Out-of-Home Care

ACF Seeks Feedback Clearinghouse Handbook

The Administration is seeking feedback on potential improvements to the Family First Prevention Services Clearinghouse handbook. The request for comments was posted on July 15, 2021, on the Federal Register. The deadline for comments is August 16, 2021. The Handbook of Standards and Procedures outlines the process and procedure for review by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

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

House Committee Moves Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations

Last week the House Appropriations Committee passed through the subcommittee (Monday, July 12, 2021) and then through the full committee on Wednesday (July 14, 2021) the appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor-HHS).  The $253 billion appropriations for the three departments passed out of full committee by a vote

Biden Names New Drug Czar As Overdose Deaths Skyrocket

On Tuesday, July 13, 2021, President Biden announced the nomination of Rahul Gupta as the head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a position many have referred to as the “drug czar.” A day later, the CDC released preliminary data that showed a record 93,000 people died of a drug overdose last year in the

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

Less Than 2 in 5 Children Now Covered by Federal Foster Care Funding

In the federal fiscal year 2020, only 39 percent of children in foster care were covered by federal Title IV-E foster care funding. For the first time, the percentage of children not eligible for Title IV-E foster care exceeds 60 percent. That also means that Title IV-E administrative costs and services do not extend to more than

Supreme Court Uphold Catholic Charities Side in Philadelphia Case

In a complex unanimous decision in the Philadelphia V Fulton case, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Catholic Charities’ ability to continue to receive funding through the City of Philadelphia for child welfare services. The opinion that gathered all nine justices in varied configurations would appear to apply mainly to the specific circumstances in that contract and city.

CWLA Submits Testimony On Key Issues For House Committee

On May 12, 2021, the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support held a hearing on "Making a Difference for Families and Foster Youth." The hearing was intended as a review of potential updates and changes to the two Title IV-B programs for reauthorization later this year.  CWLA submitted testimony for the record

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