Removing Barriers for a Parent & Their Children to Leave an Abusive Relationship

By Shontelle Davis, MSSW Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates Kentucky has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the United States, with 45.3 percent of women and 35.5 percent of men experiencing domestic violence in their lifetime. Domestic violence can take many forms, including chronic yelling, controlling behaviors, isolation, threats of suicide or murder, threats involving weapons, threats to take the children, and serious injuries.  Survivors of intimate partner violence lose a total [...]

By |2022-03-24T09:40:43-04:00March 24th, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security|

KYGA22 Blueprint Policy Mini Series: HB 499

Listen in as Karena Cash, Policy and Advocacy Analyst at Kentucky Youth Advocates, shares more on Blueprint for Kentucky's Children priority House Bill 499, which would establish the framework for the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership. This measure offers Kentucky the critical opportunity to strengthen families’ access to high-quality child care so they can participate in the workforce. ADVOCATES urge the Senate Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor Committee to support this bill! Stay [...]

By |2022-03-24T09:49:28-04:00March 24th, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security|

Statement on Passage of HB 83 by House Economic Development & Workforce Investment Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Kentucky has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the nation. And, for the Commonwealth’s nearly 17,000 child victims of abuse or neglect, over 50 percent had family violence as a risk factor. Domestic violence can take many forms, including controlling behaviors, isolation, threats of suicide or murder, threats to take the children, and serious injuries [...]

Statement on Final Passage of Senate Bill 8 by the Kentucky House

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – The Kentucky General Assembly has once again demonstrated their deep commitment to supporting our most vulnerable children who have experienced abuse or neglect with today’s unanimous final passage of Senate Bill 8. This legislation is a necessary next step in Kentucky’s efforts to fundamentally strengthen and reform the child welfare system to best serve children. With the leadership [...]

By |2022-03-23T14:33:42-04:00March 23rd, 2022|Child Welfare & Safety, News Room|

Statement on Passage of SB 97 by the House Judiciary Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – As the Commonwealth continues to reform the child welfare system, a critical component that must be considered is following the death of a child. Today, the House Judiciary Committee honored that notion with passage of Senate Bill 97. The measure, sponsored by Senator Danny Carroll, will strengthen efforts following a child fatality or near fatality, including requiring coroners [...]

By |2022-03-23T13:00:48-04:00March 23rd, 2022|Child Welfare & Safety, News Room|

Statement on Passage of HB 174 by the Senate Health & Welfare Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Postpartum is a vulnerable time for new mothers and their baby, and this is especially true for women on Medicaid, many of whom are at risk of losing their health insurance coverage just 60 days after the end of pregnancy. Kentucky is one step closer to extending that coverage with today’s passage of House Bill 174 by the [...]

By |2022-03-23T11:00:52-04:00March 23rd, 2022|Health, News Room, Race Equity|

The Time Is Right to Support Social Workers

By Crystal Willis and Shontelle Davis, MSSW Interns at Kentucky Youth Advocates Although the field of social work is broad, we all have one common goal – to leave this place BETTER than we found it! The role of a social worker is to identify and address the needs of individuals, families, and communities. Social workers take on many roles that include advocating, educating, researching, lobbying, case management, therapy, and much more.  March is Social [...]

By |2022-03-22T18:57:10-04:00March 22nd, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

The Primary Caregiver Law & Minimizing the Impact of Parental Incarceration

Having a loved one who is incarcerated impacts everyone, especially children. Kentucky has the 6th highest rate of parental incarceration with more than one in ten children having a parent who is incarcerated and more than half of all incarcerated adults – 64% of women and 55% of men – being parents. Parental incarceration is an Adverse Childhood Experience, or ACE, because it can negatively affect a child’s short and long-term behavioral, educational, and health [...]

By |2022-03-22T18:30:41-04:00March 22nd, 2022|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Justice|

Statement on Passage of House Bill 499 by the Kentucky House

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Today, we’re celebrating passage of House Bill 499 by the Kentucky House to establish the framework for the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership. This measure offers Kentucky the critical opportunity to strengthen families’ access to high-quality child care so they can participate in the workforce. We thank Representative Samara Heavrin and the many co-sponsors of HB 499 for their commitment to [...]

Statement on Passage of House Bill 499 by the House Appropriations & Revenue Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – An important step in improving child care access for families was taken today with passage of House Bill 499 by the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee. The measure, sponsored by Representative Samara Heavrin, seeks to establish the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership, an innovative program encouraging employers to assist employees with the cost of child care. We know Kentucky [...]

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