Social Services
Work begins early for Louisiana’s new ombudsperson on child abuse response
Retired Baton Rouge juvenile Judge Kathleen Richey begins her new job Monday as Louisiana’s first state child ombudsperson, leading an office that will review policy to promote the best interests of children and handle complaints when public and private agencies fall short. Even before she starts officially, Richey has already made appointments to meet with […]
Amid rising evictions and rents, states grapple with protections in tenant-landlord laws
At 90 years old, Hilda Chavera has found a new purpose in life: tenant organizing. A Minneapolis resident for 50 years, Chavera said she has seen her city change, with many of her neighbors struggling to stay in their homes. “People can’t afford their rent. They are getting kicked out of their homes. They feel […]
As child poverty doubles, states launch or expand their own tax credits
The federal pandemic-era child tax credit expansion lifted millions of children out of poverty in the second half of 2021. But Congress allowed it to expire at the end of that year, and new U.S. census data shows the child poverty rate more than doubled in 2022, erasing the record gains that were made. “It […]
Louisiana drops 107,000 people from Medicaid during disenrollment process
Louisiana pulled Medicaid coverage from almost 107,000 residents over the first two months of the program’s massive disenrollment process, but state health officials have previously said many of those people may only be cut temporarily. Almost 51,000 people were removed from Medicaid at the end of June and 56,000 people were dropped at the end […]
Democrats push to extend child care grant program
WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats introduced a bill Wednesday to extend funding for five years for a pandemic-era child care subsidy program set to expire at the end of the month. The legislation would extend the child care stabilization grant program, which Congress established in 2021 to help child care providers meet additional costs during the […]
More than a third of calls to Louisiana’s child abuse hotline fail to connect
More than a third of callers to Louisiana’s hotline to report child abuse, even professionals who are required to report indications of abuse, either reached a busy line or hung up before someone could answer. For the calls that were answered, an average of nearly seven minutes passed before someone picked up the phone. The […]
Most states have yet to permanently fund 988. Call centers want certainty.
Since the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline transitioned a year ago to the three-digit crisis phone number 988, there has been a 33% increase in the number of calls, chats and texts to the hotline. But even with that early sign of success, the program’s financial future is shaky. Over the past two years, the federal […]
Couch, car or curb: Defining which young person is ‘homeless’ affects aid state by state
Youth homelessness takes less recognizable forms: couch-surfing teens and children whose families have been forced to double up with relatives or friends.
Some states protect Section 8 renters, but enforcement is elusive
Marcella Roberson is ready to move. She and her 17-year-old son have been looking for a new apartment for four years because, she says, they’ve suffered domestic violence in their current living situation in Camden, New Jersey. She hopes her federal housing voucher can bring them a new home and a chance at safety. But […]
How should Louisiana fund its disability services? Governor candidates weigh in
Three of Louisiana’s seven major candidates for governor said funding for people with disabilities would be a state budget priority if they were elected. They were among the five gubernatorial candidates who spoke at a forum sponsored by the Community Provider Association – made up of organizations who furnish services to people with disabilities – […]
Higher taxes on the wealthy would bolster Social Security, U.S. Senate Dems argue
WASHINGTON — U.S. senators debated Wednesday how best to resolve a funding cliff within Social Security that will lead to a quarter reduction in benefits in about a decade, absent action from Congress. Democrats on the Budget Committee, led by Chair Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, called for lawmakers to increase taxes on the country’s […]
5 ways Louisiana has failed to investigate senior citizen abuse in recent years
Louisiana failed to thoroughly investigate and follow up on allegations of abuse against seniors, according to a report the state legislative auditor released last week. The auditor reviewed cases, response times and other functions of the Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs and Elderly Protective Services from mid-2017 through mid-2022. The office is responsible for the […]