It's not too late to help families claim the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC), which provides up to $3,600 per child! More than 4 million kids, primarily those in households with low incomes, are at risk of missing out on the CTC. While the tax filing deadline has passed, families with no or low incomes
On Thursday, July 21, 2022, the Child Welfare League of America, alongside Youth Villages, hosted an open mic to discuss the Access to Foster Care to 21 Act, sponsored by Representative Judy Chu (D-CA). Kristen Torres, from Representative Chu’s Office, joined the call to provide a basic overview. This bill, which was introduced last month,
On Wednesday, July 20, 2022, the House Budget Committee held the hearing “Examining the Powerful Impact of Investments in Early Childhood for Children, Families, and Our Nation’s Economy.” The conversation was centered on whether making federal investments in children is beneficial or not. With the documents and testimonies provided it is very clear that investing
The Senate continues to work on a slimmed-down budget reconciliation package that would extend ACA subsidies for two years and allow Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug costs on certain drugs. Senate leadership expects to vote on the package before the August recess.
On July 20, 2022, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-CA) released the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, his Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill. The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and other anti-hunger advocates have hailed the legislation, calling it a "comprehensive plan that will increase access to school meals, summer meals, and
A study by University of Kansas researchers and colleagues at two other universities reported every 5% increase in enrollment in the federal nutrition assistance program for low-income families could reduce the number of children a state placed in foster care or protective services from 7.6% to 14.3%. The 50-state study of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
On Wednesday, July 30, 2022, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption institute (CCAI) held their annual Foster Youth Internship Program Congressional Briefing webinar. The FYI program serves as a platform to uplift the voices of current and former foster youth in federal policy to engage and educate Members of Congress on the issues of foster care
On Monday, July 18th, 2022, the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services (HHS) hosted legislative briefing on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s transition to 988, days after the new mental health hotline number officially launched over the weekend. Secretary Xavier Becerra, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, and other
On July 13, 2022, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) Representative Karen Bass (D-CA), and Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the bicameral Children’s Safe Welcome Act. This bill establishes new standards to ensure that the safety and well-being of migrant children in government custody are prioritized, embedding best practices into every stage of
On Thursday, July 14th, 2022, Senator Manchin (D-WV) said “unequivocally” during a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Schumer (D-NY) that he will only support reducing drug prices and a two-year extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies as components of the reconciliation package. Although he insisted later during an interview that he still wanted to