JohnS

About John Sciamanna

John Sciamanna is CWLA's Vice President of Public Policy.

#100YEARSOFCWLA…MOMENT FROM HISTORY

On May 31, 1929 the last orphan train leaves New York City for Sulphur Springs, Texas. From 1854 to 1929, 250,000 abandoned or orphaned children in East Coast cities were passengers on these trips. Started by the Children’s Aid Society, later joined by New York Foundling, these orphans were resettled with families who promised to

U.S. Supreme Court to Take up Philadelphia Case on Foster Care Placements

On Monday, February 24, 2020, the Supreme Court announced it will take up a case pursued by Catholic Charities of Philadelphia claiming the City of Philadelphia was engaged in religious discrimination when it pulled a child welfare contract because of the charity’s policy of not recognizing same sex couples for placements involving foster and adoptive

#100YEARSOFCWLA MOMENT FROM HISTORY

In 2001, CWLA President Shay Bilchik apologizes for CWLA's past efforts in partnership with the federal government, to place Indian Children in white families. Between 1958 and 1967, CWLA cooperated with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, under a federal contract, to facilitate an experiment in which 395 Indian children were removed from their tribes and

Appropriations Schedule Set for April Action

A leaked copy of the House Appropriations Committee schedule was published in Roll Call and included a timeline for House Appropriations action. The Subcommittee on Appropriations for Labor-Health and Human Services-Education (Labor-HHS) will be taken up on April 29, 2020. The plan is that the subcommittees will start action on April 21 with the Agriculture

America’s Opioid Epidemic: Lessons Learned & A Way Forward

On Wednesday, February 26, The Hill hosted “America’s Opioid Epidemic: Lessons Learned & A Way Forward” sponsored by Indivior, a pharmaceutical company. According to a 2019 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 70,237 drug overdose deaths, and 47,600 of those deaths involved an opioid, which is a 9.6% increase since

Preventing Teen Dating Violence and Sexual Assault

Futures Without Violence (FUTURES) hosted a briefing on prevention services surrounding teen dating violence and sexual assault on Friday, February 28. Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) and Congresswomen Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Gwen Moore (D-WI), and Ann Kluster (D-NH) have a special interest in domestic violence prevention and were cited as honorary hosts of the event. Researchers

Arkansas’ Family First Plan Approved

Last week Arkansas became the third child welfare agency to receive federal approval of the Family First Act plan, Family First Fits Us. Washington, DC and Utah are the other states with approved plans. Governor Asa Hutchinson stated “This plan highlights the enormous progress DCFS has made in the care of our foster children and

Administration Seeks Comments on Changes to Poverty Measure

The Administration (through a request by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)) is seeking comments on how to change the U.S. poverty measure. Changes in the poverty measure would affect how and if people, states and communities qualify for federal programs and funding. To ensure consideration, the comments must be provided in writing no

#100YEARSOFCWLA Looking Back At History

1978: Representing the Child Welfare League of America, Helen Blank and William L. Pierce testified before the Subcommittee on Nutrition of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee on April 11, 1978. Their testimony was on comprehensive child care policy and addressing the child care food bill. Blank is part of the American Parents Committee

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