In the Families First COVID-19 emergency supplemental bill (COVID-19 bill # 2), Congress acted swiftly to provide a much-needed 6.2 percentage increase in the FMAP. The FMAP is the match level of funds the federal government provides to Medicaid. Usually the federal government provides a match from 50 percent to 80 percent depending on the
CWLA continues to support the Child Welfare Emergency Assistance Act (Brown), S4172, which now has 15 cosponsors, including 7 Senators from the Senate Finance Committee. On Thursday, July 2, 2020, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced the Child Welfare Emergency Assistance Act. The bill’s original cosponsors include Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).
On Friday, August 7, 2020, Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) and Congresswoman Jackie Walorski introduced the, “Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act.” The legislation would provide funding for youth transitioning from foster care ($350 million for Chafee Independent Living and $50 million for education and training vouchers). It would allow states that are
A recent survey by the Annie E. Casey Foundation revealed that in response to the coronavirus pandemic, black youth detained in juvenile facilities were released at a far slower rate than their white peers. Black children are disproportionately represented in the juvenile justice system, and this report highlights another disparity for children of color. Black youth are
On Monday, July 27, 2020, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released his party’s counter to the House of Representatives HEROES Act. The rest of last week left the impression that Senate Republicans are not sure about the next steps. The HEALS Act, as it has been labeled, is actually eight different bills from different members
While the Senate COVID-19 bill provides minimal state supplements, it does provide some funding through the Senate Finance Committee bill and the Senate Appropriations bill for limited child welfare programs. Funding includes an appropriation of $75 million through the Child Welfare Services (Title IV-B part 1),$50 million for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevent (CB-CAP) funds and $65 million for Family
There are several priorities CWLA holds for the next package that reach beyond “child welfare” but are critical to families and to future trends for child welfare caseloads. These can be as broad as tax rebates (that need to reach families that adopt, foster parents, kinship care and youth that transition from foster care) but
Last week, Arizona provided a directive to foster parents and relative caregivers that when schools reopen, children in foster care should be attending school. The Department has said they will consider some exceptions. The Arizona Department of Child Safety Director Mike Faust said in a public statement that he reached the decision based on consultation
On Friday, July 31, 2020, the House passed HR 7614 a second “mini-bus” legislative package that included six more appropriations bills. Combined with the previous week’s action that moved four appropriations bills, the House of Representatives has passed ten of twelve appropriations bills. Before moving on this legislative package, House leadership removed funding for the Department
As the end of the week approached, Washington was still waiting for a complete initial package from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on what will be a fifth COVID-19 relief measure. Negotiations that had started within the White House on Monday between the President’s staff and Republican Congressional leaders from the House and Senate