In a 6-minute daily update, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) interviewed Robin Reese, the Executive Director of Lucas County Children Services. Reese shared that abuse and neglect calls were decreasing, but children are no longer seeing mandated reports like teachers. Social workers in her county were able to get PPE, but it’s difficult for them
All parts of the child welfare continuum—child and family serving organizations, social workers, parents, kinship caregivers, adoptive or foster parents, and children themselves—have been fundamentally impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Several CWLA Press titles speak to managing stress and crisis situations; empowering children, youth, and those in the child welfare field; and maintaining safety
On Friday, April 10, the Children’s Bureau released a letter from Jerry Milner suspending the Title IV-E Eligibility and National Youth in Transition (NYTD) reviews in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Milner stated the following: “Dear Child Welfare Leader: Over the past several weeks, I have had the opportunity to speak with many of you
As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to move across this country, the evidence of its impacts on the child welfare system are increasingly becoming visible: Child welfare offices and agencies have been forced to shut their doors in order to prevent staff members from becoming ill or because staff have tested positive for
According to a Washington Post more in-depth analysis based on earlier CDC information, the coronavirus "appears to be infecting and killing black Americans at a disproportionately high rate." As of April 9, 2020, 14,696 people have died from COVID-19 related infections. The Post reported that African Americans "have three times the rate of infections and
On Tuesday, April 7, the Administration requested another $250 billion for the Small Business Loans that just opened a little more than a week ago. The forgiveness loans are open to small businesses of less than 500 employees. SBA loans are available to nonprofit organizations. There has been significant confusion and even frustration as loan
Senate Democrats unveiled a "Heroes Fund" on Tuesday, April 7. The legislation, announced by Minority Leader Schumer, would create a federally funded program that would allow a $25,000 premium pay increase for essential workers. It would also pay for a $15,000 worker recruitment incentive grant to workers. According to information provided by bill sponsors, employers
Last week the HHS Office of Inspector General (I.G.) issued Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey March 23–27, 2020. The report stated, "Hospitals reported that their most significant challenges centered on testing and caring for patients with known or suspected COVID-19 and keeping staff safe. Hospitals also reported
Older youth, including transition-aged youth, in foster care, are most vulnerable during this public health pandemic because of placement instability, placement in congregate settings, disruptions to their education and employment, social isolation, and lack of access to health. This population is not able to rely on families for support and often will depend on the
Last week the CDC announced that suicide rates increased by 35 percent since the start of this century. From 1999 to 2018, the suicide rate went from 10.5 per 100,000 to 14.2. The CDC report shows that the increases have accelerated over time, increasing by one percent a year through 2006 but have been going