Statement on Passage of SB 8 by the House Health & Family Services Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – With our partners in the Kosair Charities Face It Movement, we are celebrating the unanimous passage of Senate Bill 8 by the House Health & Family Services Committee. This legislation serves as a pragmatic next step in Kentucky’s efforts to fundamentally strengthen and reform the child welfare system. SB 8 will impact children across the continuum – from child maltreatment [...]

By |2022-03-17T12:15:55-04:00March 17th, 2022|Child Welfare & Safety, News Room|

Statement on Passage of SB 102 by House Education & Additional School Safety Efforts

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Today, we are celebrating the unanimous passage of Senate Bill 102 by the House Education Committee to help ensure there is an adequate number of mental health providers in schools to serve students in need of supports. We thank Senator Max Wise for championing this measure and the Committee for ensuring its passage today. During this time of heightened [...]

Statement on Passage of SB 151 by House Education Committee

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – In the midst of National Nutrition Month and on the tail end of National School Breakfast Week, we are celebrating the House Education Committee’s passage of Senate Bill 151. This smart measure, sponsored by Senator Jason Howell, clarifies the current law to give school districts the option to serve students on free and reduced meals their breakfast during [...]

By |2022-03-15T09:06:59-04:00March 15th, 2022|Education, Health, News Room|

March Madness for Kids’ Nutrition

For most Kentuckians, March is a sacred time of basketball and brackets. For our school nutrition professionals and students, however, March is also the home of National School Breakfast Week and National Nutrition Month.  Throughout the pandemic, one slam dunk for kids has been the USDA Child Nutrition Programs, which ensure kids across Kentucky have access to at least two meals a day during the school year and one a day during the summer months. [...]

By |2022-03-10T16:02:57-05:00March 10th, 2022|Blog, Economic Security, Education, Health|

Statement on the Senate State Budget Proposal

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – What's the old aphorism? "When the rubber hits the road." In Frankfort, the rubber really hits the road around our leaders’ true priorities when that state budget gets crafted. And now is that time, as the Senate and House come together for the budget Conference Committee. There are abundant reasons for optimism when it comes to supporting [...]

Statement on House Bill 7 to Implement Public Assistance Reforms

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – As is the case in most omnibus pieces of legislation, House Bill 7 is a mixed bag. There are good elements for Kentucky kids, and there are also elements that are truly problematic for Kentucky families. Safety net programs, including Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, [...]

Guest Blog: Benefits of Establishing the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership

By Mandy Simpson Here's what we know: Kentucky families are struggling to afford child care. With annual costs reaching up to $11,000 for one infant, this is the largest expense in too many Kentucky homes. Parents are being forced to choose between their careers and caring for their children—and we know which choice they're making. A lack of access to child care is a primary contributor to Kentucky's labor shortage and chronically low workforce participation [...]

By |2022-03-10T17:16:26-05:00March 1st, 2022|Blog, Economic Security|

Youth Voice: Preventing the Next Generation from Becoming Addicted to Nicotine

By Hannah Abdon Picture this: It’s another beautiful high school day when, after lunch, you need to wash your hands and get ready for the last of your classes. Going into the bathrooms at a time like this is almost asking for trouble. You enter and, sure enough, you are greeted with about half a dozen freshmen standing around the sinks using juuls and other E-cigarettes. Unfortunately, they don’t respond too well to outsiders and [...]

By |2022-06-30T16:13:26-04:00February 28th, 2022|Blog, Health|

Statement on Passage of Senate Bill 151 by the Kentucky Senate

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director, Kentucky Youth Advocates LOUISVILLE, KY – Today, we are joining many child hunger advocates, schools, and families in celebrating passage of Senate Bill 151 by the Kentucky Senate. The latest data show that nearly 273,000 eligible Kentucky kids are missing out on eating school breakfast, and, in many cases, it’s because they can’t get to school early enough due to long bus rides and other circumstances [...]

By |2022-02-25T09:52:34-05:00February 25th, 2022|Education, Health, News Room|

Children’s Dental Health Month & Policies for Good Oral Health

This blog was originally posted by the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition.   As the Kentucky legislature considers hundreds of bills and prioritizes investments in the next biennial state budget, it’s imperative that we as a Commonwealth ensure that all Kentuckians, including our youngest, have access to the support they need for their healthy development – and a healthy mouth. We know that health impacts every aspect of a child’s life and is a key component of [...]

By |2022-02-24T14:50:57-05:00February 24th, 2022|Blog, Health|
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