Youth Services

Making the Case for Including Immigration in Reconciliation

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

Legislative Action to Prioritize Criminal Justice Reform for Children

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

National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health

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

Youth Mobile Response Programs

The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) hosted a conversation this week entitled How to Keep Young People of Color Safe Through Mobile Response. Experts from Connecticut and Oklahoma discussed the success of mobile response services in their state. The panelists underscored that mobile response services are an investment in de-criminalizing mental health, and a powerful

Commissioner Aysha Schomburg Opens CWLA’s 2021 Virtual Conference

Aysha Schomburg, Associate Commissioner for the Children’s Bureau, helped to open CWLA’s successful 2021 virtual conference on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. In her opening remarks to CWLA attendees, she discussed her experiences over the past year during the pandemic and some of the lessons learned. At the time, Commissioner Schomburg was working at New York

Pandemic Findings on Youth Who Have Been in Foster Care or Homeless

On Wednesday, April 28, 2021, John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY)presented their report, Holding on by a Thread: The Cumulative Impact of the Pandemic on Youth Who Have Been in Foster Care or Homeless. JBAY conducted an online survey of 598 youth who have been in foster care or experienced homelessness from the State of California

National Foster Care Youth & Alumni Policy Council Identifies Council Priorities and Urges Implementation of Older Youth Pandemic Relief

On Thursday, April 29, 2021, the National Foster Care Youth & Alumni Policy Council held a webinar to discuss opportunities and priorities available under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.   A partnership between Foster Care Alumni of America, FosterClub, and Casey Family Programs, the council's mission is to strategically gather the voices and experiences

Nutrition Program Expansions Extended

Pandemic-related expansions of some nutrition programs were extended through an announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. The  announcement extended some child nutrition nationwide waivers and flexibilities for schools and child care through the next school year of 2021–2022. The continuation of the nutrition program waivers means that schools will be

Youth Mobile Response Services: Investing in Mental Health and Race Equity

In the last year, it has become impossible to shield ourselves from the role of law enforcement, mental health systems, and their relationships to racial justice. Historically, both systems have harmed communities of color and continue to do so today. Complicit in racism and discrimination, both law enforcement and mental health systems continually perpetuate "negatives

Joint Congressional Town Hall with Congressmen Don Bacon & Dan Kildee

On Monday, March 22, 2021, National Foster Youth Institute hosted Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska (R-NE) and Representative Dan Kildee of Michigan (D-MI) to discuss the reintroduction of the bipartisan Fostering Postsecondary Success for Foster and Homeless Youth Act.   There is a deficit in support for foster and homeless youth. Around 14% of foster youth complete

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