The Senate spent last week debating S 178, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act but ran into major problems. S 178 attempts to establish new funding through the use of the Crime Victims Fund to provide services to victims of all human trafficking (not limited to sex trafficking), it also creates greater law enforcement
On Tuesday, the House, absent much debate, passed an appropriations bill that will fund the Department of Homeland Security through the rest of the fiscal year. The action to adopt a “clean” bill—without any restrictions on the President’s executive order regarding immigration—was adopted 257 to 167 with Democrats providing the bulk of the vote (182
On Tuesday February 24, the Senate Judiciary Committee considered the issue of human trafficking and two bills that approach the issue beyond what was debated within child welfare in 2014 through amendments to child welfare law. Under the hearing title, Human Trafficking in the United States: Protecting the Victim, senators focused attention on providing services,
Some in Washington are advocating the elimination of SSBG as a way to fund child welfare services. The theory is that eliminating the $1.7 billion in SSBG dollars might free up some funds for child welfare and perhaps also cut federal spending at the same time. Such calculations however ignore the fact that SSBG funds
The Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities has released a list of the upcoming hearings with the next one being this week on February 27 and 28. It will be held at the Marriott City Center, 520 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205, To attend in person or via webinar/teleconference and receive a copy
On Thursday, February 19, HHS released the FY 2015 funds of $386 million for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (Home Visiting Program/MIECHV). In releasing the funds HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell said, “Home visits by a nurse, social worker, or early childhood educator during pregnancy and in the first years of life
Last week CLASP and the Center for American Progress (CAP) released a new report on the federal home visiting program (MIECHV) called, An Investment in our Future: How Federal Home Visiting Funding Provides Critical Support for Parents and Children, The report build on some of the research and information provided last week by HHS as
Last Monday, the President started the FY 2016 appropriations process when he sent to Congress his formal budget request. Although many observers like to describe such budgets as “dead on arrival” or DOA whenever there are two different parties controlling the White House and Congress it none-theless starts a process and sets goals in
The Administration’s budget includes several proposed appropriations increases or changes in law to expand child welfare services, particularly for children and families involved with foster care. It is in fact a change for a budget area that rarely experiences any requested increases beyond what happens under the entitlement programs. Whether any action takes place will
On Friday, HHS released the first preliminary information and research on the home visiting program the Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV). The research referred to as, Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation or MIHOPE focuses on the initial planning, outreach and target families. The research partners for this and future reports are