At the summit, there was a youth panel, and they said they feel as though they are heard by adults but not listened to; I believe it's important to listen to youth and not just hear. When it [...]

By |2025-10-09T16:20:13-04:00July 30th, 2025|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Health|
Read More

Celebrating Community Collaboration: Spotlight on the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disabilities’ (DBHDID) Work Supporting Kentucky Families

As the Kentucky Thriving Families, Safer Children  (TFSCKY) initiative prepares to enter its fifth year, we’re proud to reflect on the remarkable efforts of our partners who share our mission of supporting families before a crisis occurs. At the heart of TFSCKY is a simple but powerful belief: by providing community support and increasing collaboration, we can keep families together and promote overall well-being, safety, and positive outcomes.  This month, we are spotlighting the Department [...]

By |2025-07-30T16:31:48-04:00July 30th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Health|
Read More

Support on Decision Making to Invest in the Future of Our “Forever Kentucky Home”

by Tara Grieshop-Goodwin The air conditioning unit at our house recently went out - at the peak of some of our hottest days of the summer. We had an older unit that our HVAC service person had been able to keep running with fixes and repairs for many years (even decades) past when most units last. But eventually the damage was too great for repair and we had a big expense to cover. We debated [...]

By |2025-07-24T12:51:49-04:00July 24th, 2025|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Race Equity|
Read More

From Barbecues to Budget Cuts: How the New Federal Budget Impacts Families in Kentucky

This is part of Kentucky Youth Advocates’ series on the federal landscape and the impacts on Kentucky children and families.  Along with barbecues and fireworks, the 4th of July also brought a new federal budget signed into law. Although the reconciliation package saw several versions before final passage, many of the programs we have highlighted throughout the Summer will see significant changes under the new law.   Among the largest cuts in the program's history are [...]

By |2025-07-16T13:28:48-04:00July 16th, 2025|Blog, Health, Medicaid|
Read More

The Power of Data: How We Know What Kentucky’s Kids Need

While many people are familiar with the Kentucky KIDS COUNT project, there is much more county, school district, and race level data that is collected and analyzed. The Annie E. Casey Foundation, who leads the national KIDS COUNT project, hosts a Data Center for all 50 states where additional information can be found. In addition to the data they display for the entire state and each congressional district, KYA tracks more information at the county [...]

By |2025-07-11T12:02:41-04:00July 11th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Medicaid|
Read More

June is Oral Health Month: Building Awareness of Positive Oral Health Habits and Outcomes  

As Kentuckians across the state welcome warmer weather and summer break, KYA is also taking time to celebrate Oral Health Month throughout June. Oral Health Month is a time to recognize the importance of oral health and build awareness of positive oral health habits and outcomes.    This means not only engaging in positive oral health behaviors like daily brushing and flossing, and regularly visiting a dentist, but also understanding trends and advocating for policies that [...]

By |2025-06-16T16:29:50-04:00June 16th, 2025|Blog, Health|
Read More

New Report – Bloom Kentucky Examines the Economic Impact of ACEs and Offers Recommendations

New Report - Bloom Kentucky Examines the Economic Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Kentucky and Offers Key Strategies for Prevention Contact: Kelsey Dimar kdimar@kyyouth.org LOUISVILLE, KY – Adversity experienced in childhood has an annual estimated cost of $295 million on Kentucky’s economy, according to The Economic Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Kentucky report released today by Bloom Kentucky, an initiative powered by grantmaking partners from across the Commonwealth and backboned by Kentucky Youth [...]

By |2025-09-09T12:59:35-04:00June 16th, 2025|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Health, Justice, News Room, Race Equity|
Read More
Go to Top