Help Us Protect SSBG  

The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) is a vital source of support for your state ESPECIALLY for child welfare, domestic violence, elder abuse services, and other human services. Speaker Ryan has offered proposals to eliminate all $1.7 billion in human services funding.  See how your state spends its SSBG and who they serve in the

HHS Releases Final Regulations on AFCARS

On Wednesday, December 14, HHS published final regulations for the updated Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) regulations and requirements.  AFCARS data reported by states annually helps to build a profile of the “child welfare” population by producing annual numbers on children in out-of-home (foster) care, adoptions and youth aging out to

HHS Issues Guidance on Medicaid to 26 for Youth Formerly in Foster Care

Last week HHS issued a CMS Information Bulletin, on how states can extend Medicaid coverage to young people up to age 26 if they aged out of foster care and then later move to another state. Under the ACA young people who exited foster care have mandatory coverage under Medicaid to the age of 26. 

Final Senate Foster Youth Caucus Session Focuses on “Normalcy”

On Monday, December 12 the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth held their last round table discussion for 2016. This week’s discussion focused on foster care and “normalcy” or attempts to make foster care placements as family like as possible for children in care. The overview was provided by Jenny Pokempner from the Juvenile Law Center

Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention and Treatment Act Falls by Wayside

The Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention and Treatment Act (JJDPA), a program that seeks to prevent juvenile incarceration through prevention efforts and better and more appropriate sentencing fell short late in the week. The last time the JJDPA was reauthorized was in 2002 with the current programs operating without an authorization since 2007.   In July, the

Second Senate Foster Youth Caucus Session Focuses on Higher Ed

The Senate Caucus on Foster Youth, held the second in an on-going series of discussion on youth in foster care.  The event held on Wednesday, December 7, “A Focus on Older Youth and Young Adults in Foster Care: A Focus on Higher education Opportunities.”  The second session focused on some of the best approaches and

Foster Youth Caucus Hosts Roundtable on Youth Aging Out

The Senate Caucus on Foster Youth, on Thursday, December 1, held the first of what is expected to be a series of Hill roundtable discussions on the challenges of youth in foster care. The first roundtable was “A Focus on Older Youth and Young Adults in Foster Care.” This forum began with opening comments by

Education Releases Guidance on JJ Youth Transition To School

On Friday, December 2, the Department of Education released guidance and resources on assisting young people juvenile justice placement in their transition back to traditional school settings. The assistance includes:   a guide is written for incarcerated youth; a newly updated transition toolkit and resource guide for practitioners in juvenile justice facilities; a document detailing education programs

Paper Outlines Need to Fix Medicaid Access for Youth Formerly in Foster Care

  The National Center for Children in Poverty has released a new policy paper on the status of Medicaid access for young people formerly in foster care.  The paper, FOSTERING HEALTH: The Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and Youth Transitioning from Foster Care, describes the impact of a provision in the ACA that requires that youth

Advocates Seek Greater Budget Help on Child Trafficking

In regard to letters to OMB, CWLA has signed onto a letter by the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) in support of increased funding to address trafficking including prevention and treatment.  The lengthy request covers a range of programs across the departments including the Victim Services Grants & Human Trafficking Task Forces, Minor

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