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: [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Though Census Day is officially April 1, 2020, most people will receive their first invitation to complete the decennial census next March. This means we have only 12 months left to make sure our state is fully prepared to ensure each Kentucky resident is counted once, only once, and in the right place. If you’ve been reading our blogs on the census you know that mission is easier said than done. While the proverbial clock [...]
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates The passage of Senate Bill 218 is a moment that deserves recognition for elevating a growing issue impacting too many Kentucky kids and to push our elected leaders to seize common-sense opportunities that invite their action to protect our young people. Certainly, the good news is that Senator Brandon Smith’s leadership has animated the conversation around preventing youth [...]
As February comes to an end, so does Children’s Dental Health Month 2019, but that doesn’t mean advocating for children’s dental health and maintaining good dental hygiene is not important all year round! One of the most important components of maintaining good overall health throughout our childhood and our adulthood is through establishing positive dental habits at an early age. According to the 2016 Making Smiles Happen surveillance study, socioeconomic status is a major predictor [...]
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates With today’s sound of the gavel in the Kentucky House on Senate Bill 1, legislators across the aisle and chambers confirmed their commitment to increasing students’ safety in the commonwealth. With the leadership of Senator Max Wise and Representative John Carney, SB 1 takes a multi-faceted approach to ensure every Kentucky student is safe and supported in their [...]
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates The Senate Agriculture Committee had a chance to stand up for Kentucky young people today. Five of its members did as they voted in favor of Senate Bill 249. Kentucky Youth Advocates and Kentucky's young people commend Committee Chair Paul Hornback, bill sponsor Senator Stephen Meredith, and Senators Givens, Thayer, and Westerfield. Those five courageous legislative leaders knew [...]
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates Accounting for the complexity and urgency of the issue of school safety, Senate Bill 1 takes a multi-faceted approach to ensure every Kentucky student is safe and supported in their school building. With the House Education Committee’s passage of Senate Bill 1 today, Kentucky public schools are on a path to achieving a standard of physical and psychological [...]
