Terry Brooks is joined by Kelly Pullen, Executive Director of the Aetna Better Health® of Kentucky's Supporting Kentucky Youth (SKY) program. We hear more about the long term impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the role Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) has in mitigating adversity. Terry and Kelly also reflect on the SKY program's ACEs prevention and intervention efforts and how all Kentuckians can play a role in preventing adversity and promoting resilience building [...]

Terry Brooks shares reflections on the first week of the 2025 Kentucky General Assembly, updates on Blueprint for Kentucky's Children policy priorities, and a call to action for advocates to speak up for kids throughout the short state legislative session. Find advocacy information and resources at kyyouth.org/blueprintKY. Thank you to Aetna Better Health of Kentucky for supporting the Making Kids Count podcast. Visit AetnaMedicaidKY.com/choose to learn more about their health care [...]

Terry Brooks is joined by state Auditor of Public Accounts Allison Ball to discuss her roles as state Treasurer and Auditor. They also dive into the office of the Auditor's recent efforts that will impact some of Kentucky's most vulnerable kids: the successful transition of the Office of the Ombudsman, the ongoing assessment of Senate Bill 151 to support kinship families, and the ongoing investigation into incidents of children in foster care sleeping in [...]

Terry Brooks shares an overview of the 2024 Kentucky KIDS COUNT Data Book and the trends in the latest child well-being data. The 2024 Data Book and new online, interactive County Data Dashboard feature the latest data on 16 measures of economic security, education, health, and family and community. Additionally, the essay of this year's edition dives into the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and progress on mitigating those impacts through Positive Childhood [...]

Terry Brooks is joined by state Senator Lindsey Tichenor to discuss the proponent perspective of Amendment 2, the state ballot initiative to amend the Kentucky constitution to allow the Kentucky General Assembly to create legislation that allows public dollars to be spent to support nonpublic or private K-12 education. Be an informed voter on November 5th -- check out Kentucky Youth Advocates’ Electoral Advocacy Toolkit to ensure Kentucky kids count this election day. Listen [...]

Terry Brooks is joined by Maddie Shepard, President of the Jefferson County Teachers Association, to discuss the opponent perspective of Amendment 2, the state ballot initiative to amend the Kentucky constitution to allow the Kentucky General Assembly to create legislation that allows public dollars to be spent to support nonpublic or private K-12 education. Be an informed voter on November 5th -- check out Kentucky Youth Advocates’ Electoral Advocacy Toolkit to ensure Kentucky kids [...]

Terry Brooks is joined by Jonathan Shell, Kentucky's Commissioner of Agriculture, to discuss the Department of Agriculture's initiatives related to hunger, nutrition, and workforce, as well as the role we can all play in advocacy and volunteerism. Thank you to Aetna Better Health of Kentucky for supporting the Making Kids Count podcast. Visit AetnaMedicaidKY.com/choose to learn more about their health care benefits and programs designed with your family’s wellbeing in mind. [...]

Terry Brooks is joined by Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman to continue Kentucky Youth Advocates’ look at the 2024 national KIDS COUNT® Data Book and Kentucky students’ educational outcomes. Thank you to Aetna Better Health of Kentucky for supporting the Making Kids Count podcast. Visit AetnaMedicaidKY.com/choose to learn more about their health care benefits and programs designed with your family’s wellbeing in mind. [...]

Alicia Whatley, KYA's Senior Policy & Advocacy Director, is joined by Dr. Brit Anderson, pediatrician and vice president of the Kentucky Chapter of the American Academy for Pediatrics, Bruce Crouch, who has served as a school resource officer in Taylor County and helps lead the Taylor County Youth Coalition, and Ashlea Christiansen, Kentucky government relations director for the American Heart Association. They look at the state of youth vaping, prevention and intervention practices, and [...]

Terry Brooks is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Dinkins, dean of the School of Education at Bellarmine University, and Dr. Jim Flynn, Executive Director of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, to continue Kentucky Youth Advocates' look at the 2024 national KIDS COUNT® Data Book and Kentucky students' educational outcomes. Thank you to Aetna Better Health of Kentucky for supporting the Making Kids Count podcast. Visit AetnaMedicaidKY.com/choose to learn more about their [...]