The 116th Congress officially began their first session on Thursday, January 3, 2019. As expected, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) returned as Speaker of the House for the new Democratic Majority and Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) returned as the Senate Majority Leader. For Speaker Pelosi, she now becomes the first woman and only the second person
In a letter dated, January 2, 2019 the Children’s Bureau informed state child welfare directors that all programs and services will be rated using the Prevention Services Clearinghouse Handbook of Standards and Procedures in the beginning of May 2019. Release of the ratings will indicate if programs and services are rated as “promising,” “supported,” “well-supported,”
This week is likely to see the first full effects of the partial government shutdown although for over 800,000 workers that has been felt since December 21, 2018. On Friday after a reportedly contentious meaning between Congressional Democrats and the President, Mr. Trump proclaimed that the government shutdown could go on for “months or even
This past December, Child Trends released a new survey of state child welfare spending based on 2016 state fiscal years. The biennial survey indicates that overall spending in combined federal, state and local child welfare dollars remained somewhat stable from the past survey (based on 2014) with spending up by 5 percent. But over ten
The new Child Trends survey of state child welfare spending indicates that the overwhelming use of Title IV-E funding through Title IV-E waivers has been used for services that can be currently paid for under the current Title IV-E law. The funding totaled approximately $2 billion. According to the survey of 24 states providing data
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) received some new support in defense of its existence last week. As part of the new House rules package, the Speaker can weigh-in with the courts in support of the law. The action by Speaker Pelosi is a reversal of past actions of House Speakers (Boehner and Ryan) who
Shaquita Ogletree On Thursday, December 13, Congress passed H.R. 6964, the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2018. It has been 16 years since the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (JJDPA) was last authorized. JJDPA is the main federal law that strengthens protections for justice-involved youth and improves public safety. Upon final passage
The House wrapped up early Thursday and is not scheduled to return until next Wednesday at the earliest. House members left without any indication of what they would be doing this week when funding expires for seven appropriations bills. The President met with likely-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Senator
When the Children’s Bureau released their first guidance on services provided through the Family First Act, they also announced two call to provided further information. Those calls will be on Monday, December 17, 2018 from 2:30 – 4:00 PM ET or Tuesday, December 18, 2018 from 12:00-1:30 PM ET. Call-in Information: is: 888-391-9602 with the
Late on Friday, December 14, Judge Reed O’Connor, Federal District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division, issued a court ruling, that strikes down the ACA in its entirety. For now there are no changes in the current status in the ACA. What it likely does is push front and center the