Full FY 2022 Appropriations in Doubt Along With Funding
Current funding for federal fiscal year ends on December 3, 2021, and while it appears likely Congress will pass another CR for a matter of weeks, a full year long appropriation adding new funds now
Sound The Alarm Campaign for Kids
A coalition of health care associations and providers are starting a campaign to SOUND THE ALARM FOR KIDS: WE ARE IN A NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY
Organizations can go to the website to join the
HHS Pulls Back Discrimination Waiver, Earns House Praise
On Thursday, November 18, 2021, HHS announced it was rolling back a controversial Trump Administration waiver that allowed some child welfare agencies to discriminate in their placement decisions. The Biden
CLASP Releases New Study on Family Use of CTC
On November 17, 2021, CLASP released a new national CTC survey findings. According to the research parents reported reduced financial stress, help in affording necessities and, for about one-quarter of respondents receiving monthly payments,
Congress Returns for Intense Six Weeks
Congress returns this week with a long list of issues that need some form of resolution before the end of the year—or maybe not. The House will take up the reconciliation
Voice for Adoption’s Portrait Project
In celebration of National Adoption Month, Voice for Adoption (VFA) hosted its 17th annual Adoptive Family Portrait Project on November 10th, 2021. This year’s theme: 2021: Unresolved ACES – Access to mental health services
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Human Service Part
When Congress completed work on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act they passed a major highway and road construction bill but there are important ‘human service” components that go beyond just the potential jobs
The Lead Problem in Drinking Water
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will provide some relief for an important human service need, reducing children’s exposure to dangerous lead in our drinking water.
In the middle of the last decade, the country
Access to the Internet
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will provide a great deal of help to address a need that was exposed during this pandemic, access to the internet for remote
Year In Review: Education for Homeless Children and Youth
On November 10, 2021, Schoolhouse Connections sponsored a briefing, “Year-in-Review and Preparing for 2022.” Lisa Pilnik, Child & Family Associates, facilitated the panel of Child Welfare experts including Heather Hanna, National Conference of State Legislators
Creating Equity for Children and Youth
On November 10, 2021, The Urban Institute and the Forum for Youth Investment held a briefing focused on how evidence and evaluation can promote equity in policies that affect children and youth.
The panel was moderated
Health Care Coverage for All Children
On November 2nd, 2021, First Focus on Children hosted a Congressional briefing, “Covering all Children – the Path Forward.” Panelists included, Kelly Whitener, Georgetown University McCourt School of Public
CWLA Comments to Senate on Mental Health and Substance Use Needs
On Monday, November 1, 2021, the Child Welfare League of America submitted its recommendations to the Senate Finance Committee on how the Committee and country can make critical changes to the nation’s mental health and
Bass Introduces 21st Century Children and Families Act
On Thursday, November 4, 2021, Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) introduced 21st Century Children and Families Act (HR 5856). The bill bans discrimination in placement and recruitment of foster and adoptive parents and places added emphasis
The Impact of Increased Immigrant Enforcement on Child Welfare
On October 27, 2021, The American Bar Association (ABA) and Women’s Refugee Commission conducted a briefing on The Impact of Increased Immigrant Enforcement on Child Welfare. As of 2016, out of the
Children’s Budget Shows Some Improvements
On November 3, 2021, First Focus on Children hosted the Children’s Budget Summit to highlight the release of their 15th annual Children’s Budget Analysis. Over the last 10 years, the Children’s Budget analysis has documented federal spending
CWLA Joins Group Over 300 in Child Care Support
CWLA joined over 300 other state and national organizations in calling on Congressional leadership to support the historic inclusion of the child care and pre-kindergarten expansions in the Build Back Better plan. The groups
HHS Overdose Prevention Strategy
On Tuesday, November 2, 2021, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra announced an HHS Overdose Prevention Strategy. That strategy includes a four-pronged effort around primary prevention, evidence-based treatment, harm reduction and recovery support.
Each category of the
CDC Report: Suicides Down in 2020
A new CDC report, Vital Statistics Report showed a slight decrease in suicides in 2020 in comparison to 2019. The year 2020 had 45,855 suicides which was 3 percent lower than in 2019 (47,511).
Underrepresentation in Census Could Short Some States: Urban Institute
Last week the Urban Institute released an analysis of what they see as a census undercount with certain states suffering from that undercount. One potential impact of the 2020 pandemic was the impact on
Reconciliation Bill
Early on Thursday, October 28, 2021, the White House released a new final framework for the reconciliation bill, the President’s Build Back Better agenda. The rest of the day was spent working out details
Davis-Walorski Bill Extending 2021 Chafee Provisions Passes House
Last Tuesday, October 26, 2021, Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) and Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (R-IN) introduced a new bill (HR 5661) to extend the temporary relief for youth exiting foster care. On Wednesday it passed
October is National Adoption Month
November is National Adoption Month and this year’s theme is Every Conversation Matters. Every Conversation Matters is about engaging youth in permanency plans through open conversations about adoption, asking youth their perspectives, and understanding their
Campaign for Legal Representation Kicks Off
On Monday, October 25, 2021, the National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC) started a new campaign, Counsel for Kids. According to a statement by the organization,
“With 673,000 children navigating America’s child welfare courts
How the Working Poor and Working Class Fared Since the Great Recession
On October 27, 2021, the Institute for Research on Poverty held a webinar titled, “How Have the Working Poor and Working Class Fared Since the Great Recession?” The event featured work from the new volume