Legislative Agenda - Home of the Innocents

2024 State Legislative Agenda

Home of the Innocents enriches the lives of children and families with hope, health, and happiness.

It is our belief that our communities are stronger when everyone has the structures and support in place to keep them stable and fulfilled. Because our work is directly involved in the care and support of children and families, we work in partnership with local, state, and federal policy makers in efforts to strengthen the support available to help make our community whole.

For the 2024 legislative session, the Home has identified three policy priorities:

  • We advocate for the expansion of the Kosair for Kids Complex Care Center (KCC).
  • We advocate for increased structural and financial support to create a behavioral health system in Kentucky that provides the appropriate care in the appropriate setting for all children and families.
  • We advocate to strengthen the entire nonprofit sector nationally and across the state.

We advocate for the expansion of the Kosair for Kids Complex Care Center (KCC).

  • The Home will work with legislators to obtain a line item of $30 million in the FY25 and FY26 biennial state budget to support an expansion of the Kosair for Kids Complex Care Center (KCC).
  • The Home will work with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to secure regulatory changes necessary to obtain a Certificate of Need from the state to expand the KCC. By adding fifty new beds the Home will increase capacity for Kentucky’s children with medical complexity and provide quality care and the ability to age in place for our residents who turn 21 but cannot be discharged to other facilities.
  • The Home will work with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to preserve its current cost-based reimbursement system for its 50-bed expansion.
  • The Home will work with Congressman Morgan McGarvey to secure a Congressional allocation through the Community Funded Projects program in 2024 or 2025.

We advocate for increased structural and financial support to create a behavioral health system in Kentucky that provides the appropriate care in the appropriate setting for all children and families.

  • Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTPs) require higher rates to support shorter lengths of stay for higher acuity children who need greater levels of therapeutic care than current rates support. A comprehensive rate restructuring is essential to fully support the cost of QRTP services.
  • Nonprofit organizations with Behavioral Health Services Organization (BHSO) licenses cannot sustain programs with current Medicaid Behavioral Health rates. Increased rates are required to ensure BHSO license holders can provide prevention services for thousands of Kentucky families.
  • An evaluation and assessment of Kentucky’s current Behavioral Health continuum is needed to align the state’s current child welfare system with a more robust continuum of care, including family-centered services.
  • The Family First Prevention Services Act requires costly evidence-based practices (EBP) to be in place before states can utilize federal Title IV-E funding. Provision of upfront dollars to help nonprofit organizations acquire EBPs would create higher quality of care to enable a shift in the child welfare system towards prevention.
  • The state must evaluate and prioritize the mitigation of inequities based on race, sexual orientation, and gender identity for youth in Kentucky’s child welfare system.
  • State and federal legislation should strengthen flexible supports for youth aging out of the foster care system, especially youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth. These supports include affordable housing, vocational training, educational assistance, and other transitional services so these youth receive the resources they need to thrive in adulthood.

We advocate to strengthen the entire nonprofit sector nationally and across the state.

  • State and federal legislation to improve the effectiveness and performance of government grants, such as the Streamlining Federal Grants Act (S. 2286/H.R. 5934), should be passed. This legislation will allow nonprofit organizations the opportunity to work directly with partners in government to overcome longstanding hurdles to accessing federal grants.
  • States must protect the Johnson Amendment, which mandates that nonprofits may not participate in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office. This provision ensures that charitable organizations dedicated to the public good remain above the political fray.
  • A federal and state universal charitable tax deduction should be allowed for all taxpayers to incentivize charitable giving and help nonprofits increase revenue.
  • As part of the Kentucky Nonprofit Network and the Louisville Nonprofit Coalition, the Home will advocate for legislation that strengthens the entire nonprofit sector. Legislation should build up the nonprofit workforce through steps like strengthening the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and increasing access and support for affordable childcare.