The past year has focused needed attention on racial inequity. The death of George Floyd and many others have focused greater attention on racial inequality across this country. This inequity extends to child welfare. This HOT TOPIC calls for three immediate steps Congress can take this year: Reform the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act (MEPA); Add in greater flexibility
Before President Biden’s signed the American Rescue Plan, 27 million children did not receive the child tax credit as a result of low parental income. During the pandemic, child poverty reached an estimated high of 21.4% in August 2020 – up from 18.7% pre-pandemic. The National Academies of Sciences found that child poverty itself costs
The COVID-19 pandemic just exacerbated the child care industry, which is vital for working parents. The child care industry has historically been underfunded and outrageously expensive for most American families and making access to quality care unattainable for more than 2 million parents a year. The Center for American Progress estimates that more than
Aysha Schomburg, Associate Commissioner for the Children’s Bureau, helped to open CWLA’s successful 2021 virtual conference on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. In her opening remarks to CWLA attendees, she discussed her experiences over the past year during the pandemic and some of the lessons learned. At the time, Commissioner Schomburg was working at New York
To help families cover their children’s basic needs, Congress expanded the Child Tax Credit for 2021. The IRS will be sending out monthly checks to families with children, starting in July. Families can receive up to $300 a month for every child ages 0-5 and $250 a month for every child ages 6-17 living in
Last month the Centers on Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data that indicates that drug overdoses in this country reached an all-time high of 90,000 in the 12 month period that ended on September 30, 2020. The numbers represent a stark increase after the already high numbers seemed to stabilize between 2017 through 2019 at between
Following CWLA’s 2021 Virtual Conference this week, will be our Virtual Hill Day on Wednesday, May 12th, in which we are asking CWLA members and Conference registrants to go to Capitol Hill to virtually meet their members of Congress to educate them on key child welfare legislation. The 2021 CWLA Legislative Agenda, which lays out
On Wednesday, April 28, 2021, President Joe Biden used his first speech to a joint session of Congress to outline his “American Family Plan.” The plan is designed to complement or combine with his infrastructure plan to redesign the U.S. economy over the coming years. The key provisions as outlined by the White House include a
To help families cover their children’s basic needs, Congress expanded the Child Tax Credit for 2021. The IRS will be sending out monthly checks to families with children, starting in July. Families can receive up to $300 a month for every child ages 0-5 and $250 a month for every child ages 6-17 living in
A day before President Biden’s speech to a joint session of Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA), Chair of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee announced the release of the Building an Economy for Families Act (and here). The legislation would provide paid family and medical leave, expanded child care, and improvements in tax credits, including the Child