On Wednesday, September 29, 2021, the House of Representative Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force Announced a 2021 Legislative Agenda. According to the group led by Congresswoman Annie Kuster (D-NH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), David Trone (D-MD), and Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA). Congresswoman Kuster announced the agenda that includes more than 60 separate bills, outlines
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
When the CR was passed last Thursday, it did not extend pandemic relief funding for youth exiting foster care including additional $400 million in Chafee-pandemic relief funding (annual mandatory Chaffee funds are set at $143 million). The addition $400 million expired at the end of fiscal year 2021. It is not clear how much of
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
On September 28, 2021, First Focus on Children and the U.S. Child Poverty Action Group held a webinar to examine what the new US Census Bureau data tells us about the impact of COVID-19 on child poverty, and the importance of action from Congress. There are two different ways the Census Bureau measures poverty in
On Tuesday, September 28, 2021, the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI) and the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) presented a panel to discuss Empowering the Child Welfare Workforce and its Emerging Leaders. The webinar provided information about CWLA’s Emerging Leaders Committee and insightful steps, tips, and strategies to promote growth and development of
On September 18, the Concord Monitor published a story about the child welfare workforce that is probably too typical of several state and local child welfare workforce situations. The workforce is vital to any successful changes, improvements, or reforms in prevention, reducing the number of separated families, and helping children and youth reach a permanent
As the reconciliation bill is fought over, several prominent groups are weighing in support of a major expansion of child care as part of the final reconciliation. In the past two weeks, more than 120 economists, forty-five business leaders, and 100 House members have called on Congress to include the robust child care expansion that
On Friday, September 17, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an expanded open enrollment period for people signing up for or renewing their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Consumers will have an extra 30 days to review and choose health plans through Open Enrollment, which will run from