House Budget Pushed to Next Month
Last week the budget struggles continued at least in the House of Representatives where they’ve decided to delay any markup on the budget resolution in the budget committee. There were indications and public comments by
If They Reauthorize TANF
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) five-year reauthorization ran out in FY 2010 and has been extended through a series of short term extensions ranging from a few months to a year at a
Outcomes Data Highlights Need To Focus Reunification On 12 and Older
The new annual HHS Child Welfare Outcomes report 2010 through 2013 has been released and the summary continues to highlight a greater focus on youth coming into care at 12 or older as an
Adoption Incentive Funding Growing Shortfall
Last October, when HHS awarded the annual adoption incentives, now renamed the Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Payments Program, the awards were much less than the fifty states had earned. The awards now based on
Promoting Safe and Stable Families Court Funding Problem
The Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) is a combination of funding streams for different but related services. Like Title IV-B part 1, Child Welfare Services (CWS), PSSF was reauthorized in 2014 as part of
New Budget Recognizes Child Welfare Workforce and Other Priorities
President Obama released his final budget for fiscal year 2017 last Tuesday. While the politics of this year and the President’s lame-duck status makes this a difficult budget to adopt there are some key proposals
The Child Welfare Workforce Proposal
The Administration included in the budget a new strategy to expand and strengthen the child welfare workforce. The budget request would amend Title IV-E foster care and adoption assistance law to expand state access to
Substance Abuse Regional Partnerships
The Administration is proposing that, as part of the need to reauthorize the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) program, (title IV-B part 2) that the set-aside that targets drug treatment be increased from $20
Groups Seeking Support For Flint
More than 35 groups, including CWLA, signed onto a letter circulated by the Foster Family-based Treatment Association (FFTA) calling on Senate leaders to move legislation that would provide emergency financial assistance to address the lead
Appropriations On Small Child Welfare, CAPTA Programs Level Funded
Key child welfare programs including those that are authorized or are a part of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) were all flat funded for 2017. State grants would remain at $25 million
Other Child Welfare Reforms Carried in Budget
The Administration carries over earlier child welfare reform measures submitted in the past few years. These include an ACF-CMS Demonstration Projects to address over use of Psychotropic Medication in the treatment of foster children. The
Tribal Help In Budget
The Administration proposes several assists to tribal governments and consortia intended to build child welfare capacity in a number of ways. In addition to the continuing $3 million in technical assistance for tribes attempting to
Administration Offers First Reauthorization Proposal for TANF
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) five-year reauthorization ran out in FY 2010 but it is currently extended until the end of FY 2016 on September 30. Since it expired Congress and the
Budget Due On Tuesday
President Obama will release his final budget on Tuesday for the Fiscal Year 2017. The budget year begins on October 1. The overall spending caps for domestic and defense spending have been set as part
Chapin-Hall Report Urges Detailed Strategy To Reduce Group Care
A new policy brief by Chapin Hall and the Chadwick Center, Using Evidence to Accelerate the Safe and Effective Reduction of Congregate Care for Youth Involved with Child Welfare was released in the past
Forum Focuses On Pay For Success
On Tuesday, February 2 the American Enterprise Institute and Save the Children cosponsored an event, “Pay for Success: A New Approach to Finding Social Welfare Programs.”
The Capitol Hill discussion provided a forum to discuss
Stabenow/Blunt Bill Would Expand Demos On Mental Health Parity
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) are introducing new legislation likely this week, the Excellence in Mental Health Act. The bill that would fully fund 24 states that qualified for a planning
Child Care Expansion and Quality Improvements Bill Unveiled
On Thursday, February 3 Capitol Hill was the site of a press conference introducing a new child care bill, the Child Care Access to Resources for Early Learning Act (Child C.A.R.E. Act).
If the legislation becomes
Education Regulations Next Step
The Department of Education (DOE) began the process of producing regulations as a result of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) now referred to as, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). DOE
Child Maltreatment Report Released Includes Increased Numbers
The latest data from HHS through the annual Child Maltreatment report indicates that the number of children substantiated as abused or neglected increased to 702,000 in 2014 compared to 682,307 in 2013.
Consistent with the
Senate Committee Looks at Heroin, Prevention, Interdiction, Treatment
On Wednesday, January 27, the Senate Judiciary Committee focused on heroin and the prescription drug abuse issue during a hearing labeled, “Attacking America’s Epidemic of Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse” As noted previously, the
EITC Outreach
CWLA is joining with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities on the annual tax credit outreach initiative to provide updated information and outreach tools to organizations that can help spread the message about refundable tax credits and
President and Court Acts On Juvenile Justice Issues
Days after leading groups started to re-circulate a letter by more than 80 organizations, including CWLA, in support of action on a Senate bill to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA,
Senate Report on Child Abuse of Unaccompanied Alien Children
A majority-minority report by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Homeland Security Committee was released on Thursday, January 28 detailing abuse and lack of safeguards for children who came into the U.S.
Bipartisan Senate Committee Vote Moves Child Nutrition Improvements
On Wednesday, January 20 it was all bipartisan with voice votes in approving a jointly drafted committee bill, the Improving Child Nutrition Integrity and Access Act of 2016. The substitute bill draft was submitted by