Maltreatment Prevention

November is National Runaway Prevention Month

November is National Runaway Prevention Month, which brings awareness and extends prevention measures to the many youth who runaway every year. This month is also an opportunity to spotlight the available resources for runaway youth who find themselves in crisis. During the month of November, individuals, organizations, and communities across the nation are encouraged to

Leaked I.G. Report Details Strategy to Separate Children at Border

According to an October 7, 2020 report in the New York Times, an upcoming Inspector General (IG)’s report will show that top Justice Department Officials, in May 2018, including the Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, pressed local U.S. Attorneys to prosecute and separate families for prosecution no matter how young the

ACA Repeal: Why A Stand-Alone Pre-existing Condition Law Does Not Protect People

One of the most popular provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is that part of the law that prohibits insurance companies from denying health insurance coverage because a patient has a “pre-existing condition.” A pre-existing condition could cover any number of previous illnesses, health history, or other circumstances that insurance companies, before the ACA,

Supreme Court Appointee Looms Large on Future of ACA

The Supreme Court, with either 8 or 9 members, has scheduled oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act for November 10, 2020. This is a Supreme Court case that could strike down the entire ACA. May 13 was the deadline to file amici briefs on the case of the State of California,

More Report of Immigrant Abuse By Homeland Security

On Wednesday, September 16, 2020, several publications printed reports of immigrant detainee abuse at Homeland Security facilities including the possibility of unapproved hysterectomies on women being held at the facility. The reports and recent court actions highlight the difficulty many immigrant families are facing during the pandemic. Immigrants with proper documentation and status are being

Foundation Offers Guidance to Address Mental Health Issues During the Coronavirus

Last week the de Beaumont Foundation released a 34-page guide, Solutions for Local Leaders to Improve Mental Health and Well-Being During and Post-COVID-19. The authors state, “Researchers estimate that this pandemic could lead to an additional 75,000 deaths related to alcohol and drug misuse and suicide. One-third of Americans are now showing signs of clinical anxiety or

Thirteen New Family First Clearinghouse Ratings Released

August 31, 2020 The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released thirteen (13) more Title IV-E Prevention Services programs and services ratings for the Title IV-E Prevention Services in accordance with the Family First Prevention Services Act.   These practices include mental health services, substance abuse prevention and treatment services, and in-home parent skill-based programs.

GAO Looks At Kinship Care and Federal Supports Across Country

A July 2020 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report examines relative caregivers’ issues in Child Welfare and Aging Programs. The report drew on data from child welfare (AFCARS) as well as two Census Bureau surveys.     The GAO found that in 2018 there were an estimated 2.7 million children that lived with kin caregivers— grandparents, other relatives,

Preliminary AFCARS Data Show Foster Care Decrease in 2019

The recently released AFCARS, Report Number 27, indicates that foster care numbers decreased in FY 2019. The report lists 423,997 children in foster care at the end of the federal fiscal year 2019 (September 30, 2019) compared to 435,031 for the same point in 2018. The report may be adjusted in the next few months, but

The Child Welfare Emergency Assistance Act

CWLA continues to support the Child Welfare Emergency Assistance Act (Brown), S4172, which now has 15 cosponsors, including 7 Senators from the Senate Finance Committee. On Thursday, July 2, 2020, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced the Child Welfare Emergency Assistance Act. The bill’s original cosponsors include Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).

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