In Case You Missed It, HHS Issues Final Regulations and Guidance
Although the new Congress can repeal all regulations issued since early June 2016, the Administration continued to issue key guidance on human service programs through HHS.
On Wednesday, December 14, HHS published final regulations for the
Congress and President-In-Waiting Big Changes on Horizon
The new 115th Congress will come together for the first time on January 3 and is expected to get to work on a 2017 budget resolution very quickly to provide the first budget reconciliation. The
HHS Releases Final Regulations on AFCARS
On Wednesday, December 14, HHS published final regulations 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
Georgetown Health Policy Institute on ACA Repeal & Impact on Child Welfare
On December 13, the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute posted a commentary on how the repeal of the ACA could affect child welfare children and families. The piece, Top Five Threats to Child Welfare
HHS Issues Guidance on Medicaid to 26 for Youth Formerly in Foster Care
Last week HHS issued a CMS Information Bulletin, on how states can extend Medicaid coverage to young people up to age 26 if they aged out of foster care and then later move to
Final Senate Foster Youth Caucus Session Focuses on “Normalcy”
On Monday, December 12 the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth held their last round table discussion for 2016. This week’s discussion focused on foster care and “normalcy” or attempts to make foster care placements as
Families First Fails as Congress Departs
The fate of the Families First Act wasn’t decided until the very last days of session. While advocates made a final push to get the legislation included in the CR, that did not happen when
ACA Repeal & Delay: Loss of Coverage to People, Cost to Hospitals
Two studies last week provided some numbers to what will happen if Congress repeals the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. According to an analysis by the Urban Institute, if Congress repeals the ACA
Congress Sends 21st Century Cures Act to President
On Wednesday, December 7, the Senate gave final approval to HR 34 the 21st Century Cures Act by a vote of 94 to five. The bill (which had temporarily served as a vehicle for
Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention and Treatment Act Falls by Wayside
The Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention and Treatment Act (JJDPA), a program that seeks to prevent juvenile incarceration through prevention efforts and better and more appropriate sentencing fell short late in the week.
The last time the
Second Senate Foster Youth Caucus Session Focuses on Higher Ed
The Senate Caucus on Foster Youth, held the second in an on-going series of discussion on youth in foster care. The event held on Wednesday, December 7, “A Focus on Older Youth and Young Adults
Families First Last Shot Could Be CR
The fate of the Families First Act, in these last few days of Congress rests with a continuing resolution as the last possible vehicle for enactment. Congressional sponsors are asking advocates to weigh-in with House
Foster Youth Caucus Hosts Roundtable on Youth Aging Out
The Senate Caucus on Foster Youth, on Thursday, December 1, held the first of what is expected to be a series of Hill roundtable discussions on the challenges of youth in foster care. The first
Congressman Tom Price Selected as Next HHS Secretary
Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) was nominated by President-Elect Donald Trump to become the next Secretary of Health and Human Services. Congressman Price was a practicing doctor before he entered politics. He has been a major
CR Up This Week and Congress Leaves
Funding for FY 2017 runs out on December 9. If Congress wraps up by Thursday this Congress will come to an end. Congressional Republicans, working with the in-coming Administration, will partially extend current year funding
Likely Two Reconciliations Next Year, ACA Repeal and Delay
It appears more likely that there will be two reconciliation measures next year. The first will be implemented through an FY 2017 budget resolution so that it can be used early in the year. The
The Cost of Health Care as We Enter Another Reform Debate
Shortly before the election the increases in the average premium costs under the ACA captured national attention. Premiums rose on average by more than 20 percent with increases ranging from 145 percent in Arizona ($507
Education Releases Guidance on JJ Youth Transition To School
On Friday, December 2, the Department of Education released guidance and resources on assisting young people juvenile justice placement in their transition back to traditional school settings. The assistance includes:
Possible Bipartisan Senate Support to Protect DACA Kids
One critical Executive Order that President Obama issued regarding immigration policy may garner some bipartisan support in the Senate. There were reports this week that Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) and Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) were
Congress Back, May Move Families First With Cures Bill
Congress returns for what is likely to be the last sprint for the 114th Congress. As part of that they are likely to move an updated version of the Families First Act (Conference Report
What Is A Reconciliation
There has been a great deal of discussion in the last few weeks of how the new Congress and the Trump Administration will use the budget reconciliation process. What is the budget reconciliation and why
Some of Key Points of Surgeon General on Substance Abuse
Although crowed out by the election, Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy’s report on substance abuse, Facing Addiction in America, offers a detailed roadmap to expanding this nation’s strategy on addressing the ever-present problem of
Congress Eyes CR Until March
Late last week Vice-President elect Mike Pence was working with House Republicans to adopt a continuing resolution (CR) that would extend FY 2017 funding into the end of March of next year. Current funding for
Could the Families First Act Passage Protect Title IV-E from Block Grant?
Would enactment of the Families First Act commit key Republicans leaders to protecting Title IV-E funding from being converted into a block grant? That is a question to consider in the waning days of the
ACA: Repeal and Delay—Through Reconciliation
Incoming Republicans are speaking of using the reconciliation process twice next year with the first one used to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Some speculate that could take place as early as late January. The