KANSAS STATE ALLIANCE OF YMCAs
(816) 679-8251
KANSAS STATE ALLIANCE OF YMCAs
About
Advocacy
ADVOCATE
FOR OUR
CAUSE
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YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Nurture the potential of every child and teenSOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Giving back and providing support to our neighborsHEALTHY LIVING
Improve communities’ wellbeing
2024 POLICY PRIORITIES
The Kansas Alliance of YMCAs represents the collective voice and impact of 10 Kansas YMCA associations serving
almost 550,000 Kansans in 24 communities. Kansas Ys work together and in partnership with other organizations
and coalitions to strengthen the foundation of our communities through youth development, healthy living, and
social responsibility.
• Increase access, affordability and quality of child care and youth programs and services, which leads to: more
income for families for quality food, education and savings; more jobs and inclusive economic growth; better
futures for KS children; and more productive working adults.
• Support the early education and school-age program workforce by investing in child care workforce
development funding, recruitment and retention opportunities.
• Address administrative and systemic operational barriers and concerns that increase provider costs and reduce
child care access, including:
o Align minimum facilities standards for school-age programs with existing facilities standards for school
buildings.
o Increase provider to child ratio in school-age programs to 1:20.
• Increase family eligibility for child care assistance and pay 100% of the cost of quality child care to providers
participating in the child care assistance program.
• Invest in an enact research-based early childhood and school-age programs and support services.
• Create greater awareness of the education achievement gap and explore opportunities for best practice policy
implementation and increased funding for out-of-school time programs.
• Increase access to and affordability of healthy
foods.
• Encourage evidence-based chronic disease
prevention and management programs that
promote quality of life for all, while lessening the
burden on the state budget from skyrocketing
costs associated with diabetes, heart disease,
cancer and arthritis.
• Embrace healthy initiatives in early childhood and
school-age programs.
• Support and adequately fund programs that
promote healthy living among seniors, children,
and families, including increased access to safe
and convenient places to walk, exercise and play.
• Support policies which promote healthy choices
for teens and prevent or reduce youth tobacco and
vaping use.
• Invest in mental health supports and resources
for out-of-school time (OST) programs that benefit
children, their parents and the OST workforce by
promoting resilience and fostering socialization,
relationships, and adaptive functioning.
• Support any funding opportunities and
regulatory relief for nonprofit organizations.
• Support funding for and increased access to
drowning prevention programs, such as the YMCA’s
Safety Around Water program.
• Support child abuse prevention policies that
promote a positive, nurturing environment while
protecting youth.
• Preserve the tax-exempt status of charitable
organizations and incentives for donating to and
volunteering for such organizations so they can
continue to lead, provide essential services, and be
effective and responsive to the needs of their local
community
KANSAS STATE ALLIANCE OF YMCAs
KANSAS STATE ALLIANCE OF YMCAs
About
Advocacy
ADVOCATE
FOR OUR
CAUSE
made by webdebsites
Welcome to the Kansas State Alliance of YMCAs
Kansas Legislative Priorities page. Here, we
present our annual report encapsulating our
commitment to fostering positive change
across the state. Our PDF outlines our focus on
three core pillars: Youth Development, where
we diligently nurture the potential of every
child and teen; Health Living, as we strive to
enhance the wellbeing of communities; and
Social Responsibility, ebmodying our dedication
to giving back and supporting our neighbors.
As the year unfolds, we look forward to sharing
our progress in these areas and working
collaboratively towards a stronger, healther
Kansas.
KANSAS LEGISLATIVE
PRIORITIES
