CWLA Continues Annual EITC Outreach
As has been the case in past years, CWLA is joining with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities to conduct an annual tax credit outreach initiative to provide updated information and outreach tools to organizations that can
Groups Issue Comments On Foster Care/Juvenile Justice In Education Law
CWLA and a number of groups have signed onto letters to the US Department of Education urging them to take several actions to implement changes enacted through the recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary
Coalition Pushing for JJDPA Senate Passage
Last week more than 80 organizations, including CWLA, started to recirculate a letter of support for S 1169 a bill to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). The legislation introduced early last
Congress Hoping For Regular Appropriations Process
The Republicans in Congress held their annual retreat in Baltimore late last week in an effort to plot out their strategy for 2016. There is a desire to focus on trying to pass each of
Addressing Heroin/Prescription Drug Problem Offer Bipartisan Angle
In his January 12, State of The Union address President Obama shied away from a list of specific policy proposals but he did single out a few areas including the drug use issue that is
Hopes Rise Again For Child Nutrition Program Extensions
On Wednesday, January 20 the Senate Agriculture Committee is scheduled to take up a child nutrition bill that it is hoped will strengthen and expand a number of services that effect food access for children
White House Highlights Efforts On Substance Abuse
Late last week the White House circulated an announcement highlighting Administration’s efforts to address the opioid epidemic in 2015. It is a topic that is certain to get greater focus in the February budget and
President Delivers Final State of the Union, Budget Due February 9
The President will deliver his State of the Union address on Tuesday, January 12 for the final time in his presidency. The speech is expected to be more general in tone than in the past
Congress Has Slow Start To Year
With just the House in session last week, Congress conducted limited business. The most significant action was the House passage of a reconciliation bill that had been carried over from last year. The reconciliation bill
2016 Congressional Session Short and Uncertain
When Congress returns this week it will mark the beginning of a very short congressional calendar. The President is scheduled to deliver his last State of the Union address on January12 which will unofficially begin
2016 Budget Is Final
On Tuesday night Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WS) announced a final budget deal that wraps up appropriations for the rest of fiscal year 2016. The House approved the package in parts with approval of the appropriations,
ESEA Changes on Foster Care & Homeless Youth
The new version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), S. 1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act, with a text that runs over one thousand pages includes a number of long sought
The Story Of One Boy’s Journey With Child Welfare
According to published news reports he was removed from his home and his mother due to child abuse allegations. He was three years old at the time and he spent the next two months in
Commission Continues Debate Over Strategy to Reduce Child Deaths
The Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities continued their deliberations last week with a two day discussion in Virginia just outside of Washington DC. Based on the public discussions, members continued to
Budget Deal Delay Until December 16—At Least
The only thing clear by the end of last week was that Congress needs more time to negotiate a final budget for FY 2016. By Friday both houses of Congress adopted an extension of federal
Child Welfare Bill To Wait For New Year
The draft bill, the Families First Act, will likely come up early in the New Year rather than this month as had been originally hoped. The legislation would allow Title IV-E funding on a
Discussion: The Elephant in the Room Substance Use & Child Welfare
On Thursday, December 3, Capitol Hill was the location for a briefing on Substance Use Treatment: A Core Component of Child Welfare Reform, the briefing entitled the Elephant in the Room discussed the roll
Elementary & Secondary Education Act, First Reauthorization Since 2002
This week the Senate is expected to complete action on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), more commonly referred to as the No Child Left Behind Act since the last reauthorization
Reconciliation Repeals ACA/Planned Parenthood Funding, House Now
The House is expected to re-approve a reconciliation bill that guts the ACA and cuts Planned Parenthood funding this week. The Senate redesigned an earlier House version in an effort to attract enough Republican Senators.
AEI & Brookings Offer Up Poverty Solutions To Bridge Political Divide
On Thursday, December 3 the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and the Brookings Institution held a joint meeting to release a new paper and to discuss their joint proposal on Opportunity, Responsibility, and Security: A
Senate Finance Could Take Up Child Welfare Legislation
When Congress returns this week there is the possibility the Senate Finance Committee could take up a child welfare bill that is still very much in flux. The draft bill, the Families First Act,
Appropriations Discussions Ongoing and Uncertain
Appropriations decisions are likely to come to a head in the next ten days. The deadline before the government runs out of funding is December 11. While staffers and committee members continued to work on
Senator Seeks Extra Federal Funds to Address Substance Abuse
Last week Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) issued a call for emergency funding to address the heroin and opioid abuse epidemic. Senator Shaheen’s proposal would provide supplemental appropriations totaling $600 million to programs at the Department
AYPF Takes Extensive Look At Effective Approaches on Foster Medication
On Friday, November 20 the American Youth Policy Forum sponsored a Capitol Hill briefing on the topic of How Research Evidence Informs Foster Youth Medication Policies. The panel discussion included an examination of
Appropriations Discussions Ongoing and Uncertain
Appropriations staffers and committee members continued to work toward beating a December 11 deadline when the government will run out of money. Despite the ongoing work it is unclear whether or not issues around policy