Statement on Passage of SB 73 by Kentucky Senate

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Kids’ safety was once again prioritized by the Kentucky Senate with their overwhelming bipartisan support of Senate Bill 73 today. Through the leadership of Senator Julie Raque Adams, SB 73 will empower victims of sexual extortion by holding perpetrators accountable and will prioritize prevention education among Kentucky’s most vulnerable to online risks. Online sexual extortion – or [...]

By |2025-02-12T15:25:59-05:00February 12th, 2025|Child Welfare & Safety, Education, News Room|

Statement on Passage of SB 17 by Kentucky Senate

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Freestanding birth centers give pregnant moms choices in their care – and the Kentucky Senate voted to support that notion today with passage of Senate Bill 17, sponsored by Senator Shelly Funke Frommeyer. By removing barriers to establishing freestanding birth centers in Kentucky, pregnant moms with low-risk pregnancies can receive perinatal care safely in a homelike environment [...]

By |2025-02-07T12:59:36-05:00February 7th, 2025|Health, News Room, Race Equity|

Statement on Passage of SB 73 by Senate Judiciary Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – As Kentucky kids learn and socialize increasingly in online spaces, it’s as important as ever to put safeguards in place to prevent and address exploitation and promote child safety. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in cases of online sexual extortion, or “sextortion” – where perpetrators use social media platforms, gaming sites, and messaging [...]

By |2025-02-06T09:59:09-05:00February 6th, 2025|Child Welfare & Safety, Education, News Room|

Statement on Passage of SB 17 by Senate Health Services Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Kentucky kids’ health depends on access to safe and equitable care – beginning even before they are born. Senate Bill 17, sponsored by Senator Shelly Funke Frommeyer, will remove barriers to critical perinatal care options so that more Kentucky moms and their babies have the chance to thrive. Freestanding birth centers are small health care facilities that offer [...]

By |2025-02-05T17:47:04-05:00February 5th, 2025|Health, News Room, Race Equity|

OP-ED: “Say What?” Legislative Proposals for Kids

This originally appeared as an op-ed in the Herald Leader, NKY Tribune, and Courier Journal. By Terry Brooks “Say what?” Merriam Webster describes this idiom as “a way to express surprise or disbelief at what someone has said or at unexpected news.” It is also the most popular response to any question or request directed to my three teenage grandkids. I’m never sure if that teen response is genuine surprise or a very skilled stalling [...]

Statement on Auditor’s Report on Foster Children Sleeping in DCBS Offices

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – With the release of the preliminary report on foster children staying in Department for Community Based Services office buildings, State Auditor Allison Ball and the Office of the Ombudsman exemplifies how to be a catalyst for change for some of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable kids. The report outlines a few important takeaways for us to consider when it [...]

By |2025-01-29T14:20:49-05:00January 29th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, News Room|

The Latest Child Maltreatment Report Shows Kentucky’s High Rate of Victims Persists

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org LOUISVILLE, KY – The latest national Child Maltreatment report from the Children’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows a total of 14,484 child victims of maltreatment in Kentucky during the reporting period (FFY 2023). While there has been a 28% reduction in child victims of maltreatment from 2019 to 2023, Kentucky has nearly double the national rate (7.4 per 1,000) of child maltreatment at 14.2 per 1,000 children. Young [...]

By |2025-01-16T14:26:47-05:00January 16th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, News Room|

Announcing the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children 2025 State Policy Priorities Agenda

Media 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 2025 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 kids launch a prosperous future [...]

2024 Kentucky KIDS COUNT Data Book: A Look at Child Well-Being Data Trends and Mitigating Adverse Childhood Experiences

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org 2024 Kentucky KIDS COUNT Data Book: A Look at Child Well-Being Data Trends and Mitigating Adverse Childhood Experiences Featuring the latest county-level data for key measures of child health, education, economic security, and family and community Louisville, KY – The 2024 Kentucky KIDS COUNT 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, [...]

Kosair for Kids, Elected Officials, and Community Partners in the Face It Movement Recognize October 4th as TEN-4 Day 2024

Hundreds Attend Child Abuse Recognition and Prevention Trainings and Proclamation Signing Events During Week LOUISVILLE, KY – This October 4th, the Kosair for Kids® Face It® Movement is once again bringing awareness to the critically important TEN-4-FACESp Bruising Rule, the decision tool to recognize concerning bruising on babies and young children, and emphasizing the importance of training adults on recognizing, reporting, and preventing child abuse. “Kosair for Kids is on a mission to ensure that [...]

By |2024-10-04T13:08:26-04:00October 3rd, 2024|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, News Room|
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