October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month began as a “Day of Unity” in October of 1981 created by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV). In 1987, “Day of Unity” evolved into the observation of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, created to “connect and unite individuals and organizations
Finance Committee Still Collecting Rec’s on Mental Health/Substance Use
If you missed access to a copy of the September 21,2021 the Senate Finance Committee asking for public comments on ways to address substance use and mental health services due to last week’s faulty link
Health of Women and Children Report
America’s Health Rankins (United Health Foundation) has released their 2021 Health of Women and Children Report. The 5th edition of this report provides a comprehensive look at the health of children and women of
MACPAC on Behavioral Health for Children in Foster Care
The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) has released an analysis: Access in Brief: Behavioral Health Services for Youth in Foster Care. The report is an analysis of the experience of adolescents
Funding For FY 2022 Extends Until December 3, 2021
Unable to get Senate Republicans to agree to a suspension or raising of the debt ceiling, Congressional Democrats took out the debt ceiling fix and were able to get Republican senators to adopt a continuing
Webinar On the Child Tax Credit and Child Welfare
On Monday, September 27th, CWLA hosted a Child Tax Credit (CTC) webinar that was sponsored by the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN). In the webinar Debbie Weinstein, the executive director of the Coalition of Human
Senate Committee Looking for Recommendations on Mental Health Substance Use Issues
On September 21,2021 the Senate Finance Committee asked the public for their comments on ways to address substance use and mental health services. In the letter Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Mike
Strategies to Improve Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Care
In drafting comments on how we can improve behavior health services for children, youth, and their families (especially child welfare) there are some important sources of recommendations
Earlier this year, Child Trends issued: A National
Bipartisan House Group Unveils Agenda: Substance Use and Mental Health
On Wednesday, September 29, 2021, the House of Representative Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force Announced a 2021 Legislative Agenda. According to the group led by Congresswoman Annie Kuster (D-NH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA),
US Education Department to Fix Public Service Loan Forgiveness
On Friday, October 1, 2021, National Public Radio (NPR) had an exclusive report that the U.S. Department of Education is about to offer a fix of a troubled loan forgiveness program which was supposed to
Congressperson Bass to Exit House for Mayor’s Race
On Monday, September 27, 2021, Congressperson Karen Bass (D-CA), co-chair of the House Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, announced she would be leaving Congress to run for Mayor of Los Angeles. The primary for that
Davis-Walorsky Commit to Helping Foster Youth
When the CR was passed last Thursday, it did not extend pandemic relief funding for youth exiting foster care including additional $400 million in Chafee-pandemic relief funding (annual mandatory Chaffee funds are set at $143
IMD-Fix for QRTP Bill Introduced in House
A House companion bill to address the IMD/QRTP issue was introduced in the House on Wednesday, September 29, 2021. The bill H.R. 5414, is the same as the Senate version (S. 2689) with Congressman
November is National Adoption Month
November is national adoption month. This year’s theme is “Every Conversation Matters”, which means engaging youth in permanency plans through open conversations about adoption. As Adoption Month approaches, the Children’s Bureau kickstarted the conversation by
How New Data Shows a Pathway for Poverty
On September 28, 2021, First Focus on Children and the U.S. Child Poverty Action Group held a webinar to examine what the new US Census Bureau data tells us about the impact of COVID-19 on
Empowering the Child Welfare Workforce and its Emerging Leaders
On Tuesday, September 28, 2021, the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI) and the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) presented a panel to discuss Empowering the Child Welfare Workforce and its Emerging Leaders. The
The Lived-Experience Of The Child Welfare Workforce
On September 18, the Concord Monitor published a story about the child welfare workforce that is probably too typical of several state and local child welfare workforce situations. The workforce is vital to any successful
Economists, Business Leaders, House Members Call For Child Care Reconciliation
As the reconciliation bill is fought over, several prominent groups are weighing in support of a major expansion of child care as part of the final reconciliation. In the past two weeks, more than 120
ACA Open Enrollment Expanded for 2022
On Friday, September 17, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an expanded open enrollment period for people signing up for or renewing their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Consumers
CWLA Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15th marks the first day of National Hispanic Heritage Month! Hispanic Heritage Month began as a mere week in 1968 when Congressman George E. Brown of East Los Angeles, California, proposed the celebration to
Foster Care Entry Rates Grew Faster for Infants than for Children of Other Ages
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) released a new report, Foster Care Entry Rates Grew Faster for Infants than for Children of Other Ages, 2011-2018, that found that infants accounted
Ways and Means Committee Carries Biggest Parts of Reconciliation
Last week the House Ways and Means Committee released and then worked on perhaps the biggest parts of reconciliation and the Biden Administration’s “Build Back Better” agenda when they published the
CTC and Child Welfare
An important provision in the House Committee version of the CTC allows some flexibility for both birth parents and foster parents. A parent can still receive the CTC for temporary absences “under the facts and
400 Economists Endorse CTC Extension
On Wednesday, 15, 2021, over 400 prominent economists outlined their strong support for a permanent extension of the CTC. In part they said:
Continuing Resolution Coming
While Congress continues to wrestle with a reconciliation package, they also must deal with the start of the fiscal year 2022 on October 1, 2021. Aside from the reconciliation, which doesn’t