House Lays Down Marker Bill-Relief Package, Federal Reserve Calls for More Relief
On Tuesday, May 12, 2020, the House of Representatives leadership introduced new legislation they called “The Heroes Act (H.R.6800).” The legislation provides approximately $3 trillion in appropriations and other funding for
House Bill Provides FMAP Increase, SSBG Funding
Two areas addressed in the House bill and supported by CWLA include the FMAP increase for state Medicaid and Title IV-E programs and an increase in funding of $9.6 billion for the Social Services Block
CWLA Endorses Wyden Bill To Provide Increased TANF Funding
On Friday, May 8, 2020, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced legislation that would provide $10 billion in emergency TANF funding. CWLA has endorsed the legislation. The TANF funding increase of $10 billion would be paid
AAICAMA and CWLA Request Children’s Bureau Guidance on Adoption Assistance
On Monday, May 11, 2020, the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (AAICAMA) and CWLA sent a joint letter to Elizabeth Darling, Associate Commissioner Administration on Children, Youth
COVID-19: Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School
On Tuesday, May 12, 2020, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing, “COVID-19: Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School.” The purpose of the hearing was to
LGBTQ & ICWA Data Removed from AFCARS
On Tuesday, May 12, HHS published final rule for the updated Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) regulations and requirements. AFCARS data reported by states annually helps to build a profile
Virtual Congressional Briefing: COVID-19 Impact on Young People from Foster Care
On Wednesday, May 13, 2020, Members of Congress and Congressional staff were invited to attend a short virtual briefing hosted by Youth Villages, Juvenile Law Center, and FosterClub on how COVID-19 is affecting older
HEROES ACT Provisions for Foster Youth and Other Vulnerable Populations
On Tuesday, May 12, 2020, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) unveiled the $3 trillion Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, the next major coronavirus relief bill. The legislation provisions related to former
Briefs on ACA Constitutionality Pile Up
Last Wednesday, May 13, 2020, was the deadline to file amici briefs at the U.S. Supreme Court on the case of The State of California, ET AL. v. The State of Texas, ET AL., a
Child Welfare Workers Video Diary Special
CWLA is pleased to share with you a video diary special in collaboration with CBS News on COVID-19’s impact to the child welfare and human services field. The video diary highlighted the significant
Government Releases Some Tribal COVID-19 Funds After Weeks of Delay
On Tuesday, May 5, the Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin and the Secretary of Interior David L. Bernhardt announced how billions of dollars in Coronavirus Relief Fund money will be distributed
The Experiences of Foster Youth During COVID19
The Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research released preliminary results of the online survey, “The Experiences of Foster Youth During COVID19” that was conducted in April 2020. Responses from over
Wyden Introduces Legislation To Address Online Child Sexual Abuse
On Wednesday, May 6, 2020, Senator Ron Wyden introduced the Invest in Child Safety Act. The legislation, which CWLA has endorsed, attempts to deal with the child sexual abuse problem that
CWLA, NCVC, and NCA Asks Governors to Focus on Child Sexual Abuse
On Thursday, May 7, 2020, the National Center for Victims of Crime (“NCVC”), the National Children’s Alliance (“NCA”), and the Child Welfare League of America (“CWLA”) sent a letter to
Emergency Funding for Child Protection Act
On Wednesday, May 6, Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Representative Kim Schrier (D-WA), and colleagues introduced the Emergency Funding for Child Protection Act that would bolster efforts by child protective services and non-profits
Senators Urge OJJDP to Provide Coronavirus Guidance for Juvenile Facilities
On Wednesday, May 6, 2020, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) urged the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to issue best practices and guidelines
Teen Sexual Activity Trend Stays the Same
New CDC data brief conducted by the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) reveals that between 2015-2017, around 40 percent of teenage girls and boys reported ever having had
Medicaid Budget Problems Starting to Emerge
When CWLA sent its recommendations for the next COVID-19 relief legislation last month (CWLA’s letter and this descriptive letter of child welfare needs) to Congressional leaders, one of
The CDC Guidance On Reopening
According to an Associated Press (AP) report, the CDC guidance that had a scheduled release on Friday, May 1, 2020, has been blocked by the Administration. According to a Thursday AP report:
Children’s Bureau Guidance on Title IV-E Flexibility for Extended Foster Care
On Monday, April 27, 2020, Associate Commissioner for the Children’s Bureau Jerry Milner, after receiving several inquiries related to the Title IV-E program on addressing the needs of children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic,
New York State Kinship Navigator Response to Covid-19 Pandemic
On Wednesday, April 29, 2020, CWLA hosted the “Kinship Navigator Response to Covid-19 Pandemic: Virtual Assistance Kinship Navigator” webinar. It is the first of a two-part series, highlighting the importance of virtual assistance for kinship
Losing Child Care Infrastructure
An analysis by the Center on American Progress suggests that the nation’s child care system could lose millions of child care slots permanently as a result of the pandemic and accompanying recession. In the analysis,
Congressperson Karen Bass Discusses COVID-19 Impact on Minorities
Politico newspaper hosted Coronavirus Special Report: The Pandemic’s Impact on Minorities April 28, 2020, with the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressperson Karen Bass (D-CA) on Tuesday, April 28, 2020. She was joined
Supreme Court Upholds Provision in the Affordable Care Act
On Monday, April 27, 2020, the US Supreme Court upheld a provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that Congress had blocked. The issue involved the “Risk Corridors” provisions of the ACA and whether or