SSBG Under Congressional Attack: A recent Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report on the Social Services Block Grant found that the House's proposed elimination of SSBG would likely reduce critical services for populations with unique needs. The report notes that eliminating the block grant could create significant service gaps for children who have experienced or are at risk of abuse or neglect. Based on HHS data, in 2009 about one-quarter of SSBG funds were used to assist children involved in (or at risk of being involved in) the child welfare or juvenile justice systems or to provide adoption services. Roughly the same amount was used to serve vulnerable adults.
HHS Announces New IV-E Waiver Availability: Earlier this week, HHS issued an Information Memorandum (ACF-CB-IM-12-05) inviting state and tribal Title IV-E agencies to submit proposals for new child welfare waiver demonstration projects that would allow for the flexible use of Title IV-E funds. The authority is limited to 10 new demonstration projects in each fiscal year through 2012-2014, and priority is given to projects that implement approaches that focus on particular areas highlighted in the Information Memorandum.
HHS will give priority to projects that test or implement approaches that will:
- Produce positive well-being outcomes for children, youth and their families, with particular attention to addressing the trauma experienced by children who have been abused and/or neglected;
- Enhance the social and emotional well-being of children and youth who are available for adoption, as well as those who have been adopted, with a particular emphasis on those children who have been waiting the longest or are hardest to place in order to achieve and sustain successful adoptions;
- Yield more than modest improvements in the lives of children and families and contribute to the evidence base; and/or
- Leverage the involvement of other resources and partners to make improvements concurrently through child welfare and related program areas, including proposals to establish financial incentives based on the achievement of positive child outcomes.
As in the past, a state's waiver proposal does not have to be state-wide (i.e., individual counties may participate in a state waiver). Applications are due July 9, 2012.
HHS Issues Guidance to Improve CWS Outcomes: HHS has released an Information Memorandum (ACYF-CB-IM-12-04) Social and Emotional Well-Being for Children and Youth Receiving Child Welfare Services to guide child welfare agencies looking to expand their capacity to make meaningful and measurable changes in social and emotional well-being for children who have experienced maltreatment, trauma, and/or exposure to violence. The document:
- Articulates the impact of maltreatment on the health and well-being of children.
- Demonstrates opportunities in the current policy framework and current available resources for attending to well-being.
- Suggests strategies for transitioning child welfare systems toward promoting social and emotional well-being.
- Emphasizes the use of screening, functional assessment, and effective interventions.
- Provides a listing of federal resources to aid states, counties & tribes in this work.
Advocating for America's Youth in Foster Care: The National Council for Adoption's May Adoption Advocate issue observes National Foster Care Month by focusing on interviews with former Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute Foster Youth Interns who provide their perspective and recommendations on improving the system. Click here to download the Adoption Advocate.
Trauma-Informed Care for Children Exposed to Violence: Tips for Child Welfare Staff: This federal brief explains the impact exposure to violence can cause on children, the harm that can result unless they receive support to help them cope and heal, and the role of the child welfare worker in effectively responding to children exposed to violence. The warning signs of exposure to violence are listed for children of various ages. Specific ways child welfare workers can help children exposed to violence are then offered. A list of additional resources is provided.
Concurrent Planning: What the Evidence Shows: This U.S. Children's Bureau brief explores research and practice on concurrent planning, which considers all reasonable options for permanency at the earliest possible point following a child's entry into foster care. It discusses how the practice of concurrent planning has evolved over the last decade, what the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) have shown, and highlights the research literature. Two State examples associated with the successful planning and implementation of concurrent planning are presented.
Psychotropic Medication & Children in Foster Care: Tips for Advocates and Judges: Published by the American Bar Association, this 36 page brief reviews efforts by the federal government to improve oversight of psychotropic medication use among foster youth, and information is provided on the role of medication in treating mental health disorders, the benefits and drawbacks of psychotropic medication, and a multi-modal approach for managing mental health issues and symptoms. Questions judges and attorneys should ask when considering the best interest of or advocating for a child or teen in care are listed.
Teen Births Drop: Teen birth rates fell 17% between 2007 and 2010; Arizona experienced the largest drop at 29%. Click here to view a US map and access data for your state.
Rural Human Services Integration: This report summarizes an in-depth assessment of the Humboldt County, CA fully integrated health and human services delivery model. Prepared by the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI), the study documents how the county works to align resources and integrate human services into locally and regionally-based client-centered systems.(16 pp.)
Tactics & Tools to Streamline Low-Income Families' Access to Work Supports: Six states, including the county-administered states of Colorado and North Carolina, have been awarded three-year grants to test and implement easy-to-navigate, quick-to-deliver public benefit systems. The initiative aims to boost the share of families who receive and keep all the public benefits for which they qualify, minimize states' administrative burden delivering benefits, and disseminate lessons to inform state and federal policies and practices. The initiative is funded by a $21 million Ford Foundation grant, with additional support from The Open Society Foundations and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Urban Institute will direct the project in partnership with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which will provide grantees with technical assistance. The Urban Institute will evaluate the effectiveness of each state's activities.
Colorado's plan, designed as a partnership between the state and the counties, focuses on re-engineering business processes in the counties; improving staff capacity, training, and communication; enhancing automated verification and eligibility systems; and aligning policies across work support programs. Mini-grants to counties for call centers and modernization are anticipated. Colorado's plan includes numerical goals for improving families' participation in work support programs and faster application processing.
North Carolina will build on the rollout of NC-FAST, an integrated, automated system for eligibility determination. The goals are to improve service delivery in local offices, reduce counties' workloads, and enable families to "tell their story once only" to get what they need. Beyond NC-FAST, strengthened county-state partnerships will develop outcome indicators and guided self-assessments for local offices. Other activities will include integrated policy development and training. During the planning year, state and county leaders identified disconnections between programs, high churn among beneficiaries, and slow application review among the major issues. Click here to learn more.
TANF Caseload Data: HHS has now posted caseload data for the first quarter of FFY 2012. Click here to view data by state.
Federal Summer Jobs Bank Now Available: The US Department of Labor hasl aunched the Summer Jobs+ Bank. The online job search tool intends to connect youth to summer opportunities nearby or wherever their interests take them. In addition to traditional job opportunities, the Summer Jobs+ Bank also features online training programs like Code Academy, and job shadowing and mentorship opportunities from non-profit groups.
