Juvenile Justice and Miranda Rights: Ensuring Kids Have the Support They Need to Make an Informed Decision

Many of us grew up watching TV shows and movies where police officers would read someone their Miranda rights, “You have the right to remain silent…”, without ever thinking about the people in our communities who may have experienced that in real life, including kids. More than 50 years ago, the Supreme Court acknowledged that children cannot “navigate the justice system without the “guiding hand” of counsel, including when interrogated by law enforcement”. With everything [...]

By |2025-10-28T09:07:27-04:00July 10th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Justice, Youth Justice|

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 [...]

Opioid Data Dashboard Webinar Recap: Using Data to Leverage the Opioid Settlement Funds

Last week, Kentucky Youth Advocates hosted a webinar about the Opioid Data Dashboard on Children and Families and how it can be used as a tool for informing the use of opioid settlement funds. KYA staff members were joined by Lauren Carr, Opioid Settlement Advisor with the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo), a partner in making information available to communities as they invest the funds from the opioid settlement. The opioid settlement funds, which [...]

Census–it’s more than you think

Most of us think the Census is the once every ten year survey that gets filled out to take a count of people, but it’s actually so much more! As an organization that depends on accurate, timely, and thorough data, the Census is one of Kentucky Youth Advocates' go-to sources for information.   While the Census Bureau conducts a survey once every ten years (called the Decennial), it also evaluates the data, makes adjustments based on [...]

What Gets Measured Gets Changed: Leveraging Opioid Data Dashboard Updates

The saying, “what gets measured gets changed,” has long been a cornerstone of the Kentucky KIDS COUNT project, which has reported county-level data on critical measures of child well-being for more than 35 years. As Kentucky faces an unprecedented opportunity to address the opioid epidemic through Opioid Settlement funds, we can prevent future generations from suffering the impacts.  Kentucky Youth Advocates released new data this month on the Opioid Data Dashboard on Children and Families [...]

KYGA25 Reflections: Wins, Missed Opportunities, and Head Scratchers

As we enter April and we look forward to warmer days, Kentucky Youth Advocates is reflecting on another legislative session in the Commonwealth – one that brought wins, missed opportunities, and some puzzling moments for Kentucky kids. Review the recap of the 2025 state legislative session and final status of Blueprint for Kentucky's Children priorities below and check out ways you can still take action for kids.  2025 Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children State Policy Wins [...]

Governor Beshear, House and Senate Leadership Join Hundreds of Youth and Advocates for Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol 2025

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org FRANKFORT, KY – Hundreds of child advocates are convening this week for Children’s Advocacy Week, urging elected leaders to support the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children, a unified policy agenda focused on creating brighter futures for all Kentucky kids and families. Today is Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol, where community organizations, professionals who work with kids and families, and young people from across the Commonwealth gather in Frankfort to meet with their legislators, attend committee [...]

Phoenix’s Story: The Impacts of Eviction in Childhood

By Phoenix Berry, member of the 2025 Housing Policy Ambassadors cohort The feeling of loss is something we all experience, whether that's losing an item, ourselves, or another. I first remember losing my housing when I was in elementary school. My family was evicted from our home due to a public nuisance violation after the police were called because my mother was attempting to flee her abusive partner. We lost everything from baby photos to [...]

Statement on Passage of HB 291 by the Kentucky House

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – A justice system that promotes accountability, considers primary caregiver status, and reserves incarceration for those who pose a risk to public safety can be a win-win-win for family well-being, community safety, and the state’s bottom line. Representative Nick Wilson’s House Bill 291 seeks to do just that by requiring courts to consider alternative sentencing options when an [...]

Statement on Passage of HB 291 by the House Families & Children Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Kentucky has the third highest rate of parental incarceration in the nation, with over 100,000 children having experienced the disruption and trauma of being separated from a parent. The Family Preservation and Accountability Act, co-championed by Senator Julie Raque Adams and Representative Nick Wilson, seeks to hold parents accountable for their actions while minimizing the negative impact [...]

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