News from the Field Archives - National Wraparound Initiative (NWI)
COVID-19 Era Toddlers Had Lower Emotional, Behavioral Problems
October 26, 2025 | NWI
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted family life and raised concerns about child development, but a new study found that toddlers assessed during the pandemic had slightly fewer emotional and behavioral problems compared with those assessed before the pandemic.
Study Explores the Personal Lives of Foster Parents
October 26, 2025 | NWI
A new study explores the ways foster caregivers navigate their marital and co-parenting relationships. The study examines how the strength and quality of couples’ relationships can affects how well they cope with the challenges of caregiving.
New Program Keeps Youth Out of Court and Lowers Recidivism
October 26, 2025 | NWI
The Care Coordination Program for Deferred Prosecution was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce a backlog of juvenile court cases in Cook County, Illinois. Instead of moving youth through the court system, the program connects participants to community-based services tailored to their individual goals and needs. Chapin Hall’s evaluation shows that the program helps youth engage in services, avoid prosecution, and experience lower rates of recidivism compared to similar peers who are not offered the program.
Senate Testimony on AI Chatbots and Suicide
October 26, 2025 | NWI
Parents and online safety advocates testified at a Senate hearing, urging Congress to enact laws that would regulate AI companion apps like ChatGPT and Character.AI. They urged Congress to protect the mental health of children and youth from harms they say the new technology causes.
Health Secretary Wants to End Mental Health Screening in Schools
October 26, 2025 | NWI
U.S. Health and Education Secretaries want schools to do away with mental health screenings and therapy. Instead, they argue in a Washington Post opinion piece that schools “must return to the natural sources of mental well-being: strong families, nutrition and fitness, and hope for the future.” This article reports the views of experts who say this perspective is poorly informed about school-based mental health screenings and therapy, and offers three points they say are important to know about the issue.
Medicaid and Children’s Health: Issues to Watch Amid Recent Federal Changes
October 26, 2025 | NWI
After increasing during the pandemic, overall federal spending on children as a share of the economy has declined and is projected to continue to decline further over the next 10 years. This issue brief explores the latest data on Medicaid and children’s health and highlights five key issues to watch as federal changes are implemented.
Children Are Limiting Their Own Smartphone Use to Manage Mental Health
September 14, 2025 | NWI
Children are increasingly taking breaks from their smartphones to better manage their mental health, personal safety and concentration spans, research has revealed. They are reacting to growing concerns that spending too much time online can be harmful by taking control of their own social media and smartphone use rather than relying on parents to enforce limits.
What the Evidence Says About Exercise and Teens’ Mental Health
September 14, 2025 | NWI
A large body of research highlights the beneficial effects of physical activity in enhancing physical, psychological and social well-being. This new publication discusses the main implications of this research.
Resources on Authentic Youth Involvement in Policy
September 14, 2025 | NWI
A research group of youth and adult representatives recently conducted a qualitative study focused on analyzing policy “wins” that featured authentic youth engagement. This report describes the study and links to additional resources created by the project, including a policy framework and organizational profiles.
Implementing Kin-Specific Licensing Standards in Foster Care
September 14, 2025 | NWI
Children placed with relatives and kin experience greater placement stability and well-being than those in regular foster care, yet many state licensing standards can create barriers to these placements. In response, a new federal rule from the Administration for Children and Families now allows Title IV-E agencies to create separate licensing or approval standards for kinship caregivers. These standards can reduce unnecessary barriers and support access to foster care maintenance payments that help families meet the unique demands of kinship care. Chapin Hall has created a phased framework to help agencies implement kin-specific licensing standards.