PathWays PA Policy Blog

As we reach the holiday season, we hope you will take some time to reach out to Congress in support of other families in need. Over the past year, we've heard reports of horrific conditions in shelters where unaccompanied children were held. . In August 2019, the government announced they had no plans to give the flu shot at border detention camps - despite the deaths of at least three children from the flu while in custody. In October, we learned that 1500+ additional migrant children were separated at the border in the United States. 207 of the children were under the age of 5. We've now reached a record number of children detained , plus  an over 50% increase in the number of pregnant women detained . Even when they aren't separated from their children, whole families remain in detention , with the Administration currently appealing a decision that would enforce a 20-day time limit on family detentions. This type of long-term detention is shown to lead to stress and...

Over the past year, we've heard reports of horrific conditions in shelters where unaccompanied children were held. . In October, we learned that 1500+ additional migrant children were separated at the border in the United States. 207 of the children were under the age of 5. Now, the AP is reporting that the United States held a record number of migrant children in custody in 2019. According to the AP, "The nearly 70,000 migrant children who were held in government custody this year — up 42 percent in fiscal year 2019 from 2018 — spent more time in shelters and away from their families than in prior years." We must work with Congress now to stop family separations and family detentions, which are leading to immediate and long-term trauma for children . Please take action today to help end this practice. Take Action: Call your Senator and Representative at 202-224-3121 and ask them to stop family separation Use this link from Families Belong Together to contac...

The immigrant detention crisis is deepening by the day. Children in migrant detention camps describe their situation as dire . In speaking to attorneys, they say: "I'm so hungry that I have woken up in the night with hunger." - 12 year old boy "We are in a metal cage with 20 other teenagers with babies and young children.... It is very cold." - 16 year old girl "The immigration agents separated me from my father right away. I was very frightened and scared. I cried. I have not seen my father again." - 5 year old boy Last week, the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General released a Management Alert titled: " DHS Needs to Address Dangerous Overcrowding and Prolonged Detention of Children and Adults in the Rio Grande Valley. " It notes "urgent issues that require immediate attention," including serious overcrowding, standing room only conditions (where some adults have been held for over a week), Of the 8,0...

The news coming from our southern borders this past week has been among the worst we've had - and it was already bad . Below is a summary of what we've seen this week: On Tuesday, June 18, the President announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would begin mass deportations on June 23. That process has been "delayed" two weeks to give Congress time to take action, according to a recent tweet. That same day, the government argued in court that they were not required to give soap or toothbrushes to detained children . Meanwhile, lawyers and others who have visited border facilities are reporting inhumane and dangerous conditions. These lawyers say detained children at a border station in Clint, Texas, have had no access to showers, laundry facilities, toothbrushes, or soap . Children at the facility are reportedly caring for each other. One attorney warned of a "pervasive health crisis" where "virtually everyone we saw was ill." ...

The situation for migrant children and families on our borders is worsening. In May, we learned about even more migrant children dying while detained in US custody. According to Families Belong Together, 7 children have now died while in custody or shortly after their release . Adults are also dying in custody, with three adults, including a transgender woman, dying in three days in early June. Multiple sources (including the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General) have detailed overcrowding and poor conditions at detention centers near the border. In El Paso , a processing center designed to hold 125 migrants had a population between 750-900 people. Detainees were observed standing on toilets to gain breathing space and were wearing "soiled clothing for days or weeks." In May, tents were set up to hold detained families in McAllen, Brownsville, and Rio Grande City. Closer to home, families are still being held at the Berks County Detention Center in ...

Family Separation:  We've been talking about it on this blog and throughout the country for months. Back in June 2018, the Administration said they would stop separating families who come to the US border. But in March, the New York Times reported that more than 200 children were removed from their families since the court ordered the practice to end. Parents and children are held in different facilities and even different states. Meanwhile, thousands of children separated from their parents before the court order took place still have not been reunited. Take Action: HIAS has an ongoing list of actions you can take, including contacting your legislators and confronting misinformation about refugees .  Welcoming America , United We Dream, and  MomsRising also have tools that can help. Public Charge : On October 10, the Department of Homeland Security issued a new change to the public charge rule, which looks at how using public benefits affects a person's appl...

We're heading into another budget season - time to break out the spreadsheets and charts! Governor Wolf presented his budget today with a focus on education and jobs, with what both sides described as a bipartisan outlook  or at the very least places where both parties could find agreement . Overall, the budget increases spending by 4.2% (or $1.4 billion) compared to last year. Nearly $300 million would go towards increased education spending for K-12, special education, and state universities. Governor Wolf also proposed a higher minimum wage, raising the current rate of $7.25/hour to $12/hour by July and then increasing the wage over time until it reaches $15 in 2025. The last time the minimum wage increased in Pennsylvania was when the federal government increased the wage in 2009. Here are some of the articles we've been reading on the budget: Schools, farms and voting machines in Gov. Tom Wolf's budget sights Gov. Wolf unveils budget: more money for public ...

On July 11, members of the House added the Aderholt Amendment to a Labor-HHS Appropriations bill. If the bill goes into law with this amendment, it could harm children in the child welfare and foster care system and turn away qualified adoptive and foster parents. Under the Aderholt Amendment, states that refuse to give money to discriminatory providers could see their child welfare budget cut by up to 15%. This amendment would allow child welfare providers to receive taxpayer dollars even when they refuse to serve qualified potential parents based on their marital status, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity. Providers who discriminate against the children themselves would also be able to receive money under this amendment, even if they: deny service to LGBT youth,  force youth to hide their gender identity,  allow youth to be subjected to medically debunked practices like conversion therapy Take Action: Senator Wyden has been circulating a letter op...

There were few surprises in this year's Pennsylvania budget (other than the fact that it finished up early). We've compiled our usual list below of line items affecting low-income families and the people we serve. To see the full budget, visit the PA Office of the Budget . As you can see below, most line items that we follow stayed level or increased in funding. While the Governor's budget "zeroed out" (removed funding) from a few, all programs that we watch regained their funding in the legislature.

Click here to enlarge This afternoon, Governor Wolf announced the 2018-2019 budget, along with some of his policy initiatives for the year. In his budget speech , he proposed an additional $125 million for K-12 education and a new program, called Community Health Choices, designed to help seniors receive care in their communities instead of in facilities. The budget summary  also calls for an increase in the minimum wage, modernization of the Equal Pay law, and the passage of a statewide paid sick days bill. The chart pictured here shows selected line items from the Governor's budget. Basic Education, Pre-K Counts, and the Children's Health Insurance Program are among the programs set to get an increase, while Adult and Family Literacy and County Assistance Offices see a slight decrease in funding. A number of programs, including Mobile Science and Math Education, Job Training and Special Education, Regional Cancer Institutes, ALS Support Services, and the New Choices/Ne...

They're still dotting the eyes and crossing the t's, but it looks like we will have a PA budget that is close to on time. After a Senate vote earlier, the House must also approve the budget legislation before it heads to Governor Wolf. The Governor has indicated he will sign the bill, but probably not until early next week when other pieces of the budget are ready for his signature too. Below is our chart on the final budget proposal. Most (but not all) of the programs we track received flat or increased funding. Click here to enlarge

The Pennsylvania State House voted yesterday to pass a 2017-2018 budget package that cuts $815 million in spending from the budget proposed by Governor Wolf in February. The final vote was 114-85, with most (but not all) Republicans supporting the plan but no Democratic votes. The bill now moves on to the Senate. Budget cuts could be found across the board, including the human services line items that we follow. Some increases to education made by the governor remain in the budget, although early childhood education is getting a smaller increase than requested. Please take a look at the chart below to see how your budget items fared, or look at the full budget here . Your next steps: Look at the line items that matter to you, and call your state senator to share your thoughts. Should something be getting more money? Less? Tell your senator today. (PS - The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center has a Fair Share Tax proposal on their website that could give you some ideas on how a...

As in most years, we've put together a graphic highlighting programs of special interest to PathWays PA and our clients. Please take a look and let us know what you think of the Governor's proposed funding methods.

Two in three kids will get sick every year and require at least one day off from school. However, 52% of parents do not have access to paid sick time to care for their children. So what does that mean? That means that children go to school sick. This releases a slew of health issues. Other children, educators, and administrators are now in contact with highly infectious diseases. In addition, the child will probably not recover within the regular time frame. Studies show that healthy children are more focused and have fewer behavioral problems. There are many terrible accounts from educators about children coming to school sick. “I work at an elementary school. I have seen many children come to school so sick they could hardly stand, some even with fevers. When we would offer to send them to the office, the children would often cry and beg not to be sent home because they had already been told by their mom or dad that they could not miss work because they could not afford it. Kids ...

Pennsylvania's House of Representatives may consider a bill that would amend the Public Welfare Code and reinstate a lifetime ban against accessing public assistance for most people with felony drug convictions. This legislation casts too wide of a net and has unintended consequences. While House Bill 222 is intended to target large-scale drug traffickers, survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking who have been convicted of drug charges as a result of their abuser's control over them, or those charged with possession with intent to deliver small amounts of drugs, would also be affected. The benefits that these survivors (and their children) would need in order to break free from the control of their abusers would be denied - including Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and food stamps. People currently experiencing domestic abuse most often cite financial instability as the reason for their decision to stay with or return to their abuser. Therefore, ...

Right now in the United States , homeless youth are at high risk of being victimized, exploited, or coerced into human trafficking. Many also find themselves involved in the juvenile justice and/or child welfare system. To stem the tide of abuse and victimization, The Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act would help create appropriate, accessible trauma-informed services that can provide health, healing, and a safe haven for homeless children and teens. Here in the Philadelphia region, runaway and homeless girls can get help right now through a number of organizations, including PathWays PA. Our Basic Center program provides residential facilities for five runaway/homeless girls between ages 13-17 and an after-school drop-in program for residents and non-residents. To learn more about the Basic Center Program, please contact the Basic Center at 215-397-4287. From our friends at the National Network for Youth: S. 2646, the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Traf...

Lucian Perkins: A Future for homeless children from Facing Change on Vimeo . (h/t to our friends at PEC ) Every year, over 6,000 PA infants from 0-3 years old are classified as homeless. Senator Chuck McIlhinney has recently proposed legislation that would help these children be tracked by Early Intervention Services with the goal of ensuring that these children can be screened and monitored for developmental delays, emotional and behavioral problems, and other issues that may affect them negatively throughout their lives. If you support this issue, please call your Senators today and share your support. There is information below that can help you make your case. I urge you to become a cosponsor of legislation being offered by Sen. Charles McIlhinney that immediately makes homeless infants and toddlers (age birth to 3) eligible for identification and tracking in Pennsylvania’s Early Intervention system. The bill will help prevent youngsters from falling through system’s c...

While every month should be Child Abuse Prevention Month, April is when organizations around the country focus on bringing even more attention to the needs of parents and children. Today in Delaware County, PathWays PA and other local child welfare organizations received a resolution from County Council on behalf of Child Abuse Prevention Month. You can take action to prevent child abuse by sharing knowledge about effective parenting skills, child development milestones, and the needs of children. Throughout the month, the Child Welfare League of America will be posting tips and factsheets on Facebook and Twitter regarding child abuse prevention - just search for # CAPmonth .

From our friends at PCCY Give Kids A Smile Day (GKAS) is a national effort of the American Dental Association (ADA) to connect kids to free oral health care and to establish dental homes for them. FREE dental care will be available for children in the Upper Darby, Havertown and West Philadelphia areas on Wednesday, April 16 and Friday, April 18. This special event is especially for children who have not had a dental exam in the last six months or who do not have health insurance. Participating dentists will provide free screenings and cleanings. The ultimate goal of Smile Day is for families to find a dental home for their children. Please call PCCY for participating dentists and Appointments at : (215) 563-5848 x32

From our friends at PCCY  On Saturday, April, 12 beginning at 8:30AM, free eye exams and glasses for children, ages 0-18, will be available at Wills Eye for Children . Wills is located on the Jefferson Medical College Campus, Hamilton Building, 10th & Locust Streets in Philadelphia. No appointment is necessary and children will be seen on a first come, first serve basis. No insurance is needed, but children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.