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January 27, 2021

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Greetings! Welcome to the latest issue of The Connection, APHSA’s newsletter offering updates and resources pertaining to employment and economic well-being, child and family well-being, and H/HS integration. Last week, our country witnessed the inauguration of the 46th U.S. President. With the peaceful transition of power now complete, the attention of our nation must return to addressing the profound challenges before us.   Health and human services leaders are already at work—laying the tracks necessary for all communities to thrive. For our part, APHSA is proud to share our recommendations designed to meet the most pressing needs of families and communities at this time while making a down payment for a brighter future. Through our initial transition blueprint, and its subsequent policy brief, we set forth the building blocks required to lay a strong foundation essential to weathering the current crises. Read more in the special statement we released.

Special Announcements Mark the Third Thursday! Our next Third Thursday session is on February 18. Join us every month for this exciting new virtual mini-series! Slated to take place through June, each event will offer rich content equivalent to a day spent at a traditional conference, with an array of sessions and networking opportunities. Bringing policy, practice, and program together on one platform, this unique series will showcase best practices and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, and will also zoom in on agency management in child welfare, SNAP, TANF, IT, performance management, and childcare. Join us for this innovative opportunity to learn and share with colleagues from across the nation! One registration provides you full access to entire series. Group discounts available. Learn more & register here.

Announcements

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) E&T Rapid Cycle Evaluation (RCE) - Mathematica has extended the deadline to participate in the SNAP E&T RCE to February 1. Mathematica will partner with up to eight sites to use RCE to design, implement, evaluate, and report on small-scale changes and assess implementation, impacts, scalability, and costs. Sites that are interested in partnering should reach out by February 1. Email: SNAPET_RCE@mathematica-mpr.com Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Putting Families First Award - USDA and NEW PATHS are awarding an individual, agency, or organization that has showcased exemplary customer service with the SNAP Putting Families First Award. The winner will receive one paid registration to the NEW PATHS annual training conference and the APHSA SNAP Directors annual conference along with a recognition award at each conference. Nominations are due by February 28.

Headlines

Jim Casey Initiative Sites Pilot College Readiness Model, Annie E. Casey Foundation, 01/13/21 What is the Child Tax Credit? And How Much of it is Refundable? – The Brookings Institute, 01/22/21 Just as We Score Policies’ Budget Impact, We Should Score for Racial Equity as Well, The Brookings Institute, 01/25/21   Biden Plan’s WIC Investment Could Improve Maternal and Child Health, Reduce Racial Disparities – Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 01/26/21 COVID-19 Relief Program Aimed at Alleviating Student Hunger Could Affect School Funding - Urban Institute, 01/27/21

Resources

Top Charts of 2020, December 18, 2020 – The Economic Policy Institute shares the top five charts of 2020 telling the story of how COVID-19 has challenged us all, but also about underlying inequalities that have made the crisis much worse for so many. Reskilling for the Pandemic Recession and Recovery, 2020 - This brief discusses the role of community colleges as an affordable education option for reskilling opportunities during the economic downturn and provides policy proposals for workforce development initiatives and strategies that community colleges can implement to support adult learners and people experiencing unemployment. Inquiry to Insight: Reflecting on the Role of Evidence in Improving Well-being in 2020 - Each year, Mathematica recaps our most impactful work in the past 12 months and examines themes that are likely to have relevance in the coming year.

Events

Tuesday, February 2, 1:00 PM EST Webinar - Results from a Formative Evaluation of Two Employment Programs for Young People Transitioning Out of Foster Care - The Urban Institute. Wednesday, February 10, 2:00 PM EST 5 Part Webinar Series - Comprehensive Strategies to Support a Prenatal-to-Five Fiscal Agenda - Prenatal-to-Five Fiscal Strategies (P5FS). Continuing on March 3, March 17.

Announcements

Call for Expressions of Interest: Expanding Evidence on Replicable Recovery and Reunification Interventions for Families (R3) - The R3 team at Abt Associates is looking for child welfare or related agencies that may be interested in partnering with the Expanding Evidence on Replicable Recovery and Reunification Interventions for Families (R3) project, a federal effort to replicate and evaluate interventions that use recovery coaches for families involved in the child welfare system due to parental substance use disorder. Submissions due by February 5.

Headlines

Local Foster Care Closet Officially Opens its Doors – East Idaho News, 01/20/21 A Rising Share of Working Parents in the U.S. Say It’ Been Difficult to Handle Child Care During the Pandemic – Pew Research Center, 01/26/21 Study Finds Difference In Access To Child Care Can Affect Children Throughout Their Lives - KJZZ, 01/26/21

Resources

Partnering With Relatives to Promote Reunification, January 2021 - This report from the Administration for Children and Families details best practices, important information and resources for partnering with relatives who step in to temporarily care for children.

Announcements

Children’s Bureau Releases 2019 Child Maltreatment Report, January 14, 2021 - The Child Maltreatment report provides data on child neglect and abuse across the country, based on case-level and aggregate data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). The report details the prevalence of various forms of maltreatment. This years reports hows a small decrease in the number of number of victims and an increase in the number of child abuse and neglect fatalities over the previous year.

Headlines

Value-Based Purchasing Rule for Medicaid Rx Drugs: Continuing to Shift from FFS Towards Accountability - Health Affairs, 01/18/21.

Resources

CMS Released the Implementation of At-Risk Youth Medicaid Protections for Inmates of Public Institutions (Section 1001 of the SUPPORT Act) State Medicaid Director Letter, January 19, 2021 – This letter provides guidance to states on the implementation of new Medicaid requirements for at-risk youth who are inmates of public institutions.    Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Podcasts and Transcripts – This page holds all Partner Relations Group Podcasts, transcripts and audio recordings. CMS makes Open Door Forums and other presentations available as audio podcasts. The podcasts are available free of charge.

Events

Thursday, January 28, 2:00-3:15 PM EST Creating the “Next Normal” in Human Services: Redesigning Service Delivery to Increase Capacity and Meet Demand - Change & Innovation Agency.

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