SENATOR DANNY CARROLL CHAIRS INAUGURAL SENATE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN COMMITTEE MEETING

FRANKFORT, KY (January 5, 2023) – The new Senate Standing Committee on Families and Children held its first meeting Wednesday, discussing plans to confront some of the commonwealth's most complicated challenges.

Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, chairs the committee. The committee's scope includes family and children's issues, child welfare, adoptions, protective services, caregiver support, family preservation programs, senior citizen programs, and sexual assault programs.

"The efforts of this committee have my full and undivided attention in the 2023 Legislative Session," Carroll said. "I don't think it's a stretch to say this is the most important committee in the Kentucky General Assembly. No residents of this state are more precious than our most vulnerable. We can address societal challenges if we meet long-term goals such as strengthening the family unit and ensuring self-sufficiency."

Senate Majority Caucus Chair Julie Raque Adams serves as committee vice chair.

"I am thrilled to have Senator Adams as vice chair on this committee," Carroll said. "She has a heart and passion for Kentucky children. Her work last session on child welfare reform, Senate Bill 8, was among the best efforts to bring stakeholders together and identify necessary reforms I've seen in Frankfort. I trust the committee membership's intent and focus and know we will work well alongside other state partners." 

Carroll has previously served as co-chair of the Early Childhood Education Task Force during the 2022 Interim and was a Senate Health and Welfare Committee member. The Senate divided the Health and Welfare Committee into two new committees to provide opportunities for additional consideration of social service and health service issues. Those committees are the Families and Children Committee and the Health Services Committee.

On Wednesday, the Senate committee meeting included testimony from Eric Friedlander, secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Friedlander praised the lawmakers for the change and said some issues were often overshadowed under the old structure.

Senator Steve Meredith, R-Leitchfield, who serves as a Senate Families and Children committee member and recent co-chair of the 2022 Interim CHFS Organizational Structure Operations and Administration Task Force, reminded members of the task force's mission and legislative findings.

"We will have a bill this session that deals with the recommendations that came out of the task force and this committee is part of that," Meredith said. "(CHFS) is our largest cabinet; I think it has more than 7,500 employees. We are trying to do it better, more efficiently and responsibly for consumers. A well-functioning CHFS is incredibly important in the work of this committee."

Meredith added that he expects the task force to continue for two or three years, given the grand scope of the cabinet. You can find the 2022 Interim CHFS Task Force's findings and recommendations by clicking here.

In an emotional close to the meeting, Carroll took time to acknowledge the dedicated service of Dr. Ralph Alvarado, the long-serving chair of the Senate Health and Welfare committee. Alvarado recently announced he had accepted a position in Tennessee Governor Bill Lee's administration as health commissioner.

"Dr. Alvarado has become one of my very closest friends up here," Carroll said. "If I get emotional, I apologize, but his leadership will be missed here. No one in the Senate works harder than this man, and we've been together since day one. Dr. Alvarado and I had a lot of discussions about his decision, but he will be able to serve and positively impact a large population of Tennessee residents.

"Our senate caucus is going to be affected by not having his presence, energy and intellect," Carroll added. "He's one of those people who are in Frankfort for the right reasons."

Others commended Alvarado.

"Many times we are called politicians, and I say, 'No, we are public servants,'" Meredith said. "I don't know anybody who fits the role better than Sen. Alvarado. I will acknowledge I hate to lose anything to Tennessee. However, I feel like this is just temporary. He has left this state in a better position than he found it."

Secretary Friedlander said he appreciated the times Alvarado challenged the cabinet.

"It has been an honor to work with you," Friedlander said. "We have had a lot of deliberation back and forth, and Alvarado gave me confidence when I was on the precipice of decisions. I appreciate his support and when you've challenged me and the cabinet. I want to thank him for his great service."

Alvarado reiterated his reasoning for his decision to accept Gov. Lee's offer and then expounded on the importance of the Senate Families and Children committee.

"First of all, it's been my honor and privilege to serve," Alvarado said. "Serving on a health and welfare committee is difficult given some of the heavy topics and commitment of time required to dive into the issues. Part of the reason we now have two committees is to ensure we have enough time to face issues like child abuse and neglect and to address the elephant in the room, which is often Medicaid. I'm excited about the work this committee will do, and there is no better committee chair than Danny Carroll."

Other committee members include Sen. Rick Girdler, R-Somerset; Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington; Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield; Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Crofton; Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville; and Sen. Denise Harper Angel, D-Louisville.

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Senator Danny Carroll, R-Benton, represents the 2nd Senate District, including Ballard, Carlisle, Livingston, Marshall, and McCracken Counties. He serves as Senate Families and Children Committee chair. He is also a Senate Education, Health Services and Judiciary committee member. Additionally, Carroll is a member of the Public Pension Oversight Board and the Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee. For a high-resolution .jpeg of Carroll, please visit: https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators%20Full%20Res%20Images/senate102.jpg.