Contact:
Mara Powell
502-895-8167 *122
mpowell@kyyouth.org

Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates

All children deserve a strong start in life, and Senate Bill 133, championed by Senator Julie Raque Adams, makes the health of Kentucky kids a priority even before birth. We applaud the Kentucky House for prioritizing the future health, safety, and overall well-being of the unborn children affected by substance use by supporting pregnant inmates seeking treatment with passage of SB 133 today.

Seventy-one percent of women in custody have children and we cannot think about parental incarceration without acknowledging the shared sentence it has on kids across the commonwealth. SB 133 will improve the outcomes of pregnant inmates and their babies by effectively and pragmatically addressing underlying substance use issues.

We thank Senator Raque Adams and co-sponsors Senator Whitney Westerfield and Senator Alice Forgy Kerr for their commitment to placing the best outcomes of babies and mothers first. We thank Representative Jason Petrie for carrying SB 133 on the House floor. Thousands of kids across the commonwealth will win when expectant mothers can get treatment to address their addiction.

Stay up-to-date on Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children priorities and other bills that are good for kids on our Kentucky General Assembly Bill Tracker.