The House adopted an amendment offered by Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) and Congressman Todd Young (R-IN), (and endorsed by CWLA), that will allow Justice Department funded substance abuse treatment diversion grants to focus on parents whose incarceration could result in their children entering foster care. The amendment was considered as part of the House debates
Thursday a Capitol Hill briefing featuring Dr. Phil McGraw became more like a Capitol Hill hearing as he discussed the heroin/opioid use epidemic and its impact on the child welfare. The briefing sponsored by the House Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, co-chaired by Congressperson Karen Bass (D-CA) and Congressman Tom Marino (R-PA), was open to
On Wednesday, April 11, House Ways and Means Committee began a markup on a package of bills that may result in a reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). House Republicans are promoting the TANF reauthorization and limited package of changes as part of their programs to reduce. In announcing the hearing Committee
On Tuesday, May 10, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on evidenced-based programs and strategies in human services. In his opening remarks Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) highlighted the substance abuse Regional Partnership Grants (RPGs) as well as home visiting programs as examples of using evidence based practices to have an impact. He also strongly
The House leadership may try to pass a budget resolution this week and were engaging the rank and file on the possibilities. They are once again considering a side-bill that would cut $30 billion in mandatory funding including the elimination of the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). Despite these offerings it looks like they do
The Senate Caucus on Foster Youth held the third of its Congressional Briefing Series, Part Three: Promising Solutions for the Future: What Can Be Done to Meet Child and Family Substance Abuse and Mental Health Needs? Panelists included Nancy Young, Children and Families Futures, Mark Casas, student and former foster youth, Tianna Van Tassel, Bridges
On Wednesday May 4, the National Network for Youth and the True Colors Fund sponsored a Capitol Hill briefing in support of a reauthorization of the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act. The panel of speakers included Darla Bardine, Executive Director, National Network for Youth, Dr. Resa Matthew, Family and Youth Services Bureau,
Last week a bipartisan group of Senators joined onto a letter to HHS and the Department of Education calling on the two departments to implement new provisions in the new reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) regarding the education rights of children in foster care. The senators, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the
On Thursday, April 28, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce approved HR 4843, a bill to amend requirements around the “safe care” plans as described in the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). The Infant Plan of Safe Care Improvement Act was introduced by Reps. Lou Barletta (R-PA) and Katherine Clark (D-MA) and
On Wednesday and Thursday, April 27 and 28, the House Energy and Commerce passed a series of 11 bills in response to the opioid/heroin addiction problem. The bills ranged from a new GAO report to better regulation of prescription medication and control through the FDA and other federal government oversight. The bills acted on include: