US: "Family Ties" Urges Action to Support Kin Caring for Youth Involved with the Child Welfare System (Press release) Annie E. Casey Foundation - March 15, 2025 When children are not able to live with their parents, they do best with relatives or close family friends. Known as kinship care, … [Read more...]

Hospital Adoption Education Act of 2023” (H.R. 1475) The majority of ob-gyn nursing staff are uninformed or misinformed when it comes to adoption, and how to provide ethical, compassionate care to expectant, birth, and adoptive parents. H.R. 1475 directs the development of programs to close the … [Read more...]

Adoption Courts Act” (H.R. 6700) This new proposed legislation would require the Children’s Bureau to collect and maintain information regarding all private adoptions, and for other purposes. Lead Sponsor: Rep. Doug Lamborn.  “This legislation will ensure policymakers have accurate and useful … [Read more...]

“Voluntary Limited Accreditation for Adoption Services” (S.3551). This proposed legislation would modify the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 to provide a limited accreditation option for performing certain adoption services.  Lead Sponsors. Sen. Roger Wicker and Sen. Amy Klobuchar.  Accreditation … [Read more...]

NY: New York Lawmakers Push For Major Investments in Family Court System Imprint - February 14, 2024 Declaring the New York Family Court system "in crisis," state lawmakers and legal advocates for children and families are calling for a major new public investment to improve the handling of … [Read more...]

US: Bill Tracker: Protecting Benefits for Foster Youth (Requires subscription) Imprint - February 13, 2024 The Imprint has reported quite a bit in the past few years on the use of federal benefits for foster youth to help state and local governments pay for foster care costs, a practice … [Read more...]

NY: NY Bill Proposes Relief for Low-Income Families in Foster Care System BNN - February 14, 2024 The New York State Legislature is contemplating a bill that could bring a significant change to the foster care system. The proposed legislation aims to eliminate the mandate for parents to … [Read more...]

US: New Opportunity for Support: Bridging Systems for Kinship Families (Press release) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living - January 11, 2024 The ACL-funded Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network, the nation's first federally funded technical … [Read more...]

US: Governors on Both Coasts Face Budget Shortfalls for Serving Children and Families Next Year Imprint - January 10, 2024 Facing weaker tax revenue and the end of pandemic-era emergency cash infusions from the federal government, state governors' spending plans for vulnerable children and … [Read more...]

NY: Empowering futures with an initiative for foster youth (Includes video) Scripps News - January 04, 2024 A diploma helped open a path forward to Sanji Afruz. It's a symbol of the obstacles she's already cleared. Afruz was once in the foster care system. Right now, there are more than 6,000 … [Read more...]