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
On Thursday, July 9, 2020, the United States Supreme Court in McGirt v. Oklahoma upheld the sovereignty of Tribal and Indian Country reservations under previous U.S. Treaties. The Court 5 to 4 decision was written by Justice Neil Gorsuch with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Justice Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Justice Jill Kagan joining in
The House-passed HEROES Act adopted by the House on May 15, 2020, includes significant funding under the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) that would help state and local governments address current budgetary shortfalls. SSBG has always been a significant funder of a range of child welfare services, including foster care, youth services, child protection, prevention
On Thursday, June 11, Zero to Three released the State of Babies Yearbook: 2020, a comprehensive report and advocacy tool that tells the story of how the United States’ babies are faring and provides a clear view of the significant disparities in opportunity for the youngest children throughout the country. Speakers included Myra Jones-Taylor from
On Wednesday, May 27, 2020, the House Ways and Means Committee conducted a virtual hearing on the Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Communities of Color. Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA), said: “While the factors driving these inequities are complex and multifaceted, their impact on health outcomes have been clearly documented.” His opening comments highlighted: Indigenous and
On Tuesday, May 12, HHS published final rule for the updated Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) regulations and requirements. AFCARS data reported by states annually helps to build a profile of the “child welfare” population by producing annual numbers on children in out-of-home (foster) care, adoptions and youth aging out to
On Tuesday, May 5, the Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin and the Secretary of Interior David L. Bernhardt announced how billions of dollars in Coronavirus Relief Fund money will be distributed to Native American tribal governments throughout the country. The CARES Act, which passed on March 25, included a set aside of $8 billion for tribal governments
On Tuesday, January 21, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation hosted the fourth annual celebration of the National Day of Racial Healing, which was established in 2017 to promote healing as a critical path for ending racial bias and creating a society in which all children can thrive. The program featured Kellogg Foundation’s President and CEO La
On Thursday, December 12, the Senate HELP Committee approved the reauthorizations of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (S. 2971) and the Adoption Opportunities Act (S. 2969) by voice vote. Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) remarked that today, the Senate HELP Committee approval of legislation would help states prevent child abuse and ensure the
November is Native American Heritage Month in which the country recognizes the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of this nation. In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) released the annual 2019 State of Native Youth Report: Native Youth Count and hosted an
