On June 28, 2019 the Supreme Court announced that it will take up a legal challenge to the Obama Executive Order that created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) protections. The Court announcement came as the Justices wrapped up this year’s 2018-19 session. The Court term begins the first Monday in October and the
Congress gave final approval to a border funding bill totaling approximately $4.6 billion negotiated between Senate Republicans and Democrats. The final bill approved in the House by a vote of 305 to 102 included a mix of Democrats and Republicans. Many House Democrats were unhappy about the fact that, earlier in the week, a Democrats-only
On June 20, HHS released the latest Foster Care GAO report for Congress, States with Approval to Extend Care Provide Independent Living Options for Youth up to Age 21. Since 2008 when the Fostering Connections Act was enacted, HHS has approved 26 states and six federally recognized tribes to claim title IV-E funding to extend
Last week the Child Welfare League of America endorsed and signed onto a national letter of support for two bills by Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) that would extend protections and rights to children and families that have been separated by U.S. immigration policies. The two bills are the Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections (HELP) for
The Constitution requires an accurate count of the nation's population-–a census--every ten years. Unfortunately, the 2010 census missed more than 10 percent of young children, about 2.2 million children, age four or younger. Unless we act, we might miss even more young children in 2020. When we miss young children in the census it has
On Tuesday, June 25, the Education and Labor Committee held a hearing titled “Do No Harm: Examining the Misapplication of the ‘Religious Freedom Restoration Act.’” The hearing was a review of recent cases involving the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and how new proposed legislation, the Do No Harm Act is intending to narrow the
On Thursday, June 20, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released the first ten Prevention Services Clearinghouse rated programs and services that received well-supported, supported, promising, or does not currently meet the criteria for the Title IV-E Prevention Services in accordance with the Family First Prevention Services Act. These practices include mental health services,
Immigration was heating up again last week from its slow boil to full steam on two fronts. The President created tremendous anxiety with the advocacy and certainly the immigration communities when he tweeted his desire for more raids and deportations. On Thursday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was holding a hearing on his
On June 5, Representatives John Lewis (D-GA) and Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR) introduced HR 3114 – Every Child Deserves A Family Act and on June 13, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced S 1791, the Senate version. This legislation prohibits organizations receiving federal funding from discriminating against children and families and promotes safety, well-being, and permanency
Thursday, June 13, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) – along with fifteen other original cosponsors – introduced the Senate Every Child Deserves a Family Act (S 1791/HR3114). It is identical to the bill introduced by Representatives John Lewis (D-GA) and Jenniffer GonzálezColón (R-PR) last week. This legislation prohibits organizations receiving federal funding from discriminating against children