Pages tagged "Child Abuse & Neglect"
Fact Sheet: Health Insurance for Former Foster Youth Act
Currently, over 20,000 youth age out of the foster care system each year with little to no support as they transition into adulthood. High-quality coordinated care is fundamentally important for children and youth who have been involved in the child welfare system because they tend to have high rates of acute and chronic medical, mental health and developmental needs. According to the Congressional Research Service, 35-60 percent entering foster care have at least one chronic or acute health condition, such as asthma, cognitive abnormalities, visual and auditory problems, dental decay, and malnutrition, and 50-75 percent show behavioral or social competency problems that may require mental health services. Foster youth are also more likely than their peers to be prescribed multiple psychotropic medications.
The Health Insurance for Former Foster Youth Act (S.1797), introduced by Senator Casey (D-PA) and Senator Blumenthal (D-CT) reduces barriers for youth to who have aged out of foster care to get access to health coverage.
Letter: The Timely Mental Health Act
On April 20, 2017, the First Focus Campaign for Children submitted a letter to U.S. Senator Roy Blunt thanking him for his support of The Timely Mental Health Act.
This Act requires mental health screenings for foster youth within 30 days of entering care, a critical event for children who are statistically more likely to experience traumatic events than their peers who are not in foster care.
Early identification and intervention will ensure better outcomes for these youth and their families.
Letter: The National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study Act
On April 20, 2017, the First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter to U.S. Representative Jared Huffman thanking him for his support of the National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study Act.
This Act creates national home study standards and a database for prospective foster and adoptive families.
New House Healthcare Bill Would Harm Medicaid, and Thereby, Child Health Coverage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 7, 2017
(Washington, D.C.) – In response to the release of the American Health Care Act by Republican leadership in the House of Representatives last evening, a bill that would repeal major provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and impose a per capita cap on the Medicaid program, First Focus Campaign for Children (FFCC) releases the following statement by President Bruce Lesley:
The American Health Care Act would, as currently written, be a major step backwards for our nation’s children. The uninsured rate for children reached a record low of 4.8 percent in 2015 and has dropped by 68 percent since passage of the Children’s Health Insurance Program two decades ago. As a nation, we have made enormous progress in terms of ensuring our nation’s children have health insurance coverage. Now is not the time to reverse this progress; the American Health Care Act would seriously threaten the health and well-being of millions of children.
First and foremost, FFCC strongly opposes the provisions in the bill that impose a per capita cap upon the Medicaid program, which currently provides coverage to an estimated 35 million low-income children in this country. Per capita caps are nothing more than arbitrary limits imposed upon states by the federal government that, by definition, shortchange states for the costs associated with care for children with special health care needs, such as children with cancer, spina bifida, cystic fibrosis, asthma, and sickle cell anemia, or other higher-cost populations such as newborns and children in foster care. It is the care to these vulnerable groups of children that could be threatened and rationed by the federal imposition of a per capita cap on states.
In fact, since the entire purpose of a per capita cap is to cut federal support to Medicaid, states may be forced to either finance any shortfall themselves or implement various forms of rationing, such as making cuts in coverage, benefits, and payment rates to provides, shifting more costs to low-income families, or limiting access to care for children, pregnant women, adults, people with disabilities, and senior citizens. This could be an outright disaster for millions of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens.
Although the American Health Care Act retains the provision in the ACA that allows children to stay on their parents’ health care to age 26, which we support, it phases out parallel language that allows children in foster care to retain their Medicaid coverage to age 26 through presumptive eligibility. Children aging out of foster care are some of our nation’s most vulnerable young adults with health care needs associated with their childhood trauma that threaten their well-being. Now is not the time to impose greater administrative burdens and delays on their health coverage, while also underfinancing the care of all children in–and who have aged out of–foster care through the Medicaid per capita cap.
These provisions also violate a campaign promise by President Donald Trump to not cut the Medicaid program and to ensure that no one would lose health coverage under the bill.
As for the changes made by repealing the tax subsidies in the ACA and replacing them with a different set of tax credits in the individual market, FFCC is concerned that such changes may leave children with special health care needs particularly vulnerable. Unfortunately, the legislation currently does not include a much-needed score by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) along with an analysis of how the bill might impact existing coverage.
Congress should commit to “do no harm” to the health insurance coverage upon which our nation’s children rely. Since this bill threatens to do real harm to Medicaid coverage that an estimated 35 million count on for their care, we urge Congress to return to the drawing board, schedule congressional hearings to discuss and receiving input on health care reform proposals, allow Members of Congress and the public ample time to read and study the legislation, and wait until the CBO does its job in providing a score and analysis of how the bill would impact coverage rates and our nation’s health care system. Children deserve better than to have adults in Congress threaten their health coverage.
240+ Organizations Support Preserving Medicaid Coverage for Former Foster Youth
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Amid discussions to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, children and health advocates urged Congress to not forget that the law currently provides coverage for former foster youth. In a letter sent to Congress this week, more than 240 organizations expressed their support to ensure that youth who age out of foster care can keep Medicaid coverage until they turn 26, in parity with their peers who can stay on their parent’s health insurance until the age of 26.
Over 20,000 youth age out of care each year with very few supports or financial assistance. In addition, former foster youth represent some of the most vulnerable youth with high incidence rates of homelessness, incarceration, and chronic and mental health conditions.
The Medicaid to 26 provision of the ACA has allowed former foster youth continuity in their health coverage which improves the well-being and success of these youth as they transition into adulthood.
“Former foster youth are a particularly vulnerable group who have unique health needs. Congress must do no harm and threaten coverage for these young adults,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus. “Many kids rely on support from their parents well into their 20s and former foster youth should be no different in having access to health coverage. We urge Congress to ensure Medicaid coverage for these youth continues as it considers changes to the Affordable Care Act and -- now Medicaid as well.”
Advocates have enormous cause for concern as Republican proposals, including Paul Ryan’s A Better Way: Our Vision for a Confident America, promotes the option of per capita caps or the block granting of Medicaid. Both options would reduce the overall number of youth covered and leave former and current foster kids vulnerable to a loss of coverage, benefits, and access to care. In fact, under Ryan's block grant option, the guarantee to coverage would appear to be eliminated. That would threaten the coverage of both former and current foster kids and youth.
Visit campaignforchildren.org to read the letter to Congress and learn you can take action on behalf of kids.
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The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.
240+ Advocates to Congress: Preserve the Medicaid to 26 Provision
In a letter sent to Congress this week, more than 240 organizations expressed their support to ensure that youth who age out of foster care can keep Medicaid coverage until they turn 26, in parity with their peers who can stay on their parent’s health insurance until the age of 26.
Over 20,000 youth age out of care each year with very few supports or financial assistance. In addition, former foster youth represent some of the most vulnerable youth with high incidence rates of homelessness, incarceration, and chronic and mental health conditions.
Child Advocates Release Recommendations for Trump's First 100 Days
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FEBRUARY 8, 2017
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Amid sweeping changes by the incoming Trump Administration, First Focus Campaign for Children has issued its policy recommendations with a clear “do no harm” standard toward policies that impact America’s children during the first 100 days of the new presidency.
These child-focused recommendations come in light of President Donald Trump’s inauguration speech in which he acknowledged the universality of the rights of all children, saying: “And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams and they are infused with the breath of life by the same Almighty Creator.”
Top recommendations from First Focus policy experts include:
- Improving the health of children by funding the CHIP program, reducing asthma triggers, and protecting against lead poisoning;
- Applying a “do no harm” standard for any repeal-and-replace measures of the Affordable Care Act;
- Ending child poverty by strengthening family tax credits and setting a national Child Poverty Target;
- Ensuring immigration policies protect child safety and well-being by protecting DACA and providing increased support to unaccompanied minors;
- Reauthorizing the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childcare Home Visiting (MIECHV) program to ensure the best start in life for young children; and
- Focusing on child abuse and neglect response efforts to support children in foster care and end human trafficking.
In a statement First Focus Campaign for Children President and CEO Bruce Lesley said, “The recommendations we are putting forth are bold. We will not shy away from issues that impact every citizen – including the 16 million children that will be born in this country be born over the next four years. Those children deserve to be met with and be assured of a bright future.”
Read the entire list of child policy recommendations at CampaignForChildren.org.
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The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions
First Focus Campaign for Children is a bipartisan nonprofit children’s advocacy organization that advocates directly to ensure that children and families are a priority in federal budget and policy decisions.
Recommendations for the First 100 Days of the Trump Administration
Over the course of the next four years, 16 million children will be born in this country and they deserve to be met with and be assured of a bright future.
As such, the following are child- and family-focused policy recommendations that the President can follow to create a future that our children need and deserve.
Our recommendations are broken into seven broad categories:
- ensuring a safe and healthy future;
- supporting families with children;
- ending food insecurity and promoting child nutrition;
- providing children with an early, solid foundation;
- helping every student succeed,
- focusing child abuse and neglect response efforts on child well- being; and
- promoting child and family values.
Within each category is a list of goals, and actions the new Administration can take to reach those goals, all of which will improve the lives of our children.
To truly make America great, we must invest in our nation’s future – our children. First Focus Campaign for Children looks forward to working together towards creating a future that all children – and our nation – deserve.
Download the 100 Days Recommendations here.
Youth Advocates Share Hopes for First 100 Days
1/9/17
By Molly McCluskey
WASHINGTON — Candidate Donald Trump offered little insight into his prospective policies surrounding youth and families, and President-Elect Trump has not provided any more clarity. Many youth advocacy groups say their approach to the beginning of the new administration is a sort of cautious optimism.
Their top priorities for the first 100 days are strengthening tax credits for families, increasing access to affordable child care, making more housing more affordable, investing in mentoring and after-school programs, and ensuring that youth employment is included in plans to increase jobs nationwide.
Advocates Call on New Administration to Set a Child Poverty Target in 2017
For Immediate Release: Thursday, December 22, 2016
Contact: Meg Biallas, (202) 657-0664
Washington – A coalition of child advocates is calling on the incoming Trump Administration to create a national Child Poverty Target, setting the goal of cutting the U.S. child poverty rate by half within a decade.
A national Child Poverty Target is not unprecedented – the United Kingdom established a national target, which was supported by both the Conservative and Labour parties. Measured in U.S. terms, the UK’s Child Poverty Target and resulting policy changes successfully cut the UK’s absolute child poverty rate by 50 percent during the effort’s first decade.
Members of the U.S. Child Poverty Action Group recognize that establishing a national target in the U.S. would create an impetus to drive policies that reduce child poverty by supporting a family’s financial well-being and stability, such as:
- Strengthening tax credits for families, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit.
- Increasing access to affordable childcare and early learning programs, to better prepare all children for school and support parents’ ability to maintain stable employment.
- Offering earned family and medical leave and sick days to all workers, to create flexibility for parents to balance obligations at home and at work.
- Supporting home visiting programs that have been shown to support families and reduce maltreatment of children.
- Boosting access to affordable housing and addressing family homelessness by pairing housing assistance with services to help children and parents recover from the disruption of homelessness.
- Investing in communities to address concentrated poverty and boost positive outcomes for children later in life.
“We are asking President-elect Trump’s policy advisers to consider solutions that truly work for kids, families and communities,” said Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus Campaign for Children. “If we want to make America great, we must tackle child poverty and invest in our nation’s future – our children.”
“There are more than 4 million children under the age of 5 living in poverty in the United States. That’s one out of every five infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Investing in high-quality early childhood education is the most effective way to break the cycle of poverty and ensure equal opportunity for all American families,” said Mark Shriver, president of Save the Children Action Network, or SCAN. “SCAN is committed to working with the Children’s Poverty Action Group to ensure that all children have access to the support they need, especially high-quality early childhood education, during these critical early years.”
"We know that poverty has a significant impact on child development and that it does increase the many stresses on our most vulnerable families including those in the child welfare population,” said John Sciamanna, Vice President of Public Policy, Child Welfare League of America. “Any strategy to move this country forward must address child poverty equal to our greatest challenges."
Members of the U.S. Child Poverty Action Group who have endorsed these recommendations include: First Focus Campaign for Children, Save the Children Action Network, National Center for Children in Poverty, National Black Child Development Institute, American Federation of Teachers, Child Welfare League of America, National Council of La Raza, and PICO National Network.
Click here to read the full letter of recommendations.
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The U.S. Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG USA) is a broad-based coalition of non-profit, child-focused organizations and individuals dedicated to cutting the child poverty rate in half within 10 years. For more information, follow CPAG on Twitter @CPAG_USA or visit www.childpovertyusa.org.