Protecting Youth & Families

Human Services Programs That Have Expired Reauthorizations  

With some proposing that we defund programs that have not been reauthorized, the Congressional Budget Office issues regular annual reports of how many programs have not been reauthorized. Congress frequently fails to meet the window to reauthorize programs.  An occurrence that seems more frequent in recent congresses.  In January 2016, the CBO released, Unauthorized Appropriations

Sign On to SSBG Letter, Then Tell Us Your Health Care Story

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

Opioid Epidemic and the Repeal of ACA/Medicaid Block Grant

Evidence is all around that the country is facing another drug abuse crisis.  Not surprisingly that crisis is impacting the number of children entering foster care.  Child welfare will continue to be effected by increased drug epidemic and that could become even more significant if Congress repeals the ACA, block grants Medicaid and does not

Listen to a Young Man Describe His 20 Years in Foster Care!  

On Wednesday, January 11, National Public Radio’s All Things Considered—Youth Radio, broadcast a story about a young man who entered foster care at the age of one and who recently aged out of care at the age of 21. Noel Anaya spent nearly all of his life in the California foster care system and tells

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

Tell Us Your Story – Families USA

In an effort to collect stories on the impact of the ACA, Families USA is asking people to Tell Us Your Stories.  Families USA has been a leader on health care for more than two decades.  Currently they are working in a coalition to elevate people’s experiences in the media, with policymakers, and in our

Chair of Ways and Means Has Positive Words for Home Visiting

On Thursday, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee had positive words for the home visiting program.  [the Human Resources Subcommittee will work on] “solutions to help more families climb the economic ladder and escape poverty. We will continue taking action to ensure the programs under our Committee’s jurisdiction are encouraging and rewarding work

Senate Jumps on ACA Repeal

By early afternoon of January 3, 2017 Senate Republican began the process of a repeal of the Affordable Care Act.  Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) introduced a Senate Budget Resolution (S.Con.Res.3) and debate began with a clock of 50 hours of Senate debate.  The resolution will eventually provide a reconciliation process to fast track the repeal

More Doctors Weigh-in On Not Repealing ACA Without a Replacement

In a letter addressed to Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WS), Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and other congressional leaders, medical groups representing approximately 400,000 doctors across the country warned against the repeal of the ACA.  The American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of

Families First Act Re-Introduced in House

Last week Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Congressman Sander Levin (D-MI) reintroduced the Families First Act, HR 253.  The legislation is identical to the legislation that passed the House of Representatives last summer.  As a result, it does not include any of the changes that were agreed to after last year’s November election.  It is

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