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Congress is actively engaged in budget negotiations and addressing the impending expiration of the current continuing resolution (CR) on March 14, 2025. The current CR, signed into law on December 21, 2024, extends federal funding at FY24 levels through March 14, 2025. This stopgap measure was enacted to prevent a government shutdown and provide lawmakers additional time to finalize appropriations for fiscal year 2025.
Meanwhile, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued Memorandum M-25-13 last week, directing federal agencies to temporarily pause certain financial assistance programs. While it is currently being held from implementation, this action has prompted significant legal challenges, resulting in two recent court rulings:
- On Friday, January 31, Judge John J. McConnell Jr. (U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island) granted a temporary restraining order to 22 states and Washington, D.C., preventing OMB from "pausing or impeding federal financial assistance to the states until a preliminary injunction hearing is held."
- On Monday, February 3, Judge Loren L. AliKhan (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia) issued a second temporary restraining order in the case of National Council of Nonprofits, et al., vs. OMB, further restricting the administration’s ability to halt federal grants and loans. A hearing on the motion for a preliminary injunction is set for February 20, 2025.
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Cabinet Nominations
Yesterday, the Senate voted 53-47 to confirm Russell Vought to be Director of OMB. Vought is the 13th Trump nominee confirmed by the Senate this year and the fifth this week.
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Earlier this week, the Senate Finance Committee voted, 14-13 along party lines, to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services to the floor. | |
And on Monday, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry voted to advance the nomination of Brooke Rollins to be Secretary of Agriculture. The nomination was favorably reported by the committee with unanimous support and now heads to the full Senate for consideration. | |
Moving Human Services Upstream | |
OFA Dear Colleague Letter on Homelessness
The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) recently released a "Dear Colleague" letter to address housing instability. The letter emphasizes the importance of collaboration between human services agencies and housing providers to support families facing housing challenges and highlights how TANF funds can be utilized to promote housing stability and prevent homelessness.
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ACF Dear Colleague Letter on Preventing Child Maltreatment
The Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF); the Children’s Bureau (CB); and OFA, all within ACF, published a “Dear Colleague” letter emphasizing the importance of collaboration between the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and child welfare agencies to prevent child abuse and neglect, highlighting the potential for TANF funds to support families at risk of entering the child welfare system by providing services such as housing assistance, job training, and child care. The letter also provides examples of successful state initiatives that have integrated TANF and child welfare services to improve overall family well-being.
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Advancing Social and Economic Mobility | |
Addressing Barriers to Using Federal Funds for Youth Transitioning to Adulthood
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has sent a report to the Senate Judiciary Committee titled, "HHS Should Help States Address Barriers to Using Federal Funds for Programs Serving Youth Transitioning to Adulthood." The report was released in response to a request from Congress to better understand how states utilize funding from the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program to assist older foster youth exiting from care. In the report, GAO found opportunities for ACF to provide enhanced support and guidance to state agencies in support of the goals and intent of the Chafee Program.
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ACF Instructions on How to Format and Submit Data Reports for TANF, SSP-MOE, and Tribal TANF
ACF is sharing detailed guidance on the data reporting system for TANF and State Maintenance-of-Effort (SSP-MOE) programs. The guidance is intended for states, territories, and tribes that administer these programs and are required to submit data to ACF. Along with guidance, they are providing instructions on how to format and submit data reports, including specific layouts for transmission files.
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ACF Proposes Revision on Child Care Improper Payments Data Collection Instructions
ACF is currently seeking a three-year extension for the Child Care Improper Payments Data Collection Instructions information collection. These revisions aim to improve the accuracy and efficiency of data collection related to improper payments in child care programs. Public comments on the proposed changes are due by March 7, 2025. OMB will make a decision on the information collection within 30 to 60 days after the publication of their notice.
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Strengthening the Human Services Sector | |
Coordinating SNAP and Nutrition Supports to Reduce Child Hunger - Case Study #3
The third case study from the second cohort of Coordinating SNAP & Nutrition Supports (CSNS), a program funded by Share Our Strength, No Kid Hungry, and administered by APHSA, is now available. This case study details the collaboration between CSNS, the San Francisco Human Services Agency (SFHSA), and the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank (SFMFB) to pilot a mobile office that will serve neighborhoods within San Francisco County where food insecurity is prevalent and CalFresh participation is low. The mobile office will serve as a one-stop shop where residents seeking public benefits can apply for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, and other services in one visit.
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WEBINAR: Learn to THRIVE Live!
Join us for an interactive walk-through and live demo of the various features within the APHSA Training Hub for Resources, Innovation, and Virtual Exchange (THRIVE). Learn everything THRIVE has to offer as we show you how to navigate the learning management system, enroll in a course, access resources, and connect with peers via the THRIVE online learning communities.
February 19, 2025
2:00-3:00 pm ET
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WEBINAR: Building Momentum for Language Justice in Human Services
APHSA and No Kid Hungry, a campaign of Share Our Strength, invite you to the first webinar of the Building Momentum for Language Justice in Human Services series. This virtual session will provide background on the need for language justice, and will cover the issue's scope, research, impacts, and challenges in developing language access strategies.
February 20, 2025
3:00-4:00 pm ET
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APHSA National Human Services Summit 2025 - Call for Proposals
We are seeking proposals for the APHSA National Human Services Summit in Philadelphia, PA, June 1-4. Submissions should highlight innovative policy, practice, and system approaches; elevate the important work of the human services sector; and showcase leadership strategies that foster a sense of resilience, workforce well-being, and productive collaboration.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: February 28, 2025
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ISM Education Conference & Expo 2025 - Call for Proposals
We are also seeking proposals for the IT Solutions Management for Human Services (ISM) Education Conference & Expo in Reno, NV, September 14-17. Submissions should highlight tech-enabled innovation; people-powered design; data-driven program delivery; cross-systems alignment; and evidence-based policy.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: February 28, 2025
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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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