House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) released the House summer schedule at the end of May. He expects a month full of appropriations and other committee action through all of June with floor votes beginning on June 30th until the July 4th break. It appears likely the House will begin committee action on appropriations starting
On May 26, 2020, the Children’s Bureau released guidance to Child Welfare Directors describing how title IV-E agencies can utilize enhanced foster care programs during the COVID-19 pandemic to support youth who have left or may leave foster care. In the letter, Jerry Milner stated that “the available flexibilities include allowing states to opt into
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. CWLA has endorsed Senator Murray’s bill which is co-sponsored by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR0,
On Tuesday, June 2, 2020, the American Hospital Association asked the Administration to release $50 billion in federal funding that they already control. The letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar urged HHS to distribute additional funds not just to all hospitals, but to “hot spot” hospitals and hospitals serving high numbers of Medicaid and uninsured
On Wednesday, June 3, 2020, Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA) announced that he was meeting with Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin on Friday on another round of COVID-19 legislation. The discussion between the two will be around the role of infrastructure spending, and it would be the Democrats' goal for this piece to be combined with
In response to a bipartisan group of Senators, national youth justice advocates, and other stakeholders urging the Justice Department to outline ways to prevent infections, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) issued disappointing guidance to state juvenile detention and correctional facilities. The guidance is counter to the CDC’s recommended public health measures
Last week, CWLA’s members urged Congress to pass another emergency supplemental bill that expands the current level of federal support for state and territorial Medicaid and child welfare programs. In the Families First COVID-19 emergency supplemental bill, Congress acted swiftly to provide a much-needed 6.2 percentage increase in the FMAP. As the pandemic increases the
The front page of the New York Times paid tribute to the 100,000 lives lost to the coronavirus in America, “an Incalculable Loss.” The New York Times reported that “toward the end of May in the year 2020, the number of people in the United States who have died from the coronavirus passed 100,000 –almost
As National Foster Care Month, May 2020, comes to a close, we look ahead to what comes next for children, youth, families, and the child welfare workforce. During these unprecedented times, we acknowledge everyone whose lives have been impacted by family foster care programs and services because of historical policy, program, and practice achievements. The
Last week, CWLA’s members urged Congress to pass another emergency supplemental bill that expands the current level of federal support for state and territorial Medicaid and child welfare programs. In the Families First COVID-19 emergency supplemental bill, Congress acted swiftly to provide a much-needed 6.2 percentage increase in the FMAP. As the pandemic increases the
