On Monday, May 5, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), the Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee released a “discussion draft” of legislation that would invest new money into child welfare services through Title IV-E of the Social Security Act. The discussion draft would build on the Administration’s FY 2016 budget request that seeks to expand
ACF has followed the recent request for comments on revised AFCARS data reporting with a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on additional (Indian Child Welfare Act) ICWA-Related Data Elements. On April 2 the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released a notice of intent to publish a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) related to
On February 25 the Bureau of Indian affairs in the Interior Department issued new guidelines and regulations regarding the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). The guidelines are the first update since 1979 shortly after the law was enacted by Congress. These updated guidelines are intended to provide procedures and best practices for use in Indian
The Senate Caucus on Foster Youth has a new co-chair, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). She replaces Senator Mary Landrieu who is an original co-chair along with Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) when the caucus was formed in 2009. Senator Landrieu did not win her re-election race. Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) made the announcement and welcomed Stabenow
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
Last month the Senate held a hearing on a new Department of Justice report, Ending Violence So Children Can Thrive that addressed exposure to violence by children within the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. An issue that surfaced in the testimony and in the report recommendations was addressed was addressed by Congress last
On Wednesday, November 19, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a hearing on “Protecting Our Children’s Mental Health: Preventing and Addressing Childhood Trauma in Indian Country.” The hearing took place one day after the Department of Justice’s Task Force on American Indian and Alaska Native Exposed to Violence released a scheduled report. The 258
CWLA Testimony Submitted before the Senate Committee on Finance for the Hearing on Keeping America's Promise: Health Care and Child Welfare Services for Native Americans March 22, 2007 Introduction The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), representing public and private nonprofit, child-serving member agencies across the country, is pleased to submit testimony to