On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, the President issued an Executive Order (EO) on “Strengthening the Child Welfare System for America’s Children.” The EO includes a number of directives to HHS regarding future data collection reports to the White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and some future adjustments to the Child and Families Services Reviews (CFSR) over
For a decade, the child welfare community has celebrated June as National Reunification Month. The American Bar Association (ABA) Center on Children and the Law and other national partners created the National Reunification Month in 2010, as the most desirable and positive legal permanency option for children. According to AFCARS data, reunifications is the permanency
The Trump Justice Department filed a brief with the Supreme Court on the upcoming FULTON, ET AL. v. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, ET AL.in support of plaintiffs and in opposition to the City of Philadelphia and that City’s ban on discrimination in children’s placement through their child welfare system. The brief offers little in terms of
As National Foster Care Month, May 2020, comes to a close, we look ahead to what comes next for children, youth, families, and the child welfare workforce. During these unprecedented times, we acknowledge everyone whose lives have been impacted by family foster care programs and services because of historical policy, program, and practice achievements. The
Last week, CWLA’s members urged Congress to pass another emergency supplemental bill that expands the current level of federal support for state and territorial Medicaid and child welfare programs. In the Families First COVID-19 emergency supplemental bill, Congress acted swiftly to provide a much-needed 6.2 percentage increase in the FMAP. As the pandemic increases the
On Thursday, May 28, 2020, the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth hosted a briefing on COVID-19 and its impact on child welfare to explore the effects of the pandemic on these vulnerable young people and their families. The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-sweeping impacts on all Americans, and the impacts on children and families in
Two areas addressed in the House bill and supported by CWLA include the FMAP increase for state Medicaid and Title IV-E programs and an increase in funding of $9.6 billion for the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). The second COVID-19 bill increased each state’s Medicaid matching rate (FMAP—the federal medical assistance percentage) by 6.2 percent,
On Tuesday, May 12, 2020, child welfare leaders from Washington D.C. and Virginia discussed how the region’s foster care and child welfare services are being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic during the nationally syndicated public radio Kojo Nnamdi Show. The guests included Brenda Donald, District of Columbia, Director, DC Child, and Family Services Agency, Sharra
On Tuesday, May 12, HHS published final rule 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
On Friday, April 17, 2020, Associate Commissioner Jerry Milner highlighted the challenges surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the health and human services systems inability to conduct services in the traditional approach. Milner’s letter to child welfare leaders urges them to collaborate with their governors and “to work with their emergency management and public health leadership
