April 27, 2022

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Dear Donna,


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.

New Release! Our new multi-part Catalyst blog series on TANF reform will be taking a detailed look at Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the ways in which TANF agencies, aligned systems, and community voices are thinking differently about how TANF programs can help families succeed for the long-term. Our first blog in the series is written by Babs Roberts, TANF administrator from Washington DSHS.

 

Keep an eye out for our upcoming TANF Social Media Day on May 3, when we will be sharing TANF tools and resources and talking about the future of the program, now rounding a quarter century. Join us on Twitter with our hashtags #TANFNorthStar #TANFat25 #TANFMod and be a part of the conversation!

APHSA Event Updates

Come celebrate 90 years of APHSA! Registration is open for the APHSA 2022 National Health and Human Services Summit, to be held in-person June 12-15 in Arlington, VA. Our theme, The Way Forward: Charting our Next Course honors our 90th anniversary celebration as we look to the future. We are showcasing volunteer leaders, parent and community voices, and many others who make our work possible and we want you to be there! Register now!

The American Association of Health and Human Services Attorneys (AAHHSA) Annual Education Conference Call for Proposals deadline is approaching! The AAHHSA 2022 Conference will be held October 9-12 in Columbus, OH—save the date and learn more about the focus areas and session types in our proposal guide. Be sure to submit proposals by May 6.



Headlines

TANF Must Be Able To Respond Faster and Stronger to Economic Crises - Center for American Progress, 04/05/22


White House Looks to Focus Service Delivery Around ‘Life Events' - Route Fifty, 04/21/22

Resources

Two Year Findings from the Evaluation of Breaking Barriers, April 2022 - This report from the Office of Policy and Research Evaluation (OPRE) examines employment services to individuals with low income and disabilities in four American Job Centers in San Diego, CA through an Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model. The report shows the effectiveness of this framework to increase employment, earnings and improve health of individuals with disabilities.


Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Federal Programs, April 2022 - This report from the Journal of the American Medical Association addresses the Dept. of Health and Human Services' three step strategy to advance Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) including improving data collection, increasing health and social services connections, and engaging in whole of government collaborations.


TANF Caseloads Early in the PandemicApril 2022 - This brief explores changes in TANF caseloads during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and observes caseloads peaking in June 2020, then falling below pre-pandemic levels by October 2020. The report also discusses broader context informing state caseload changes.

Events

Empowering Parents to Support Their Children’s Development: A Conversation about Building a ‘Parent Nation’- The Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings.


Tuesday, May 3, 10:00-11:00 EDT


Resources

Supporting Infants and Toddlers Through Federal Relief and the American Rescue Plan, March 31, 2022 - This brief from the Center for Law and Social Policy examines how decision makers implementing ARPA have been using COVID relief funding and policy opportunities to lay the groundwork for transformative longer-term change by equitably supporting infants, toddlers, and their families. The brief offers guidance for how decision makers can leverage ARPA across a variety of programs to support these children and families now and into the future.


New Study Can Guide Policies to Maximize Pre-k's Benefits to Students, April 13, 2022 - This study from Child Trends examines the Oklahoma Pre-k program—a state-funded universal—including its positive impact on students' long-term success. Also, the report shows how investment in Pre-K can refine and improve early childhood education programs for families and children.


Mental Health, Suicidality, and Connectedness Among High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic, April 2022 - Disruptions and consequences related to the COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about their effects on the mental health and well-being of youths. This report uses data from the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, an online survey of a nationally representative sample of U.S. public- and private-school students in grades 9–12, to assess U.S. high school students’ mental health and suicidality during the COVID-19 pandemic.


North Carolina Medicaid's Transition to Risk-Based Managed Care, April 2022 - This report from the Urban Institute assesses North Carolina's Medicaid transition and its impact on access to and quality of care for children and pregnant and parenting people. Also, this report examines health outcomes resulting from the state's shift from a fee-for-service (FFS) to a risk-based managed approach that integrates service delivery between physical and behavioral health care.


Events

National Child Abuse Prevention Month Event: Healthy Social-Emotional Development in Early Childhood: A Cornerstone of Primary Prevention - Children’s Bureau and Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Thursday, April 28, 3:00-4:00 PM EDT


Announcements

NASCIO Releases First Study on Diversity in State IT, April 15, 2022 - NASCIO's first study focused on diversity and inclusion in state IT includes recommendations for states to launch diversity and inclusion efforts. The study provides the following three primary recommendations for CIOs to initiate these efforts in their organizations: assigning a senior executive sponsor to help prioritize the work; creating a formal program or plan to set goals and create assessment metrics; and creating a comfortable culture for retaining diverse talent, which specialized councils can realize.


Call for Proposals: 2022 Virtual All In National Meeting - The 2022 All In National Meeting Call for Proposals is now live. The 6th Annual National Meeting will be held virtually on October 25-26. This year’s theme is Centering Communities to Transform Shared Data Systems. Applicants should be actively engaged in multi-sector collaboration working to improve community health through data sharing. View complete details on the call for proposal here

Interested applicants are encouraged to join All In for a Call for Proposals Information Session: May 5, 4:30 PM ET - Register here

Headlines

Biden’s Attempt to Identify ‘Disadvantaged’ Communities is Proving to be Complicated - Route Fifty, 04/22/22


How One State Measures Post-pandemic Recovery - Route Fifty, 04/22/22

Resources

Blockchain Could Power State Government Processes

April 6, 2022 - States have recently been experimenting with blockchain-based voting systems, smart contracts for ID management and fintech sandboxes. Route Fifty highlights suggestions from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which recently released four suggestions that could enhance the Blockchain technology’s benefits and mitigate its challenges. The report lays out four policy options that GAO believes could help give clarity to blockchain’s use, and notes potential complications.

Events

SIREN 2022 National Research Meeting: Racial Health Equity in Social Care - Social Interventions Research and Evaluation Network (SIREN). The Call for Proposals is now open for this meeting.

Thursday, September 15, 12:00-3:00 PM EDT

Tuesday, September 27, 12:00-3:00 PM EDT

Wednesday, October 12, 12:00-3:00 PM EDT


Driving Digital Equity – New Funding Opportunities, New Strategies - Governing, Cisco. On-Demand Webinar designed to help build a strategy for increasing digital equity within your community, provide solutions for addressing accessibility and affordability, and share available funding sources.

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