Last week the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a long-awaited report on whether states are reinvesting the significant savings they realized when the federal Adoption Assistance program was de-linked from the AFDC eligibility standards. The GAO report: CHILD WELFARE: Better Data and Guidance Could Help States Reinvest Adoption Savings and Improve Federal Oversight indicated
In 2008 when Congress enacted the Fostering Connections to Success Act, one of the most significant parts was a gradual “de-link” of Adoption Assistance from the old AFDC link. As is still the case with Title IV-E foster care and kinship care placements today, federal funding for children in care is only provided if a
On October 5, 2021, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, the witness for the hearing. Prior to questioning, Chairman Durbin emphasized the importance of the reauthorization of the law as the pandemic has created an increase in
Unable to get Senate Republicans to agree to a suspension or raising of the debt ceiling, Congressional Democrats took out the debt ceiling fix and were able to get Republican senators to adopt a continuing resolution sending it to the President’s desk before the start of the fiscal year on Friday, October 1, 2021. The
On Monday, September 27th, CWLA hosted a Child Tax Credit (CTC) webinar that was sponsored by the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN). In the webinar Debbie Weinstein, the executive director of the Coalition of Human Needs, explored the benefits, logistics, challenges, and eligibility for the Child Tax Credit. In March 2021, The American Rescue
On September 21,2021 the Senate Finance Committee asked the public for their comments on ways to address substance use and mental health services. In the letter Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID) asked members of the behavior health community and other interested parties about how the committee can best address
In drafting comments on how we can improve behavior health services for children, youth, and their families (especially child welfare) there are some important sources of recommendations Earlier this year, Child Trends issued: A National Agenda for Children’s Mental Health. The paper says that “Efforts to promote children’s mental health are often spread across
On Friday, October 1, 2021, National Public Radio (NPR) had an exclusive report that the U.S. Department of Education is about to offer a fix of a troubled loan forgiveness program which was supposed to relieve education loans for public servants—including child welfare workers. The report by NPR: NPR Exclusive: Troubled Public Service Loan
A House companion bill to address the IMD/QRTP issue was introduced in the House on Wednesday, September 29, 2021. The bill H.R. 5414, is the same as the Senate version (S. 2689) with Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) and Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), as primary sponsors. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
November is national adoption month. This year’s theme is “Every Conversation Matters”, which means engaging youth in permanency plans through open conversations about adoption. As Adoption Month approaches, the Children’s Bureau kickstarted the conversation by hosting the webinar Every Conversation Matters featuring two young women with lived experience and an adoption supervisor. The first young