News Room

Statement by Terry Brooks on Governor’s State of the Budget Address

Statement by Terry Brooks on Governor’s State of the Budget Address

Budgets always require tough choices, and tonight Steve Beshear built on his previous commitment to kids around health and high school graduation and became “the Children’s Governor” because of the choices he made, the priorities he established, and the values he exemplified. In what is arguably the most historic budget address for kids in the Commonwealth in decades, Governor Beshear laid out an agenda that is as smart as it is bold. He tackled the [...]

By admin|2014-01-21T20:05:34-05:00January 21st, 2014|News Room|

Children’s Advocacy Day Draws Hundreds to Frankfort

Children’s Advocacy Day Draws Hundreds to Frankfort

Jeffersontown, KY - Hundreds of Kentuckians of all ages from across the Commonwealth are convening in Frankfort today for the 10th annual Children's Advocacy Day at the Capitol. They are urging legislators to fund kids first in the next two year state budget and support the Blueprint for Kentucky's Children, a common agenda for child advocates across the state. "We are challenging legislators to stand up for kids," said Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates. [...]

By Andrea Bennett|2014-01-16T11:08:29-05:00January 16th, 2014|News Room|

Statement in Response to the Governor’s 2014 State of the Commonwealth Address

Statement in Response to the Governor’s 2014 State of the Commonwealth Address

It is altogether fitting and proper that a major piece of the Governor’s speech was about kids and families. The Governor, in fact, took an important first step in protecting children from abuse - he is appropriately touted as a health reformer whose efforts work - and he and the First Lady were pivotal in raising the graduation rate. And much of the vision that he describes is truly aspirational for children. Once again, his [...]

By Terry Brooks|2014-01-07T20:33:03-05:00January 7th, 2014|News Room|

New Report Outlines Need for Increased Supports for Kinship Families in Kentucky

New Report Outlines Need for Increased Supports for Kinship Families in Kentucky

Contact: Andrea Bennett abennett@kyyouth.org 502-381-1176 Jeffersontown, KY – The number of children being cared for by grandparents and other relatives - known as kinship care - has doubled over the past decade in Kentucky. Currently, 6 percent of all children in Kentucky are being raised by extended family members – one of the highest rates in the nation. Yet, despite this growing number of kinship families, Kentucky offers little support to kinship caregivers as they [...]

By Andrea Bennett|2013-12-30T07:00:12-05:00December 30th, 2013|News Room|

Statement by Terry Brooks, Executive Director, on the Announcement of Kentucky’s $44 Million Race to the Top Grant

Statement by Terry Brooks, Executive Director, on the Announcement of Kentucky’s $44 Million Race to the Top Grant

Contact: Andrea Bennett abennett@kyyouth.org 502-381-1176 Jeffersontown, KY - We join the Governor in celebrating the Race to the Top grant. His Office of Early Childhood is an example of what focused attention can achieve. At this moment of justifiable pride, it is also a time to challenge the Governor and legislative leaders to make the other part of the early childhood arena into a positive. The cuts to child care and kinship care supports have to [...]

By admin|2013-12-19T16:50:24-05:00December 19th, 2013|Education, News Room|

Statement by Terry Brooks, Executive Director, on the Release of Recommendations from the Unified Juvenile Code Task Force

Statement by Terry Brooks, Executive Director, on the Release of Recommendations from the Unified Juvenile Code Task Force

Contact: Andrea Bennett abennett@kyyouth.org 502-381-1176 Jeffersontown, KY - Today, the Unified Juvenile Code Task Force announced strong recommendations for changes to Kentucky's juvenile code. The recommendations reflect a commitment to Kentucky's children, to public safety and to using taxpayer dollars effectively to achieve better outcomes. We commend Representative John Tilley and Senator Whitney Westerfield for their bipartisan leadership in guiding the Task Force in a thorough analysis of the data and the status of Kentucky's juvenile [...]

By admin|2013-12-19T16:44:46-05:00December 19th, 2013|News Room, Youth Justice|

New KIDS COUNT County Level Rankings on Child Well-Being Reveal Need for Smart Investments in KY Kids

New KIDS COUNT County Level Rankings on Child Well-Being Reveal Need for Smart Investments in KY Kids

Contact: Andrea Bennett abennett@kyyouth.org 502-381-1178 Jeffersontown, KY – The 2013 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book, released today by Kentucky Youth Advocates highlights the need for smart investments to ensure kids in all counties have the best opportunity to thrive in childhood and succeed as adults. This is the 23nd annual release of the Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book, part of the Kentucky KIDS COUNT project. The KIDS COUNT project monitors progress for Kentucky's [...]

By admin|2013-12-10T00:00:48-05:00December 10th, 2013|News Room|

New Report Shows A State Earned Income Credit Would Help Kentucky Families and the Economy

New Report Shows A State Earned Income Credit Would Help Kentucky Families and the Economy

Jeffersontown, KY -Thousands of Kentucky families and communities could see immediate and long term benefits, at little cost to the state, if policymakers implemented a state Earned Income Credit (EIC), also known as EITC, according to a new Blueprint for Kentucky's Children issue brief from Kentucky Youth Advocates. The issue brief, A State Earned Income Credit Would Help Kentucky Families and Local Economies, examines the federal EIC's 30-year track record of lifting children and families out of [...]

By admin|2013-12-03T06:00:52-05:00December 3rd, 2013|News Room|

Thousands of KY Babies Would Benefit from a Comprehensive, Statewide Smoke-Free Law

Jeffersontown, KY - A new Blueprint for Kentucky's Children Issue Brief released today by Kentucky Youth Advocates, reveals that Kentucky has one of the highest rates of smoking during pregnancy in the nation. Clearing the Air for All Kentucky Children highlights the need for a comprehensive, statewide smoke-free law to reduce exposure to harmful secondhand smoke for children and unborn children and reduce smoking during pregnancy. Nearly one in four (23 percent) Kentucky babies born in 2011 had mothers who smoked during [...]

By admin|2013-11-19T07:00:56-05:00November 19th, 2013|News Room|

New KIDS COUNT Report finds Critical Investments Should Target the First Eight Years of Life

New KIDS COUNT Report finds Critical Investments Should Target the First Eight Years of Life

Jeffersontown, KY — The KIDS COUNT policy report, The First Eight Years: Giving Kids a Foundation for Lifetime Success, co-released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Kentucky Youth Advocates, presents a strong case for investing in quality early learning opportunities and supporting parents to ensure their young children are on the right track for success. The first eight years of a child’s life are critical for developing needed emotional and cognitive skills for [...]

By Andrea Bennett|2013-11-04T00:01:06-05:00November 4th, 2013|News Room|