District of Columbia Receives Family First Approval to Broadly Implement and Claim for Motivational Interviewing

Written by: Natalie Craver, Community Partnerships Administrator, District of Columbia’s Child and Family Services Agency and Katie Rollins, Senior Policy Analyst, Chapin Hall. In September 2020, the District of Columbia’s Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) received approval from the Children’s Bureau for its amended Title IV-E Prevention Plan proposing the use of Motivational Interviewing

Supreme Court Appointee Looms Large on Future of ACA

The Supreme Court, with either 8 or 9 members, has scheduled oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act for November 10, 2020. This is a Supreme Court case that could strike down the entire ACA. May 13 was the deadline to file amici briefs on the case of the State of California,

Educational Stability for Foster Students During COVID-19

The ABA Legal Center for Foster Care and Education, the Center, and CWLA held a special member call on Wednesday, September 9, 2020, to discuss the education needs of children and families involved with child welfare during COVID-19. In normal circumstances, foster students experience unique challenges in the education system, but now given the nature

Bass Bill Expands Dental Access for Youth in Foster Care

Earlier this month, Congressmember Karen Bass (D-CA) introduced the Foster Youth Dental Act of 2020. The legislation attempts to strengthen dental coverage under the Medicaid program for young people in foster care by expanding eligibility, providing incentives for dental providers, enhancing outreach efforts for enrollment, and protecting existing coverage for foster youth.   Youth enrolled

House Ways and Means Staff Report on Placement Discrimination Released

Last month, on Wednesday, August 19, 2020, the House Ways and Means Committee Democrats released a report led by Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight, the late John Lewis (D-GA) on the issue of discrimination in placement decisions for foster care and adoption. The

One Quarter of Young Adults in the U.S. Seriously Considered Suicide During the Pandemic

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, new report found that during June 24-30, 2020, 11 percent of young adults seriously considered suicide. 40 percent of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health or substance use during the pandemic, including anxiety/depression systems or trauma or stressor-related disorder symptoms.   The CDC's new data included self-reported

House Bipartisan Bill for Additional Child Welfare Funding Introduced

On Friday, August 7, 2020, Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) and Congresswoman Jackie Walorski introduced the, “Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act.”  The legislation would provide funding for youth transitioning from foster care ($350 million for Chafee Independent Living and $50 million for education and training vouchers). It would allow states that are

Disparities in Release Rates for Black Youth in Juvenile Detention

A recent survey by the Annie E. Casey Foundation revealed that in response to the coronavirus pandemic, black youth detained in juvenile facilities were released at a far slower rate than their white peers. Black children are disproportionately represented in the juvenile justice system, and this report highlights another disparity for children of color. Black youth are

Senate COVID-19 Bill Leaves Majority Party Struggling

On Monday, July 27, 2020, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released his party’s counter to the House of Representatives HEROES Act. The rest of last week left the impression that Senate Republicans are not sure about the next steps. The HEALS Act, as it has been labeled, is actually eight different bills from different members

Senate COVID-19 Bill Includes Limited Child Welfare Funds

While the Senate COVID-19 bill provides minimal state supplements, it does provide some funding through the Senate Finance Committee bill and the Senate Appropriations bill for limited child welfare programs. Funding includes an appropriation of $75 million through the Child Welfare Services (Title IV-B part 1),$50 million for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevent (CB-CAP) funds and $65 million for Family

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