Take Action!

On September 17, 2008, the House of Representatives unanimously passed H.R. 6893, the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (H.R. 6893), by voice vote. This legislation targets specific deficiencies in the child welfare system and addresses some of the most important needs affecting foster children in America today, including extending federal foster care payments up to 21 years old, providing federal support for relatives caring for foster children, increasing access to foster care and adoption services to Native American tribes, and improving the oversight of the health and education needs of children in foster care. Major provisions of the bill include:

1. Helping Relatives Care For Foster Children – Continues federal assistance (at state option) to relatives assuming legal guardianship of eligible children for whom they have cared for as foster parents. Authorizes Family Connection Grants to increase involvement of relatives as caregivers and help them navigate public programs. Requires notification of close relatives when children are placed in foster care.

2. Extending Assistance to Foster Youth Up to the Age of 21 – Extends federal foster care payments up to the age of 19, 20 or 21 (at state option) for children living in supervised settings. Require youth receiving such assistance to be in school, work, or related activity. Extends adoption assistance and guardianship payments up to age 19, 20, or 21 (at state option) for children adopted or entering guardianship after attaining the age of 16.

3. Expanding Training Funds – Expands coverage of federal funds for the training of child welfare workers to include private agencies approved by the state.

4. Improving Oversight of Health Care – Includes overseeing plans for the health care needs of foster children, accounting for the assessment and treatment of health conditions and ensuring the continuity of care, medical records, and prescription drugs.

5. Promoting Educational Stability – Requires plan for ensuring the educational stability of children in foster care and mandate assurance of school attendance.

6. Increasing Aid for Tribal Foster Care – Provides direct federal foster care and adoption funding to tribal governments for children in their care. (more…)

Take Action!

On August 21, the Bush Administration released a draft regulation that would limit the rights of patients to receive complete reproductive health information. There is a 30 day comment period. It ends on September 20.

Action Requested
Send your comments to Secretary Mike Leavitt at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Background
The new rule expands the universe of providers that can refuse contraception and other health services, including abortion based on their conscience. This means that women may be denied access to birth control options if their provider is morally opposed to that option.

The rule leaves open the possibility that — based on religious beliefs — institutions and individuals can deny women access to birth control. It also permits individuals to refuse to provide information and counseling about basic heath care services. Additionally, it expands existing laws by permitting a wider range of health care professionals to refuse to provide even referral information for abortions.

The regulation puts other federal and state laws and policies that protect women’s access to birth control in serious jeopardy, including state laws that require hospitals to provide sexual-assault survivors with access to emergency contraception.

Currently, there are “crisis pregnancy centers” that look like health centers, but offer woefully limited services and only provide the reproductive healthcare options that fit their agenda: NO birth control, NO abortion, and NO choice for women and families who need it.

At a time when 17 million women are in need of publicly-supported reproductive health care services, this regulation has a disparate impact on the low-income, uninsured and under-insured women who rely on these programs for their health information and services.