Presidential Candidates' Stances on Child Welfare

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From: Randee

Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 8:25 AM

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Subject: Presidential Candidates' Stances on Child Welfare

Children's Monitor

Online

A Public Policy Update from the Child

Welfare League of America

Vol. 21, Issue 40:

10/27/2008

Headlines

Learn the Presidential Candidates' Stances on Child

Welfare Before You Head to the Polls

Support Grows for Stimulus Package, FMAP Increase Still

Possible

Advocacy Day Will Provide Chance to Talk to New Congress

and Administration

Nebraska to Consider Limits to Safe Haven Law

On the Line with CWLA, Speaking for America's Children

Join CWLA's Call for a White House Conference on

Children and Youth

CWLA Legislative Alerts Available to Subscribers

Key Upcoming Dates for Congress

Learn the Presidential Candidates' Stances on Child

Welfare Before You Head to the Polls

On November 4, Americans will head to their polling places and elect the

44th President of the United States. For those interested in learning more

about where Senators McCain and Barack Obama stand on child welfare

issues--including child abuse prevention, foster care, adoption, and

improving conditions for at-risk youth--view

this compilation of candidates' plans.

An

independent report commissioned and released by First Focus, detailing

the effect of McCain's and Obama's plans for children's health coverage and

access is also a helpful education piece.

CWLA is nonpartisan and as such does not endorse, support, or oppose any

candidate, campaign, or political party.

Back to Headlines

Support Grows for Stimulus Package, FMAP Increase

Still Possible

Last week, in testimony before the House Budget Committee, Federal Reserve

Chairman Ben Bernanke expressed support for a second economic stimulus

package. House Speaker Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Harry

Reid (D-NV), and many others in the majority in Congress have been pushing

for a broad stimulus focused on building infrastructure, creating jobs, and

preventing the loss of health care and other vital services for vulnerable

populations. Bernake's testimony is expected to provide a boost to such a

plan.

Twenty-nine states anticipated shortfalls totaling $48 billion when

enacting their FY 2009 budgets, and an estimated 22

states and the District of Columbia are currently facing mid-year

budget shortfalls of at least $11 billion. When times are tight like this,

states unfortunately often are forced to cut programs serving some of their

most vulnerable residents.

At the end of September, trying to provide some assistance, the House

passed a $60.8 billion economic stimulus package (H.R. 7110). The Senate,

too, put together a $56.2 billion economic package (S. 3064), but failed to

achieve the number of votes necessary to consider the bill. Both H.R. 7110

and S. 3064 contained a temporary increase in the federal match (the FMAP)

for state-run Medicaid programs to help protect against states having to

cut critical health services.

What would be in another attempted stimulus bill, and how large the package

would be, is unclear, but many advocacy organizations, including CWLA, are

urging Congress to again include a temporary increase to FMAP. Bernanke did

not expressly urge inclusion of FMAP, but did testify that an injection of

federal dollars to boost state services would aid the nation's faltering

economy. After Bernanke 's testimony, the White House, which had been weary

of a second stimulus package, made statements in favor of considering one.

Over the next weeks, the House and Senate will continue a series of

hearings on the need for a second stimulus package and what its components

should be. Also unclear is whether Congressional leaders would bring up

stimulus bills in a special session after the November 4 election, when

they would still be negotiating with the current President or whether they

would wait until early next year when a new Administration has taken over.

Back to Headlines

Advocacy Day Will Provide Chance to Talk to New

Congress and Administration

CWLA's national conference on public policy, Children 2009: Children

Today...America's Future, will be held February 23-25. It will provide one

of the first opportunities to come to Washington under the new 111th

Congress and the new President. CWLA encourages early registration and

payment in advance. If registering on site, registration must be

accompanied by a check, credit card, or signed purchase order authorizing

conference registration payment. Preregistration (at the lower 2008 rates) ends on

October 31, 2008; after that date, 2009 rates apply.

To preregister, submit nominations for CWLA's National Conference Awards,

or sign up for a both in the exhibit hall, go to www.cwla.org/conferences/ShowConference.asp?CONF=NATIONAL & YEAR=2009

.. A full conference program will be available online by the first week in

November.

Advocacy Day, held on the second day of the conference, gives attendees the

opportunity to actively promote CWLA's 2009 priorities, which is sure to

build on the progress made so far on CWLA's call to reestablish the White

House Conference on Children and Youth. It will also be critical for

members to attend because a new Administration will be following up on the

implementation of the new ing Connections to Success Act (PL

110-351). Other issues Congress and the new Administration may be

discussing include the elements of an economic recovery plan in light of

the growing recession, the completion of the 2009 federal budget, and the

need to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

Advocacy Day focuses on meeting with Members of Congress and their staff

and the new Administration on the issues impacting children, youth, and

families. Advocacy Day begins on the Tuesday of the conference with

presentations by leaders in Congress on their priorities for 2009, and

briefings by the CWLA Government Affairs staff. At lunchtime, participants

go to specific state and regional caucuses to discuss the issues, talking

points, advocacy tips, and more general information. In the afternoon,

Advocacy Day participants take buses to Capitol Hill to meet with their

Representatives and Senators.

We encourage everyone attending the conference to schedule meetings with

their members of Congress for Advocacy Day, beginning in January, after the

new 111th Congress convenes. Stay tuned for contact information and tips on

arranging visits. In addition to the great opportunities on Advocacy Day,

attendees will be able to attend a range of programs and policy sessions at

the National Conference.

This will be an energizing conference and one of the most important

advocacy events for child welfare in 2009! Don't forget to register online.

For more information about Advocacy Day, contact Cristina Fahrenthold, at cfahrenthold@....

Back to Headlines

Nebraska to Consider Limits to Safe Haven Law

Nebraska lawmakers will start their session in January with one proposal

that would limit the safe haven law to newborns and another that would

offer families of troubled older children a new way to seek help.

Nebraska's safe haven law says people cannot be prosecuted for leaving a

child with a hospital employee on duty. Since September 1, 19 children have

been dropped off by people wishing to use the law. Most of those left have

been teens and preteens. None of the children have been an infant; two were

from other states.

Every other state uses such laws for infants. Most limit their use to

babies up to 30 days old. Sixteen limit their use to babies up to 3 days

old. Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman indicated his support for limiting the

law to newborns. He said the change is needed to deal with the unintended

consequences of the current law. The Governor said the Legislature is

prepared to make this change immediately at the beginning of the next

legislative session or in a special session, if necessary.

Meanwhile, State Senator Brad Ashford of Omaha, Chair of the Nebraska

Senate Judiciary Committee, said he plans to introduce a separate bill

allowing families of troubled youngsters to apply through juvenile court to

get services. People could file a " families in need of services "

petition, seeking assistance. The court could order services if it

determined that they were needed.

Under the plan, children in such cases would not need to become state

wards, and the cost of services would be worked out in each case.

Currently, families must ask a county attorney to file a petition to

declare a child uncontrollable or make the child a ward of the state to get

psychiatric services.

Back to Headlines

On the Line with CWLA, Speaking for America's

Children

On the Line with CWLA is a thought-provoking, interactive radio

program focusing on subjects, stories, and strategies of special interest

to child welfare policymakers, providers, and practitioners. The program,

devoted solely to the welfare of America's vulnerable children, features a

forum where numerous points of view and voices of experience within the

child welfare universe can be heard.

The live program, hosted by broadcasting veteran Tony Regusters, is a

production of CWLA that will provide a platform for CWLA member

organizations, their staffs, its partners, and concerned citizens in the

national community to share ideas and thoughts about critical issues that

affect child welfare agencies, vulnerable children and teens, and their

families.

The weekly subject-oriented, solutions-driven program will broadcast

Wednesdays, 2:00-2:30 pm ET and feature indepth, timely discussions with

leading child welfare experts, agents, and advocates; leadership and

representatives from CWLA's member agencies; and local and national

political figures working to improve child welfare and give a voice to

child welfare professionals, providers, and practitioners nationwide.

Programming schedule subject to change.

This Week's Show

October 29

Adapting Adoption: A

Look at Gay and Lesbian Adoption Rights

Half a million children live in foster care in the United States, and more

than 100,000 foster children await adoption. States must recruit parents who

are interested and able to foster and adopt children. Three states restrict

gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) individuals or couples from adopting.

Several states have or are considering policies that would restrict GLB

people from fostering. Recent government surveys demonstrate many lesbians

and gay men are already raising children, and nearly two million GLB people

have considered adoption. This week's guests include Sommer,

Senior Counsel, Lambda Legal, and Robin

McHaelen, Executive Director, True Colors.

Coming Shows

November 5

The Future of Child

Welfare in the Next Administration

November 12

No Home for the

Holidays

November 19

A Conversation with

Reverend Darryl Armstrong

November 26

Dave

Foundation's 's Wonderful Kids Project

For more information on the show, visit www.cwla.org/newsevents/cwlaradio.htm.

On the Line with CWLA is a production of the Child Welfare

League of America, Arlington, Virginia. Programming schedule subject to

change.

Back to Headlines

Join CWLA's Call for a White House Conference on

Children and Youth

A White House Conference on Children will bring together a cross-section of

policymakers, advocates, professionals (including the courts), and families

and children directly affected by the child welfare system to create

recommendations for policy and change. CWLA is calling on Congress and the

next President to reestablish this important policymaking tradition. The

time to act is now. Your support and involvement are crucial.

You can support this effort by going to www.cwla.org/advocacy/whitehouseconf10.htm.

There, you can sign on to support CWLA's call for a White House Conference

in 2010, let you members of Congress know of your support, complete a

survey about what areas you would like to see such a White House Conference

focus on, see which members of Congress are cosponsoring the authorizing

legislation for a White House Conference, learn how to get your board to

pass a resolution supporting this effort, and more!

Back to Headlines

CWLA Legislative Alerts Available to Subscribers

CWLA's Legislative Alerts provide breaking news, advocacy information, and

critically important timely details of legislative battles. In an effort to

broaden CWLA's advocacy network on behalf of children, anyone can now

subscribe and receive the same information. This effort compliments CWLA's

weekly electronic legislative newsletter, the Children's Monitor,

which is also available free to any subscriber. We encourage you to

register to receive these items directly and to pass on the information to

other colleagues, family, and friends.

Subscribe

to Legislative Alerts.

Subscribe

to Children's Monitor.

Back to Headlines

Key Upcoming Dates for Congress

November 4:

Election Day

November 17:

Senate returns to formal session

January 3, 2009:

Start of 111th Congress

January 20, 2009:

New President sworn in

March 6, 2009:

Continuing resolution for FY 2009 expires

Back to Headlines

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