Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks – SB 249: Failed Opportunities
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates The Senate Agriculture Committee had a chance to stand up for Kentucky young people today. Five of its members did as they voted in favor of Senate Bill 249. Kentucky Youth Advocates and Kentucky's young people commend Committee Chair Paul Hornback, bill sponsor Senator Stephen Meredith, and Senators Givens, Thayer, and Westerfield. Those five courageous legislative leaders knew that SB 249 addressed a serious health issue among young people. Though the Commonwealth has seen the rate in teens smoking declining, there's now an [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on SB 20 Passing Senate Judiciary Committee
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates The youth justice system is often described as a maze with too many ways to get lost and too few ways to escape once youth are in. Kentucky has made strides in improving its youth justice system in recent years, but there are some practices still in use that we now know do not achieve the best outcomes for kids or communities. Senate Bill 20, sponsored by Chairman Whitney Westerfield, takes next steps the Commonwealth needs to respond to children appropriately, hold youth [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on HB 2 Passing House Health and Family Services Committee
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates Today, the House Health and Family Services Committee expressed their commitment to supporting children in the care of relative and fictive kin caregivers in Kentucky. We applaud Representative Chris Fugate for championing House Bill 2 to establish the development of supportive services, including, but not limited to, monetary supports, for kinship and fictive kin caregivers who step up to care for a child who is a relative or close family friend. Children do better when they are placed with relatives as they experience [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on SB 1 Passing House Education Committee
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates Accounting for the complexity and urgency of the issue of school safety, Senate Bill 1 takes a multi-faceted approach to ensure every Kentucky student is safe and supported in their school building. With the House Education Committee’s passage of Senate Bill 1 today, Kentucky public schools are on a path to achieving a standard of physical and psychological safety for all students, teachers, and school employees. With the leadership of Senator Max Wise and Representative John Carney, SB 1 seeks to comprehensively address [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on HB 158 Passing Kentucky House
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates When it comes to improving outcomes of kids impacted by the child welfare system, we see a growing trend of good coming from Washington, D.C. and from Frankfort. House Bill 158, championed by Representative David Meade, is Kentucky’s first step to ensuring state law is aligned with the comprehensive federal legislation, Family First Prevention Services Act. Family First can be an accelerator to the already important work that is emanating from last year’s House Bill 1 child welfare reforms and state budget investments. [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on HB 158 Passing House Health and Family Services Committee
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates We see a growing trend of good coming from Washington, D.C. and from Frankfort when it comes to improving outcomes of kids impacted by the child welfare system. House Bill 158, championed by Representative David Meade, is Kentucky’s first step to ensuring state law is aligned with the comprehensive federal legislation, the Family First Prevention Services Act. Family First can be an accelerator to the already important work that is emanating from last year’s child welfare reforms and state budget investments. We commend [...]
Governor Bevin and Other Elected Leaders Join Youth and Advocates for Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Governor Bevin and Other Elected Leaders Join Nearly 800 Youth and Advocates for 15th Annual Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol Hundreds of Kentuckians from across the Commonwealth, including over 250 children and youth, are convening in Frankfort today for the 15th annual Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol. They are urging elected leaders to support the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children, a unified agenda for child advocates across the state. “Today, youth, social workers, faith leaders, teachers, pediatricians, community leaders, and many others unite to ask our state leaders to make Kentucky children a priority during [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on SB 1 Passing Kentucky Senate
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates The issue of school safety is compelling, complicated, and complex. And rather than giving in to simplistic solutions, Senate Bill 1 will ensure that every Kentucky student is guaranteed a safe and supportive school environments in which to learn and grow. The critical nature of school safety has elevated discussions around the need for a multi-faceted approach that not only addresses physical safety, but also the psychological safety of students. With today’s passage of Senate Bill 1 by the Senate, Kentucky schools are on [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks in Response to Governor’s State of the Commonwealth Address
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates The Governor’s speech this evening will inevitably and instantly create cheers and disagreement when it comes to education and pensions, health care and right to work. That kind of debate is not necessarily a bad thing, as I would suggest it could be labeled “democracy.” The headline arenas that leapt out as the common ground around which every Kentuckian, and every Kentucky lawmaker, should celebrate were child welfare and school safety. Some elements of his speech – such as his endorsement of Senate [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on SB 1 Passing Senate Education Committee
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates The issue of school safety is compelling, complicated, and complex. And rather than giving in to simplistic solutions, Senate Bill 1 will ensure that every Kentucky student is guaranteed a safe and supportive school environment in which to learn and grow. The critical nature of school safety has elevated discussions around the need for a multi-faceted approach that not only addresses physical safety, but also the psychological safety of students. With today’s passage of Senate Bill 1, Kentucky schools are on a path to [...]