This week, APHSA partnered with No Kid Hungry—a campaign of Share Our Strength—to host the 2026 Summer Nutrition Summit where we welcomed 47 states, 4 Territories, 3 Tribes, and Washington, DC. APHSA President and CEO Reggie Bicha and Share Our Strength CEO Anne Filipic delivered opening remarks while APHSA members from Arkansas, Maryland, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and more presented in breakout sessions. To learn more about the challenges and solutions facing Summer EBT, read our recent publication, Closing Gaps in Summer EBT: Practical Solutions to Reach All Children.

APHSA proudly co-hosted a congressional briefing with the National Governors Association, National Association of Counties, and National Conference of State Legislatures on January 13. APHSA members Andrea Barton Reeves, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Social Services, and Melissa D. Wolf, Deputy Director with the Family Support Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services, alongside our President and CEO, Reggie Bicha, shared their expertise in a briefing for congressional staff. The briefing focused on educating congressional staff on the work states and counties have been doing to implement SNAP provisions in H.R.1, their experiences during the government shutdown, and the need for more time for states and counties to assume the cost shifts in H.R.1. We anticipate language for a final appropriations package will be released this weekend or early next week. If you’d like support in connecting with your members of Congress before the language is finalized, please contact Lexie Kuznick, Director of Policy and Government Relations at APHSA.

HHS Restores $2 Billion in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Funding

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reversed nearly $2 billion in planned cuts to mental health and substance abuse grants. The reversal came just a day after the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) sent termination notices to around 2,000 grantees, which included programs that support addiction recovery, mental health services, and related care.

Ryan Hanlon Announced as Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced the appointment of Ryan Hanlon as Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau. The former president and CEO of the Virginia-based National Council for Adoption, Hanlon will oversee federal child welfare policy and program implementation, including efforts to support child safety, permanency, and well-being across states, tribes, and territories.

HHS Releases Notice for Updated Federal Poverty Guidelines

HHS has released updated poverty guidelines for 2026. The annual income thresholds for the 48 contiguous states and D.C. have been raised to reflect 2025’s price increases, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. Separate guidelines have been set for Alaska and Hawaii. These figures took effect January 13, 2026, and are used by federal programs such as Medicaid to determine eligibility.