AFCARS Rule Delayed and New Comments Solicited
On March 15, HHS published in the Federal Register two notices in regard to a delay in the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting Systems (AFCARS).
In the first notice, the Children’s Bureau is proposing
Opioid Briefing on the Hill, President to Unveil Opioid Plan
Macey Shambery
On March 14, the Children’s Home Society of America hosted a briefing on Capitol Hill. Panelists included Nancy Young, Executive Director of Children and Family Futures; James Madison, President and CEO of Beech Acres
Congress Facing Down Another Shutdown
Federal funding for FY 2018 runs out on March 23 when the current CR expires. This current CR was designed only to provide Congress enough time to write and pass an omnibus appropriations bill wrapping
HHS Study Documents Link Between Substance Abuse & Foster Care Increases
he Office of Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) has released research on the relationship between increased substance abuse (especially opioids) and the increasing foster care numbers. The ASPE study, Substance Use, the
CDC Finds Drug Overdoses Increasing By 30 Percent 2016 to 2017
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new data last week showing that opioid overdoses went up by 30% from July 2016 through September 2017 in 52 areas in 45 states. That overall
ASPE Study Documents Substance Use and Child Welfare Caseloads
At the same time that ASPE released the earlier referenced study they also took a closer look at the child welfare caseload and the impact of substance use in a second report, The Relationship
HELP Committee on Opioid Crisis: Leadership and Innovation in States
Shaquita Ogletree & Macey Shambery
The Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) committee held the sixth hearing on the opioid crisis with testimony from Governor Larry Hogan (R-MD) and Governor Kate Brown (D-OR) to look
Get It Back Campaign Starts to Promote the EITC
Working with the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities, CWLA is joining with other organizations to promote the Get It Back Campaign. The Center regularly works on encouraging families and now some individuals to be
Gun Debate Occupies Washington Discussion For Now
The talk in Washington last week was dominated by the latest school shootings in Parkland, Florida. At the start of the week it seemed clear that the Congress would do little if anything, but those
Appropriations Discussion Continues But Progress Unclear
The appropriations discussions continued behind closed door last week with progress reportly limited. Although the February 9, budget agreement raised the caps on “non-defense” spending by approximately $60 billion (or more like $50 billion when
DACA OK Until?
The Supreme Court, on Monday, February 26, declined to take up an emergency ruling on the President’s repeal of DACA that had been set to take place on Monday—today. The Administration was attempting to speed
Governor Offers Perspective on Foster Care
Shaquita Ogletree
On Monday, February 26, Governor Matt Bevin (KY-R) and Children’s Bureau Comissioner Jerry Milner were part of a panel of experts on foster care, adoption, and family law who shared their perspectives on how
HELP Committee Advances Kinship Bill
On Wednesday, February 28 the Senate HELP Committee took up and passed The Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act”. The bill, S 1091, has a dozen co-sponsors and is led by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). It
More on Opioids
Last week the President became the latest President to mark a top priority by declaring war on it. Mr. Trump declared a war on opioids saying,
“When confronting a crisis of this magnitude, the most
Senate Caucus on Foster Youth Examines Trauma Informed Care
Macey Shambery
On February 28, the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth held a briefing centered on the future of trauma-informed care (TIC). Panelists included Amelia Franck, CEO and Founder of Alia; Chuck Price, Director of Waupaca
Congress Returns With Questions: DACA, Appropriations, Guns?
Congress returns this week for what will be a shortened session but it will be the first opportunity to determine how they will handle three front and center issues: guns, appropriations and DACA
They return from
Fiscal Year 2018 Mop-Up As Members Return
Funding for the current fiscal year expires on March 23. It is not expected to be a problem as that short term CR was designed to allow appropriators to allocate funding provided under the February
Get It Back Campaign Starts to Promote the EITC
Working with the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities, CWLA is joining with other organizations to promote the Get It Back Campaign. The Center regularly works on encouraging families and now some individuals to be
First Important Dates In Families First
A significant first step in the implementation of the Families First Act (read a CWLA description here) will come on October 1, 2018. Under the legislation the Department of Health and Human Services is
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, How Deferred?
One of the other issues confronting Congress this week will be what will be the next steps on DACA? There seems to be no path forward for the more than 700,000 DACA-covered young people. The
Bass Bill Would Improve Health Care Access to Youth That Exit Foster Care
Shortly before the President’s Day break, Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA), co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, introduced the Health Insurance for Former Foster Youth Act, HR 4998.
The legislation fixes a flaw in
If Children Are Our Future What Happens When Adults Fail To Protect That Future…
These are the victims of the Florida school shooting…just like before …as we are reminded by student and classmate David Hogg.
President Unveils 2019 Budget
On Monday February 12, the President released his first full fiscal year (FY) 2019 budget. It was released just two days after the Congress had passed and the President signed a budget agreement (PL 115-123)
Child Welfare in Budget
The budget proposes an optional block grant of Title IV-E foster care funding that could be spent for any services now funded under foster care, adoption assistance or Child Welfare Services and Promoting Safe and
SSBG is Still the One–Targeted for Elimination
Once again SSBG is targeted for elimination and without any doubt, such an elimination would hit child welfare in ways big and small as well as many other human service programs including those that effect