First Focus on Children hosted their annual Children’s Budget Summit on October 6th, 2022. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) welcomed the summit and discussed the importance of the work being done on the child welfare front and the commitment he is making in this realm, focusing particularly on youth mental health, a priority for the Senate
On October 4, 2022, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) Commissioner Jess Dannhauser announced “College Choice,” a program that will provide college students in foster care with greater support systems, including financial support. ACS will help pay remaining costs of college tuition— up to $15,000 each
On the final two days of September, Congress came together and passed a stopgap funding bill, known as a Continuing Resolution (CR), to fund the government at current levels until December 16th, 2022. President Biden signed the bill on Friday, September 30th, avoiding a government shut and buying more time for Congress to reach an
On September 23rd, 2022, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) released a new paper highlighting the success of the Expanded Child Tax Credit in reducing childhood poverty and the need for Congress to come to a bipartisan agreement to extend this important policy. The paper notes that, "the expansion helped lower child poverty
The Biden Administration hosted the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health on Wednesday, September 28th, 2022. This was the first White House Conference on these topics in more than 50 years, since the Nixon Administration, and it covered a broad range of topics in its plenary and breakout sessions, which are available on
On Friday, September 30th, the Children's Bureau announced new program ratings in the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse. Five new programs were found to meet the standards for inclusion among the evidence-based programs that can be utilized under the Family First Prevention Services Act. Two new programs were categorized as "Well-Supported," the highest rating in
On Friday, September 23rd, Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA) and Don Bacon (R-NE), along with original cosponsors Representatives Cole (R-OK), Ruiz (D-CA) and Davids (D-KS), introduced the Strengthening Tribal Families Act, legislation designed to assist state and local child welfare agencies with implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), which CWLA has endorsed. ICWA sets federal
On Wednesday, September 21st, 2022 the Ways and Means Committee marked up the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Act of 2022, which CWLA has endorsed. With family members of the late Congresswoman Walorski in attendance, members of the committee shared their memories of her and condolences for her loss. She was remembered fondly
On September 20th, 2022, Representative Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) introduced the Strengthening Courts for Kids and Families Act, a bill to reauthorize the Court Improvement Program (CIP) and to increase the funding with a $30 million set aside. Representative Carol Miller (R-WV) joined Representative Murphy as the cosponsor for the bipartisan legislation, which CWLA has endorsed.
On Tuesday, September 20, 2022 the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network hosted a webinar titled Family Dynamics in Kinship Families: Implications for Services and Programs. Dr. Joseph Crumbley, now retired, spent 38 years practicing social work as a family therapist, consultant, author, and trainer, specializing in adoption, foster care, and kinship care. During the webinar,