Public Policy Archives - Page 2 of 8 - National Wraparound Initiative (NWI)

Anti-Poverty Programs May Help With Mental Health Disparities

May 22, 2023 | NWI

States that provide stronger social safety nets have lower socioeconomic disparities in the brain development and mental health of children 9 to 11 years old, according to research supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health.

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Proposed Rules Support Kinship Care in Foster Care

April 21, 2023 | NWI

ACF is proposing a new rule that would allow child welfare agencies to adopt one set of licensing standards for family members and kin that acknowledges the kinship relationship and differs from the licensing standards used for non-relative foster family homes.

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Continuous Quality Improvement for Mobile Response and Stabilization Services

April 21, 2023 | NWI

Many states are enhancing their capacity to support youth and families experiencing a behavioral health crisis by implementing the Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) best practice model. A key element of the long-term success of MRSS is a data-driven continuous quality improvement (CQI) process. This new resource provides detailed guidance for developing an effective CQI process.

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Evidence for Social and Emotional Learning in Schools

April 21, 2023 | NWI

A new report synthesizes evidence on the effectiveness of social and emotional learning. Meta-analyses cover students in every grade level (PreK–12) and have shown medium to large effect sizes on a wide range of outcomes. The report also considers the next steps for research in SEL.

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Welfare Payments Keep Kids Out of Foster Care

December 11, 2022 | NWI

Researchers have discovered a link between access to welfare payments and foster care. As many as 29,000 fewer children may have entered the foster care system during the 12-year study if U.S. states had made it easier for poor families to receive cash through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

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Why Youth Run from Foster Care

October 24, 2022 | NWI

Teens who run from foster care want to connect with their families and be “normal,” according to a new study. While this is not the only reason that teens choose to leave foster care without anyone’s knowledge, it is a driving factor. And because of this, finding ways to keep foster kids in connection with their families or even in placement with siblings, may go a long way toward decreasing the number of foster kids who ultimately become at risk by making the decision to run away.

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Expanded Safety Net Drives Drop in Child Poverty

October 24, 2022 | NWI

With little public notice and accelerating speed, child poverty fell by 59 percent from 1993 to 2019, according to a comprehensive new analysis that shows the critical role of increased government aid.

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Connecticut Reduces Foster Care by a Third

October 24, 2022 | NWI

Connecticut has shrunk its foster care population by nearly a third in the past three years, signaling a shift toward keeping families together whenever possible – a strategy implemented by Vannessa Dorantes, the first African American commissioner in the agency’s history.

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Winning Youth Essays on Mental Health

October 24, 2022 | NWI

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces 15 awardees for the 2022 Speaking Up about Mental Health! This Is My Story Essay Contest. The contest seeks to start conversations about mental health and encourage young people to access help for mental health issues. Read the winning essays now!

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How to Address the Child Therapist Shortage

September 23, 2022 | NWI

There is a nationwide shortage of mental health professionals, but it’s especially acute for children and teenagers. What are some proven strategies for addressing it?

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