Administration

This Week Should Provide More Clarity To Trump Presidency

Since much of the President-elect Trump's agenda was wrapped less around specific domestic issues and more around the larger issues such as immigration and trade, it is not clear what the domestic policy agenda will look like.  As a result, the priorities may be wrapped around a few big Trump initiatives and a Republican congressional

Foster Care Numbers Trending Upward

With the latest AFCARS data official, there are now clear indications that foster care numbers are trending upward.  A third consecutive increase in foster care to 427,910 children in care represents an eight percent increase since 2012.  Likely these numbers will be even higher when the 2016 numbers are reported next year. The numbers are

2017 Budget Path Uncertain Pending Election

Nearly a month in the new fiscal year the fate of the FY 2017 budget is anything but certain.  When the Congress returns on November 14, they must act on 11 of the 12 appropriations bills.  Military Construction, separate from defense appropriations, is the only appropriations bill signed into law. Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WS) has

Paper Outlines Need to Fix Medicaid Access for Youth Formerly in Foster Care

  The National Center for Children in Poverty has released a new policy paper on the status of Medicaid access for young people formerly in foster care.  The paper, FOSTERING HEALTH: The Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and Youth Transitioning from Foster Care, describes the impact of a provision in the ACA that requires that youth

CWLA Asks OMB to Include Funding for Key Child Maltreatment Issues

Last week CWLA called on the Office of Management and Budget to include new funds in the 2018 budget to better address key child maltreatment strategies. The preparation of the 2018 budget is a placeholder for the new administration.  The new President will be sworn in on January 20 and as a result the 2018

President Recognizes National Youth Justice Awareness Month  

The President has issued a proclamation recognizing the month of October as National Youth Justice Awareness Month. In the proclamation the President focuses much of his words on the juvenile justice system and the need for reforms.  He also calls on Congress to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) and highlights his support

Families First Act, Now What?

There was no vote on the Family First Prevention Services Act, (HR 5456, Conference Report 114-628) as Congress finished a budget deal last week Wednesday.  As a result, the bill still remains in the same place.  That means that it could be finished or dead for this Congress.  There could be one more run at

Congress Adopts CR, Finished Until After Election

Congress adopted a continuing resolution that will provide temporary FY ’17 funding to December 9.  The CR was passed on Wednesday, September 28 and Congress adjourned until the November elections. The action came after a deal was struck on providing $170 million for Flint drinking water crisis.  The Flint funding will not be adopted until

Kinship Care Celebrated At Children’s Bureau

September as National Kinship Care Month was celebrated at the Children’s Bureau on Friday, September 30.  More than a dozen states have joined onto a national effort to celebrate kin families in the month of September. The Bureau celebration, which was also webcast, including comments by several kinship care givers from several cities including New

Tribal National Conference at White House

On Monday, September 26, the White House was the site for the eighth annual White House Tribal Nations Conference.  It was also the second White House Tribal Youth Gathering. The national convening is the result of a 2008 campaign promise by then candidate-Obama who made the commitment to hold regular convening’s when he made a

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