Last week the Chronicle of Social Change released a new report and survey, The Foster Care Housing Crisis that focused new and much needed attention on the dramatic increase in foster care placements and the challenge some states are having finding enough placements for children and youth in foster care. The report focused on capacity
The President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioids Crisis released its final report on Wednesday, November 1. That wasn’t the only action or debate of the week on the topic, but it was the most significant. The Commission Final Recommendations: The report includes 56 recommendations but falls short on what they might cost
Last week the House Republicans unveiled their tax reform package, H.R 1. Since many tax credits and tax deductions were eliminated there were a few that CWLA and other advocates had hoped would be saved. The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credits did survive at a much smaller level but one that was eliminated was
The President had a discussion with some Senators before he departed for Asia. He managed to throw a monkey wrench into the current DACA discussions by telling Senators they should not include DACA into a final budget deal in December. They made a statement after the meeting saying they would not attach a DACA fix
On Friday the House of Representatives plowed ahead on passing their version of a CHIP reauthorization which Democrats mostly opposed. The measure was approved by a vote of 242 to 174. The bill (HR 3922) would extend CHIP for five years but would extend community health center funding for only two years. Democrats are opposing
As we get closer to the December 8 expiration of the current FY 2018 funding, it is becoming more and more likely a final deal will not be struck. Some are now suggesting the Congress may attempt another CR that would extend funding until December 15 to give the parties time to negotiate what they
Despite an agreement by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) on modest bipartisan changes to the ACA, the Trump Administration and Republican leaders have been taking aggressive action to undercut coverage and success. The President, HHS leaders, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX) were acting to aggressively undercut the
Last week HHS released new research on the impact of the Home Visiting Coalition or Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program. The Senate has been considering a bill that would extend the program for only two years instead of the five years that advocates including CWLA have been seeking. This research can
On Thursday, October 26, the House went along with the Senate budget resolution by a vote of 216-212. That resolution will allow for the fast-track reconciliation process that will allow for a deficit increase of $1.5 trillion over the next ten years. The reconciliation places time-limits on floor debate in both the House and Senate
On Thursday, the President announced a declaration of a national health care emergency. The declaration is intended to make it easier to use current programs and funds to better address the opioids situation. The declaration (which lasts for 90 days unless extended) came one day after the House Energy and Commerce Committee held their second
