On June 12, 2025, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare held a hearing, “Aging Out is Not a Plan: Reimagining Futures for Foster Youth,” which explored recommendations to reform and improve the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (the Chafee program). The purpose of Chafee is
Congress continues to move forward with the budget reconciliation process, with multiple House committees marking up their versions of the bill last week. As a reminder, both the House and the Senate have passed identical budget resolutions, but the instructions for the House and the Senate are very different, with the House receiving instructions to
In the last weeks of the Biden Administration, Executive offices pushed out numerous new rules, policies, and information memoranda. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released the following: Best Practices for Serving Young People Transitioning From Foster Care This Information Memorandum (IM) provides information on best practices for providing quality programs and services to
Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA) and Erin Houchin (R-IN) introduced H.R. 7010, the Increasing Access to Foster Care Through 21 Act on January 17, 2024, ahead of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee hearing on supporting older youth in foster care. The bill would provide an incentive for all states to extend child welfare support and
On January 17, 2024, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee hosted a hearing, “Pathways to Independence: Supporting Youth Aging Out of Foster Care.” CWLA submitted comments for the record. “Nearly 20,000 young people transition from foster care to independence without the benefit of formal reunification or an alternative permanency outcome each year. We share the
The Youth Law Center (YLC), the Institute for the Future (IFTF), and the California Youth Connection (CLC) hosted a webinar on Wednesday, January 31st to release a report they published titled “On the Threshold of Change: Forces that Could Transform Future Conditions for Youth in Extended Foster Care.” This report contains strategic foresight to better
The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF) partnered with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to hold a webinar detailing the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) program and how it can be utilized to benefit eligible youth experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness. Kimberly Waller, Associate Commissioner
Between November 13 and December 4, 2023, there were six Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs) deadlines that were directly related to child welfare. CWLA submitted comments in support of four of the six proposed rules: Discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Health and Human Service Programs or Activities Safe and Appropriate Placements Requires for
The Foster Care Youth & Alumni Policy Council held a webinar on November 20, 2023, to discuss their recommendations for decriminalizing the foster care system and preventing foster youth from entering the juvenile justice system. The panelists shared stories of three African American youth who were killed by law enforcement while in the foster care
Congress averted another government shutdown last week, passing the “laddered” continuing resolution CR proposal through both chambers. The House passed the bill, which was introduced by Speaker Johnson (R-LA) last weekend, on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, with a bipartisan vote of 336-95 and meeting the two-thirds standard needed to pass bills under suspension of the
