No Progress Update # 1: Appropriations

Last week ended with Senate Appropriations Chair Thad Cochran (R-MS) saying, "We need a new budget deal to finish our work. Congress and the administration must reach agreement on acceptable top-line funding levels. I urge all parties to those negotiations to redouble their efforts to reach agreement." That statement was issued because there is still

No Progress Update # 2 Home Visiting

  Download CWLA Advocacy App to Your Phone and Advocate on Your Own Time! Search for "votervoice" (one word) in your App store, or use one of these links: Google Play or iTunes After you download the App, you will be prompted to enter your email. A verification code will be sent to your email.

No Progress Update # 4: CHIP Reauthorization

There has been no progress on moving a CHIP reauthorization and movement in the Senate was almost impossible this week as the Senate Finance Committee was tied up with the tax package this week. CMS has reallocated a total $600 million to patch up current state shortfalls but that doesn’t relieve state policymakers’ uncertainty without

Two Tax Packages Set the Stage, Adoption Credit Survives

On Thursday, the House Ways and Means Committee approved their tax bill (HR 1) by a vote of 24-16 while the Senate unveiled the outline of their version of tax reform.  After various changes the House bill preserved the Adoption Tax Credit while the Senate bill also retains the credit in their version. Aside from

House Committee Looks at Opioids Impact on Children and Youth

Last week Wednesday, November 8, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing on the impact of opioids on children, youth and families.  The hearings were under the banner of two of the Committee’s subcommittees with an emphasis on children. According to the Committee information provided, 61.8 million patients received opioid prescriptions

Ohio Counties Increase Taxes to Cover Foster Care Increases

Registration 2018 CWLA National Annual Conference Overview ------ A significant action during last week’s election took place in several Ohio counties.  In the November 7 election, 13 Ohio counties had children services levies on the ballot with some county leaders indicating the requests were being driven by increasing foster care caseloads. Twelve of the 13 counties

Home Visiting Still Waiting

Download CWLA Advocacy App to Your Phone and Advocate on Your Own Time!  Search for "votervoice" (one word) in your App store, or use one of these links: Google Play or iTunes After you download the App, you will be prompted to enter your email. A verification code will be sent to your email. After verifying

Survey of States Show Dramatic Increase in Foster Care, Loss of Placements

Last week the Chronicle of Social Change released a new report and survey, The Foster Care Housing Crisis that focused new and much needed attention on the dramatic increase in foster care placements and the challenge some states are having finding enough placements for children and youth in foster care.  The report focused on capacity

Taxes Likely to Dominate Rest of Year, Rescue for Adoption Credit Needed

Last week the House Republicans unveiled their tax reform package, H.R 1.  Since many tax credits and tax deductions were eliminated there were a few that CWLA and other advocates had hoped would be saved.  The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credits did survive at a much smaller level but one that was eliminated was

Appropriations Action Uncertain

As we get closer to the December 8 expiration of the current FY 2018 funding, it is becoming more and more likely a final deal will not be struck.  Some are now suggesting the Congress may attempt another CR that would extend funding until December 15 to give the parties time to negotiate what they

Value prop about becoming a member