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Health Youth Ambassadors 2024 Onboarding Retreat

Kentucky Youth Advocates is proud to announce our 2024-2025 Health Youth Ambassadors! These high school students from around the Commonwealth are eager to make positive changes in their communities and throughout the state. This year’s cohort of high school students includes two Freshman, four Sophomores, six Juniors, and three Seniors with representation from Boyle, Edmonson, Graves, Jefferson, Johnson, Madison, Shelby, Taylor, and Warren Counties. The Health Youth Ambassadors (HYA) program is a statewide cohort [...]

By |2024-08-14T15:09:53-04:00August 14th, 2024|Blog, Education, Health, Kids Count|
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The Kentucky KIDS COUNT Project Needs YOU!

For more than 30 years, Kentucky KIDS COUNT has provided the latest child well-being data. Because it is seen and used by everyone from groups of youth in Eastern Kentucky to Cabinet secretaries in Frankfort, KIDS COUNT data is a catalyst for change. Much of the data is available disaggregated by race, making it an important tool to advance racial equity in Kentucky. We at Kentucky Youth Advocates use that data as the foundation for [...]

By |2024-07-18T14:10:15-04:00July 18th, 2024|Blog, Kids Count|
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OP-ED: We must coalesce around improving Kentucky’s student outcomes

This originally appeared as an op-ed in the Kentucky Lantern on July 5, 2024. By Terry Brooks The annual national KIDS COUNT Data Book includes more data into which to dive than column inches allow.  But an overview of the report reminds us that Kentucky is not the best place in America to be young.  Or the second-best place.  Or the 10th or the 20th or even 30th.  Instead, the 2024 report card on the [...]

By |2024-07-08T11:36:32-04:00July 3rd, 2024|Blog, Economic Security, Education, Kids Count, News Room, Race Equity|
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Children’s Advocacy Week 2024 Updates

By Leah Wade, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates  With the new year officially here, it is time for an update on Children’s Advocacy Week 2024. Children’s Advocacy Week will take place January 22-26th and we wanted to provide the schedule and reminders for the week to assist you in lifting your voice for Kentucky’s children. Again, this year, we will host both in-person and virtual events. You can find a schedule of the events with [...]

By |2024-01-17T13:02:34-05:00January 5th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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Announcing the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children 2024 State Policy and Budget Priorities Agenda

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Louisville, KY – Today, Kentucky Youth Advocates and partners from across the Commonwealth released the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children 2024 priority agenda. The Blueprint speaks with a common voice to create brighter futures for all Kentucky kids and their families. The Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children is a coalition of non-profit, public, and private organizations that stands on three pillars: thriving communities launch strong families, strong families launch successful kids, and successful [...]

By |2023-12-06T10:13:43-05:00December 6th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Medicaid, News Room, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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A Focus on Youth Mental Health and Improving Outcomes

By Yelena Bagdasaryan, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates  Mental health is an integral part of kids’ everyday lives and a focus area nationally as mental health issues among youth have increased in recent years. Addressing these concerns is vital for youth since mental health struggles are leading causes for poor health outcomes and difficulties in school and relationships. Since the pandemic, mental health among youth has declined drastically in Kentucky, which can be attributed to [...]

By |2023-11-22T11:13:23-05:00November 20th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Education, Health, Kids Count|
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2023 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book: A Look at Child Well-Being Data Trends and Investing in the “Kid Workforce”

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org 2023 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book: A Look at Child Well-Being Data Trends and Investing in the “Kid Workforce” Featuring the latest county-level data for key measures of child well-being Louisville, KY – The 2023 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book, released today by Kentucky Youth Advocates, features the latest data on 16 measures of child well-being, showing whether outcomes for children across the Commonwealth have improved, worsened, or stayed the [...]

By |2023-11-14T14:38:15-05:00November 15th, 2023|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, News Room, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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Save the Date: Children’s Advocacy Week 2024

For 20 years, advocates for kids have gathered in Frankfort for Children’s Advocacy Day to fill the halls of the Capitol and ask their elected officials to step up for Kentucky kids. The critical mass of advocates in the Capitol building led to many policy wins and raising awareness of issues facing kids and their families.   As we’ve transitioned to Children’s Advocacy WEEK, we've been able to have a series of virtual events with [...]

By |2023-11-01T16:35:45-04:00November 1st, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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Showing up to School Pays Off (Literally)

October is dedicated to National Dropout Prevention Month and in this blog, we will dive into attendance and the role this indicator plays in academic achievement, drop out rates, as well as, funding in Kentucky schools.  Research shows that school absences take a toll on grades and performance on standardized tests. Beyond test scores, irregular attendance can be a predictor of high school drop-out, which has been linked to poor labor market prospects, diminished health, [...]

By |2023-10-31T17:38:50-04:00October 31st, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Education, Kids Count|
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Making Kids Count in the 2023 Election

Kids cannot vote, but you can ensure that their voices are heard by engaging with candidates in local, state, and federal elections. The leaders we elect determine policy that will impact our daily lives for what may be generations to come. But how often do we pause to consider–specifically–how our choices at the ballot box will impact us, and particularly young children who depend on us to make the right choices? We must keep [...]

By |2023-10-20T13:43:23-04:00August 16th, 2023|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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