Adoption

Children’s Bureau Guidance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

On Friday, April 17, 2020, Associate Commissioner Jerry Milner highlighted the challenges surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the health and human services systems inability to conduct services in the traditional approach. Milner’s letter to child welfare leaders urges them to collaborate with their governors and “to work with their emergency management and public health leadership

CWLA Sends Child Welfare Requests to Congress

While CWLA applauds Congress for the efforts made to contain the spread and impact of the pandemic, more aid is needed to protect children and families most at risk during this time and address the emerging needs of states and localities. Over the last month, CWLA has emphasized the real experiences that child welfare agencies

Children’s Bureau Guidance on Federal Funds Use for Cell Phones and PPE

On Friday, April 17, 2020, the Children’s Bureau released a letter to the child welfare field on allowable use of funds during the national emergency for the purchase of cell phones and other tools to facilitate or maintain contact with children and youth in foster care and their parents and the purchase of personal protective

Children’s Bureau Clarifies Background Check Requirements

On Wednesday, April 15, 2020, the Children Bureau provided flexibility for federal requirements regarding the criminal background checks and monthly caseworker visits in the child’s residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the letter, Milner stated: “In light of the extraordinary circumstances related to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic and nationwide public health emergency, we

Children’s Bureau Delays IV-E & NYTD Reviews

On Friday, April 10, the Children’s Bureau released a letter from Jerry Milner suspending the Title IV-E Eligibility and National Youth in Transition (NYTD) reviews in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Milner stated the following: “Dear Child Welfare Leader: Over the past several weeks, I have had the opportunity to speak with many of you

COVID-19 Immediate Needs for Child Welfare in Fourth Package

As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to move across this country, the evidence of its impacts on the child welfare system are increasingly becoming visible: Child welfare offices and agencies have been forced to shut their doors in order to prevent staff members from becoming ill or because staff have tested positive for

“Heroes Fund” Would Increase Pay to Essential Workers

Senate Democrats unveiled a "Heroes Fund" on Tuesday, April 7. The legislation, announced by Minority Leader Schumer, would create a federally funded program that would allow a $25,000 premium pay increase for essential workers. It would also pay for a $15,000 worker recruitment incentive grant to workers. According to information provided by bill sponsors, employers

CRS Information on Title IV-E FMAP (Matching Funding) Increase

Last week the Congressional Research Services released Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) Increase Available for Title IV-E Foster Care and Permanency Payments, a brief description of how the Coronavirus relief package #2 will impact on foster care and adoption assistance funding. The Medicaid matching rate was raised for all state Medicaid programs by 6.2 percent.

What Human Services Funding Was Included in the Emergency Supplemental?

HR 748, the third COVID-19 emergency spending legislation, includes some human services and state relief, but the targeted human services funding did not go as far as many groups had been seeking. The biggest source of support is a $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund that governors had been pushing for, but it is not as

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