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.

We are proud to share our former Senior Director of Policy and Practice, Ann Flagg, began a new journey last week as she joined the Biden Administration as Director of the Office of Family Assistance (OFA), an office of the Administration for Children and Families. While Flagg’s leadership, expertise, passion, drive, and overall commitment to people will be profoundly missed at APHSA, we rest assured that this new opportunity will allow for her to continue furthering these commitments and impacting the field in new, bold ways. Read more here.

We are pleased to share our new report, “Early Insights on SNAP Modernization through American Rescue Plan Investments,” in which we partnered with the Urban institute and Share Our Strength’s Center for Best Practices to better understand how state SNAP agencies invested their funding from the ARP. This is the first public brief in our research project, and we look forward to continuing to share more as our work progresses.

Our tax hub has been updated - the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit Information and Resource Hub for Health and Human Services Professionals was created in partnership with the National Association of Counties (NACo). APHSA and NACo worked in collaboration with states, counties, and field partners to compile resources directed towards state and local health and human services agencies and frontline staff.

CEEWB - Center for Employment & Economic Well-Being

Older Adult SNAP Participation Series,  July 2022 - This series of Spotlights from the AARP Public Policy Institute and Mathematica shows analysis of SNAP eligible but unenrolled, and low-income but unenrolled older adults, as well as state SNAP policy effects on participation:

• Participation: Who Are the Eligible but Unenrolled? Analysis using quantitative data to better understand the characteristics of older adults who are eligible but are not enrolling in SNAP. Research shows that 16 million adults in that group could be eligible for SNAP but are not participating, and more than 3 million are missing out on over $200 a month in benefits.

• Access: Who Are the Low-Income and Unenrolled? A State-Level Look - State-level analysis that examines the SNAP access rate (the share of lower-income people receiving SNAP) and the extent to which the program reaches individuals in need, finding substantial differences in older adult SNAP access rates by state, age group, and household composition and characteristics.

• Solutions: State Policies Associated with Higher Participation - Analysis identifies relationships between certain state SNAP policies and the SNAP participation rate among adults ages 60 and older, finding that broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE), Supplemental Security Income-Combined Application Project (SSI-CAP), and extended recertification periods were associated with higher SNAP participation among eligible older adults.

CCFWB - Center for Child and Family Well-Being

Mental-Health Treatment Disparities Persist for Young People of Color, July 2022 – The mental and emotional recovery after the pandemic for young people of color is more difficult than their white counterparts according to a report from Mental Health America (MHA). These disparities are primarily due to long-standing differences in treatment as children of color typically either receive no counseling or "non-specialty mental health services." Leaving mental-health issues untreated can lead to long-lasting impacts.  

Using Fiscal Data to Support American Indian and Alaska Native Children and Youth, July 2022 – This blog post from Children’s Funding Project explains the importance of including out-of-school activities and programs for developing children. Collaboration between Native American tribes and schools to create culturally sensitive out-of-school programs and community-based services for children to support future life outcomes are essential. Ninety percent of all American Indian and Alaskan Native children attend public schools, outlining the necessity of culturally sensitive school programs to create harmony between the schools and community.  

Integrated Early Childhood Data Is an Essential Tool for Advancing Racial and Ethnic Equity, July 2022 – This research brief from Child Trends explains the benefits of Early childhood integrated data systems (ECIDS) for policymakers as they offer a comprehensive view of early learning investments. ECIDS continue to be important to address inequities in the systems that impact young children. Three recommendations to improve data collection are made to policy makers in this brief.

Using Integrated Data to Increase Equitable Access to Early Childhood Programs, July 2022 – This infographic from Child Trends provides relevant child welfare data with the intent of offering recommendations for policymakers and leaders to determine access to care in their communities. The infographic recommends three equity-driven methods for data integration.  successful and meaningful educational experience to these students.

APHSA Event Updates

Registration is now open for all APHSA Conferences,

to be held in-person! See details below or on our Events page.

The National Staff Development and Training Association (NSDTA) Annual Education Conference Scholarships and Awards deadline is August 5th. NSDTA awards recognize outstanding individuals and initiatives within your organization which are helping advance the delivery of health and human services practices or programs to staff. The Joan Carrera Memorial Scholarship allows first time attendees entrance at partial to no cost. Click here for details on all. NSDTA will be held October 16-19 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Spokane City Center in Spokane, WA. This conference brings together human services organizational development, staff development, and training professionals at the local, state, and federal levels. We are focusing on forward-thinking ideas about instructional design, workforce development, evaluation and research, and much more. Register now!

The Information Technology Solutions Management for Human Services (ISM) Annual Conference & Expo will be held October 23-26 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. This event brings together agency leaders in technology, along with the private sector firms focused on providing solutions for health and human services agencies. The content presented will promote IT solutions and best practices that enhance the delivery of health and human services. Register now!