CASCW at the Capitol

The Affordable Care Act and emancipated foster youth

By Heidi Ombisa Skallet|2016-12-01T19:33:05-06:00September 3rd, 2013|Categories: CASCW at the Capitol|

In general, young adults ages 19-26 are overrepresented among the uninsured in the U.S. Estimates from the Centers for Disease Control show that 27.5% of youth in this age group were uninsured in the first 3 months of 2012, compared to 15.4% of the general population. According to a 2012 article from Policy, Politics, & [...]

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Strengthening mental health services in Minnesota: A child welfare perspective

By Heidi Ombisa Skallet|2016-12-01T19:33:06-06:00August 9th, 2013|Categories: CASCW at the Capitol|

Minnesota's recently enacted omnibus health and human services bill includes changes to mental health services in Minnesota that could have an impact on children, youth, and families involved in the child welfare system. Children's Mental Health Services to Adult Mental Health Services "Mental illness" ("MI") definition modified. Case management and community support services for adults [...]

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Reuniting with birth family – the Minnesota Family Reunification Act goes into effect

By JaeRan Kim|2016-12-01T19:33:06-06:00August 5th, 2013|Categories: CASCW at the Capitol, Stability, Permanency, and Adoption|Tags: 88th legislative session, birth parents, Family Reunification Act, new Minnesota law, permanency for older youth, reunification|

As of last Thursday, August 1 2013, the Family Reunification Act went into effect. This law allows foster youth 15 and older who were never adopted to have the option to reunite with their birth parents. The law stipulates that the birth parents must be able to demonstrate that they have resolved or addressed the [...]

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Greater investment in services for children with autism spectrum disorder in Minnesota

By Heidi Ombisa Skallet|2016-12-01T19:33:06-06:00August 2nd, 2013|Categories: CASCW at the Capitol|

DHS initiative: Reform 2020 Reform 2020 is a 2011 legislative directive for DHS to reform Minnesota's Medicaid program, Medical Assistance (MA), so as to improve outcomes for people with disabilities, seniors, and other enrollees. Specifically, Reform 2020 focuses on community integration and independence, improved health, reduced reliance on institutional care, attainment of housing and employment, [...]

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South Carolina Supreme Court orders family court to finalize adoption of “Baby Veronica”

By Heidi Ombisa Skallet|2016-12-01T19:33:06-06:00July 19th, 2013|Categories: CASCW at the Capitol|Tags: adoption, Baby Veronica, ICWA, in the media, Indian child welfare, race and culture, US Supreme Court|

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision on Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl, otherwise known as the Baby Veronica case. The U.S. Supreme Court had been asked to decide what constitutes a "parent" under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), specifically if the definition includes an unwed biological father who had not complied [...]

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Funding made available for mental health services in Minnesota schools

By Heidi Ombisa Skallet|2016-12-01T19:33:06-06:00July 12th, 2013|Categories: CASCW at the Capitol|

One of the Minnesota legislature's areas of interest this past legislative session was mental health services, particularly school-based/school-linked services. Several of the bills that were introduced that focused on mental health services for children were included in either the education or health and human services omnibus bills. Funding for school-linked mental health services The education [...]

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How are children faring in Minnesota? A review of indicators related to child poverty and maltreatment

By Heidi Ombisa Skallet|2016-12-01T19:33:06-06:00July 3rd, 2013|Categories: CASCW at the Capitol|Tags: child poverty, KIDS COUNT Data Book, research, well-being|

The 2013 KIDS COUNT data book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation was recently released. Updated each year, KIDS COUNT provides a snapshot of child and family well-being in the United States as well as within each individual state. The data found in this year's data book is from 2011. Because there is so much [...]

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A closer look at Northstar Care for Children

By Heidi Ombisa Skallet|2016-12-01T19:33:06-06:00June 28th, 2013|Categories: CASCW at the Capitol|Tags: 88th legislative session, adoption assistance, foster care, HHS finance omnibus bill, new MN law, Northstar Care for Children, relative custody assistance|

The main piece (in my opinion) of Chapter 108 (the session law that was the omnibus Health & Human Services Finance bill) is Article 17, which establishes Chapter 256N in Minnesota Statutes, Northstar Care for Children. As I said in an earlier blog post on Northstar Care for Children, this program will make foster care, [...]

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CASCW at the Capitol

September 2013

August 2013

July 2013

June 2013