Did you know that 60,000 children woke up today in Kentucky living in kinship care—being raised by grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other family members because they couldn't stay at home? That's enough children to fill an entire college football stadium.

In Episode 3 of Sunrise and Beyond, host Dr. Terry Brooks sits down with State Senator Julie Raque Adams and statewide kinship advocate Norma Hatfield for a powerful, deeply moving conversation on the state of kinship care in the Commonwealth. Together, they explore how personal faith drives public service, the origin of Kentucky's landmark kinship legislation (Senate Bill 151), the daily struggles kinship caregivers face with red tape and financial support, and practical ways everyday citizens and faith communities can step up to surround these families.

⏱️ CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro & The 60,000 Kids in Kinship Care
01:45 - Welcome Senator Julie Raque Adams & Advocate Norma Hatfield
04:17 - Faith in Action: Servanthood & Responsibility in Public Office
07:30 - "What Is My Purpose?": Norma’s Journey into Kinship Care
10:30 - Kinship Care: A Neglected Feature of Child Welfare
12:30 - The Genesis of Senate Bill 151: Passing Policy Unanimously
16:28 - The 4 Core Needs of Caregivers: Financial, Respite, Legal & Mental Health
20:16 - Crisis Decisions & Informed Consent: The 10 PM Knock on the Door
24:25 - Looking Ahead: Scouring Regulations & Policy for 2027
26:30 - Boots on the Ground: How Churches & Communities Can Help
29:00 - Influencing Frankfort: Connecting with Your State Legislators

👥 GUESTS & HOST IN THIS EPISODE:
• Senator Julie Raque Adams – Kentucky State Senator for District 36, longtime advocate for children and families, and sponsor of key kinship legislation.
• Norma Hatfield – Statewide Kinship Advocate, President of the Kentucky Kinship Care Coalition, and grandmother raising her grandchildren.
• Dr. Terry Brooks (Host) – Nationally acclaimed youth advocate and Executive Vice President and Ambassador for Sunrise.

📌 KEY TAKEAWAYS & TOPICS:
• Faith & Servanthood: Sen. Raque Adams shares how her Catholic faith and parental upbringing instilled a duty to serve vulnerable families in government.
• Life-Altering Phone Calls: Norma Hatfield details her personal story of stepping up to raise her grandchildren and discovering the widespread lack of resources for kinship families.
• Informed Consent vs. Red Tape: Why caregivers need time to process placement options rather than signing away crucial financial resources during a midnight crisis.
• The 4 Primary Obstacles: Addressing the urgent need for financial support, respite care, legal representation, and mental health counseling for grandfamilies.
• Activating the Community: Simple, actionable ways churches and individuals can help—from casserole ministries and gas cards to advocacy in Frankfort.

🔔 CONNECT WITH SUNRISE CHILDREN'S SERVICES:
🌐 Website: www.sunrise.org
📲 Facebook: www.facebook.com/SunriseKidsKY
📸 Instagram: www.instagram.com/sunrisekidsky

#SunriseAndBeyond #KinshipCare #JulieRaqueAdams #NormaHatfield #DrTerryBrooks #Grandfamilies #ChildWelfare #KentuckyPolicy

What happens when state accountability meets a deep commitment to Kentucky's children?

In Episode 2 of Sunrise and Beyond, host Dr. Terry Brooks welcomes Kentucky State Auditor Allison Ball and Sunrise Children’s Services President Dale Suttles for an urgent, high-stakes discussion on state accountability and child welfare. Auditor Ball opens up about her personal journey—from growing up under the spiritual influence of Dr. Charles Stanley to her "mailbox moment" deciding to run for office, and how daily prayer anchors her leadership as a mother, wife, and public servant.

The conversation then tackles the Auditor's office investigation into foster children being placed in office buildings, hotels, and state parks—exposing the scope of the crisis, the reality of kinship care, and how the faith community can step up to surround and support Kentucky's most vulnerable children.

GUESTS & HOST IN THIS EPISODE:
• State Auditor Allison Ball – 50th Auditor of Public Accounts for Kentucky, former 2-term Kentucky State Treasurer, and prosecutor.
• Dale Suttles – President & CEO of Sunrise Children's Services.
• Dr. Terry Brooks (Host) – Nationally acclaimed youth advocate and Executive Vice President and Ambassador for Sunrise.

KEY TAKEAWAYS & TOPICS:
• Faith, Prayer & Leadership: Auditor Ball shares her upbringing in Eastern Kentucky, her decision to step into public service, and why prayer is her daily anchor against stress and anxiety.
• Exposing the Foster Placement Crisis: A deep dive into the Auditor’s office investigation revealing foster children staying in office buildings, hotels, and state parks across Kentucky.
• Surrounding the One: Practical solutions for child welfare, from therapeutic family-style homes to activating local churches for support.
• Kinship Care & Grandparents: Removing hurdles for the 60,000+ Kentucky children being raised by extended family members.
• Future Priorities: Addressing out-of-state care for youth on the autism spectrum and strengthening oversight on child safety.

🔔 CONNECT WITH SUNRISE CHILDREN'S SERVICES:
🌐 Website: www.sunrise.org
📲 Facebook: facebook.com/SunriseKidsKY

In the inaugural episode of Sunrise and Beyond, host Dr. Terry Brooks sits down with Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman and Sunrise Children’s Services President Dale Suttles.

Together, they dive deep into the most urgent issues facing children and families today—from the hidden dangers of social media algorithms and digital platforms to the evolving fight against the drug crisis across the Commonwealth. General Coleman candidly shares his personal journey of faith, overcoming life-altering adversity, and how a deep calling to service drives his mission to protect Kentucky's youth.

Beyond the headlines and statistics, this conversation offers a message of unity, action, and unyielding hope.

⏱️ CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Introduction & The History of Sunrise Children’s Services
02:17 - Welcome AG Russell Coleman & President Dale Suttles
04:22 - Faith, Personal Adversity, and the Calling to Public Service
12:50 - The Virtual Battlefield: Social Media Dangers, TikTok, and Roblox
20:05 - The Reality of Kentucky’s Drug Crisis and Kinship Care
23:11 - Prevention at Scale: The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission
30:30 - "Better Without It": Engaging Youth Through Student-Athletes
33:16 - Finding Hope and "Rowing Together" for Kentucky’s Kids

👥 GUESTS IN THIS EPISODE:
• Attorney General Russell Coleman – 52nd Attorney General of Kentucky, former US Attorney for Western Kentucky, and former FBI Special Agent.
• Dale Suttles – President of Sunrise Children's Services.
• Dr. Terry Brooks (Host) – Nationally acclaimed youth advocate and Executive Vice President and Ambassador for Sunrise.

Resources Mentioned:
• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

🔔 CONNECT WITH SUNRISE CHILDREN'S SERVICES:
🌐 Website: https://www.sunrise.org
📲 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunriseKidsKY

#SunriseAndBeyond #ChildWelfare #AGRussellColeman #DaleSuttles #DrTerryBrooks #KentuckyYouth #OpioidPrevention #DigitalSafety