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.
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,
The Children’s Bureau released the fifth Information Memorandum, ACYF-CB-IM-21-05, outlining the child welfare provisions included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. No program instructions or further guidance have been released yet, and unlikely that ACF will release anything before key positions or appointments are made. CWLA will continue to monitor and work with other partners to
On January 14, 2021, the Children’s Bureau released the annual child abuse and neglect report: Child Maltreatment 2019. The numbers show a decrease in the rates of abuse and neglect for last year’s report, but infants and young children have the highest child maltreatment rates in their first year of life. For the federal fiscal year
The Children’s Bureau released new IM regarding “Achieving Permanency for the Well-Being of Children and Youth” on Tuesday, January 5, 2021, signed by Commissioner Elizabeth Darling. The IM purposes were the following: To provide information on best practices, resources, and recommendations for achieving permanency for children and youth in a way that prioritizes the child’s
CWLA has published its transition paper for the new Administration and new Congress. The report has been circulated with key staff over the past several weeks. It reflects a look forward to improving child welfare services and more broadly strengthening families across the country. This A Stronger Foundation for America’s Families reflects the collective wisdom, insights, and concerns
At the end of last month, President Donald J Trump signed into law a $908 billion relief package in the larger omnibus budget legislation. Still, the President-elect has indicated they would be seeking additional help for a country devastated by a pandemic that is trending toward more than 400,000 to over a half million fatalities
Last week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a 460-page report highlighting a range of urgent needs to address during this pandemic. The report, Urgent Actions Needed to Better Ensure an Effective Federal Response, summarized: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in catastrophic loss of life and substantial damage to the global economy, stability, and security. According to federal
The New York Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) commissioned a survey of the LGBTQAI+ youth in the New York City foster care system on their experiences and well-being compared to their peers who are not LGBTAI+. The report states that LGBTQAI+ “comprises persons who because of their gender and sexuality have specific needs and are treated
On Wednesday, November 4, 2020, the Supreme Court considered the Sharonell Fulton et al. v City of Philadelphia. A case involving a local Catholic Charities agency claiming that the city of Philadelphia is unfairly targeting them due to the city's non-discrimination policy regarding child welfare placements and recruitments. In 2018 a report in the
