There was little progress to report in regard to the passage of the Family First Prevention Services Act, (HR 5456, Conference Report 114-628). Its only path forward would appear to be a voice vote in the Senate with perhaps some assurances from sponsors and other parties to interpret the legislation in a way that will
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a new report on how tribal governments are addressing the eventual restrictions on the foster care placement category of “another planned permanent living arrangement” or APPLA for youth in foster care. The report, Most Tribes Do Not Anticipate Challenges with Case Goal Changes, but HHS Could Further Promote
Congress is back. The long congressional summer break provided time for several webinars and conference calls for what is shaping up as two sides on the passage of the Family First Prevention Services Act, (HR 5456, Conference Report 114-628). Congress left in July with several senators placing “holds” against moving the legislation by voice vote.
During the summer break Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and their offices reached out through a conference calls to supporters and other stakeholders encouraging them to promote the bill while Congress was out of session. Also holding webinars along with power point presentations were a coalition of California groups including state,
Some critics of the Families First Prevention Services Act have recently argued that the proposed bill does not truly provide prevention services. In part this depends on how the individual defines prevention. CWLA views the Families First Act as providing an important part of the child welfare continuum, intervention services that can prevent placement into
Monday, August 22 represents something of an anniversary. It will be twenty years since the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, PL 104-193, more commonly referred to as “TANF.” TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) converted the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program, which had provided an
Talking about the need for greater access to needed services for families, on both Monday and Tuesday’s plenary sessions Commissioner Rafael Lopez noted the significance of the Family First Prevention Services Act, (HR 5456) (Conference Report 114-628). Lopez highlighted in his Tuesday luncheon remarks how the current opioid crisis is not new but just different
Wait Until September Congress left last week to start one of their longest summer breaks in decades. As they departed they were unable to get final action on the Family First Prevention Services Act, (HR 5456) (Conference Report 114-628). The legislation has been endorsed by CWLA. All week long, bill sponsors had attempted to reach
On Tuesday, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) held their annual unveiling of their policy report. The report and the panel of speakers are the result of the 2016 CCAI Foster Youth Internship Program® class. The policy report, Powerful Voices: Sharing Our Stories to Reform Child Welfare includes 22 policy recommendation by the 12
Holding Pattern in Senate Last week efforts to adopt the House version of the Family First Prevention Services Act, (HR 5456) (Conference Report 114-628) continued but success has stalled—at least temporarily. By week’s end the only thing that was clear is that they had not yet reached unanimous support for the bill and passing it.