House Pack Would Help Senate Address Mental Health/Substance Use
As the Senate Finance Committee deadline to collect recommendations on improving mental health and substance use services, the House Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force package may offer some bicameral agreement and strategies.
On September
The Benefits of Subsidized Employment Programs
On October 26, 2021, the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) held a paneled discussion about the effect of subsidized employment, transitional jobs, and employment social enterprise on communities and individuals.
The panel included
Reconciliation Bill
Negotiations continued into the weekend as the White House and Democratic leaders from the Senate and House continued to work on what gets in the final reconciliation legislation. Most if not all proposed
The Future of the CTC
The Democratic strategy to try and keep as much and as many parts of the original House reconciliation bills, meant that many program will be reduced in length. Perhaps the prime example is the fate
Family First Clearinghouse Reviews More Programs
The HHS Prevention Services Clearinghouse released more program evaluations last week. The clearinghouse identified Familias Unidas as a “well supported.” Familias Unidas is a “family centered intervention that aims to prevent substance use and risky
Senate Democrats Put Out Appropriations Bills
On Monday, October 18, 2021, Senate Democrats put out a series of 12 appropriations bills that would fund the government through the rest of FY 2022 (September 30, 2022). The Labor-HHS-Education numbers are similar to
Integration, Expansion, Community Education – Access to Mental Health
On October 19, 2021, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) hosted a panel discussion that included health care and policy experts focused on mental health needs. The discussion focused on integration of behavioral health care into the
Finance Committee on Health Insurance Needs
On October 20, 2021, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on “Health Insurance Coverage in America: Current and Future Role of Federal Programs”. Witnesses included former Congressional Budget Office
Children’s Bureau Advice on Youth in Foster Care
On October 12, 2021, Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau Aysha Schomburg, issued a letter to the child welfare community urging continued vigilance in assisting young people who exit foster care and to be
House Approves Debt Ceiling with Family Violence Prevention Bill
Last week was a slow legislative week as the Senate was in recess while the House of Representatives returned to pass a debt ceiling bill. By doing so, Congress avoided the first federal default in
The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act
Domestic violence is a critical issue that, according to recent reports, has been made worse since the pandemic. On average, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience intimate partner violence. Nearly 20
The Child Tax Credit (CTC) and the Parent Penalty
As very high-level negotiations continue over what should be included in a final reconciliation bill one of CWLA prime issues is the CTC. The internal debate is how to reduce the overall cost of
Paid Leave Would Cut Health Care Costs
New research, Paid Leave Would Cut Healthcare Costs, by the National Partnership for Women and Families, argues that a paid family and medical leave bill will save the economy over $64 billion if it
Finance Committee Still Collecting Rec’s on Mental Health/Substance Use
The Senate Finance Committee is asking for public comments on ways to address substance use and mental health services due to last week’s faulty link in the Children’s Monitor you can link to the full
Possible Loan Forgiveness for Some of Child Welfare Workforce
Last week’s news break by National Public Radio (NPR) that the U.S. Department of Education will offer a fix of the troubled public services loan forgiveness program proved to be true when the US Department
GAO Reports on State Reinvestment of Adoption Assistance Savings
Last week the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a long-awaited report on whether states are reinvesting the significant savings they realized when the federal Adoption Assistance program was de-linked from the AFDC eligibility standards.
The GAO
Why Did the GAO Review State Reinvestment of Adoption Assistance Savings?
In 2008 when Congress enacted the Fostering Connections to Success Act, one of the most significant parts was a gradual “de-link” of Adoption Assistance from the old AFDC link. As is still the case with
Senate Committee Focuses on Violence Against Women Act
On October 5, 2021, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced Deputy Attorney General Lisa
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month began as a “Day of Unity” in October of 1981 created by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV). In 1987, “Day of Unity” evolved into the observation of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, created to “connect and unite individuals and organizations
Finance Committee Still Collecting Rec’s on Mental Health/Substance Use
If you missed access to a copy of the September 21,2021 the Senate Finance Committee asking for public comments on ways to address substance use and mental health services due to last week’s faulty link
Health of Women and Children Report
America’s Health Rankins (United Health Foundation) has released their 2021 Health of Women and Children Report. The 5th edition of this report provides a comprehensive look at the health of children and women of
MACPAC on Behavioral Health for Children in Foster Care
The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) has released an analysis: Access in Brief: Behavioral Health Services for Youth in Foster Care. The report is an analysis of the experience of adolescents
Funding For FY 2022 Extends Until December 3, 2021
Unable to get Senate Republicans to agree to a suspension or raising of the debt ceiling, Congressional Democrats took out the debt ceiling fix and were able to get Republican senators to adopt a continuing
Webinar On the Child Tax Credit and Child Welfare
On Monday, September 27th, CWLA hosted a Child Tax Credit (CTC) webinar that was sponsored by the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN). In the webinar Debbie Weinstein, the executive director of the Coalition of Human