Statement on Passage of SB 203 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 – It’s rare that a piece of legislation has the potential to benefit kids, parents, small businesses, and Kentucky’s workforce and economy – yet Senator Danny Carroll’s Horizons Act would do just that. Today, we are celebrating as the Senate Families and Children Committee ensured that the Horizons Act passed its first step to becoming law. Senate Bill 203 – referred to as the Horizons Act – includes several provisions that will promote affordability and access of child care for families as well [...]
Statement on Senator Danny Carroll’s Horizons Act
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – In today’s bold move by Senator Danny Carroll, he is guaranteeing a quality future for kids, meeting the core needs of working families, and lifting local economies by bolstering Kentucky’s workforce. The Horizons Act puts into motion the state budget investments and policy changes necessary to stabilize Kentucky’s struggling child care sector and ensure parents can go to work knowing their child is safe and learning. This comprehensive legislation addresses child care workforce challenges and promotes the future viability of child care [...]
Statement on Passage of SB 151 by the Kentucky Senate
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – There’s no doubt that Kentucky’s kinship and fictive caregivers are the often-unsung heroes for thousands of kids across the Commonwealth – stepping up in a moment’s notice to provide a safe space for their young loved ones to grow and heal. While Kentucky provides financial assistance to relative or fictive kin caregivers who choose to become certified foster parents through DCBS, that decision is currently only offered up once at the initial conversation – which is often plagued with confusion. Senate Bill [...]
Statement on Passage of HB 275 by the Kentucky House
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – On the heels of the release of the annual national Child Maltreatment report, we are celebrating as the Kentucky House of Representatives unanimously supports passage of House Bill 275 to promote child abuse prevention efforts within schools. Keeping kids safe is an adult responsibility – and that especially includes the caring adults in our school buildings. Students are in school over 6 hours per day, 180 days per year and their parents trust the teachers and school faculty to keep their children [...]
The Latest Child Maltreatment Report Shows Improvements but Still Too Many Victims in Kentucky
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org LOUISVILLE, KY – Kentucky now ranks 14th in the nation in child victims of maltreatment according to the latest Child Maltreatment report from the Children’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. While there has been a 48% reduction in child victims of maltreatment from 2018 to 2022, Kentucky is around 60% higher than the national rate (7.7 per 1,000) of child maltreatment at 12.3 per 1,000 children. “While the drop in child maltreatment rates is a step in the right direction, we must continue our march to eliminate child abuse and neglect [...]
Statement on Passage of SB 151 by Senate Families & Children Committee
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Prioritizing kinship families is prioritizing some of our most vulnerable Kentucky kids. When a child is removed from their home due to abuse or neglect, being placed with a relative or close friend helps reduce trauma and maintain connections to culture, traditions, and siblings. Today, the Senate Families and Children Committee prioritized kinship families with passage of Senate Bill 151, sponsored by Senator Julie Raque Adams. This legislation will allow a relative or fictive kin caregiver to apply at any time to [...]
Statement on Passage of HB 377 by the House Education Committee
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – There’s been lots of talk around boosting teacher pay, keeping teachers in the classroom, and giving teachers the recognition they deserve for not only educating our youngest Kentuckians but also supporting their students’ well-being as they grow into thriving adults. One big piece of the conversation that has consensus across the board – supporting the student-teacher pipeline. This morning, the House Education Committee took real action to help attract and retain high-quality educators with passage of House Bill 377, sponsored by Representative [...]
Statement on Passage of Pro-Family Tax Credit Measures by U.S House
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – On the last day of January, kids and families were put first. And, Kentucky Congressmen Barr, Comer, Guthrie, and McGarvey were vital players in making that happen! The four of six Kentucky Congressmen who joined with their U.S. House colleagues in passing H.R.7024 – Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 – began a process that can impact tens of thousands of Kentuckians in the immediate and the longer-term. As an example, some 235,000 children in the Commonwealth will benefit from the Child Tax Credit provisions. And Kentucky [...]
Statement on Passage of the KY House Budget by the House Appropriations & Revenue Committee
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – The revised House state budget proposal is a good news/bad news proposition. The good news is that this version strengthened support for our public schools in both categorical funding for transportation and general funding for SEEK. We continue to advocate for an elevated level of SEEK funding that both allows for broad discretionary control by local districts but also to ensure attention to supporting the workforce at the local school level. Superintendents need flexibility to meet student needs but those teachers, classroom [...]
Governor Beshear and House and Senate Leadership Join Hundreds of Youth and Advocates for Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol
Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Frankfort, KY – With the 2024 Kentucky legislative session well underway in Frankfort, advocates across the Commonwealth are joining together to lift kids’ voices during Children’s Advocacy Week. They are advocating for the state budget and policy priorities addressed in the 2024 Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children to elected leaders. Today is Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol, where community organizations, professionals who work with kids and families, and young people from across the Commonwealth gather to meet with their legislators, attend committee meetings, and rally for children in the Capitol Rotunda. Kentucky Youth Advocates is celebrating [...]