On Wednesday, May 17 the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources held their own hearing on the substance-abuse issue and the relationship to child welfare. It follows last week’s Senate Finance Committee hearing on the use of evidence-based services and its relationship to child welfare. In his opening statement, the Chairman, Congressman Vern
On Wednesday, May 11, the House of Representatives passed the Infant Plan of Safe Care Improvement Act, H.R. 4843, by a vote of 421 to zero. Late last year a Reuters investigation examined the care for infants born to parents struggling with opioid and heroin addiction. It caught the attention of Congress especially the parts
The House adopted an amendment offered by Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) and Congressman Todd Young (R-IN), (and endorsed by CWLA), that will allow Justice Department funded substance abuse treatment diversion grants to focus on parents whose incarceration could result in their children entering foster care. The amendment was considered as part of the House debates
Thursday a Capitol Hill briefing featuring Dr. Phil McGraw became more like a Capitol Hill hearing as he discussed the heroin/opioid use epidemic and its impact on the child welfare. The briefing sponsored by the House Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, co-chaired by Congressperson Karen Bass (D-CA) and Congressman Tom Marino (R-PA), was open to
On Tuesday, May 10, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on evidenced-based programs and strategies in human services. In his opening remarks Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) highlighted the substance abuse Regional Partnership Grants (RPGs) as well as home visiting programs as examples of using evidence based practices to have an impact. He also strongly
The House leadership may try to pass a budget resolution this week and were engaging the rank and file on the possibilities. They are once again considering a side-bill that would cut $30 billion in mandatory funding including the elimination of the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). Despite these offerings it looks like they do
The Senate Caucus on Foster Youth held the third of its Congressional Briefing Series, Part Three: Promising Solutions for the Future: What Can Be Done to Meet Child and Family Substance Abuse and Mental Health Needs? Panelists included Nancy Young, Children and Families Futures, Mark Casas, student and former foster youth, Tianna Van Tassel, Bridges
On Wednesday May 4, the National Network for Youth and the True Colors Fund sponsored a Capitol Hill briefing in support of a reauthorization of the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act. The panel of speakers included Darla Bardine, Executive Director, National Network for Youth, Dr. Resa Matthew, Family and Youth Services Bureau,
Last week a bipartisan group of Senators joined onto a letter to HHS and the Department of Education calling on the two departments to implement new provisions in the new reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) regarding the education rights of children in foster care. The senators, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the
On Thursday, April 28, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce approved HR 4843, a bill to amend requirements around the “safe care” plans as described in the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). The Infant Plan of Safe Care Improvement Act was introduced by Reps. Lou Barletta (R-PA) and Katherine Clark (D-MA) and
