On Thursday, September 28, 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new actions to support children and families in foster care. These actions include releasing three regulations to strengthen services and supports for children and families in the child welfare system. Final Rule: Support kinship caregivers – family members and loved ones who step forward to care
On June 12, 2023, First Focus on Children started their Child Week 2023 programming with a webinar titled “Protecting our Students – A Conversation with FL State Rep. Anna Eskamani & PEN America’s Jonathan Friedman.” This event focused on the increasing efforts to pass policies that censor students in public schools across the United States.
A publication released by the Child Welfare Information Gateway in 2023 provides a legal overview of the rights and supports available to youth in foster care who identify as LGBTQIA2S+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual, Two-Spirit, or other gender or sexual identities), children who are often subjected to adverse experiences while in care.
In addition to the Biden administration’s proposed rule that was announced last week (see below), the House voted on H.R. 734 the Protecting Women and Girls in Sports Act on Thursday, April 20, 2023. The bill passed along party lines in a 219-203 vote. The bill is not expected to pass in the Senate or
On Thursday April 6th, 2023, Secretary Miguel Cardona of the Department of Education announced a proposed rule that would update Title IX to clarify guidelines for participation in school athletics. Title IX aims to protect students in schools that receive federal funding from sex-based discrimination and ensure fairness, and this rule aims to expand upon
On March 8th, 2023 the House Committee on Education and the Workforce held its first full committee markup on H.R. 734, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023, and H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act. Ranking Member Bobby Scott [D-VA] opened the markup by explaining his opposition: “Neither of
On December 15th, the Trevor Project released the 2022 U.S. National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health. For the first time, the report presents findings on the experiences of nearly 34,000 LGBTQ people ages 13-24 in the U.S., segmented by all 50 states. From the summary: “These data provide critical insights into the suicide risk
The House of Representatives passed the amended Respect for Marriage Act on Thursday, December 8th, 2022, in a 258-169-1 vote. Thirty-nine Republicans joined all Democrats in supporting the measure, which had previously been passed in the House in July of this year. The bill now awaits President Biden’s signature, which is likely to happen in
Politico reports that as conservative states pass legislation to block gender-affirming care for minors, families with trans children are leaving to protect their children. Almost 2 percent of high schoolers in the U.S. identify as trans, according to Politico, and they report starkly higher rates of depression, suicidal thoughts and other mental health issues compared
By Alex Lord-Wilkinson, Policy Intern, Pizzigati Fellow On Wednesday, June 15th, 2022 the President issued an Executive Order (EO) on “Advancing Equality for LGBTQI+ Individuals.” The Executive Order directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other key agencies to establish initiatives to support LGBTQ children and families and address discriminatory state legislation.