Panel Discusses Treatments and Medication for Children in Foster Care
A Tuesday, February 10 congressional briefing entitled, Reducing Overreliance on Psychotropics and Increasing Use of Psychosocial Treatments for Children and Youth in Foster Care focused attention on the need for stronger treatment options for children
New HHS Research On Foster Youth And Financial Literacy Finds Challenges
HHS has released a new report on youth in foster care focusing more specifically on their capacity to deal with the range of financial issues and barriers they will experience once they leave or “age-out”
House Takes First Move on ESEA
Last week, not too far off from the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the House Committee on Education and the Workforce approved HR 5. The vote followed
New Report On Home Visiting Highlights State Progress
Last week CLASP and the Center for American Progress (CAP) released a new report on the federal home visiting program (MIECHV) called, An Investment in our Future: How Federal Home Visiting Funding Provides Critical
President‘s Budget Starts FY 2016 Debate
Last Monday, the President started the FY 2016 appropriations process when he sent to Congress his formal budget request. Although many observers like to describe such budgets as “dead on arrival” or DOA whenever there
HHS Seeks Comments On Data Collection in Child Welfare (AFCARS)
HHS is seeking comment on updates to the AFCARS (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System) In the announcement HHS indicates that the AFCARS need updating to incorporate statutory requirements since 1993; to
Budget Includes Several Initiatives on Child Welfare
The Administration’s budget includes several proposed appropriations increases or changes in law to expand child welfare services, particularly for children and families involved with foster care. It is in fact a change for a budget
First Research Report on Home Visiting (MIECHV)
On Friday, HHS released the first preliminary information and research on the home visiting program the Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV). The research referred to as, Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation
President To Release Proposed Budget Today
The President will release his proposed budget this morning. Some of the proposals have been leaked from the President and White House including his proposals to expand child care and the child care tax credit
Legislation Would Fix Homeless Youth Definition In Federal Housing
On Wednesday, January 28 members of congress and several advocacy groups came together to unveil the introduction of the Homeless Children and Youth. Act of 2015. The legislation would amend federal housing law to change
Amendment Would Address Medicaid Extended Access to Foster Youth
Last Wednesday Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) offered an amendment in a committee deliberation to assure Medicaid coverage for young people who had been in foster care. Under the ACA a young person who exits foster
Senators Introduce Reauthorization of Homeless and Runaway Youth Act
On Tuesday, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced a bill to reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA). The program provides three different grants to community-based organizations to reach out
Report Levels Heavy Criticism On Federal Enforcement Of Child Welfare
On Tuesday, January 27, Capitol Hill was the scene of a briefing and a report-release by the Children’s Advocacy Institute and First Star that leveled heavy criticism of federal oversight of the nation’s child welfare
New Poverty Analysis and Recommendations By Children’s Defense Fund
On Tuesday, The Children’s Defense Fund released a new report called Ending Child Poverty Now highlighting proposals they say could end child poverty, as defined by the Supplemental Poverty measure. CDF argues that we
House Legislation on Trafficking Re-Passes House
Last week the House of Representatives on suspension of the rule (a fast-track vote process) passed a dozen bills intended to address or help combat human trafficking while improving services to survivors. The one most
President Announces Child Care Initiative To Build On Child Care Credit
On Thursday, January 22, the President’ released a child care expansion proposal to build on his support for an expanded child care tax credit first announced at the state of the Union Address on Tuesday
Education and the Workforce Committee Begins Head Start Discussion
Last week the House Committee on Education and the Workforce held their first formal meeting with Congressman John Kline (R-MN) returning as the chair of that committee. As part of the committee start up, the
CWLA Statement on 2015 State of the Union Address
Not in several years has a President of United States placed such emphasis on child care in his State of the Union address. We applaud President Barack Obama’s call for greater support and expansion of
CWLA Policy Statement: Juvenile Shackling
“[Shackles] made me feel like a chained dog that you are trying to make into something less than I am. [I] hated seeing the tears in my dad’s eyes when he saw me in cuffs.”
—17-
HHS Releases 2013 Annual Child Maltreatment Report
Last week the Children’s Bureau released the annual 2013 Child Maltreatment Report. During the year, there were an estimated 3.5 million referrals or calls to child protective services agencies. The reports of child abuse
Senate HELP Committee Begins Serious Debate on Ed Law
One early indication of the level of bipartisanship may come this week as the Senate HELP Committee uses its first full committee hearing to focus on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
HHS Report Outlines Shortfall in Health Screening (EPSDT) for Kids
This past November the Office of Inspector General at HHS issued an updated report on the challenges states are facing regarding the required health screening of children through Medicaid. The IG report indicated that health
New Policy Briefs Released on Immigration and Child Welfare
The Center on Immigration and Child Welfare (CICW), formerly the Migration and Child Welfare National Network (MCWNN), is in the process of issuing a series of seven policy papers on a number of critical child