Resources & Publications: Enhancing the Workforce
- Oct 22, 2010 | Rutledge Q. Hutson & Tiffany Conway Perrin Comments in Response to the Administration for Children and Families' Request for Comment on Child Welfare Data Systems CLASP urges the Administration for Children and Families to take a comprehensive approach in making changes to the child welfare accountability system. Such an approach is needed and will yield a system that will: ensure that children are receiving the services and protections they are guaranteed under title IV-E; allow child welfare agencies to identify evidence of particularly effective practices or problematic trends that can help them shape practice; and, provide important information to policymakers and advocates to help better understand how well existing policies are working and ways in which they may be improved. Download PDF
- Jan 25, 2010 | CLASP Federal Policy Recommendations for 2010 Our nation faces many domestic challenges, including improving access to affordable health care, improving access to education as well as education outcomes, and providing debt and foreclosure relief. CLASP's 2010 federal policy recommendations are equally essential to achieving healthy and thriving families and improving the nation's prosperity. Read Online | Download PDF
- Sep 30, 2009 CLASP Statement for the Record: September 15, 2009 Hearing on the Implementation of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act Statement for the record of the September 15, 2009 Hearing on the Implementation of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act submitted to the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, Committee on Ways and Means. Download PDF
- May 15, 2007 The Partnership to Protect Children and Strengthen Families The Partnership was formed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the American Public Human Services Association; Catholic Charities USA; CLASP; the Children's Defense Fund; the Child Welfare League of America; the National Child Abuse Coalition; and Voices for America's Children. In May 2007, the founding partners issued a set of recommendations to enhance federal child welfare law to better protect children and ensure them nurturing families and invited others to join the Partnership. Nearly 30 national organizations now comprise the Partnership. Download PDF
- Feb 27, 2007 The Promise of New Funding for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment to Promote Safety, Permanence, and Well-Being for Children: Questions & Answers About New Grants under the Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 P.L. 109-288 These questions and answers (Q&A) were prepared by an informal coalition of groups, including the American Public Human Services Association, Center for Law and Social Policy, Child Welfare League of America, Children's Defense Fund, Legal Action Center, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, and the Rebecca Project for Human Rights. Our group convened after passage of the Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 to develop materials about the new funding and the opportunity for those concerned about alcohol and drug addiction and its impact on children and families to use it to improve outcomes for children and families. We hope that this Q&A will stimulate organizations and agencies to begin planning and forming regional partnerships so they will be ready to apply for grants under the Act once they are formally announced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the Spring of 2007. Read Online
- Jan 19, 2007 | Tiffany Conway & Rutledge Q. Hutson In-Depth Summary of Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 The Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 (CFSIA) represents an important step toward providing crucial services to children and families involved or at risk of becoming involved with the child welfare system. Of particular benefit are the addition of $40 million annually and the attention given to improving the workforce and addressing substance abuse, specifically methamphetamine abuse. This summary outlines the provisions of the law. Download PDF
- Sep 12, 2006 | Tiffany Conway and Rutledge Hutson Comments to the Children's Bureau, ACF on the Proposed Rule to Implement the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) These are CLASP's official comments to ACF on the proposed rule to implement the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD), published in the Federal Register on July 14, 2006. This is the rule proposed for implementing the data collection requirements of the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999. Download PDF
- Aug 04, 2003 | Rutledge Q. Hutson Comments on the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System This letter, submitted by CLASP to the federal Childrens Bureau, comments on how to improve the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). The data collected through AFCARS provide critical information to federal, state, and local governments, as well as to advocates and researchers, which can be used to improve program management and to enhance policy development and implementation. These comments offer suggestions about improving AFCARS so that this data collection system can be a more effective tool in improving the welfare of children in foster care and of those who have been adopted through the child welfare system. The comments fall into four general categories: (1) developing the capacity to track children over time; (2) improving the comparability of data across states; (3) collecting critical additional data and (4) enhancing access to data on a timely basis. Download PDF