On Monday, April 18, CWLA members focused on the National Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities. Dr. David Sanders Ph.D., Chairman of the Commission, Executive Vice President, Casey Family Programs, presented some of the key findings and recommendations of the recently-released commission report. After Dr Sanders’ power-point presentation, discussion began with panel comments
During the Capitol Hill Day, while CWLA members handed out Hot Topics on key policy issues, members could also break to attend a briefing that focused on the significance of the child welfare workforce. CWLA was focusing Capitol Hill attention on the significance of the workforce in advancing the many outcomes within child welfare and
After the Tuesday evening dinner with Commissioner Lopez and reporter Christopher Walker, on Wednesday, April 20, CWLA members wrapped-up with a morning session focused on the substance use issue. With Congress continuing its focus on the prescription drug and opioids addiction issue (see following story) and a number of bills introduced in various committees including
Without any official announcement both the House of Representatives and Senate have begun the appropriation process despite not passing a budget resolution. A budget resolution would have streamlined some of the appropriations process and aligned what the Senate and House do as far as spending allocations between the twelve appropriations bills. Because of last year’s
Today starts the CWLA National Advocacy Summit. If you can’t be there, then take a virtual trip to the CWLA National Advocacy Summit! Join along with Summit participants on Tuesday, April 19 as they go to Capitol Hill. Contact your elected representatives and officials on this day and share our message. We are using #VirtualHillDay16
When House Education and the Workforce members introduced, the Improving Safe Care for the Prevention of Infant Abuse and Neglect Act last month, after a recent action by the Senate HELP Committee, they took a more targeted approach. Targeted toward HHS. Both bills focus on the “safe care” plans for children born and identified as
The House of Representatives joined the Senate in a Spring break this past Wednesday with a great deal of uncertainty on how Congress will move forward on appropriations. There still is no agreement between Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WS) and the Freedom Caucus on a plan to move a budget resolution and that means delay for
Last week a bipartisan group of House Members joined in on the effort to address the substance abuse-child welfare issue when they introduced a bill to amend CAPTA. The bill address the safe care plans that are required under CAPTA but it focuses its attention on HHS and information and data collection. The bill, the
As part of the Senate HELP Committee’s debate of a mental health reform measure (see below), senators also endorsed S 2687, the Plan of Safe Care Improvements Act. The legislation, introduced by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) would alter CAPTA and the current language around safe care plans and existing directives to states to have a
On Wednesday, March 16 the Senate HELP Committee passed out of committee S 2680, the Mental Health Reform Act of 2016. The bill taken up was based on a staff discussion draft. In prepared remarks Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), sponsors highlighted the overall changes in the authorization legislation,