On October 12, 2021, Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau Aysha Schomburg, issued a letter to the child welfare community urging continued vigilance in assisting young people who exit foster care and to be proactive in reaching out and helping. The end of federal fiscal year 2021 on September 30, 2021, meant the expiration of
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 million). The addition $400 million expired at the end of fiscal year 2021. It is not clear how much of
On September 13, 2021, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) event, On Their Own Two Feet: Helping Foster Youth Transition to Adulthood, examined how to improve outcomes for young adults in the child welfare system. The panel included Ruth White of the National Center of Housing and Child Welfare, Eric Gilmore of Immerse Arkansas, and Tim
On Thursday, September 9, 2021, the National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI) hosted a Congressional Briefing with Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth Co-chair, Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI). Kenneth Chancey, Policy Manager of NFYI, organized this Congressional Briefing to highlight H.R. 5167. In this legislation, Chafee pandemic funding would extend into 2022, including access to increased funding eligibility to extended youth in foster care
On Wednesday, August 18, the John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) webinar, Learn How Santa Clara County Got Over $135K to 45 Foster Youth in Need of Income During the Pandemic, shared the results of a pilot project with Santa Clara County Social Services Agency (SSA) and other local partners to increase foster youth utilization of
More than 500 organizations have signed a letter to Congress requesting that residential facilities that meet the new Family First Act “Qualified Residential Treatment Program” (QRTP) standards be exempt from being classified by Medicaid (CMS) as an Institution for Mental Diseases or “IMD.” The letter in part states: “(The Family First Prevention Services Act) FFPSA
The JAMA Network new research study, Characteristics and Precipitating Circumstances of Suicide Among Children Aged 5 to 11 Years in the United States, 2013-2017, examined the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), revealing that suicide is the eighth leading cause of death among children aged 5 to 11 years. Childhood suicide risk factors included mental health, prior
CWLA believes 2021 is the year to deliver citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, farm workers and essential workers and their families who stepped up to support our country throughout the pandemic while contributing to our economy. The latest federal ruling in Texas against Dreamers underscores the urgency to deliver a path to
Human Rights for Kids hosted a conversation entitled Treat Kids Like Kids: Why Congress Must Prioritize Criminal Justice Reform for Children. The event featured both professionals and individuals with lived experience. They highlighted a series of important bills currently being proposed in the House of Representatives that aim to remedy many of the harms impacting youth involved in
The Trevor Project's third annual survey, National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, brings to light the difficulties for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth ages 13-24 experiences across the U.S. The Trevor Project is the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning young