KY Youth Advocates and Partners to Host Virtual Forum with U.S. Senate Candidate Amy McGrath
Contact: Kelsey Dimar kdimar@kyyouth.org Kentucky Youth Advocates and Partners to Host Virtual Forum with U.S. Senate Candidate Amy McGrath WHAT: Kentucky Youth Advocates, in partnership with the Blueprint for Kentucky's Children, Council for Agency Executives, Kosair Charities Face It Movement to End Child Abuse, Kentucky Nonprofit Network, and Center for Nonprofit Excellence, to host a virtual forum with U.S. Senate Candidate Amy McGrath. The forum will explore federal issues and solutions focused on kids, families, and strong communities. Please note that we have extended an invitation to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to participate in a parallel forum. WHEN: Thursday, [...]
Kentucky Youth Advocates to Host Virtual Candidate Forums
Kentucky Youth Advocates to Host Virtual Candidate Forums New toolkit encourages child advocates to engage candidates on topics concerning children LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Kentucky Youth Advocates is hosting a series of virtual candidate forums leading up to the 2020 election to promote electoral advocacy and elevate issues impacting Kentucky children. “Kids can’t vote, so they rely on the adults in their lives to vote on their behalf,” said Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates. “When considering our local, state, and federal leaders, we must keep the needs of kids front and center. These forums give constituents and concerned child [...]
Kentucky’s Child Poverty Rate Remained Steady from 2018 to 2019
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Kentucky’s Child Poverty Rate Remained Steady from 2018 to 2019 Household Pulse Survey Data Show Impact of the Pandemic on Family Housing Stability and Food Access Louisville, KY – New data released this week by the U.S Census Bureau reveals that 21.7 percent of Kentucky children lived in poverty in 2019, which is not statistically different than the 2018 rate of 23.0 percent. With over one in five children living in poverty, only four states have a higher rate than Kentucky. The American Community Survey data also show that in 2019 the poverty rate for Kentucky [...]
Kentucky Child Health Insurance Coverage Remained Virtually Unchanged from 2018 to 2019
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Kentucky Child Health Insurance Coverage Remained Virtually Unchanged from 2018 to 2019 Impact of Pandemic on Children’s Coverage Unknown Until Next Year Louisville, KY – New health insurance data released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the percent of Kentucky children under 19 with health coverage was 96.2 percent in 2019 (not statistically different from 2018). When disaggregated by race/ethnicity, the data reveal stark disparities in health coverage for Kentucky’s children of Hispanic/Latino origin: 97.1 percent of Black children, 95.9 percent of non-Hispanic White children, and 90.8 percent of Hispanic children have insurance. [...]
Statement on Bill Filing to Enact Paid Family Leave for State Employees
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates The word “unicorn” is more than those one-horned flying horses my granddaughter loves, more than the term applied to start-up tech companies that boomed in 1990s, and more than unicorn quarterback Lamar Jackson – it is anything that is rare and valuable. Today we joined diverse community partners in an announcement about a unicorn of a public policy proposal – a pre-filed bill that includes 12 weeks paid family leave for Kentucky’s state employees. In a political environment of bifurcation and toxicity, it takes a [...]
Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky Releases Resource Handbook for Kinship Caregivers
Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky Releases Resource Handbook for Kinship CaregiversNew reference guide includes tips and information for Kentucky’s thousands of kinship familiesLOUISVILLE, Kentucky — A new handbook, created by the Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky in collaboration with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Office, features resources for grandparents and relative caregivers navigating Kentucky’s child welfare system and caring for vulnerable children.In A Kentucky Grandparent and Relative Caregiver Handbook, caregivers will find information on the basics of kinship care and the court process, tips for engaging with birth parents and navigating the complex child welfare system, and resources to [...]
Kentucky Youth Advocates and Casey Family Programs Host Forum to Highlight COVID-19 Impacts on the Kentucky Child Welfare Community
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Kentucky Youth Advocates, with the support of Casey Family Programs, hosted a forum on Tuesday, August 4 to discuss challenges youth and families connected to the child welfare system are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with solutions to move forward as the commonwealth navigates recovery efforts. While the pandemic is affecting many Kentuckians in different ways, a look into the impact on the most vulnerable children and families creates the opportunity to advocate for ongoing support and improvement in a system meant to keep children safe. “The pandemic has created complex issues for [...]
Statement on Beshear Administration Extension of P-EBT Application
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates Today's announcement to extend the application period of Kentucky’s Pandemic-EBT benefit through the end of August carries significance in and of itself to be sure, especially for the thousands of eligible families. But it is also symbolic of a tone of real responsiveness that Governor Beshear and Secretary Friedlander exemplify. That tonality is a key to leadership during these trying and complex times. Whether it was around youth aging out of the foster care system and needing ongoing supports or, in today's instance, around food [...]
Child Well-Being Data Highlights Continued Areas of Need as the Commonwealth Prepares to Recover from the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Child Well-Being Data Highlights Continued Areas of Need as the Commonwealth Prepares to Recover from the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic KIDS COUNT® Data Book provides comprehensive annual report on child well-being in the U.S. LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Kentucky ranks 37th in the nation in overall child well-being, according to the latest edition of the KIDS COUNT® Data Book, released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Kentucky’s measurable, but still inadequate, improvements were due in part to progress across several areas of economic well-being, child health coverage, teen births, and parental employment. Though Kentucky made progress on a number [...]
Statement on Governor Beshear Appointment of Department for Community Based Services Commissioner
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates Kentucky’s kids and families won – and won big today when Governor Andy Beshear named Marta Miranda-Straub as Commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS). Marta has been my friend and colleague for a decade, as we have partnered on efforts like the Kosair Charities’ Face It Movement. In that time, I have come to respect her as a leader with intellect and soulfulness. Leadership at DCBS has never been more critical: The implementation of the federal Family First Prevention Services Act and [...]