While the House of Representatives spent time on more than two dozen opioids-related measures this week, the Senate Finance Committee approved their bills that will eventually be combined with other Senate bills that in turn will be a response to a House package. The Senate Finance bill, the Helping to End Addiction and Lessen (HEAL)
The Administration has revived its assault on the ACA when, on Thursday, June 7, the Justice Department said it would not defend the Act against a lawsuit by some conservative states that are once again seeking to have the law declared unconstitutional. This comes against a backdrop of some other states, or at least
Shaquita Ogletree The U.S. Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), a partnership of national, child-focused organizations—including the Child Welfare League of America—dedicated to cutting child poverty in half within a decade held their first webinar. The presentation was based on a compendium of cross-sector solutions to significantly reduce child poverty in the U.S. CPAG presenters included
On Thursday, June 7, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report that indicated that 45,000 people committed suicide in 2016. The report indicated that more than half the victims did not have a known mental health condition. There were a variety of contributing factors both for those with a known
Shaquita Ogleetree On Wednesday, June 6th, the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth in coordination with Florida’s Camelot Community Care held a youth-lead briefing titled: What’s next for me? Facing my future as I age out of care. A dynamic panel of eight young people between the ages of 18 through 22 and in foster care
The Senate Finance Committee will consider a package of opioids legislation this Tuesday, June 12. Before the Memorial Day break, Senate Finance members announced a package of 22 bills. The bill mainly addresses the Committee’s jurisdiction over the Medicare and Medicaid programs but the three bills that deal with child welfare address funding under the
Shaquita Ogletree The Congressional Baby Caucus (co-chaired by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN)) sponsored a briefing to focus on the drug impact of opioids on that population. Highlighting a recent report in the New York Times, Congresswoman DeLauro said that the solution could not be to tear families apart and punish
Shaquita Ogletree Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R-AZ) discussed policies to protect children and treat parents recently implemented in his state recently. At a forum sponsored by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), the Governor described the Opioid Epidemic Act. It has several provisions to reform child welfare including ensuring the court system moves faster with a
When members of Congress departed for the Memorial Day break, a small group of pro-immigration Republican members felt confident they could get the necessary 218 votes on a discharge petition that would force a vote on a DACA bill. At last count, if all Democrats sign-on, the count stood at 215 just before the break.
On May 23, shortly before the Memorial Day break, the Senate Finance Committee announced a package of 22 bills, (including three on child welfare) that attempt to address the opioid crisis. The bill mainly address the Committee’s jurisdiction over the Medicare and Medicaid programs but the three bills that deal with child welfare address funding
