Statement on Louisville Metro Council Vote on New Juvenile Assessment Center
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY –It's ironic that we released the 2021 KIDS COUNT County Data Book this week and last night, the Louisville Metro Council faced the question: "Do kids count in Louisville?" And we are pleased that they found common ground to answer with a resounding “YES!” The Council’s decision, with the leadership of Councilman Jecorey Arthur, to create a Juvenile Assessment Center thoughtfully centers the needs and futures of the youth who will be served. With coordination with the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee, this new [...]
Open Letter to Louisville Metro Council on Proposed Youth Transfer Center
An Open Letter to President James and Metro Council: That sound? It’s the flushing of millions of dollars towards an idea that will, in many ways, have the exact opposite effect as intended. Let me be clear. I do not doubt the commitment of EVERY Metro Council member when it comes to supporting young people and making our community safe. But the notion of a Youth Transfer Center is a wrong-headed if well-intended approach. First, the narrative of kids sitting in the back of patrol cars for hours is simply not accurate as a broad pattern of what is happening. [...]
2021 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book: A Look at Data Trends and Solutions to Advance Racial Equity in the Commonwealth
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org 2021 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book: A Look at Data Trends and Solutions to Advance Racial Equity in the Commonwealth Featuring the latest county-level data for key measures of child well-being Louisville, KY – Kentucky will be strongest when all children have their best chance to thrive. The 2021 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book examines data disaggregated by race/ethnicity, the impacts of systemic racial injustice on children and families, and solutions to advance racial equity so that every child can thrive. The 31st edition of this publication also features the latest data on 17 [...]
Statement on the Impact of the 2021 Kentucky General Assembly Special Session on Kids
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Last week’s special session entered our minds and news feeds as quickly as it has now disappeared. Alongside the Beshear Administration and members of the General Assembly, we will continue to assess the results with an eye towards the 2022 legislative session and two-year state budget. As we shared in our initial statement on the special session, there is no group of Kentuckians that deserves decisive action more than our young people – and the good news is that call to action [...]
Statement on Priorities for Kids During the Kentucky General Assembly Special Session
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – The easy path as we approach this special session is to devolve to conventional thinking – that the pandemic and Kentucky’s recovery efforts are too polarizing and too complex for thoughtful and direct solutions. Yet, we attest a hope that the special session can be a landmark moment when the General Assembly and the Governor come together for the common good as our Commonwealth takes the next steps for an expansive and equitable pandemic recovery for all Kentucky kids and their families. And [...]
Kinship Caregivers, State Leaders, and Advocates Attend Kinship Coalition Virtual Summit
Kinship Caregivers, State Leaders, and Advocates Attend Kinship Coalition Virtual Summit Governor Proclaims September as Kinship Care Awareness Month LOUISVILLE, KY – Dozens of kinship caregivers, child welfare stakeholders, policy makers, and advocates from across Kentucky virtually gathered today for the Kinship Coalition Virtual Summit. Two years after the federal Family First Act implementation, over a year out from a global pandemic, a lawsuit that rose to the level of the Supreme Court, and several years of policy changes related to supports for relative caregivers necessitate an intentional reflection and a look forward. The Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky and [...]
Collaboration of Grantmakers Commit to Addressing Kentucky’s High Rate of Childhood Adversity
CONTACT: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Collaboration of Grantmakers Commit to Addressing Kentucky’s High Rate of Childhood Adversity Launches Statewide Initiative Named Bloom Kentucky LOUISVILLE, KY - A collaboration of dedicated grantmaking organizations from across Kentucky gathered today in celebration of the launch of Bloom Kentucky, an initiative focused on statewide policy change that aims to prevent and mitigate the impact of childhood adversity. "Bloom Kentucky is a first-of-its-kind collaborative effort supported by several grantmaking organizations from across the Commonwealth who are all invested in ending Adverse Childhood Experiences. As grantmakers, we care deeply about the health, well-being, and future prosperity of [...]
Kentucky Progress on Child and Family Well-Being Jeopardized by Pandemic
CONTACT: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Kentucky Progress on Child and Family Well-Being Jeopardized by Pandemic Data Across 50 States Show Continued Challenges, But Hopes for Recovery Remain, Annie E. Casey Foundation Finds LOUISVILLE, KY – Kentucky was showing measurable, though slow, progress on family economic well-being and child health coverage immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic but was falling short on curbing youth obesity and having 3- and 4-year-olds in early childhood programs, according to the 2021 KIDS COUNT® Data Book, a 50-state report published today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. "Though the Commonwealth made progress on a number of indicators of child [...]
Statement on JCBE School Suspension Decision
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – The decision by the Jefferson County Board of Education to “suspend suspensions” for our youngest children is far more than a simple change in disciplinary procedures. Instead, it is an affirmation of Superintendent Pollio’s persistent efforts to create a student-centric school system. This change in disciplinary processes will create a ripple effect with an impact than cannot be overestimated. Not only will it directly address troubling issues of equity in discipline, it will be a lever in closing achievement disparities as well. I [...]
Statement on Expanded Statewide Efforts to Combat Child Trafficking
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Ending the trafficking and exploitation of children is a key component of keeping all Kentucky kids safe – from our cities to our most rural communities. That is why we were encouraged to hear Governor Andy Beshear’s announcement today to expand efforts in the commonwealth to prevent, recognize, and intervene in instances of human trafficking. By continuing to bring awareness to the issue of child trafficking and implementing evidence-based tools to identify and respond to victims, children and their families will be more [...]