Category: Advocacy Feature

Yesterday, Governor Healey signed a $55.98 billion FY24 state budget very similar to the Massachusetts Legislature's $56.2 billion Conference Report, including funding for nearly every line item CLM has been tracking and prioritizing (scroll down here to see CLM's Budget Chart). We are pleased ...

July 13, 2023 On June 27th, CLM's Executive Director Rachel Gwaltney and CLM member Robert Costa from Justice Resource Institute testified in support of An Act clarifying insurance liability for foster care providers (H.1600/S.1134). Rachel explained that over the past several years, community-based...

June 29, 2023 At the Children’s League of Massachusetts, we have reflected on the impacts of the Supreme Court’s detrimental decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, overturning Roe v. Wade’s health protections for women, which now has reached its one-year anniversary. We’re gravely concerned about the...

June 22, 2023 On Tuesday, June 13th, CLM and our members presented public testimony and submitted written testimony at a hearing conducted by the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities regarding three key bills from CLM's policy agenda: Rachel Gwaltney, CLM's Execut...

BREAKING NEWS: In a momentous decision, the Supreme Court has upheld the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)! Enacted in 1978, this longstanding legislation has played a crucial role in safeguarding the welfare of Native children and families. By placing emphasis on prioritizing the placement of Native ...

April 5, 2023 The Children's League of Massachusetts is looking to legislators at the Massachusetts State House to co-sponsor An Act to eliminate disproportionality and inequities for at-risk children (S.120 / H.153). If signed into law, this legislation would require child-serving state a...

March 31, 2023 The Children's League of Massachusetts (CLM) released a report on “high acuity” adolescents living in congregate care within the child welfare system. Background:In Massachusetts, the reliance on congregate care in child welfare has been slowly declining. This decline has led to a...

On March 1, Governor Maura Healey released her $55.5 billion proposal for the state's FY2024 budget, filed as bill H.1 in the Legislature. At a stakeholders call on Wednesday, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services reviewed key investments that would support children, families, and the pr...

February 23, 2023 KEY COMMITTEE The Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities has great influence over our legislative agenda. This committee considers all matters concerning child welfare, juvenile justice, public welfare, and children and adults with physical, d...

January 31, 2023 On Monday, Governor Maura Healey filed a supplemental budget bill requesting emergency funding through the end of FY2023 for programs that provide vital supports to vulnerable children and families. These requests include: Food and housing insecurity are significant contributors to ...