Earlier this month, Congressmember Karen Bass (D-CA) introduced the Foster Youth Dental Act of 2020. The legislation attempts to strengthen dental coverage under the Medicaid program for young people in foster care by expanding eligibility, providing incentives for dental providers, enhancing outreach efforts for enrollment, and protecting existing coverage for foster youth. Youth enrolled
Last month, on Wednesday, August 19, 2020, the House Ways and Means Committee Democrats released a report led by Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight, the late John Lewis (D-GA) on the issue of discrimination in placement decisions for foster care and adoption. The
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
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.
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,
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 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, new report found that during June 24-30, 2020, 11 percent of young adults seriously considered suicide. 40 percent of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health or substance use during the pandemic, including anxiety/depression systems or trauma or stressor-related disorder symptoms. The CDC's new data included self-reported
The House-passed HEROES Act adopted by the House on May 15, 2020, includes significant funding under the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) that would help state and local governments address current budgetary shortfalls. SSBG has always been a significant funder of a range of child welfare services, including foster care, youth services, child protection, prevention
On Thursday, June 4, 2020, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced a companion to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) the Child Care is Essential Act that would provide $50 billion in child care funding as part of the fifth or next COVID-19 bill. They are part of various legislative efforts to address the serious long-term challenges facing the country’s
In the Families First COVID-19 emergency supplemental bill (COVID-19 bill # 2), Congress acted swiftly to provide a much-needed 6.2 percentage increase in the FMAP. The FMAP is the match level of funds the federal government provides to Medicaid. Usually the federal government provides a match from 50 percent to 80 percent depending on the