Healthy Growth & Development

#WhyWeCantWait: A New Deal for Youth

On February 4, 2021, CLASP launched #WhyWeCantWait: A New Deal for Youth (ND4Y) calling leaders in the public and private sectors to support youth-led policy solutions that address the glaring economic and social injustices facing young people today. A New Deal for Youth will propose policy recommendations and community solutions developed by and centering the

Wyden Reintroduces the Child Safety Act

On Thursday, February 4, 2021, Senator Ron Wyden re-introduced the Invest in Child Safety Act.  The legislation, which CWLA has endorsed, was first introduced last year. It attempts to deal with the child sexual abuse problem that has exploded over the past few years as the use of the internet and related social media have expanded over

California’s Extended Foster Care and Youths’ Outcomes Report

On Friday, January 29, 2021, Dr. Mark Courtney, the University of Chicago professor and the Principal Investigator of the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study (CalYOUTH), reported an update of California’s Extended Foster Care research. To preface, the goal of Extended Foster Care (EFC) is to “promote human capital acquisition, positive social connections, and general

Older Youth Pandemic Relief

Last week, several groups presented on the provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act that passed in December containing the bipartisan Supporting Foster Youth and Families Through the Pandemic Act (H.R. 7947). On Wednesday, February 3, the Juvenile Law Center and FosterClub hosted a webinar centered around distributing the COVID relief funds to youth across America.

New FAFSA Policies for Homeless and Foster Youth

On Thursday, February 4, SchoolHouse Connection, Juvenile Law Center, and John Burton Advocates for Youth hosted a webinar centered around new FAFSA policies that affect youth in the foster care system.   Why does FAFSA matter for homeless and foster youth? We know that FAFSA matters because some form of postsecondary education is necessary for

Decision Time Coming on COVID-19 Response Plan

As early as this week, congressional leaders may decide whether they can move President Biden’s COVID-19 relief package through a bipartisan process or whether they go the way of reconciliation. A budget reconciliation would mean no Senate filibuster. The House Budget Committee is likely to move on a resolution this week as part of a

New Open Enrollment for the Affordable Care Act

February 15 to May 15, 2021   On Thursday, January 28, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order on health care that will create a new open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act. The new enrollment (usually set for December-November) is due to the pandemic. The open enrollment will start on February 15 and last for

Biden Issues Executive Orders on Advancing Racial Equity

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021, President Biden signed into place four Executive Orders to promote and advance racial equity and support underserved communities. Unlike the mainly individualist American mentality, Biden rebuked America as a “zero-sum game” where “if one of us wins, one must lose.” Instead, Biden emphasized that racial equity must be an issue

Prevention Services Through the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG)

The new Social Services Block Grant annual report once again documents the significance of SSBG to child welfare services. The SSBG Annual Report 2019 was posted in mid-January, and it complements information provided by the new Child Maltreatment 2019 report, also released this past January.   According to the 2019 Child Maltreatment report and its analysis of prevention services,

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