Published on Alliance1 (http://alliance1.org)
Washington Insider: June 2012
UNCA Neighborhood Revitalization Conference
Registration ends July 19 for the 2012 UNCA Neighborhood Revitalization Conference, held in partnership with the Alliance for Children and Families. Last year's conference sold out early—don’t miss your chance to attend!
This year's speakers include thought leaders and innovators in the field, along with federal and local government officials working to implement comprehensive community revitalization, including: … more
Supreme Court Upholds Most of the Affordable Care Act
The Supreme Court today in National Federation of Independent Business vs. Sebelius upheld the main provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), finding that Congress did not exceed their Constitutional authority in passing the legislation. Chief Justice Roberts joined Justices Bader Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan in forming the court’s majority. Justice Kennedy, thought by some to be the “swing vote,” sided with Scalia, Thomas, and Alito in dissenting to the upholding of the law. … more
The Children’s Mental Health Accessibility Act Expands Home and Community Based Waivers
Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced The Children’s Mental Health Accessibility Act, S.3289, which allows states to use Medicaid waivers to serve children and youth in their homes and communities rather than in psychiatric residential treatment centers (PRTFs). The law would provide an expansion to all states of the waivers that have been granted under Medicaid section 1915 (c). It also removes the outdated term “mentally retarded” from the Social Security Act, replacing it with “intellectual disability.” … more
Child Abuse Reporting Task Force Includes Alliance President
Since the Penn State sexual abuse scandal captured national headlines, states have been re-examining their child abuse reporting laws. They have been seeking legislative fixes that would prevent abuse by encouraging individuals to report suspected maltreatment. Wisconsin has formed the Special Committee on Reporting of Child Abuse, which will include Alliance for Children and Families President and CEO Susan Dreyfus. Among other tasks, the committee is charged with recommending changes to the current law regarding who is required to report suspected abuse or neglect of children and the circumstances under which such a report is mandated. They will also study the reporting of suspected abuse of students at institutions of higher education. … more
A+ PLUS Bill Would Improve Access to Education Records for Foster Youth
The Congressional Caucus on Foster Care Youth invited current and former foster care youth to share their experiences with the foster care system, and included comments from Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Rep. Tom Marino (R-Pa.), Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), and a representative from the office of Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.).
The caucus also promoted the Access to Papers Leads to Uninterrupted Scholars Act of 2012 (A+ PLUS, H.R. 5871). The bill would help foster youth transfer schools more easily by changing federal law restricting disclosure of education records. … more
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About the Author
Katherine Astrich is senior vice president of public policy and mobilization for the Alliance and UNCA.
She previously worked as a consultant for The Lewin Group, a national health and human services consulting firm. She has advocated for Medicaid, early education, and workforce assistance programs that benefit vulnerable children and families.
Her expertise includes regulatory and information collection policy. She also has eight years of experience working for the Office of Management and Budget. ... more
About the Author
Cecilia Fiermonte is director of child welfare policy at the Alliance. An attorney, she previously was assistant director at the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, advocating for policy change and providing training and technical assistance.
She also previously:
- Supervised the child welfare program of the County Attorney's Office in Wyoming County, N.Y.
- Worked in research and evaluation at the Quality Improvement Center on the Representation of Children
- Represented children in family court matters ... more
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