Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on SB 133 Passing House Judiciary Committee
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates Three out of five inmates in Kentucky have children, including 71% of women in custody, and we cannot think about parental incarceration without acknowledging the shared sentence it has on so many children. We applaud Senator Julie Raque Adams for championing Senate Bill 133, which takes strong steps to improve outcomes of pregnant inmates and their babies and passed the House Judiciary Committee today. We appreciate Chairman Joe Fischer and the unanimous support of the committee on this important measure to improve conditions [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on HB 527 Passing Senate Health & Welfare Committee
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates We applaud the Senate Health and Welfare Committee for unanimously passing HB 527, which prioritizes the educational stability of children who have experienced abuse or neglect. A child’s removal from his or her home can be traumatic and we commend Representative Steve Riley, Chair Julie Raque Adams and members of the committee, and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services for making what’s best for children the priority. When a child is removed from their home due to abuse or neglect, they face a [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on KY Senate Passage of Executive Branch Budget
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates Tough fiscal times demand more than tough decisions. Today, the Kentucky Senate made those tough decisions while passing the amended executive branch budget. Most notably, the Senate affirmed their commitment to Kentucky’s most vulnerable children. We applaud the Senate for maintaining investments in kinship families, as well as supports for children who've been impacted by abuse or neglect. We are encouraged that investments remain in the Senate proposal for the retention and recruitment of state social workers, though the allocation is lower than [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on HB 1 Passing Senate Health & Welfare Committee
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates Today, the Senate Health and Welfare Committee took action to reform Kentucky’s adoption and foster care system, protecting kids and ensuring families are safe and supported, with passage of HB 1. We applaud co-sponsors Representative David Meade and Representative Joni Jenkins for their diligent work on this measure during the interim to gather input from stakeholders, including youth formerly in foster care. Chair Julie Raque Adams and members of the committee prioritized our most vulnerable Kentuckians with passage today of HB 1, which [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on HB 527 Passing Kentucky House
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates HB 527, which prioritizes the educational stability of children who have experienced abuse or neglect, passed the Kentucky House on consent orders today. When a child is removed from their home due to abuse or neglect, they face a number of transitions, including a new home and a new caregiver. A child’s removal from his or her home can be traumatic and we should do everything possible to maintain positive ties in a child’s life. Knowing for some kids that school is the [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on SB 137 Passing Kentucky Senate
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates We applaud the Kentucky Senate for passing SB 137, which seeks to address abuse and protect future victims by giving judges the option to allow testimony from a trustworthy adult to whom a child has disclosed abuse. When adults are held accountable in the court system, kids are safer from abuse. If a young child has been a victim of abuse, trauma and fear may affect their ability to testify in court. Their fear or inability should not prevent a judge from hearing [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on HB 527 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 When a child is removed from their home due to abuse or neglect, they face a number of transitions, including a new home and a new caregiver. A child’s removal from his or her home can be traumatic. We should do everything possible to ensure transitional processes go smoothly. Knowing for some kids that school is the most stable part of their life, we need to place a priority on stability in that piece of their lives. When appropriate, allowing kids to stay [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on SB 137 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 When adults are held accountable in the court system, kids are safer from abuse. Today’s action by the Senate Judiciary Committee affirms that notion. We applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee for supporting SB 137, which seeks to address abuse and protect future victims by allowing a trustworthy adult to whom a child has disclosed abuse to testify in court about that disclosure. If a young child has been a victim of abuse, trauma and fear may affect their ability to testify in court. [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on SB 133 Passing Kentucky Senate
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates When you think about the justice system in the Commonwealth, you must also think about the shared sentence of incarceration on our children. After all, three of five inmates in Kentucky have children, including 71% of women in state custody. Senate Bill 133, championed by Senator Julie Raque Adams and passed today by the Kentucky Senate, takes strong steps to improve outcomes of pregnant inmates and their babies. We applaud the Kentucky Senate for passing this important measure to improve conditions of pregnant [...]
Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks on the Kentucky House’s Proposed Executive Branch Budget
Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates We are encouraged by the Kentucky House’s proposed executive branch budget as it embraces a myriad of opportunities to improve the lives and futures of Kentucky kids and families. The overall proposal represents a courageous commitment to Kentucky kids. We applaud House Appropriations and Revenue Committee Chairman Steven Rudy and all members of the committee and subcommittees for their thoughtful and thorough approach to the budget. The greatest potential in this biennial budget is reflected in the commitment to strengthening the child welfare [...]