Child Welfare Advocacy Hub Announces New Grantees

The Child Welfare Advocacy Hub is pleased to announce the first recipients of grants supporting advocacy organizations across the country that are advancing innovative policy and systems change on behalf of children, youth, and families involved with—or at risk of involvement with—child welfare systems. 

The Child Welfare Advocacy Hub congratulates these organizations and looks forward to partnering with them over the coming year as they work to improve child welfare policies, programs, and practices. Through the Hub’s advocacy communities, research and policy resources, communications tools, technical assistance, and peer learning opportunities, we look forward to supporting partners and sharing lessons that can inform advocacy nationwide.

The grants provide flexible support for timely, nonpartisan advocacy efforts that respond to emerging state and federal opportunities and challenges. Projects address a wide range of priorities, including prevention and family well-being; kinship caregiving; education; Medicaid, health and mental health policy; economic security; implementation of federal child welfare reforms; and improving outcomes for older youth transitioning from foster care.

We are excited to welcome the following organizations to the Child Welfare Advocacy Hub network. We look forward to sharing additional information about these projects in the coming weeks. While many projects span multiple issue areas, they are grouped below according to their primary focus to illustrate the breadth of advocacy underway across the Hub's communities.

We are excited to welcome the following organizations to the Child Welfare Advocacy Hub network. We look forward to sharing additional information about these projects in the coming weeks. While many projects span multiple issue areas, they are grouped below according to their primary focus to illustrate the breadth of advocacy underway across the Hub's communities.

Prevention & Family Well-Being

These projects focus on strengthening families, expanding prevention services, and promoting policies and programs that help children safely remain with their families whenever possible.

Children's Advocacy Centers of Arkansas
Children's Advocacy Centers of Arkansas Data-to-Policy Initiative

Children's Trust (Massachusetts)
Reducing Neglect: Shifting from Mandated Reporting to Mandated Supporting

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation
Reframing Prevention: Wisconsin's Child Neglect Prevention Advocacy Initiative

Children's Campaign, Washington State
Child Care as Family Strengthening: A Legislative Primer & Briefing Initiative 

Generation O, The National Organization for Opioid-Exposed Children
Aligning Opioid Settlement Funding with the Needs of Opioid-Exposed Children

Idaho Voices for Children
Prioritizing Children's Safety and Well-Being in Idaho

Maine Children's Alliance
Strengthening Mandated Reporting and Community Support for Families in Maine

South Dakota Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment
SD Child Well-Being Advocacy

Texas Center for Child and Family Studies
Texas Child Welfare Advocacy Initiative

Kinship Care

These projects seek to strengthen policies and supports for grandparents, relatives, and other kin who care for children.

Kentucky Youth Advocates
Supporting Kinship Families in Kentucky
Tennessee Justice Center
Keeping Kin Together in Tennessee: Expanding TANF Support for Caregivers 

Foster Kinship
Bridging Policy and Practice for Kinship Families

New England Youth Coalition
Youth-Led Kinship Advocacy in New England

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children
Enacting Kin-Specific Licensing Legislation in Pennsylvania

Roger Baldwin Foundation (ACLU of Illinois)
Support State-Level Kinship Care Improvements

Medicaid & Children's Health

These projects address children's physical and behavioral health, Medicaid policy, and access to services.

Coalition on Human Needs
Child Welfare Advocate Engagement Project

FosterAdopt Connect
Preventing Foster Care Entries by Expanding Medicaid Innovations and Coverage

New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute
Implementing and Expanding Preventive Behavioral Health Coverage for Children

Florida's Children First
Improving Mental Health Access for Children and Youth with Child Welfare Involvement

Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy
Protecting Oklahoma's Children Through Informed Medicaid Policy

University of Delaware KIDS COUNT
What H.R. 1 Means for Delaware Children's Health Coverage and Well-Being

Education & Opportunity

These projects help children and youth succeed in school and prepare for adulthood.

Treehouse
Educational Stability for Washington's Youth in Foster Care

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT
Supporting the Educational Success of Youth in Foster Care

Children's Trust of South Carolina
Fostering Futures in South Carolina

Transition Age Youth

These projects address unique needs of teens and young adults in foster care as they transition to adulthood, elevating young people's leadership and voice.

Connecticut Voices for Children
Mitigating the Impact of H.R. 1 on Foster Youth and Other Vulnerable Populations

Foster Success
LEAD Ambassador Expansion

Facing Foster Care in Alaska
Foster Youth/Alumni Advocacy Advancement

First Place for Youth
Mississippi Youth Voice

Michigan's Children
Expanding Advocacy for Foster Youth Food Assistance, Kinship Care Families & Homeless/Runaway Youth

Children's Advocacy Institute
Promoting Economic Stability for Former Foster Youth and Their Families

Youth Law Center
Defending Family-Based Care in California and Federal Child Welfare Policy

Youthprise
MinneKIDS