Statement on Passage of SB 229 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 – With the Kosair for Kids Face It Movement policy team, we are commending the House Families & Children Committee supporting passage of Senate Bill 229, sponsored by Senators Julie Raque Adams, David Yates, and Danny Carroll. The House committee substitute adopted today expands the measure’s efforts to close gaps in abuse reporting laws and strengthen how we support families at risk by allowing the transfer of child welfare case hearings to the Office of Legal Services within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. [...]
Statement on Passage of HB 3 by the Senate A&R Committee
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – As the General Assembly wrestles with the complex issue of juvenile justice, Senator Danny Carroll continues to lead. His additions to House Bill 3 with the Senate Committee Substitute underscore the potential to improve public safety, hold youth accountable for mistakes, and focus on getting those young people back on the right track. Those additions include: Delaying the implementation of the 48-hour hold mandate for one year. Establishing the 48-hour hold mandate does not apply to children 10-years-old or younger. Allowing for [...]
Statement on Passage of SB 48 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 – Increasing transparency and accountability within child welfare cases is one step closer today with passage of Senate Bill 48 by the House Families & Children Committee. Among several other components to boost efficiency within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, this measure will relocate the Ombudsman’s Office to the state Auditor’s Office – a move that is good for the outcomes of families with Department for Community Based Services involvement and for CHFS, as it reduces potential conflicts of interest. With the [...]
Statement on Passage of SB 135 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 – Today, we’re celebrating as the House Families & Children Committee passes Senate Bill 135 to strengthen mental health supports postpartum. Maternal health and well-being play a key role in the healthy development of a child at every stage. As SB 135 advances to the House floor for final consideration, the Commonwealth is one step closer to ensuring new parents can be assessed for postpartum depression and other related mental health disorders so they can access needed services. We thank Senator Shelley Funke Frommeyer [...]
Statement on Passage of SB 229 by the Kentucky Senate
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – At 6th in the nation in the rate of child maltreatment, the Commonwealth has made progress but still has a long way to go in child maltreatment prevention efforts. Yet, we can celebrate today as Kentucky is one step closer to closing gaps in abuse reporting laws and strengthening how we support families at risk. Senate Bill 229, championed by Senators Julie Raque Adams, David Yates, and Danny Carroll, passed the Kentucky Senate unanimously today. This measure is a longstanding priority of [...]
Statement on Kentucky House Passage of HB 470
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Today was a seminal moment in the Kentucky House. The question at hand: Is the House committed to all of Kentucky's kids or just some of Kentucky's kids? We are appreciative of the "NO" votes on HB 470 from the House Democratic caucus members to be sure. And a special thanks is merited for those House Republicans who also voted "NO" today. Representatives Kim Banta, Stephanie Dietz, and Kim Moser showed a moral backbone that is all too rare these days. They let conscience, [...]
Statement on Passage of HB 21 by the Kentucky House
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Youth experiencing homelessness while unaccompanied by an adult deserve the ability to find stability and escape poverty, yet they face significant barriers required to obtain essential documents, such as an ID. House Bill 21, sponsored by Representative Randy Bridges, seeks to address just that by updating Kentucky’s homeless ID law to allow unaccompanied homeless youth to get an ID without parental permission. We applaud Representative Bridges for championing HB 21 and the Kentucky House for unanimously supporting its passage today. As this [...]
Statement on Passage of HB 3 by the House A&R Committee and KY House
Statement updated at 3:50PM on February 28, 2023 upon passage of House Bill 3 by the Kentucky House. Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – As House Bill 3 advances through the legislative process, including today’s passage by the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee and then House of Representatives, we are reminded of the critical tipping point in which the Commonwealth stands when it comes to the juvenile justice system. Yes, there must be discussion on the very real state budget implications that sustained improvements to the juvenile justice [...]
Statement on Passage of SB 229 by the Senate Families & Children Committee
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – While there has been a 33 percent reduction in child victims of maltreatment from 2017 to 2021, there were nearly 15,000 victims of child maltreatment in the Commonwealth in 2021. Keeping kids safe is an adult responsibility – whether that’s prevention, recognition, or reporting, we all have a role to play in addressing Kentucky’s high rate of victims of child maltreatment. Senator Julie Raque Adams is once again stepping up to ensure there are no gaps in child maltreatment reporting policies by [...]
Statement on Passage of SB 135 by the Kentucky Senate
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Parents need to be healthy, have access to the care and services they need, and have the necessary resources to meet basic needs throughout their pregnancy, birth, and after welcoming a new child. And the reality is, at least 1 in 8 women experience postpartum depression, which impacts the growth and development of their baby, too. Effectively treating and managing maternal depression and other mental health disorders starts with identifying those challenges early. Senate Bill 135, sponsored by Senator Shelley Funke Frommeyer, [...]