Category Archives: Children and Families

Evidence-based Child Welfare Legislation Enacted

Evidence-based child welfare prevention programs will receive funding under a new law that was included in a large funding bill that Congress passed in the early morning hours of February 9. The legislation, called the Family First Prevention Services Act, … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families

Home Visiting Extension Authorizes Pay-for-Outcomes Transactions

Legislation that would extend the federal home visiting program for another five years, which was included in a final budget bill that was passed by Congress earlier today, also includes provisions that would authorize the use of pay-for-outcomes transactions in … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families, Home Visiting

Senator Murray, Leading Democratic Appropriator, Demands Answers from HHS on Evidence

Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) sent a letter this week to the acting head of the Department of Health and Human Services demanding answers on its continued support for evidence-based policy. Murray is a strong evidence proponent and well placed to … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families, Evidence

Trump Administration’s First Work-based Medicaid Waiver May Produce Little New Evidence

A new waiver policy intended to promote work by Medicaid recipients drew substantial criticism when it was announced by the Trump administration earlier this week. But will it generate any valuable new evidence of what works? It is too early to … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families, Health

House Committees Explore Possible Welfare Changes

Despite a weekend retreat between President Trump and GOP congressional leaders that seemingly put partisan welfare changes on the backburner, several House leaders are looking at ways to push forward anyway. According to Reuters: House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families

Trump Administration’s Plan B for Evidence-based Welfare Reform? Medicaid Waivers

Just days after a weekend retreat at Camp David, where President Trump and the Republican congressional leadership agreed to set aside House Speaker Paul Ryan’s ideas for welfare reform, a Plan B appears to be emerging. The goal?  Encourage more … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families, Health

Is a Bipartisan Evidence-based Welfare Bill Still Possible This Year?

Early news reports from a weekend retreat at Camp David between President Trump, Sen. Mitch McConnell, and House Speaker Paul Ryan suggest that a Ryan-backed plan to revamp the nation’s welfare laws along partisan lines is now dead. Little noticed … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families

Pay for Success, Child Welfare Evidence Provisions Unexpectedly Struck from End-of-Session Bill

Two sets of provisions widely supported by child welfare and evidence advocates have been struck from a pending bill affecting the National Institutes of Health, called “21st Century Cures.” According to Congressional Quarterly: Two bills related to foster care and … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families, Social Impact Bonds / Pay for Success

Legislation Promoting Evidence-based Child Welfare Prevention Services Approaches Final Passage

Update (11/30/16): The Families First provisions have been unexpectedly dropped from the bill. SIRC’s original story follows below. Legislation that would fund evidence-based preventive mental health, substance abuse, or in-home parenting programs for children at risk of entering the child … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families