Honored to be serving my 3rd Term on the Kansas Children's Cabinet

I'm grateful to have been appointed by three different Kansas governors to the Children's Cabinet! The Children's Cabinet works to provide early interventions for the most vulnerable children in our state, birth through age five, to ensure every child thrives.

I'm currently serving my third 4-year-term on the Kansas Children's Cabinet:

Appointed by Governor Sam Brownback in 2014

Appointed by Governor Jeff Colyer in 2018

Appointed by Governor Laura Kelly 2022

We had some amazing news to announce this week... now every county in Kansas has access to the

Dolly Parton Imagination Library!!!!

"Starting today, every child in Kansas from birth to age five can receive free books every month from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. It is made possible through increased funding provided to the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund and the Kansas Legislature. The funds supplement local and regional resources to ensure equitable opportunity across the state" (KSN News, p. 1, 7/21/23, Dolly Parton to visit Kansas to celebrate Imagination Library).

Have you ever heard of the Kansas Children's Cabinet and Trust Fund?

Sadly, most Kansas are unaware of the Kansas Children's Cabinet and the wonderful work we do. The 1999 Legislative session created the Children’s Cabinet to oversee the expenditures from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. This visionary legislature protected the settlement revenue stream (which is a formula based on combustible cigarettes smoked in our state, and it goes on in perpetuity). Ninety-five percent of the state’s portion of the Master Settlement Agreement was dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children and youth in the state.

Statutory Purpose

The Kansas Children’s Cabinet is directed by statute to undertake these four overarching responsibilities:

• Advising the governor and the legislature regarding the use of money credited to the Children’s Initiatives Fund

• Evaluating programs which utilize Children’s Initiatives Fund money

• Assisting the Governor in developing and implementing a coordinated, comprehensive delivery system to serve children and families in Kansas

• Supporting the prevention of child abuse and neglect through the Children’s Trust Fund

You can learn more about the Children's Cabinet at our website: https://kschildrenscabinet.org