New Report Details Spending on Children’s Programs In Federal Budget
Last week, First Focus released their Children’s Budget for 2018. The annual report analyzes and documents historical funding data and spending trends across a wide range of children’s policy areas including child welfare, early childhood,
Senate and House Negotiate Joint Opioid Package
The Senate voted on their opioids legislation on Tuesday, September 18 and passed it by a vote of 99 to 1 (Senator Mike Lee (R-UT)-no). Immediately they began negotiations on the Opioid Crisis Response
Congress Passes First Appropriations, Readies CR-HHS Bill
Cutting their week short due to the hurricane, the Senate gave final approval to a Military Construction and Veterans -Energy and Water–Legislative Branch FY 19 spending package sending it back to the House for a
Census Releases New Annual Poverty Data
Shaquita Ogletree
On Wednesday, September 12, the U.S. Census Bureau released new data on income and poverty in the United States for the year 2017. According to the data released, the U.S. poverty rate declined to
Help with Loan Forgiveness and Social Workers
Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) is promoting one-time funding that can assist social workers seeking education loan forgiveness. The temporary funding acts as a patch for some who qualify for loan forgiveness under a ten-year plan
Senate to Take Up Delayed Vote on Opioids This Week
The Senate delayed a vote on an opioids package of legislation until this week. The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018, addresses a range of programs and agencies, sometimes building on 2016 Congressional action
Limits on Medication-Assisted Drug Treatment for Youth Despite Benefits
Last week the Journal of the American Medical Association -Pediatrics (JAMA-Pediatrics) published research that indicated youth with an opiods-use disorder are less likely to receive medication-assisted treatment despite its positive effect in encouraging on-going substance
Senate Caucus Briefing on Interventions that Prevent Foster Care Placements
Shaquita Ogletree
On Wednesday, September 12, the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth hosted a congressional briefing on effective interventions that are working to keep children and families intact and preventing entry into foster care. The panel
House Chairman Has Visions of Second 2018 Tax Cut
Last Monday and Thursday the House Ways and Means Committee acted on a second package of tax cuts. The bills were introduced on Tuesday and passed in Committee on Thursday.
Committee Chairman, Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX)
Congress Continues Path Toward Appropriations
Last week Congress continued on a path that would allow some appropriations bills to be signed into law by October 1, the start of the fiscal year. Last week Republican leadership met with the President,
Administration Seeks Elimination of Child Immigrant Protections
On Friday, September 7, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a federal register notice that proposes, through the regulation process, to amend a court agreement
CWLA Urges Congressional Action on JJDPA Reauthorization
Shaquita Ogletree
On Wednesday, September 5, CWLA sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging the passage of the Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention Act (JJDPA). CWLA joins the Act 4 Juvenile Justice (Act4JJ) campaign
Panel Focuses on DACA Extensions and Protections
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) hosted a Capitol Hill briefing featuring immigration and education experts to discuss the impact of the Administration’s efforts rescind Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has
Help with Loan Forgiveness and Social Workers
Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) is promoting one-time funding that can assist social workers seeking education loan forgiveness. The temporary funding acts as a patch for some who qualify for loan forgiveness under a ten-year plan
Opioids Bills Still Waiting
The Senate has been struggling to move their opiods legislation, but the hope is it will finally move this week. When they do its passage is to set the stage for a mega-negotiation with the
Agriculture Bill Being Negotiated
A House-Senate Conference Agriculture Committee was meeting last week to negotiate differences between the two Agriculture reauthorization bills. Agriculture bills today focus mainly on nutrition programs as well as farm support programs. The House bill
The Intersection Between Medicaid and Child Welfare
Shaquita Ogletree
On Thursday, September 6, 2018, the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth along with First Focus hosted a congressional briefing on the Intersection of Medicaid and Child Welfare. The briefing discussed the importance of Medicaid
Senate Adopts Defense-Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations
On Thursday, August 23, the Senate passed H.R. 6157 an $857 billion appropriations package that combines the Defense Department appropriations with the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 85 to
Help With Loan Forgiveness and Social Workers
Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) is promoting one-time funding that can assist social workers seeking education loan forgiveness. The temporary funding acts as a patch for some who qualify for loan forgiveness under a ten-year plan
Administration Delays AFCARS Data Update
The Administration has announced one of their decisions regarding an update of the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) with an August 21, 2018 Federal Register announcement. They will delay an
Senate Committee Hears From ACYF Nominee Approves ACF
On August 28, the Senate approved the nomination of Lynn Johnson to become the new Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) or as the Administration refers to it as, the Office
ACA Update: Insurance Coverage Steady, Maine, Other Attempt Expansion
Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new data that show health insurance coverage holding steady with Medicaid expansion states doing better than states holding out from expansion. The national uninsured
Senate Returns for Brief Period, Possible HHS Budget Debate
The Senate will return this week on August 15. There will be additional judicial votes but it is expected that they will then turn to appropriations shortly after those actions. The Senate hopes to debate
Administration Must Still Reunify, DACA Maybe Back On & Immigration
According to numbers released last Thursday evening, of the approximate 2551 children and youth eligible for reunification, HHS had identified 386 children with parents who have been removed and in another country. HHS indicated that
Hearing Collects Questions and Some Answers on FFA
On Tuesday, July 24, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources held an oversight hearing on the implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFA).
Based on the testimony and answers by