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.

Join the APHSA Wellness Challenge! Participate in some friendly competition with your peers as you work your way up the leaderboard. This year’s Challenge will be run in 3 Sessions spanning our upcoming APHSA Conferences, yet attendance is not required. Earn Bonus Steps by scanning the sponsor CGI QR code on the CGI website. Competition ends on Thursday, November 18. Participate in some friendly competition, get healthy and win prizes! Learn more here.

The USDA released their re-evaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan to increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by just over $35 per month per recipient. This is a permanent change to SNAP benefits that will better meet the needs of a more modern, nutritious, and desirable diet.

The most recent update to the Urban Institute’s State-by-State Guide to the 2020-21 Pandemic EBT Program includes the addition of state plans for children under six. This guide allows people to easily understand how states are planning and issuing P-EBT by pulling out key pieces across states, and summarizing each individual state.

CAPE-Youth is conducting a group concept mapping (GCM) and interview process in an effort to strengthen service integrity and to align professional development efforts and resources across the myriad of systems serving youth and young adults with disabilities. The target audiences are professionals representing child welfare, K-12/Secondary Education, Postsecondary Education, Career and Technology Education, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), Workforce Systems, Credentialing Entities, Other Professional/Membership Organizations, and Other Youth Serving Agencies. Click here for more information and to sign up.

Round One of Child Tax Credit Payments Slashed Hunger Rates – Politico, 08/12/21

Beyond ‘Food Deserts’: America Needs a New Approach to Mapping Food Insecurity – Brookings, 08/17/21

States Can Pay Enhanced Unemployment Beyond Cut Off with ARPA Funds - Route Fifty, 08/23/21

2021 Poverty Projections: Assessing the Impact of Benefits and Stimulus Measures, July 28, 2021 - This report from the Urban Institute projects a 2021 poverty rate of 7.7 percent for 2021. The revised projection accounts for improvements in the economy, incorporates updated state-level information on pandemic-related policies, and improves the method for weighting the data to reflect 2021.

What Happens When People Face Unfair Treatment or Judgment When Applying for Public Assistance or Social Services? August 9, 2021 - This brief from Urban Institute describes adults’ perceptions of unfair treatment due to their racial or ethnic background while seeking social services or public assistance in the months leading up to and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Creating A More Equitable Workforce System: Opportunities for Governors And States, August 12, 2021 - This brief from the National Governor’s Association outlines eight strategies to promote equity throughout the reemployment and workforce service delivery process.

Direct Financial Support, Access to Male-Dominated Jobs, and Investing in Child Care Can Increase Women’s Participation in Post-COVID Workforce, Says New Expert Consultation, August 12, 2021- The National Academies of Science, Engineering & Medicine shares Short-term Strategies to Address the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Women’s Workforce Participation, which outlines key actions for decision-makers to consider including in short-term recovery efforts to mitigate harm to women and increase women’s employment.

The CDC Eviction Moratorium Has Ended: Learn Your Options, August 27, 2021 -

ACF Releases FAQ for Child Care Stabilization Funds, August 25, 2021 - The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Child Care (OCC) has released frequently asked questions and OCC responses on the Child Care Stabilization funding provided to states as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP).

Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse Releases New Ratings - The Federal IV-E Prevention Services released new program ratings and announced that it would reconsider Ohio’s Kinship Supports Intervention program.

Household Pulse Survey Collected Responses Just Before and Just After the Arrival of the First CTC Checks, August 11, 2021 - The United States Census Bureau shares results from the Household Pulse Survey showing that a drop in the number of households with children that reported food insufficiency and trouble paying household expenses may be linked to the child tax credit checks issued last month.

Building Co-Regulation Capacity to Support Positive Development for Youth with Foster Care Experience, August 2021 - This report from Child Trends examines the domains of co-regulation, the supportive process of achieving positive youth development of older youth in/or transitioning out of foster care. Also, this report systemically scans literature on co-regulation, identifies several important gaps, and provides numerous recommendations to advance the application of co-regulation in the child welfare system. 

Descriptive Data on Region XI Head Start Children and Families: AIAN FACES Fall 2019 Data Tables and Study Design, August 2021 - This report from the Office of Planning and Research Evaluation (OPRE) builds on the 2015 American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey and provides data on children enrolled in Head Start in fall 2019, their family backgrounds, and home environments. This report captures children's cognitive and social-emotional skills, including their physical health and disability status, and assesses how those characteristics influence child and family development and well-being.

Shifting Mindsets: How Communication Can Shape Early Childhood Outcomes - Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Event - On Their Own Two Feet: Helping Foster Youth Transition to Adulthood - American Enterprise Institute.

National Research Conference on Early Childhood 2022 - Administration for Children and Families (ACF).

What Works? Evidence and Evaluation Key as States and Localities Spend Aid - Route Fifty, 08/12/21

Pandemic Relief Aid Highlights Gaps Reaching Underserved Americans - Route Fifty, 08/16/21

USICH Releases Guide to American Rescue Plan Funding That Impacts People Experiencing Homelessness, August 17, 2021 - The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness has released this new resource to help people navigate the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and the many ways it can be used to prevent and end homelessness.

Providing Employment Services in Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Programs: Responses to COVID-19, August 26, 2021 - This brief from the Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation (OPRE) discusses the operational experiences of seven programs for individuals with substance use disorders in the initial months of the COVID-19 crisis. The brief was completed as part of the Building Evidence on Employment Strategies project.