Early bird registration rates for the ISM + PHSA Education Conference & Expo end today, September 13! Register to save and join us in Colorado, October 6-9, for cutting-edge insights into the latest technology and legal trends in human services. | |
House Set to Pass Combined Child Welfare and Child Support Bills
Next week, the House is expected to pass two human services bills under suspension of the rules, a procedure typically used for swift passage of non-controversial legislation. Both bills, related to child welfare and child support, were unanimously approved by the House Ways and Means Committee and will be combined into a single measure. The primary bill, the Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act (H.R. 9076), proposes a 22% increase in funding for child welfare prevention programs under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act. Additionally, the child welfare bill includes the Strengthening State and Tribal Child Support Enforcement Act (H.R. 7906), which will allow counties, states, and tribes to continue using private contractors to access taxpayer information for the collection and distribution of child support payments.
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Moving Human Services Upstream | |
Updated Prevention Services Clearinghouse Handbook of Standards and Procedures
The Prevention Services Clearinghouse Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Version 2.0 provides a detailed description of the standards used to identify and review programs and services for the Prevention Services Clearinghouse. This newest version replaces Version 1.0, which has been in use since 2019.
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ACF Releases Inaugural Data Strategy
The newest blog post from the Administration for Children & Families (ACF) highlights how it, and the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), are committed to using data to enhance human services programs through a new data strategy. This strategy includes initiatives across four categories: sustaining, one-stop shop, delivery, and technology. These are all aimed at building infrastructure, centralizing resources, advancing data use, and improving data reliability.
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Child and Family Development Research
ACF has released a comprehensive report detailing its research and evaluation activities in 2023. This report includes summaries of all projects active or newly funded during Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23). It focuses on work around areas such as early childhood research, childcare quality, Head Start programs, child welfare, human trafficking services, and cultural diversity. The report also emphasizes the importance of promoting equity and supporting parental employment through these initiatives.
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SNAP Requirement for Handling and Reporting Sampled Cases for Quality Assurance
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released a memorandum that extends the existing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Quality Control face-to-face interview waiver to all states. The waiver period runs through September 30, 2025. The Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) within the USDA, shares that extending the waiver through next year "provides clients flexibility and enables state agencies to complete more case reviews in less time, resulting in a more effective and efficient administration of the program."
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Advancing Social and Economic Mobility | |
U.S. Household Food Security in 2023
The USDA Economic Research Service published a report on Household Food Security in the U.S. for the year 2023. The report shares statistics on household food security along with spending on food and how that relates to nutrition assistance programs.
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LIHEAP Household Report Forms Available
A new report is aimed at informing Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Grant Recipients on the requirements to submitting preliminary data for the LIHEAP Household Report for Federal Fiscal Year 2024 (FFY24). Preliminary data must be submitted by September 18, 2024. The report also outlines changes in reporting requirements and provides instructions and validation details for accurate data submission.
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FRA TANF Pilot FAQs
ACF released an FAQ page to help Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program administrators navigate the implementation of the new TANF provisions in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA).
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FNS Updates D-SNAP Income Eligibility Standards
FNS has published an update on the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) income eligibility standards. The listed income standards are to be used by state agencies to determine eligibility for D-SNAP, as well as the maximum allotment eligible households may receive based on their size. These tables set the standards for FY 2025 (effective October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025).
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Strengthening the Human Services Sector | |
Final Rule Published on Head Start Program Performance Standards
The Office of Head Start has updated the Head Start Program Performance Standards in a Final Rule published last month. The changes in the Final Rule include requirements for wages and benefits, breaks for staff, and enhanced support for staff health and wellness. Also included are the enhancements to mental health services to better integrate mental health into every aspect of program service delivery.
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State Child Welfare Data Linkages Descriptive Study
OPRE published a brief on select findings from the State Child Welfare Data Linkages Descriptive Study. The descriptive study examined the extent to which child welfare agencies in 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia connected administrative data on child maltreatment to other data sources and collected information about state practices related to sharing and connecting data. The brief also addresses how linked and integrated data are used and who has access to use it.
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ACF Statement on Federal Indian Boarding School
This year, on July 30, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) released Vol. II of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Investigative Report. It further illuminates how the federal government's past assimilationist policies separated young Native children from their families and directly contributed to the dismantling of generations of Native families and their cultural connections. DOI's work illustrates the connection between historical trauma and the current disparities Native people experience across legal, social, and economic systems.
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Navigating the Future of Child Care Subsidy Systems Post-Pandemic
Join us for an insightful webinar where we share findings from our newly published comprehensive survey of child care administrators, Navigating the Post-Pandemic Landscape: Insights from Child Care Administrators. We will explore the challenges these leaders foresee as they adapt to the end of pandemic-era funding for child care subsidy systems.
September 19, 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST
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Child Trends’ Applied Research Agenda on Black Children and Families
A panel of experts will discuss the development of Child Trends’ Applied Research Agenda on Black Children and Families and the role of community-engaged research in achieving the agenda’s objectives. They will also present three projects on protective community resources, community safety, and critical literacy instruction for young children, followed by a Q&A session.
September 24, 1:00 to 2:00 PM EST
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NSDTA September Showcase Series Webinar: The Power of Civility in the Workplace
In this presentation guided by Dr. Stephanie N. Perry, attendees will explore the need to address workplace incivility in the human services space while gaining insight on the subject through an overview, open dialogue, and group exercise. You will leave this webinar with tools to develop a deeper understanding of the effects of incivility and learn strategies to protect yourself in unhealthy work environments.
September 25, 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST
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Bring on the Change
Enhance your facilitation skills and drive your organization’s projects forward at “Bring on the Change: An Organizational Effectiveness Training and Handbook for Change Management Facilitators.” This intensive workshop, held on the first day of the NSDTA Annual Education Conference, will utilize the revised APHSA Organizational Effectiveness (OE) Handbook. Participants will learn by doing in an experiential setting designed to equip them with the tools necessary to successfully facilitate their organization’s continuous improvement and change management projects. You’ll explore APHSA’s DAPIM™ model along with many other resources and tools within the OE Handbook that will boost your confidence in project facilitation.
*This is an optional add-on event with an additional fee. Seats are limited so be sure to reserve your spot while registering for the NSDTA Conference.
October 20, 9:45 AM to 4:00 PM MDT
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Session Spotlight: A Special Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Two-Part Seminar
As part of the NSDTA Annual Education Conference, there will be a two-part seminar series that promises to delve into the significance of belonging for those in the human services sector. The event will feature discussions led by practitioners and leaders from across the nation. Participants will create actionable plans for embedding Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) principles within their agencies.
October 22, 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM MDT
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Emerging Findings on Strengthening Housing, Health, and Social Care Partnerships
The Administration for Community Living is hosting the first in a three-part webinar series that highlights state innovations and cross-sector collaborations in support of housing, health, and social care. The agencies involved are working to improve the coordination of housing assistance as well as wraparound services and supports. Used as a cost-effective approach, this method is used to assist older adults and people with disabilities transition from homelessness, exit or avoid institutional settings, and live stably in the community.
September 18, 3:00 to 4:30 PM EST
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APHSA Career Center - Post Your Open Positions Today
APHSA serves as a clearinghouse for job opportunities throughout the Human Services sector. Employers reach a wide audience of candidates searching for careers and job seekers will find a number of opportunities throughout the country.
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