House Passes A JJDPA Reauthorization
While a Senate bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) has been held up in the Senate by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), the House of Representatives approved a bipartisan bill last
Preventing Child Abuse the Focus on Capitol Hill
KPJR films along with Prevent Child Abuse America held a Capitol Hill briefing, Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope. The briefing focused on a new documentary on child abuse and neglect
Shrinking Spending For Children, Child Welfare: 2 Percent of 10 Percent
On Tuesday, September 20, the Urban Institute was the scene for a discussion of the 10th annual report on how federal spending for children’s programs is doing in Washington DC budgeting. The Kids Share
Brookings Brings Key Participants to Discuss TANF
On Thursday, September 22, the Brookings Institute hosted a day long discussion, The 20th anniversary of welfare reform: Lessons and takeaways., Along with the Brookings Institution, the University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research.
The daylong
December 9 CR Struggles to Finish Line
Congressional dreams of an early departure last week rapidly dissipated when several issues emerged that slowed down a final deal. Once again there are members, particularly senators, who are hoping this will be the final
Time Winding Down, Foster Care Up, Debates On FFA Continue, Oregon an Eye Into the Challenges
The best news regarding the passage of the Family First Prevention Services Act, (HR 5456, Conference Report 114-628) is that Congress did not get a budget deal and adjourn last week giving supporters
Intervention Vs Prevention
A potential long-term result of the current debate on the Families First Prevention Services Act is the pitting of the need for front end prevention of child maltreatment against the need for intervention services that
House Resolution Recognizes September as Kinship Care Month
On Wednesday, September 14, Congressperson Karen Bass (D-CA) introduced H.Res. 867 recognizing September as National Kinship Care Month.
The effort to recognize September as National Kinship Care month has been actively promoted for several years
JJDPA Reauthorization on House Floor Tuesday
The House has scheduled a vote for Tuesday on H.R. 5963, the Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act of 2016, a bill that would reauthorize the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). The
New Census Shows Significant Progress In Poverty, Income and Insurance
On Tuesday, September 13, the US Census Bureau released their annual data with some surprisingly positive results.
The number of insured and the median income rose while the poverty rate decreased. The overall poverty rate
Right to Counsel for Vulnerable Children Raised on Hill
On Monday, September 12, groups including First Focus, the Children’s Advocacy Institute, the National Association of Counsel for Children, and the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law conducted a briefing on the
Discussion Focuses On Poverty Reduction Strategies
The Urban Institute, in collaboration with the National Association for Welfare Research and Statistics, brought together experts with different perspectives to discuss their thoughts on successful strategies for reducing poverty.
The panel included Uma Ahluwalia, Department
Senate Pushes December 9 CR, Early Departure
There appeared to be progress in appropriations discussions after the first week back. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced early in the week that the Senate would be proposing a CR that would extend
Waiting on Families First Act, Time Running Short
There was little progress to report in regard to the passage of the Family First Prevention Services Act, (HR 5456, Conference Report 114-628). Its only path forward would appear to be a voice
GAO Report on Tribes: APPLA and Need for Resources
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a new report on how tribal governments are addressing the eventual restrictions on the foster care placement category of “another planned permanent living arrangement” or APPLA for youth
HHS Issues Guidance on CAPTA Safe Care
At the end of August, HHS issued an information memorandum (ACYF-CB-IM-16-0) to inform and assist states in implementing a “Plan of Safe Care” under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) as amended by
Legislation Targets Strategies To Assist Foster Youth
In recent weeks two bills have been introduced that attempt to assist youth in foster care and while the bills are being introduced late in this Congress they set a marker for future action in
Bipartisan Juvenile Justice Bill Introduced in House
At the end of last week, a bipartisan bill was introduced in the House of Representatives to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention ACT (JJDPA). The members supporting the long-awaited reauthorization include Congressman Carlos Curbelo
Congress Back: Now What on Families First ?
Congress is back. The long congressional summer break provided time for several webinars and conference calls for what is shaping up as two sides on the passage of the Family First Prevention Services Act,
The Families First Debate
During the summer break Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and their offices reached out through a conference calls to supporters and other stakeholders encouraging them to promote the bill while Congress
Congress Returns for Hectic September
It is unclear how long Congress will be in session this month but many expect that the session will not extend into October despite a calendar that sets October as adjournment date. Front and center
Families First Act Provides Intervention to Prevent Foster Care Placements
Some critics of the Families First Prevention Services Act have recently argued that the proposed bill does not truly provide prevention services. In part this depends on how the individual defines prevention.
CWLA views the Families
What is in the IV-B Reauthorizations
The two Title IV-B programs along with the adoption and kinship incentive fund expire on October 1, 2016 and so they need to be reauthorized either through the Families First Act or or another measure
Head Start Impact Documented by Brookings
You may have missed it in August but the Brooking Institute released important findings and conclusions about the Head Start program with, The Long-Term Impact of the Head Start Program.
In the past some critics
New Pilot Program and Toolkit Could Help Foster Youth With SSI
Three organizations have come together to provide a toolkit, SSI for Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care, that could help test out a new Social Security Administration pilot that seeks to extend SSI benefits