Kentucky Youth Advocates

Home
United States
Jeffersontown, KY
Kentucky Youth Advocates

Directions Website Contact the organization

The independent voice for Kentucky's children. www.kyyouth.org

10/29/2026

October is Parental Incarceration Awareness Month and serves a reminder of the impact of having a loved one behind bars and the direct consequences on children and families.

This shared sentence is considered an Adverse Childhood Experience and is associated with negative health and other social outcomes. Research continues to demonstrate how parental incarceration impacts kids – creating disruption and trauma, instability for families, and increased reliance on community supports.

Dive deeper into the impact of parental incarceration on kids, legislative efforts to mitigate that impact, and a look ahead to the 2027 state legislative session: https://kyyouth.org/a-shared-sentence-parental-incarceration-impact-on-kids/

10/28/2026

Kenny Kabayiza, True Up Advocacy Fellow from Lexington, highlights how young people can be engaged in advocacy and elections.

Children and young people are speaking up about the future they want. Their ideas and needs belong at the center of informed, nonpartisan advocacy. YOU can ensure young people are engaged this election season by encouraging them to:

✔️ Learn the issues that they're passionate about
✔️ Find candidates that they can relate to, that they can see themselves in
✔️ Know how to register to vote and where to vote, if over 18 years old

View KYA's NEW Electoral Advocacy Toolkit to prepare your voting strategy for yourselves and the young people you support: https://kyyouth.org/advocacy/

10/27/2026

At Kentucky Youth Advocates, we’re reflecting on The Kids Table – a series of four Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children regional convenings focused on how kids are faring in each region, state policy solutions, and opportunities for advocates to get involved.

The Kids Table provided an opportunity for community members to convene, learn from each other, and share insight into the realities they see on-the-ground each day through their work. Read more about the events and the path forward: https://kyyouth.org/bring-communities-together-at-the-kids-table/

Thank you to our sponsors for making The Kids Table regional convenings possible! Thank you to our Signature Blueprint Sponsor, Aetna Better Health of Kentucky; Regional Table Sponsor, Partners for Rural Impact; Regional Impact Sponsor, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Kentucky; and Social Media Station Sponsors, WellCare of Kentucky and Partners for Change.

10/26/2026

Census 2030 is coming, and a complete count of people in our communities will help ensure Kentucky receives the resources communities and children need to thrive. As an organization that depends on accurate, timely, and thorough data, the Census is one of our go-to sources for information.

View Kentucky Youth Advocates' Census Advocacy Toolkit for the steps we can each take to ensure the Census Bureau has what it needs to get the data, resources, and representation we need for the Census 2030 at kyyouth.org/censusky/ .

10/24/2026

Kentucky Youth Advocates recently joined Dr. Austin Griffiths at the celebration for the newly established CAYA Advancing Research and Community Health (ARCH) Institute. The CAYA ARCH Institute will align research and services with regional and statewide community health needs and will provide a coordinated strategy for applied research, service delivery and engagement. The CAYA ARCH Institute is housed within the WKU Center for Child Welfare.

10/23/2026

Kentucky Youth Advocates wrapped up its annual Board Retreat with dedicated members joining us from across the Commonwealth. Among the agenda was hearing a panel discussion featuring state Senator Julie Raque Adams, Abby Piper of Piper Smith, and Sarah Bowling of Cornerstone Government Affairs, and remarks from Sarah Ladd of the Kentucky Lantern, sharing key perspectives into Frankfort and what to expect when it comes to kids and families during the 2027 state legislative session. Their insights help our Board shape the focus and direction to have the biggest impact for Kentucky's kids.

Learn more about Kentucky Youth Advocates, our mission, and our Board of Directors at kyyouth.org/about-kya/.

10/22/2026

Join Kentucky Youth Advocates at Mile Wide B**r Co. on Sunday, November 15th, for a high-energy afternoon connecting the dots between pinball strategy and effective youth advocacy!

Whether you are a seasoned player or completely new to the game, learn how strategy, momentum, and staying power drive real policy wins for children across Kentucky.

Join us for:
- Pro Tips & Coaching: Learn the ropes from pinball pros who will be coaching new players on strategy, aim, and machine control.
- Advocacy in Action: Meet policy wonks to explore KYA’s upcoming 2027 legislative priorities and how you can impact.
- Friendly Competition: Opportunity for prizes!

Register: tinyurl.com/PP112026

10/21/2026

While action in Frankfort may slow down in this interim period, there are still lots of opportunities to speak up and advocate for Kentucky kids and families.

Kentucky Youth Advocates offers engaging presentations, interactive trainings, and workshops that help Kentuckians better understand the issues impacting kids, use data to drive change, and use your voice to become more effective advocates. Whether you’re a nonprofit, business, school, faith community, or civic organization, we can customize a presentation or training to meet your needs.

Submit a request today at kyyouth.org/trainings/.

10/20/2026

Thank you to state Samara Heavrin- 18th District State Representative, Peyton Griffee State Representative, District 26, and Michael "Sarge" Po***ck KY House of Representative, our local co-host CASA of the Heartland, and community partners for joining us at The Kids Table, a Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children regional convening, in Elizabeth last week!

We’re grateful to local advocates and decision makers who joined us to discuss how kids are faring, elevated the most pressing issues impacting kids and families, and identified actionable strategies for change.

Thank you to our signature event sponsor, Aetna Better Health of Kentucky, Regional Table Sponsor, Partners for Rural Impact, and our social media station sponsor, WellCare of Kentucky. Shout out to Central Kentucky Community Foundation for providing a wonderful space to gather!

Stay tuned for a blog recapping the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children regional convenings!

10/20/2026

Kids cannot vote, but you can ensure that their voices are heard by having a plan and preparing to vote in local, state, and federal elections.

Jami Garth, Kentucky Youth Advocates' Youth Engagement Director, encourages YOU to utilize KYA's NEW Electoral Advocacy Toolkit to prepare your voting strategy, including questions to get to know your local candidates. Check it out here: https://kyyouth.org/advocacy/

Address

10200 Linn Station Road , Ste. 310
Jeffersontown, KY
40223

Website

http://www.kyyouth.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Kentucky Youth Advocates posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.