Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
HHS Faces Criticism From Senate Investigation For Not Ensuring The Safety Of Unaccompanied Minors
The Wall Street Journal: Senate Investigators Fault Federal Authorities’ Tracking Of Unaccompanied Immigrant Children
Thousands of unaccompanied minors who crossed the border illegally aren’t being tracked after being placed with sponsors by the Health and Human Services Department, according to a bipartisan Senate investigation that faulted the HHS and Homeland Security departments for the lapse. Representatives from HHS and the Justice Department pushed back in a Senate subcommittee hearing Thursday, with an HHS representative saying the agency has started doing background checks on adults that volunteered to take care of the children and that the department wasn’t responsible for children once they are placed with sponsors. (Andrews, 8/16)
The Washington Post: HHS Official: Agency Not Able To Ensure Safety Of Unaccompanied Migrant Kids After They Leave Its Care
A Health and Human Services official insisted that the agency is not responsible for ensuring the safety of unaccompanied migrant children once they leave its care -- and pleaded with senators on Thursday not to force it to take on the responsibility. “Please don’t make us a law enforcement agency,” said Jonathan White, testifying on behalf of HHS at a hearing held by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs subcommittee on investigations. "I think it’s very important that HHS remain the agency tasked with the best interests of the child rather than to assign it enforcement duties. (Itkowitz, 8/16)
The New York Times: Thousands Of Migrant Children Come Here Alone. The U.S. Doesn’t Keep Track Of Them.
Trump administration officials acknowledged Thursday that they have no system for tracking the tens of thousands of migrant children who are released from federal custody each year after traveling to the United States alone. Facing heated questions from a Senate subcommittee, officials from the Health and Human Services Department, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the federal immigration courts each said they were not responsible for following up after the children are handed over to sponsors, most of whom are undocumented relatives or family friends. (Dickerson, 8/16)
Meanwhile, in the news about children's health -
The Fiscal Times: Why Children Lose Out In The Federal Budget
The federal government spends much less on children than it does the elderly, with the latter claiming roughly 35 percent of the annual budget. The disparity is driven in part by the government’s budget process, which places younger citizens at a disadvantage, according to a new report from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. (Rainey, 8/16)
