The Imprint Weekly

On this week's episode of The Imprint Weekly Podcast we are joined by Brandon Nichols, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, and Victor Dominguez, CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. They recently partnered to guarantee a YMCA membership to every older youth in foster care, as well as former foster youth up to age 26.We talked about how the partnership came together, what youth can get out of a Y membership, and talked a bit about how the frenetic things in Washington, D.C. are impacting their respective organizations. Brandon Nichols is the director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. In addition to his child welfare career, Nichols served as the executive director of the county's Jail Closure Implementation Team.Victor Dominguez is the CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. Appointed to the role in 2022, Dominguez has been an executive with the organization for two decades and helped launch the Cradle to Career initiative as well as the Achieve LA program. Thanks to SpeakWrite for sponsoring this episode!Reading RoomFree YMCA LA Memberships for Youth in Foster Carehttps://dcfs.lacounty.gov/free-ymca-la-memberships-for-youth-in-foster-care/Longtime County Official Tapped to Lead Los Angeles Child Welfare Agencyhttps://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/longtime-county-official-tapped-to-lead-los-angeles-child-welfare-agency/65799

On this week's episode, Congressman Greg Landsman joins to talk about the Campus Housing Affordability Act, his new bipartisan bill to make dorm life attainable for current and former foster youth. We discuss the college dorm model in his home state that inspired the bill, how the legislation would work, and since he's on the committee that oversees Medicaid spending, we chatted a little at the end of the Big Beautiful Bill and how its cuts to Medicaid might impact families. U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman (D) represents the 1st District of Ohio. Prior to his election, Landsman served as a member of the Cincinnati City Council from 2018 to 2022.Thanks to SpeakWrite for sponsoring this episode! Landsman Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Provide College Housing Assistance to our Most Vulnerable Students Including Foster, Former Foster, and Emancipated Youthhttps://landsman.house.gov/posts/landsman-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-to-help-low-income-students-pay-for-college-campus-housingCampus Housing Affordability Acthttps://d12t4t5x3vyizu.cloudfront.net/landsman.house.gov/uploads/2024/07/FILE_0295.pdf

On this week's “Headlines” edition of the  Imprint Weekly Podcast, we talk about the new federal dashboard for child welfare data from through the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System. We discuss the dashboard itself and what we hope it evolves to include, and then break down some of the trendlines in this year's numbers. We also discuss the latest on President Trump's spending request for 2026, what made it into the “Big Beautiful” reconciliation bill that now sits with the Senate, and more happening in Washington, D.C. We close with a review of some state headlines around liability insurance in California, a lawsuit in Tennessee, adoptee rights in Georgia, luggage for New York foster youth, and a new report on foster care in Minnesota.Thanks to Lyssn for sponsoring this episode!Reading RoomA Deep Dive on New Federal Foster Care Datahttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/deep-dive-new-federal-foster-care-data/261418White House Watchhttps://imprintnews.org/special-series/white-house-watchHouse Reconciliation Bill Proposes Deepest SNAP Cut in History, Would Take Food Assistance Away From Millions of Low-Income Familieshttps://bit.ly/3HNktXfHouse Begins Markup of Reconciliation Bill Todayhttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/house-begins-markup-reconciliation-bill-today/261108Trump 2026 Budget Consolidates or Eliminates Several Youth Programshttps://bit.ly/4e5qNWjAmeriCorps Must Restore Grant Funding and Members to States that Sued over Cuts, Federal Judge Ruleshttps://bit.ly/45PJZFjFoster Care Agencies in California's Central Valley are Facing an Insurance Crisis, and Possibly Closurehttps://bit.ly/4mUvhTzThe Insurance Cliff Coming for California Foster Carehttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/insurance-cliff-coming-california-foster-care/251572Tennessee Sued Over Foster Care Conditions Againhttps://bit.ly/3ZqMMkxGeorgia Opens Adoptee Access to Original Birth Certificateshttps://bit.ly/43TSlsSNew York to Provide Luggage for Foster Youthhttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/ny-lawmakers-agree-to-bill-for-foster-youth-luggage/261536Minnesota Foster Youth Publish Groundbreaking Reporthttps://bit.ly/4kzjEA3

In this powerful episode of innerViews, changemakers Isabel Stasa, Erica Hickey, and Lily Colby share how they transformed personal pain into public purpose through advocacy. They discuss the founding of the National Network for Fostering Sibling Connections and their fight to preserve sibling bonds in foster care. This is a masterclass in lived expertise, policy change, and healing.Guest Bios: Isabel N. Stasa is the Head of Community Engagement & Public Affairs at Foster Greatness. A former foster youth, Isabel channels her seven years in the system into bold advocacy. She's served on the National Foster Care Youth & Alumni Policy Council, contributed to federal legislation, and leads digital initiatives to elevate lived experience.Erica Hickey is a seasoned policy strategist with over a decade of impact across research, legislation, and community organizing. Her lived foster care experience fuels her mission to create family-first policies—especially around preserving sibling bonds in adoption and beyond.Lily Colby, Esq. is the founder of the National Network for Foster Sibling Connections. A Yale and Berkeley Law grad, Lily blends legal expertise with lived experience to drive national reform around sibling rights. She co-founded advocacy orgs like With Lived Experience and is a force for justice, empathy, and change.

Over the course of his career leading youth and family services, Alex Briscoe has become an expert in Medicaid policy, one of the most complex but substantial corners of government funding. He recently led a multi-year initiative called the California Children's Trust, which set out to reimagine the state's approach to screening and meeting the mental health needs of children. He joined The Imprint Weekly Podcast to talk about how it should work, why he thinks we rely too much on a medical model of care in America, and what the stakes are for kids when it comes to the battle over Medicaid spending going on in Washington, D.C. Alex Briscoe is a principal Public Works Alliance and served as executive director of the California Children's Trust. He previously served as the directorof children's services, and then as health care director, for Alameda County. Reading RoomIn California, Cautious Optimism About Better Collaboration on Kids Under Newsomhttps://imprintnews.org/childrens-mental-health/in-california-cautious-optimism-about-better-collaboration-on-kids-under-newsom/39501Why We Need a New System of Care for California's Youngest Children and Their Familieshttps://imprintnews.org/childrens-mental-health/why-we-need-a-new-system-of-care-for-californias-youngest-children-and-their-families/37843Millions Unclaimed: Behind California's Troubled Mental Health Care Funding Systemhttps://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/millions-unclaimed-behind-californias-troubled-mental-health-care-funding-system/38158

A budget bill is moving through Congress that includes significant cuts to the Medicaid program, one the largest federal programs and the provider of health insurance for one in five people in America. And it has an outsized impact on the child welfare system, both in the prevention of families becoming involved with it and for children in foster care.Zach Laris, founder of Bolder Horizon and author of the Child Welfare Wonk blog, joins us to review the nexus of Medicaid and child welfare, and what the impact of cuts to the system might mean for system-involved children and families.  Thanks to SpeakWrite for sponsoring this episode!Reading RoomHouse Begins Markup of Reconciliation Bill Todayhttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/house-begins-markup-reconciliation-bill-today/261108Foster Care Prevention & Group Care Limits: The Family First Act Takes Effecthttps://imprintnews.org/podcast/foster-care-prevention-group-care-limits-family-first-act-takes-effectChild Welfare Wonkhttps://www.childwelfarewonk.com/

On this week's “Headlines” edition of the  Imprint Weekly Podcast, we dive into Trump administration's reduction of the federal workforce focused on children and families, and hundreds of millions of dollars in grants terminated at the Department of Justice. Then we turn to what early indications are in regard to the future of federal spending, including Republican plans for a reconciliation bill and Trump's proposed budget for 2026, We also talk about new federal data on youth in foster care, which shows the total continues to decline. Thanks to Lyssn for sponsoring this episode!Reading RoomMonths of Turmoil, Hasty Terminationshttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/months-of-turmoil-hasty-terminations/260982Trump Delivers Massive Blow to Youth Justice Programshttps://imprintnews.org/justice/juvenile-justice-2/trump-delivers-massive-blow-to-youth-justice-programs/260778National CASA Loses Federal Funding Amid Trump Administration's Cuts to Hundreds of Nonprofitshttps://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/national-casa-loses-federal-funding-amid-trump-administrations-cuts-to-hundreds-of-nonprofits/260680Trump Administration Guts Funding For Children's Advocacy Centers in Western U.S.https://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/trump-administration-guts-funding-for-childrens-advocacy-centers-in-western-u-s/260872DOJ Funding Update, Council on Criminal Justicehttps://counciloncj.org/doj-funding-update-a-deeper-look-at-the-cuts/Dem Senators Want Answers on Justice Grant Terminationshttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/dem-senators-want-answers-justice-grant-terminations/260884Panicked Parents Push Back On Trump Administration's Dismantling of Head Starthttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/parents-push-back-on-trump-head-start/260917Trump Calls for Massive Cuts in Discretionary Spendinghttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/trump-calls-massive-cuts-discretionary-spending/260895

Head Start is a federally funded early learning operation that serves about 750,000 children every year at approximately 1,600 programs across the country. In the past month, the Trump administration has laid off several Head Start staff, and a leaked draft of an early budget request had the program slated for elimination. (A public budget document last week did not mention cuts or increases to Head Start).Sacha Klein, a professor and researcher at Michigan State University's School of Social Work, joined the podcast to talk about the nexus between Head Start and the social safety net, including her research on its connection to child welfare. We also chat with the hosts of Young and Autonomous, the newest podcast on SafeCamp Audio. This is a four-episode podcast by young parents with lived experience in foster care where hosts engage in meaningful conversations with peers, sex educators, and researchers about sexual and reproductive health information, rights, services, and resources.Sacha Klein is an associate professor at the Michigan State University School of Social Work. She is an expert on child welfare, child maltreatment prevention, and the effects of early care and education on parenting.Reading RoomTrump Plan to Dismantle Head Start Is Illegal, Lawsuit Argueshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/us/politics/trump-head-start-lawsuit-aclu.htmlI was a low-income student who attended Head Start. I'm now an educator with a master's degree and owe all my success to the federal program.https://www.businessinsider.com/head-start-low-income-student-owe-success-program-2025-4Imprint Weekly Podcast: The Impact of Paid Family Leave on Child Maltreatmenthttps://imprintnews.org/podcast/impact-paid-family-leave-child-maltreatmentYoung & Autonomous Podcasthttps://safecampaudio.org/show/young-and-autonomous/

In this episode of InnerViews, Ivory Bennett and special guest Theron Ogedengbe, a licensed therapist and powerhouse lived expert, unpack the delicate balance between healing, advocacy, and humanity. Together, they spill the tea on national advocacy, accountability, and why healing must come before hustle. Tune in for real talk, restorative wisdom, and a celebration of Black excellence in action.

For decades, child welfare systems have been receiving disability and survivor benefits owed to youth in foster care. Often these dollars are not saved for those children, or used for their unique needs.Amy Harfeld, national policy director for the Children's Advocacy Institute, has been among the staunchest advocates working to stop this practice. She joined the podcast to talk about the history of this issue, what states are doing to reform, and why she is optimistic about federal action in the near future.Harfeld has served as the national policy director for the Children's Advocacy Institute since 2010. During this time, she has also spent time leading the National Coalition to End Child Abuse Deaths, the Children's Leadership Council, the American Bar Association's Commission on Youth at Risk, and served as pro-bono government affairs liaison for the National Association of Council for Children.  Reading RoomFoster Care Agencies Take Millions of Dollars Owed to Kids. Most Children Have No Idea.https://www.themarshallproject.org/2021/04/22/foster-care-agencies-take-thousands-of-dollars-owed-to-kids-most-children-have-no-ideaWashington Must Step Up to Protect Foster Youths' Benefitshttps://imprintnews.org/opinion/washington-protect-foster-youth-benefits/67187Minnesota Child Welfare Officials Advise State to Protect Foster Youths' SSI Benefitshttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/minnesota-child-welfare-report-foster-youth-ssi-benefits/258765California Counties Siphon Social Security Benefits from Some Foster Kidshttps://imprintnews.org/foster-care/california-counties-siphon-social-security-benefits/66688Are Disabled Kids in NYC Foster Care Receiving the Social Security Benefits They Deserve? https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/are-disabled-kids-in-nyc-foster-care-receiving-the-social-security-benefits-they-deserve/248959

It is the 200th episode of The Imprint Weekly Podcast! On this week's episode we go through some fun facts about the first 199 episodes of the show, and then talk to Cheyanne Deopersaud about the virtual mayoral forum on youth issues she organized and will host this week (free registration info in the show notes). We discuss the many things going on in Washington, D.C., including a nominee to lead child welfare policy for the Trump administration; layoffs and reorganization of the agency he will likely lead; and new data on how much states rely on welfare funds to pay for child welfare services. We also discuss the end of the criminal case against a foster youth advocate arrested on Capitol Hill in December, and a few recent great reads from The Imprint. Thanks to SpeakWrite for sponsoring this week's episode.Reading RoomYouth in Focus: NYC Mayoral Candidate ForumThursday, April 17 5pm EST // Register: https://bit.ly/4ifDgqWFoster Youth Deserve Better Than Unsafe, Scary Housinghttps://imprintnews.org/youth-voice/foster-youth-deserve-better-than-unsafe-scary-housing/255986Alex Adams Nominated to Lead Administration for Children and Familieshttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/alex-adams-nominated-to-lead-administration-for-children-and-families/259907Zero-Based Regulation A Step-by-Step Guide for Stateshttps://manhattan.institute/article/zero-based-regulation-a-step-by-step-guide-for-statesHHS Reorganization Brings Cuts, Changes to Child Welfare Divisionhttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/hhs-reorganization-brings-cuts-changes-to-child-welfare-division/260150States Use Billions in Welfare Funds to Pay for Child Welfare Systems, Report Findshttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/states-use-billions-in-welfare-funds-to-pay-for-child-welfare-systems-report-finds/260389Trump Halts, then Reinstates, Then Again Halts Legal Counsel for Unaccompanied Minors Seeking Asylumhttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/trump-halts-legal-counsel-for-unaccompanied-minors-seeking-asylum/259021Prosecutors Withdraw Rep. Nancy Mace Assault Charge Against Prominent Foster Youth Advocatehttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/prosecutors-withdraw-assault-charge-against-prominent-foster-youth-advocate/260157U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace is No Longer on Foster Youth Caucushttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/u-s-rep-nancy-mace-is-no-longer-on-foster-youth-caucus/260292Medicated in Foster Care: Who's Looking Out?https://imprintnews.org/special-series/medicated-in-foster-care-whos-looking-out Texas Lawmakers Take On Little-Known Pathway Into Foster Care: Parent

Kelley Fong, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of California, Irvine, joins to discuss her work studying the impact of state child welfare systems and their policies on families. Fong, who has written several op-eds for The Imprint, is the author of Investigating Families: Motherhood in the Shadow of Child Protective Service, an examination of the front end of child welfare focused on Fong's deep research in several New England States. Reading RoomInvestigating Families: Motherhood in the Shadow of Child Protective Servicehttps://shorturl.at/dsb52We Shouldn't Rely on Child Protective Services To Address Family Adversityhttps://imprintnews.org/opinion/we-shouldnt-rely-on-child-protective-services-to-address-family-adversity/47496ASFA Is A Dangerous Tool in An Arbitrary System  https://imprintnews.org/opinion/asfa-is-a-dangerous-tool-in-an-arbitrary-system/237576Reports Without Surveillance: Connecticut's New Child Welfare Experimenthttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/reports-without-surveillance-connecticuts-new-child-welfare-experiment/64329

The transition from foster care to adulthood still happens for thousands of young people each year. It's not easy anywhere, but perhaps nowhere tougher financially than places like New York City where the market rent is astronomically high and there is almost no vacancy. Daniel Heimpel, managing director of Good River partners, and Tony Turner. director of the Fair Futures Youth Advisory Board, join to discuss a new venture they are involved in to try and leverage different kinds of philanthropic support, and new approaches to affordable housing, to ensure that youth who exit foster care dont do so into treacherous living conditions and predicaments. Reading RoomYouth Launch Bold Strategy to End NYC's Foster Care to Homelessness Pipelinehttps://shorturl.at/usoOJFoster Youth Deserve Better Than Unsafe, Scary Housinghttps://imprintnews.org/youth-voice/foster-youth-deserve-better-than-unsafe-scary-housing/255986Foster Youth Often Struggle to Find Stable Housing. One New York City Nonprofit is Helping Meet the Need.https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/foster-youth-housing-new-york-city-nonprofit/251802

In this powerful episode of InnerViews, Ivory Bennett sits down with Chaplain Dr. Kay Kizer — a trailblazing advocate and author — to discuss the realities of growing up in foster care, overcoming childhood trauma, and embracing the healing journey. Dr. Kizer shares her personal experiences navigating multiple foster homes and how those experiences led her to establish K's Carry On, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring foster youth receive essential items and emotional support during transitions. This episode is a heartfelt exploration of resilience, faith, and the transformative power of purpose.

Wendy's Wonderful Kids is a program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption that for decades has focused on finding permanency for older youth in foster care, as well as children with special needs. The program, which received a $200 million commitment to expand in 2017, recently recorded its 15,000th adoption.Dave Thomas CEO Rita Soronen joins to discuss the experience of scaling up Wendy's Wonderful Kids and the lessons she learned along the way about how to get initial buy-in on an idea, and then keep support for it going. Rita Soronen has been the president and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption since 2001. Prior to joining the foundation, Ms. Soronen served as the executive director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Franklin County. Thanks to SpeakWrite for serving as lead sponsor of this episode!Reading Room10,000 Adoptions Later: Wendy's Wonderful Kidshttps://imprintnews.org/podcast/10000-adoptions-laterWendy's Wonderful Kids: The Biggest Game in Adoption Todayhttps://imprintnews.org/adoption/wendys-wonderful-kids-biggest-game-adoption-today/30696Nonprofits Are Simultaneously Contemplating Strategy on Two Frontshttps://imprintnews.org/adoption/nonprofits-are-simultaneously-contemplating-impact-on-two-fronts/41366

On this week's episode, we review some of the recent action out of Washington, including what's going on with federal funds, the impact of Trump's executive orders on some youth with lived experience, and who is temporarily leading child welfare and youth justice policy. We also break down the findings from a report on health care for youth who have aged out of foster care, and a new bill that would fund post-adoption support. Reading RoomRegister for Empowered Youth Voices: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Building Confidence in Storytelling.https://bit.ly/3EZiz4tThe Acting Leaders on Child Welfare, Youth Justicehttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/the-acting-leaders-on-child-welfare-youth-justice/259082Early Trump Actions Leave Lived Experience Jobs in Fluxhttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/early-trump-actions-leave-lived-experience-jobs-flux/258758Trump Halts, then Reinstates, Legal Counsel for Unaccompanied Minors Seeking Asylumhttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/trump-halts-legal-counsel-for-unaccompanied-minors-seeking-asylum/259021Report Notes Trends, Barriers in Medicaid Enrollment for Former Foster Youth https://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/gao-notes-trends-barriers-in-medicaid-enrollment-for-former-foster-youth/258781Bills Introduced on Adoption Support, Rehominghttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/bills-introduced-adoption-support-rehoming/258945

In this episode of InnerViews, host Ivory Bennett sits down with Montina Myers-Galloway, a licensed clinical mental health counselor, TEDx speaker, and advocate for Black women healing from parentification. Together, they explore the impact of adultification and emotional burdens placed on Black youth in foster care and juvenile justice. Montina shares how professionals can create trauma-informed spaces, support mental well-being, and empower youth to reclaim their narratives. This conversation is a must-listen for those committed to breaking cycles and fostering emotional healing in child welfare.

On this week's episode, Imprint Indigenous Children and Families Reporter Nancy Marie Spears hosts a special roundtable discussion on the future of Indigenous child welfare. Our panel of guests break down how they will engage with a new 25-year plan to reform and improve Indigenous child welfare policy and practice through improved implementation of, and compliance with, the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act, or ICWA.. ICWA 2050 was launched November 7 by the Protect ICWA Campaign to Honor ICWA's 46th Anniversary and it's called Protect, Preserve, Progress: Realizing the Spirit of the Indian Child Welfare Act. There are four key goals of this long-term plan, and the panelists talk about how their respective communities intend on engaging with each area of proposed change.Guest panel:Sarah Kastelic, (Alutiiq), is the executive director of the National Indian Child Welfare Association.Te'Ata Loper, (Chickasaw), is the executive director of the Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Association.Kimberly Cluff is legal director of the California Tribal Families Coalition.Linda S. Spears is president and CEO of the Child Welfare League of America.Reading RoomProtecting Children and Healing Families, One Native Auntie at a Timehttps://imprintnews.org/foster-care/protecting-children-and-healing-families-one-native-auntie-at-a-time/241572The Way Forward: Report of the Alyce Spotted Bear & Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children https://udallcenter.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/2024-07/TheWayForward.pdfIndian Child Welfare Act Think Tank to Strategize Legal Protections for Tribal Sovereigntyhttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/indian-child-welfare-act-think-tank-to-strategize-legal-protections-for-tribal-sovereignty/239084New Online Resources Available to Assist With Indian Child Welfare Caseshttps://imprintnews.org/indigenous-youth-and-families/new-online-resources-available-to-assist-with-indian-child-welfare-cases/255684

On this week's episode, Abecedarian Group President Celia Sims joins us to discuss child welfare and education policy, and the intersection of the two. Sims, who spent most of her career on Capitol Hill, reflects on a recent op-ed she wrote for The Imprint and shares thoughts on the practicability of President Trump's proposal to shutter the Department of Education. Celia Sims is the founder of the Abecedarian Group, and serves as a volunteer court appointed special advocate. Sims has served as an advisor on education and child welfare policy for former Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and was vice president of government relations for KinderCare Education.Reading RoomCommon Ground Is The OnlyPolitical Path for Child Welfarehttps://imprintnews.org/opinion/common-ground-only-political-path-child-welfare/256030The Imprint's extensivecoverage on educational stability for youth in foster carehttps://imprintnews.org/tag/essaNew Report HighlightsOngoing Challenges for NYC Students in Foster Carehttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/new-report-highlights-ongoing-challenges-for-nyc-students-in-foster-care/237967

On this week's podcast, we go over some of the actions taken by the Trump administration in their first full week since the inauguration. We also discuss a report that finds some states are sending back federal money to help older foster youth, and a Texas bill that would bring sweeping change to the way the child welfare system works in that state. Rena Johnson of the Aviv Foundation and Mary Bissell of Child Focus join to talk about the Aviv Foundation's Springboard Prize, an award that will invest $400,000 in several game-change oriented proposals.Reading RoomTrump's Day-one Actions Reverse Biden Decisionshttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/trump-day-one-actions-reverse-biden-decisions/258340Trump Administration Cancels Child Welfare Contract, Pulls Juvenile Justice Grantshttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/trump-administration-cancels-child-welfare-contract-pulls-juvenile-justice-grants/258439Child Welfare Leaders Stunned by Trump's Call to Freeze Social Services Spending; Legal Action Quickly Threatenedhttps://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/child-welfare-leaders-stunned-by-trumps-call-to-freeze-social-services-spending-legal-action-quickly-threatened/258488Report: Millions for Helping Older Foster Youth Goes Unspenthttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/report-millions-helping-older-foster-youth-goes-unspent/258528HHS Should Help States Address Barriers to Using Federal Funds for Programs Serving Youth Transitioning to Adulthoodhttps://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-25-107154.pdfTexas Lawmakers Consider ‘ICWA for All' Bill That Would Set New, Higher Standards for Removing ChildrenFrom Homehttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/texas-lawmakers-consider-icwa-for-all-bill-that-would-set-new-higher-standards-for-removing-children-from-home/258553

Ivory Bennett interviews Chaplain Dr. Kay Kizer, an advocate and visionary author amplifying voices within the foster care system. From sharing her own challenging journey through multiple foster homes to founding “K's Carry On,” a nonprofit providing essential items for foster youth, Dr. Kizer's story illuminates resilience and the power of faith. Together, they discuss the lasting impacts of childhood trauma, the necessity of healing, and the importance of creating safe, nurturing environments for vulnerable children. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about transforming pain into purpose and advocating for change.

In November, the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) held its first national conference in more than a decade, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the landmark Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. Right after the conference ended, OJJDP Administrator and longtime youth justice reformer Liz Ryan joined us to discuss the conference, in particular the large presence of young people who have experienced the justice system. Ryan also reflected on the future of justice reform, and what she feels the Biden administration accomplished during her tenure.  Reading RoomEpisode 100! Biden's Juvenile Justice Agenda with Liz Ryanhttps://imprintnews.org/podcast/episode-100-biden-juvenile-justice-agenda-liz-ryanDecarceration Advocate Liz Ryan to Lead Juvenile Justice for Biden Administrationhttps://bit.ly/37hzj6ANation's Top Juvenile Justice Official Disputes ‘Youth Crime Wave' Narrativehttps://bit.ly/3xR7k7X

On this Headlines edition of The Imprint Weekly Podcast, we stick with Capitol Hill where a lot went down around the holidays. We discuss the arrest of a former foster youth and advocate arrested after a celebration of the Chafee Act, along with some child welfare legislation that made it into law (and one bill that did not). We also break down some long-sought data about what happens when youth are charged as adults in the United States, and the lastest federal report on child abuse and neglect. Thanks to live podcast attendee, new rescue dog Dracula, for being a good boy while we recorded!Reading RoomU.S. Rep. Nancy Mace Calls Police on Prominent Foster Youth Advocate; Eyewitnesses Dispute Her Assault Allegationshttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/nancy-mace-calls-police-prominent-foster-youth-advocate/256826Foster Youth Advocate Pleads Not Guilty to Alleged Handshake Assault on Member of Congresshttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/foster-youth-advocate-pleads-not-guilty-to-alleged-handshake-assault-on-member-of-congress/256858Flurry of Bills Move to President, but Not Workforce Reauthorizationhttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/flurry-bills-move-president-not-workforce-reauthorization/257117Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act Poised to Become Lawhttps://imprintnews.org/subscriber-content/stop-institutional-child-abuse-act-poised-to-become-law/257027Juveniles Charged in Adult Criminal Courts, 2014https://bjs.ojp.gov/document/jcacc14.pdfFederal Study on Transfers of Juveniles Delayed, Againhttps://imprintnews.org/subscriber-content/federal-study-transfers-juveniles-delayed/25194Biden Commutes Sentence of one of the ‘Kids for Cash' Judgeshttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/biden-commutes-kids-cash-judges/256977Closing the Book on “Kids for Cash”https://safecampaudio.org/episode/closing-the-book-on-kids-for-cash/Child Maltreatment Reports on the Rise, Confirmed Victim Numbers Decline, Federal Report Showshttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/child-maltreatment-reports-on-the-rise-confirmed-victim-numbers-decline-federal-report-shows/258032

As always, we were fortunate to have some amazing guests join us this year on The Imprint Weekly Podcast. In this episode we feature clips of 10 great interviews from 2023. If you enjoy this podcast, or the great work our reporters do at The Imprint and Fostering Families Today, and the work that our Youth Voices Rising team does, please consider making a donation. And if you do so this month, during Newsmatch, your donation will get doubled!Fostering Media Connections is very lucky to have some terrific philanthropic supporters, advertisers and sponsors, and subscribers to our business and policy section that help make this organization go. But we really cannot do it without donors like you who read our stuff, listen to our podcasts and attend our online events. There are tons of really great nonprofit, independent news outlets to support out there, and we hope you consider us one of them. To give today it's easy! Visit www.imprintnews.org/donate.Guests include:Shelly Jackson, law enforcement policies attorney for Strategies for Youth.LaShawnda Pittman, associate professor of American Ethnic Studies at the University of Washington, Seattle.Rob Geen, founder of CWPolicy, LLC and leads the Child Welfare Initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center.Carolyn Travis, community advocacy coordinator for California Youth Connection.Alex Piquero, professor in the Department of Sociology & Criminology at the University of Miami and previously served as the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics.Serita Cox, co-founder of iFoster.Gwen Moore, Member of CongressDawn Post, founder of Themis Youth Law & Advocacy.Jerry Milner, co-founder of the Family Justice Group, and former associate commissioner of the U.S. Children's Bureau. Will Schneider, associate professor at the University of Illinois School of Social Work and the faculty director for the Children and Family Research Center. 

On today's episode, Dr. Jenny Tanis of the Hope College School of Social Work and Dr. Sacha Klein of the Michigan State University School of Social Work join to talk about their research into the impact of State paid family leave policies on infant maltreatment. The United States is among the few developed countries without paid family leave as a national policy. But four states have long had local leave policies in place: California, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. Tanis and Klein wanted to see what, if any, impact this had on infant maltreatment in those states compared to trends in other states. Reading Room State Paid Family Leave Policies and Infant Maltreatmenthttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38574603/Paid family leave's effect on hospital admissions for pediatric abusive head traumahttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26869666/Impact of Direct Cash Benefits to Low-Income Families Can Be Far-Reachinghttps://imprintnews.org/family/impact-direct-cash-benefits-low-income-families-child/237760

On this week's episode we discuss the Trump transition process, the last months of the Biden administration, and recommend some interesting reads from The Imprint and elsewhere this month, including Sara Tiano's two-part series on the intersection of addiction treatment and child welfare actions such as investigation, removal and reunification. Marina Nitze of the Child Welfare Playbook joins us to talk about the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC), a longstanding process aimed at ensuring that foster youth who are moved to a new state are protected. We talked to Nitze about the Playbook's discussions on ICPC, what gaps exist in the system and what states are doing to improve it.  Reading RoomICWA Added to Federal Data Collection. Will It Last?https://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/icwa-added-federal-data-collection-will-it-last/256693Profiles in Youth Work: Lateefah Simonhttps://youthtoday.org/2004/06/profiles-in-youth-work_2/Congressional Candidate Wants to Create a Place for Young Women ‘To Dream, To Fight and To Just Be' https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/congressional-candidate-wants-to-create-a-place-for-young-women-to-dream-to-fight-and-to-just-be/248299Penalized for Their Prescriptions: Parents Using Legal Addiction Medications Face Ongoing Discrimination in the Child Welfare Systemhttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/parents-using-legal-addiction-medications-face-ongoing-discrimination/256350When Prescribed Medications End in a Call to CPS: One Upstate New York Mom is Fighting Back in Courthttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/when-prescribed-medications-end-in-a-call-to-cps-one-upstate-new-york-mom-is-fighting-back-in-court/256352Treatment Foster Care for Kids with High Needs Offers Hope, but There's a Shortage of Willing Homes in Wisconsinhttps://www.postcrescent.com/story/life/family/2024/11/29/childrens-wisconsin-needs-foster-families-who-can-provide-treatment-care/75887078007/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdeliveryThe Survivors of Child Sex Abuse Who Don't Want Their Abusers Punishedhttps://newrepublic.com/article/188362/child-sex-abuse-survivors-abusers-justiceFoster Youth Are at Great Risk for Suicide As They Prepare to Leave the System, California Study Findshttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/foster-youth-are-at-great-risk-for-suicide-as-they-prepare-to-leave-the-system-california-study-finds/256210 

In this special "Best of Season 1" episode of InnerViews, host Ivory Bennett revisits powerful moments from this year's episodes. From healing generational trauma to empowering resilience in the face of adversity, Ivory highlights transformative insights from each guest. Join us for a reflection on themes of healing, self-discovery, and empowerment, celebrating the voices that made Season 1 unforgettable. Tune in for an inspiring recap and a glimpse of the exciting 2025 season ahead!

On this week's episode, Brightpoint CEO Mike Shaver and University of Illinois School of Social Work researcher Will Schneider join to discuss Empower Parenting with Resource, a test of the impact of guaranteed income as a component of how child welfare systems engage parents. Empower will provide hundreds of system-involved parents with cash assistance as part of a randomized control trial.Reading RoomNew Research Funded on Mental Health, Child Welfarehttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/new-research-funded-mental-health-child-welfare/54184Support Grows For No-Strings-Attached Cash For Families To Prevent Foster Care Removalshttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/support-grows-for-no-strings-attached-cash-for-families-to-prevent-foster-care-removals/243395The Bay Area's Latest Guaranteed Income Program Offers Low-Income Families $500 a Monthhttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/bay-areas-latest-guaranteed-income-program/60793Former Foster Youth Included in L.A. County Guaranteed Income Projecthttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/former-foster-youth-included-in-l-a-county-guaranteed-income-project/240181

On this week's episode, we review some recent research on child opioid overdoses, youth with disabilities in foster care, and the Biden administration's historic apology to the Indigenous community. Jerry Milner, co-founder of the Family Justice Group, joins us to discuss his time leading the U.S. Children's Bureau during the previous Trump administration, and what his experience during the first term suggests to him about what might be coming in the next four years. Reading RoomFederal Roundtables with Foster Youth Find Them Feeling Supported, But Uncertainhttps://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/federal-roundtables-foster-youth-find-supported-uncertain/49643While Trump Separated Families, One of His Appointees Fought To Keep Them Together. Will Biden Keep Him Around?https://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/trump-separated-families-milner-biden-foste/50944 Staying The Course for Familieshttps://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/staying-course-families-what-got-right_/51632Most States Now Access Federal Funds for Family Court Lawyershttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/states-access-federal-funds-for-family-court-lawyers/247752

This year, Jamaican child welfare officials abruptly removed eight teenage boys from a residential facility known as Atlantis Leadership Academy. All eight were American youth and three were adoptees. Dawn Post, a veteran attorney for youth in foster care, represented the teens pro bono, working with the Jamaican government to ensure their safe return to the United States. She joined us to tell the story, discuss the broader connections to child welfare present in this incident, and announce a new legal office she has launched called Themis Youth Law and Advocacy. Reading RoomJamaica pulls U.S. boysfrom troubled teen school after allegations they were abusedhttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jamaica-troubled-teen-abuse-allegations-atlantis-leadership-academy-rcna144426Adopted. Abandoned. But not forgotten.https://kentuckylantern.com/2024/09/03/adopted-abandoned-but-not-forgotten/‘I'd rather die than go back': Jamaica's school for troubled US boyshttps://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/american-teenagers-jamaica-atlantis-academy-j25rgm0p5Themis Youth Law & Advocacyhttps://www.themisyouthlawadvocacy.org/

On InnerViews, Ivory Bennett speaks with Jose A. Perez, winner of the 2024 Youth Voices Rising New York Op-Ed competition, for his poignant essay, When Help Hurts: Foster Care vs. My Mom. In a powerful conversation, Perez shares his journey from New York's foster care and prison systems to becoming an acclaimed poet, actor, and advocate. Listen as Jose reflects on a system that separated his family, the art that saved him, and his current role advocating for justice and opportunities for system-involved youth. Don't miss this impactful dialogue on resilience, transformation, and the power of family.

Rep. Gwen Moore, who represents the 4th District of Wisconsin, was in the state legislature when her state commenced a welfare-to-work program that would become the template for the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Moore now sits on the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees TANF. She joined the podcast to discuss her problems with TANF, how it could be improved, and we discussed her most recent bill on the intersection of poverty and child welfare systems.Reading RoomFull Committee Hearing on Reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)https://bit.ly/3Ybqv8Rep. Gwen Moore's comments from the hearinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JVCneYbvLQTemporary Assistance for Needy Families, with Ashley Burnsidehttps://imprintnews.org/podcast/temporary-assistance-needy-families-ashley-burnsideStrengthening Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) as a Safety Net and Work Programhttps://bit.ly/3zRBdJaPublic Comment in response to “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Intermediate Improvement to the Disability Adjudication Process: Including How We Consider Past Work”https://bit.ly/4f61weRTANF Cash Assistance to Families Plummets, But Program Remains Consistent Funder of Child Welfarehttps://bit.ly/3W9Zce9Bipartisan Effort in Congress Aims to Steer Impoverished Families Away From Foster Care Systems https://bit.ly/3YgrZ1LAmid Pandemic, Congress Considers Giving Parents More Time to Reunify with Kids in Foster Carehttps://tinyurl.com/3tazannm

On this week's episode, we are joined by Administration on Children, Youth, and Families Commissioner Rebecca Jones Gaston, the most senior Senate-confirmed child welfare official in the Biden administration. We discussed the past year of federal child welfare policymaking, what the priorities will be for the final few months before Inauguration Day, implementation of the Family First Act, and the right way to incorporate lived experience.  Reading RoomOregon Chooses Former Foster Youth to Lead Its Child Welfare Systemhttps://bit.ly/3YnAUQ0During Confirmation Hearing for Top Biden Child Welfare Officials, Senators Voice Their Own Prioritieshttps://bit.ly/3gKAWe4Senators Press Biden Administration Over Lack of Progress on Foster Care Prevention Law https://bit.ly/3YltuN3 Message From Commissioner Rebecca Jones Gastonhttps://acfmain-stage.acf.hhs.gov/acyf/news/message-commissioner-rebecca-jones-gaston

On this week's episode, we review some recent headlines in child welfare and youth justice. On this week's episode, we review some recent headlines in child welfare and youth justice, including some big picture takeaways from recent stories about spiraling juvenile facilities and universal drug screening for soon-to-be parents. We also talk to Marina Nitze about what states and child welfare systems have been doing in terms of licensing kinship caregivers since the Biden administration took action to make that process easier and more financially fair for relatives and other people close to families. Reading RoomConditions Dire at Washington State's Largest Lockup for Young Adultshttps://bit.ly/4dJn1jO One in Eight Incarcerated Juveniles Experiences Sexual Victimizationhttps://bit.ly/3TU6DFZLiz Ryan Considers 50 Years of a Landmark Law That Keeps Kids Out of Adult Jailshttps://bit.ly/480if02State Challenges Universal Drug Testing on New Momshttps://bit.ly/4eSgl3BKids of Color in Minnesota Foster Care Are Most Likely to Live With White Foster Parents — And Why There are Concerns https://bit.ly/3TTU9ycMinnesota Joins Growing Number of States Allowing Adoptees New Access to Birth Records https://bit.ly/4eTdbg1Texas Tallies Use of Trash Bags for Foster Youthhttps://bit.ly/4eW00LrBecky Shipp, Veteran Child Welfare Policy Advisor, Has Passed Awayhttps://bit.ly/4eT9uH7

In this compelling episode of InnerViews, host Ivory Bennett talks with Christina Abraham about her journey as she aged out of the foster care system at 21. Christina shares her struggles navigating life in a group home and the challenges of finding stable housing in New York City. Through her story, Christina sheds light on the harsh realities faced by youth aging out of care and the urgent need for systemic change. Tune in for an eye-opening conversation about resilience, hope, and the fight for security in adulthood.

On today's episode we spoke with Aditi Shrivastava, deputy director of income security at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, about the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, known widely as TANF. We talked about the proposed new rule for regulating how states use this program, a new test of how to measure success, and we also discuss the many guaranteed income projects that have popped up around the country.  Reading RoomRule-a-Palooza! Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, with Ashley Burnsidehttps://imprintnews.org/podcast/temporary-assistance-needy-families-ashley-burnsideSupport Grows For No-Strings-Attached Cash For Families To Prevent Foster Care Removalshttps://imprintnews.org/top-stories/support-grows-for-no-strings-attached-cash-for-families-to-prevent-foster-care-removals/243395Feds Begin Test of Welfare Work Requirementshttps://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/feds-begin-test-welfare-work-requirements/250920Here's What Happens When You Give People Free Moneyhttps://www.wired.com/story/sam-altmans-big-basic-income-study-is-finally-out/

On this week's episode we talk to Kamilah Bunn, CEO of the National Adoption Association, and Toni Oliver, former president of the National Association of Black Social Workers, about the recently published “Black Paper,” an early look at the effect of NAA's Ujima Black Family Connection Program. The goal of the program is to convene Black leaders to work on addressing long-standing disparities in child welfare and push back against the stereotype that Black families do not adopt.Reading RoomUjima Black Family Program gets $500K Grant from Walmarthttps://shorturl.at/7LKfnBlack Paper: Urgent Need for Black Family Connections and Support for Black Leaders Advancing Change Efforts in Systemshttps://www.adoptnaa.org/page/blackpaper

On this week's episode we recap a hodgepodge of headlines from late summer, starting with the effort to reauthorize a major federal child welfare program called Title IV-B. Among the other stories we discussed: California's novel new approach to fund enrichment activities for foster  youth, and the state's looming insurance cliff for nonprofits; New York could become the first state to track adoption subsidies; and shocking data on youth transferred into adult court in Florida. Reading RoomHouse Ways and Means Introduces IV-B Reauthorization Packagehttps://bit.ly/3MCqllpFeds Clarify Rules on Family First Act, Background Checks, Tribal Child Welfarehttps://bit.ly/4ehf464Maine Hasn't Yet Inspected Out-of-State Youth Mental Health Programs After Reports of Rampant Abusehttps://bit.ly/3ZjJ1hsEyed By the Nation, California Plan Will Nearly Triple State Spending on Foster Youth and Their Caregivershttps://bit.ly/3TktkmcThe Insurance Cliff Coming for California Foster Carehttps://bit.ly/4cZikStWhen Adoptions ‘Break': New York Legislation Aims to Ensure Adoption Subsidies Follow the Childhttps://bit.ly/4cYxzLiNew York Family Courts Must Weigh in on Residential Care for Foster Youth, Appeals Court Ruleshttps://bit.ly/4d0uSc4Florida Teens Get Longer Prison Sentences Than Adultshttps://bit.ly/4cXe8T9After Juvenile Justice Reforms, Two States Return to Prosecuting More Teens as Adultshttps://bit.ly/3AUfpwZA Second Chance Offered to Minnesota Moms Who've Previously Lost Kids to CPShttps://bit.ly/4ezyJyjHarris' VP Pick Has Kept Vulnerable Children and Families Front and Center Like Few Other Governorshttps://bit.ly/4gfig3N California Lawmakers Approve Stricter Protections for Youth in Residential Programshttps://shorturl.at/qt1a7‘Incorrigible' No More: In Rare Memorial Service, Graveside Tribute Paid to New York's Formerly Incarcerated Girlshttps://shorturl.at/6ipSk

The Imprint Weekly Podcast has been re-running some of our most intriguing guest interviews from the early years of the show for listeners who might not have heard them the first time around. On this final installment of Summer Rewind, we feature our conversation with Patty Duh and Leslie Gross about the SOUL Family Concept, a new permanency option that was conceived of by youth with lived experience in foster care. Since our interview, Kansas became the first state to incorporate SOUL Family into its options for permanency. 

During the month of August, The Imprint Weekly Podcast is re-running some of our most intriguing guest interviews from the early years of the show for listeners who might not have heard them the first time around. This week, we feature our conversation with juvenile justice reform expert David Roush about how a construction project inside Chicago's juvenile detention center accidentally led to one of the most influential experiments in how to effectively engage incarcerated youth. 

In this powerful episode of InnerViews, host Ivory Bennett sits down with Brittney Lee, who endured 17 foster homes over 17 years. Brittney shares her inspiring journey of resilience, community engagement, and her mission to fight racial inequality within the child welfare system. With a passion for giving back, Brittney is committed to being a role model and creating positive change for youth in foster care, drawing from her own experiences and deep compassion. Don't miss this episode on empowerment, healing, and breaking down systemic barriers.

During the month of August, The Imprint Weekly Podcast is re-running some of our most intriguing guest interviews from the early years of the show for listeners who might not have heard them the first time around. This week we feature on of our most frequently downloaded episodes, our 2021 conversation with author and law professor Dorothy Roberts. At the time of our interview, Roberts was still working on her since-published book Torn Apart: How the Child Welfare System Destroys Black Families. We talked about the abolition movement in child welfare, and how Roberts distinguishes between major and incremental reform within the existing child welfare system. 

During the month of August, The Imprint Weekly Podcast is re-running some of our most intriguing guest interviews from the early years of the show for listeners who might not have heard them the first time around.This week we feature two different interviews about the same issue: how to ensure that foster youth succeed once they get to college. In 2022, we talked to Amy Dworsky of Chapin Hall and Judy Havlicek of the University of Illinois about dismal research around community college completion among youth who aged out of foster care. Community college student and former foster youth Matt Schaad joined us to talk about his own path towards a degree.We also included our 2020 interview with Christopher Scott and Lino Peña-Martinez of Connecticut's Sun Scholars, a program that supports current and former foster youth on college campuses around the state.

During the month of August, The Imprint Weekly Podcast is re-running some of our most intriguing guest interviews from the early years of the show for listeners who might not have heard them the first time around. This week we feature our 2020 interview with California Assemblymember Ash Kalra, who joined the podcast to discuss the Racial Justice Act, a bill he championed that enables a defendant and their legal counsel to present evidence of racial bias as a means of pushing back against specific sentences for offenses after conviction. 

In this episode of "InnerViews," join host Ivory Bennett in a real, raw conversation about reclaiming one's narrative with New Yorker, Nathali Feliz. The two discuss the impact of storytelling and narratives in the development of child welfare engaged youth. Nathali discusses her life before, during, and after her time in the NY child welfare system. Together, we affirm the importance of empowering youth through positive narratives of healing and triumph. 

Over the summer, The Imprint Weekly Podcast will feature episodes with subject matter experts to talk about several new rules and regulations issued by the Biden administration in the past year. On this week's episode, Ashley Burnside of the Center for Law and Social Policy joins us to discuss a plan to update the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a federal cash assistance program designed to help low-income families fill the gap. Burnside discussed the changing nature of TANF programs since its inception in 1996, and explains what Biden's proposed rules for it would change about how states could use the money to support families. Ashley Burnside is a senior policy analyst with the public benefits justice team at the Center for Law and Social Policy. She specializes in refundable tax credits, and also focuses on disability policy issues and increasing access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for college students with low incomes who face barriers to accessing higher education.Reading RoomStrengthening Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) as a Safety Net and Work Programhttps://bit.ly/3zRBdJaPublic Comment in response to “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Intermediate Improvement to the Disability Adjudication Process: Including How We Consider Past Work” https://bit.ly/4f61weRTANF Cash Assistance to Families Plummets, But Program Remains Consistent Funder of Child Welfarehttps://bit.ly/3W9Zce9Reports: States Hoard Billions in Welfare Funds Despite Growing Nee https://shorturl.at/K8URJ

Over the summer, The Imprint Weekly Podcast will feature episodes with subject matter experts to talk about several new rules and regulations issued by the Biden administration in the past year. On this week's episode, Currey Cook of Lambda Legal joins to discuss a new rule aimed at ensuring all child welfare systems have enough foster homes that are supportive and safe for youth who identify as LGBTQ+. We discussed some of the existing laws and policies in this area, what the Biden rule actually requires of states, and what Cook hopes for in terms of further legislating to protect and support LGBTQ youth.Currey Cook is the Director of the Youth in Out-of-Home Care Project and Counsel in the National Headquarters Office of Lambda Legal. Before joining Lambda Legal in 2013, Cook was the Co-Director of the Bronx office of The Children's Law Center New York a non-profit law firm representing children in New York City Family Court.Reading RoomFederal Register: Designated Placement Requirements Under Titles IV-E and IV-B for LGBTQI+ Childrenhttps://bit.ly/3W3PMRdDesignated Placements In, Conversation Therapy Out: Biden's Rule for LGBTQ+ Foster Youthhttps://bit.ly/3W0XXhfLGBTQ Youth Make Up One Third of Foster Care, But Are Often Poorly Servedhttps://bit.ly/3qQVXYVWhat We Know About LGBTQ+ Children & Youth in Foster Carehttps://bit.ly/3zJUVXd

Over the summer, The Imprint Weekly Podcast will feature episodes with subject matter experts to talk about several new rules and regulations issued by the Biden administration in the past year. On this week's episode, Allison Green of the National Association of Counsel for Children joins us to break down the new rule on federal funding to support legal counsel for parents and children involved with the child welfare system. We talk about how this new rule goes beyond some changes made during the Trump administration on this issue, and what Green sees as the potential impact on child welfare outcomes. Reading RoomFoster Care Legal Representationhttps://bit.ly/45XoosFWhite House Announces Slate of Actions on Child Welfarehttps://bit.ly/3ZFa7hlMost States Now Access Federal Funds for Family Court Lawyershttps://bit.ly/3VV2rWLTrump Administration Rule Change Could Unleash Hundreds of Millions in Federal Funds to Defend Rights of Parents, Children in Child Protection Caseshttps://bit.ly/3LGHMRTNACC Explainer on "Foster Care Legal Representation"https://bit.ly/3XWwJLo

On this week's episode we go deep on one headline: a recent Senate Finance Committee hearing in which Chairman Ron Wyden called the residential care business an inherently flawed model that intentionally puts children in unsafe situations. The hearing followed the release of a scathing report on the committee's findings from a multi-year investigation into four of the biggest providers in that space.In this episode, we break down nine different clips from the nearly two hour hearing that speak to some of the major themes and topics covered.Reading RoomSenate Investigation Slams Residential Treatment Centers for Children as ‘Warehouses of Neglect'https://bit.ly/3zsMAHqWarehouses of Neglect: How Taxpayers Are Funding Systemic Abuse in Youth Residential Treatment Facilitieshttps://bit.ly/4bsUY6KThe Forgotten Children of Texashttps://bit.ly/3ouvOh2New Study Suggests Ending Group Care for Foster Youthhttps://bit.ly/3rsVqMUImprint Coverage Tagged “Congregate Care”https://imprintnews.org/tag/congregate-care

In this impactful episode of "InnerViews," join host Ivory Bennett in a candid conversation with Mike Ostien as they delve into the vital realm of men's mental and emotional health. Explore the intersections of identity, societal expectations, and holistic well-being, as Mike shares his insights and lived experiences. From confronting trauma and grief to fostering self-care and resilience, discover empowering strategies for navigating life's challenges. Together, let's break barriers and pave the way for a healthier, more supportive society for boys and men to thrive.

Over the summer, The Imprint Weekly Podcast will feature episodes with subject matter experts to talk about several new rules and regulations issued by the Biden administration in the past year. This week, Ana Beltran of Generations United joins us to talk about the new federal rules around approving (and financially supporting) relatives and other loved ones to care for youth in the foster care system. We discuss the barriers that prompted the new action, what has changed, what happens next and how we'll know if the new rule is having an impact. Reading RoomWhite House Announces Slate of Actions on Child Welfarehttps://bit.ly/3ZFa7hlBiden Administration Proposes Easing Foster Care Licensing Barriers for Relativeshttps://bit.ly/3m7l3EFTransforming Foster Care: What the September 2023 Rule Meanshttps://bit.ly/45tOUJPA Model Standard for Approving Kinship Caregivershttps://bit.ly/3Feh2EyKentucky Case Could Mean More Support for Kin Caregivershttps://bit.ly/3pQeqUI