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Center on Budget Analysis Shows Stark State Budget Shortfalls

On Tuesday, April 14, 2020, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a devastating analysis, States Need Significantly More Fiscal Relief to Slow the Emerging Deep Recession, that indicates that state and local governments are going to require a massive amount of federal funding as those budgets absorb the impact of the COVID-19 virus.

Children’s Bureau Clarifies Background Check Requirements

On Wednesday, April 15, 2020, the Children Bureau provided flexibility for federal requirements regarding the criminal background checks and monthly caseworker visits in the child’s residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the letter, Milner stated: “In light of the extraordinary circumstances related to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic and nationwide public health emergency, we

Children’s Bureau Guidance for Court Leaders to Collaborate with CIPs

On Tuesday, April 14, 2020, the Children’s Bureau released new guidance highlighting and strongly encouraging court leaders to engage Court Improvement Programs (CIPs) in assisting dependency courts to respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Associate Commissioner Jerry Milner instructed Chief Justices and State Court Administrators to “work closely with the CIP in your state or

Congressman Danny K. Davis Guidance for Kinship Caregivers on COVID-19 Stimulus Payments

Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) updated the guide for kinship caregivers on COVID-19 stimulus payments last week with several updates from the IRS with important updates including: • “Certain kinship caregivers may need to quickly give the IRS information about their children in order to get stimulus payments for children in 2020; once payments are sent,

#100YEARSOFCWLA

In 1991, during a another time of crisis, at the CWLA National Conference held from February 26 through March 1, at the Ramada Renaissance Hotel at Techworld, Washington DC., Board President Richard Plufka opened the Conference with a moment of meditation for the safety of those at risk in the Gulf War.

Poverty Rises for Children Due to the Pandemic

The New York Times piece discusses how poverty is likely to rise disproportionately for children due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the resulting economic downturn. This pandemic threatens families with children who will be hit the greatest as their expenses increase, but their income does not. With child poverty in the US already at 13

Governors, State Groups and Advocates Issue Letters

In the last week to ten days, a number of groups and leaders have submitted public letters outlining their greatest concerns. One of the most prominent was a letter by the National Governors Association (NGA), which is currently co-chaired by Governor Larry Hogan (R-MD) and Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) calling on Congress to provide an

Virtual Town Hall for Older Foster Youth

Sixto Cancel, Founder and CEO of Think of Us, hosted a webinar with the Associate Commissioner of the Children's Bureau, Dr. Jerry Milner, Chris Patterson from the Department of Housing and Development, and Ruth White from the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare (NCHCW). Sixto and Patterson both were former foster youth who aged

Brookings Study Examines Impact of Opioids on Child Education Outcomes

A new report and paper through the Bookings Institute, The opioid crisis and community-level spillovers onto children’s education, outlines how the impact of opioids has altered education outcomes for children in communities hit by the drug crisis. The authors set out to determine, “What is the effect on children’s learning while being embedded in a

Mayors Survey Face Own Set of Budget Problems

The National League of Cities and the United States Conference of Mayors released a joint survey on Tuesday, April 14, 2020, that indicated that 100 percent of all cities with a population of more than 500,000 people would feel the direct impact of the pandemic and a crumbling economy. Whereas 98 percent of cities with

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