DC Council Unanimously Passes Kinship Care Month Recognition Resolution of 2023 For First Time in DC
To recognize the importance of kinship families in the District of Columbia and the many benefits kinship caregivers bestow on the children in their care as well as the many challenges they face when raising these children, and to declare the month of September 2023 as “Kinship Care Month” in the District of Columbia.
DC Council Expands Access to Grandparent and Close Relative Caregiver Programs in FY 2024 Budget
The DC Council acted to ensure relatives caring for children with disabilities are treated fairly by providing that SSI should not be included in the calculation of household income and should not be deducted from the subsidy amount received under the Grandparent and Close Relative Caregiver Programs.
DC KinCare Alliance Signs On To Letter To DC’s Tax Revision Commission
The letter urges DC’s Tax Revision Commission to make racial equity the goal of all its recommendations to the Mayor and DC Council.
Executive Director Marla Spindel Testifies Before the DC Council Committee of the Whole FY 2024 Budget Hearing
Ms. Spindel testifies about the need to fully fund the Access to Justice Initiative in DC’s FY 2024 Budget so that DC legal services organizations can continue to provide desperately needed legal services to those most in need in our community.
Executive Director Marla Spindel Testifies Before the DC Council Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety FY 2024 Budget Hearing
Ms. Spindel asks the DC Council to fully fund the Access to Justice (ATJ) Initiative so that DC legal services organizations can continue to serve those most in need in our community in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community Board Member Kymberly Holmes Testifies Before DC Council in Support of Legal Services Funding in the FY 2024 DC Budget
“I am asking you to please make sure to fund the ATJ Initiative so DC KinCare Alliance can continue to help DC residents like me.”
Staff Attorney Caylyn Keller Testifies Before the DC Council Committee on Facilities and Family Services FY 2024 Budget Hearing
Ms. Keller testified regarding the DC Child and Family Services Agency’s FY 2024 Budget, and advocated for changes to the caregivers subsidies to increase income eligibility thresholds and eliminate unnecessary deductions from the rate.
Deputy Director Stephanie McClellan Testifies Before DC Council Committee on Housing Budget Hearing
Ms. McClellan advocates for refunding the Emergency Rental Assistance Program this year, as well as increased funding for next year.
DC KinCare Alliance Signs On To Letter Asking the Mayor and DC Council to Increase ERAP Funding
The letter requests $50 million in emergency funding to the District’s primary eviction prevention tool, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), and to provide deeper oversight of this critical program.
After More Than Three Years Of Hard Work, The DC Office of Ombudsperson for Children is a Reality!
Thank you Mayor Bowser for recognizing the importance of this critical Office and funding it in your FY 2024 Budget!
Managing Attorney Vicky Taplin Testifies Before the DC Council on Barriers for Caregivers to Access the Child Care Subsidy
Ms. Taplin testified that the DC State Superintendent of Schools that administers the DC child care subsidy program restricts access to caregivers who have a custody order, thereby excluding caregivers who are acting “in loco parentis” to children, as permitted by federal law.
Community Board Member Mikeisha Blackman Testifies Before 2023 CSFA Performance Oversight Hearing
Ms. Blackman testified about her daughter who has special needs and how it is inequitable for SSI to be deducted from the caregiver subsidy.
Deputy Director Stephanie McClellan Testifies at 2023 DC Ombudsperson for Children Oversight Hearing
Ms. McClellan testified about the importance of the Office and how it can be most successful in helping to ensure the safety and security of DC children and families.
Deputy Director Stephanie McClellan Testifies at 2023 CFSA Performance Oversight Hearing
Ms. McClellan testified about the DC caregivers subsidies and ways to make them more equitable.
Executive Director Marla Spindel Testifies at CFSA 2023 Performance Oversight Hearing
Ms. Spindel testified about the CFSA kinship navigator program, kinship diversion (also known as hidden foster care), and child fatalities and near fatalities.
Managing Attorney Victoria Taplin Testifies at Metropolitan Police Department 2023 Performance Oversight Hearing
Ms. Taplin testified about MPD’s failure to investigate allegations of child abuse or neglect, and the fact that MPD does not have any guidance on how or why a determination is made not to investigate such an allegation, nor any requirement for a rationale to be provided for same.
DC KinCare Alliance Testifies at the DC Council Committee on Human Services Roundtable on CFSA’s Implementation of Safety and Family Planning Arrangements
DC KinCare Alliance testified about DC’s discriminatory and harmful practice of kinship diversion also known as hidden foster care.
DC KinCare Alliance Signs On To Letter Urging Congress to Reinstate the Expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
DC KinCare Alliance, along with more than 550 national, state and community-based organizations, urge Congress to take this historic opportunity to address hunger and improve the nutrition, health, and well-being of our nation’s children.
Executive Director Marla Spindel Submits Additional Written Testimony Regarding Educator Background Check Streamlining Amendment Act of 2022
In her testimony, Ms. Spindel raises concerns about DC’s failure to implement the safeguards of the School Safety Omnibus Amendment Act of 2018 to ensure sexual predators are not hired by DC public schools.
DC KinCare Alliance Testifies on Educator Background Check Streamlining Amendment Act of 2022
Staff Attorney Caylyn Keller addresses concerns regarding proposal to provide for expungements of substantiated allegations of child abuse in as few as three years.
Executive Director Marla Spindel Testifies at Roundtable on POCKETT Act
Ms. Spindel testified regarding recommended improvements to the subsidy programs, including a timeframe for processing applications, advance notice of program termination, increasing the subsidy amounts, increasing the income limits for eligibility, as well as payment of the subsidy retroactive to the date of application.
DC Council Appoints First Ombudsperson for Children–Shalonda Cawthon
In a huge win for DC’s children and families, DC now has an official Ombudsperson for Children!
Executive Director Marla Spindel Testifies in Support of Shalonda Cawthon as First DC Ombudsperson for Children
Ms. Spindel discussed the critical need for the Office and how Ms. Cawthon has the expertise and skills to fulfill its important mission.
Read our Recommendations for Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden
These recommendations provide a fix to the Title IV-B funding stream to require the Title IV-E agency to contract with a community partner trusted by the kinship caregiver community to provide kinship navigation services and to ensure responsiveness and accountability to the caregivers they are supposed to serve.
