Placement & Permanency

National Kinship Convening Hosted in Washington, D.C.

On March 14, 2024, Think of Us in partnership with the Children’s Bureau hosted the National Convening on Kinship Care to discuss the new rule on Separate Licensing Standards for Relative or Kinship Foster Family Homes, which was finalized last fall. The convening kicked off with remarks from leadership of the Administration for Children and

House Committee Links Border and Foster Care

On March 5, 2024, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO), joined by Work and Welfare Subcommittee Chairman Darin LaHood (R-IL), called for the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) to launch an investigation into how the influx of Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) crossing the southwest border may be

Kinship Unity Action Agenda Launch

Generations United’s National Center on Grandfamilies, along with the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law and Think of Us, held a webinar to overview and explain their 2024 Kinship Unity Action Agenda. This agenda, introduced by Generations United’s Executive Director Donna Butts, was created through a convening of national advocates with professional

CWLA Comments: Hearing on Services for Older Youth

On January 17, 2024, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee hosted a hearing, “Pathways to Independence: Supporting Youth Aging Out of Foster Care.” CWLA submitted comments for the record. “Nearly 20,000 young people transition from foster care to independence without the benefit of formal reunification or an alternative permanency outcome each year. We share the

Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Continues Foster Care Hearings

On Thursday, December 14, 2023, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law held it’s fourth hearing on foster care as part of the bipartisan inquiry into Georgia’s child welfare system. Subcommittee Chairman Jon Ossoff (D-GA) opened the hearing by reminding those in the room that “we are talking about the most vulnerable

Child Welfare Bills Move Forward

On November 30, 2023, the House Ways and Means Committee held a markup to examine HR 2426 the “Find and Protect Foster Youth Act” and HR 3058 “Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2023.” Both bills are bipartisan and bicameral, and both were passed out of committee and will proceed to the full House of

CWLA Comments: Human Rights of Foster Children Hearing

On November 15, 2023, CWLA submitted comments for the record regarding the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on “The Human Rights of Foster Children.” From the testimony: “The National Blueprint states that children have rights to survival, protection, and participation in decision-making regarding their care. Several of the rights championed by CWLA are relevant to the

Administration Released Six Proposed Rules Related to Child Welfare

Between November 13 and December 4, 2023, there were six Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs) deadlines that were directly related to child welfare. CWLA submitted comments in support of four of the six proposed rules: Discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Health and Human Service Programs or Activities Safe and Appropriate Placements Requires for

Senate Judiciary Hearing about Unaccompanied Minors

On October 25, 2023, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing entitled, “Ensuring the Well-Being of Unaccompanied Children, Pt. II,” to examine the efforts of federal agencies to protect migrant children from labor exploitation, human trafficking, and abuse and neglect in foster care. Chairman of the Committee, Senator Dick Durbin [D-IL], delivered the opening statement

CWLA Comments on Child Welfare Hearing

On October 12, 2023, CWLA submitted comments for the record on the Ways and Means Subcommittee hearing on, “Modernizing Child Welfare to Protect Vulnerable Children.” Our comments explained the history and background of the programs in Title IV-B of the Social Security Act and highlighted a number of key areas of focus for a potential

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