On Tuesday, May 18, 2021, the Senate HELP Committee focused on proposals for expanded Family and Medical Leave and comments and statements by members showed a divide between Committee Democrats and Republicans. Committee Chair, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) is sponsoring S 249, the Family and Medical Insurance Leave “FAMILY Act” (along with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro
The Ways and Means Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support held a hearing on "Making a Difference for Families and Foster Youth." The hearing was intended as a review of potential updates and changes to the two Title IV-B programs for reauthorization later this year. The witnesses included William Bell, President and CEO, Casey
There are two child welfare programs created under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act. Despite the call for flexible funding through child welfare, these two programs have been around for decades and provide very flexible child welfare funding, although neither program has had strong support and, in fact, been continuously cut since 2005.
There are three key points for CWLA members this week: Make the Child Tax Credit Permanent which would make the CTC fully refundable, even for low-income families. The Child Tax Credit is on track to be delivered monthly, starting in July 2021, by the IRS. Making the CTC permanent can lift more children above the poverty line
The past year has focused needed attention on racial inequity. The death of George Floyd and many others have focused greater attention on racial inequality across this country. This inequity extends to child welfare. This HOT TOPIC calls for three immediate steps Congress can take this year: Reform the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act (MEPA); Add in greater flexibility
Before President Biden’s signed the American Rescue Plan, 27 million children did not receive the child tax credit as a result of low parental income. During the pandemic, child poverty reached an estimated high of 21.4% in August 2020 – up from 18.7% pre-pandemic. The National Academies of Sciences found that child poverty itself costs
The COVID-19 pandemic just exacerbated the child care industry, which is vital for working parents. The child care industry has historically been underfunded and outrageously expensive for most American families and making access to quality care unattainable for more than 2 million parents a year. The Center for American Progress estimates that more than
Aysha Schomburg, Associate Commissioner for the Children’s Bureau, helped to open CWLA’s successful 2021 virtual conference on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. In her opening remarks to CWLA attendees, she discussed her experiences over the past year during the pandemic and some of the lessons learned. At the time, Commissioner Schomburg was working at New York
To help families cover their children’s basic needs, Congress expanded the Child Tax Credit for 2021. The IRS will be sending out monthly checks to families with children, starting in July. Families can receive up to $300 a month for every child ages 0-5 and $250 a month for every child ages 6-17 living in
Last month the Centers on Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data that indicates that drug overdoses in this country reached an all-time high of 90,000 in the 12 month period that ended on September 30, 2020. The numbers represent a stark increase after the already high numbers seemed to stabilize between 2017 through 2019 at between