Registration is now open for the APHSA National Human Services Summit! This year's Summit will bring together the nation’s brightest leaders, innovators, and changemakers in human services. The event will be held in downtown Philadelphia from June 1-4 and offers an opportunity to listen, learn, and inspire. Connect with other participants to build strategies for improving the lives of children, families, and communities across the nation. Register now to lock in early registration rates! | | APHSA has responded to a Request for Information (RFI) on the development of an artificial intelligence (AI) action plan. The comment letter urges the National Coordination Office (NCO) within the National Science Foundation's Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD), to prioritize six areas in the development of an AI action plan: coordinated federal governance, streamlined funding, improved service delivery, enhanced security, informed oversight, and thriving communities. | | Read the newest post on our blog, The Catalyst, titled “The Next Generation of Human Services Leaders.” Written by Tina Wright-Ervin, Senior Operational Effectiveness Consultant at APHSA, the post explores how the APHSA and Human Services IT Advisory Group (HSITAG) Emerging Leaders Program has supported past cohorts in advancing their careers and the overall human services sector. It highlights the importance of fostering future leaders today and details what the growing program offers participants. |
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HHS Announces Transformation in Several Key Agencies
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a dramatic restructuring of its organization. Part of the restructuring will include downsizing the agency's workforce. It will also include the creation of the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), and the merging of roles for agencies such as the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) under the CDC and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) with the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) to form the new Office of Strategy.
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| Regulatory & Legislative Updates | | |
Termination of Parole Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is terminating the categorical parole programs for inadmissible aliens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, which were established in 2022 and 2023. This decision follows President Trump's Executive Order "Securing Our Borders," which directs the termination of programs that are contrary to the policies of securing U.S. borders and removing illegal aliens.
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ORR: Notice of Change of Eligibility
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has issued a Notice of Change of Eligibility Period regarding the shortening of both Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) from the previous duration of 12 months to a new duration of 4 months. The change applies to participants whose date of eligibility for ORR benefits is on or after 45 days following publication of this notice.
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| Advancing Social and Economic Mobility | |
Promoting Healthy Eating and Nutrition for Head Start Children and Families
Acting Director of the Office of Head Start, Captain Tala Hooban, published an information memorandum (IM) to Head Start promoting healthy eating and nutrition. The IM highlights the role of Head Start programs in providing access to healthy foods and comprehensive nutrition services. It also outlines statutory and regulatory requirements and offers resources and partnerships to support these services. Research shows that Head Start children have healthier eating patterns and better health outcomes compared to non-participants, and the memorandum provides tips to foster enthusiasm for healthy eating and an appendix of additional resources.
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| Strengthening the Human Services Sector | |
ACF Appoints New Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Office of Early Childhood Development
Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith has been appointed as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Early Childhood Development (ECD) within ACF. She will oversee the Office of Early Childhood Development, including the Office of Head Start and the Office of Child Care. Dr. Todd-Smith previously served as the director of the Center for Education Opportunity and the Center for the American Child at the America First Policy Institute. Her work there involved supporting states in implementing evidence-based education policy reforms, such as expanding school choice, enhancing early literacy, reforming foster care, and ensuring online safety for children.
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Renewal of Opioid Public Health Emergency
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. recently announced the renewal of the public health emergency (PHE) declaration for the opioid crisis in the United States, effective March 22, 2025. This renewal extends the original declaration made on October 26, 2017, and has been periodically renewed to ensure ongoing support and intervention.
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Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the ACF has issued an interim final rule aligning the Code of Federal Regulations under the “Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule” with statutory requirements. This change allows the sharing of immigration status information of potential sponsors during safety and suitability assessments for unaccompanied alien children.
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WEBINAR: Strengthening Partnerships for Language Justice in Human Services
Join us for the second webinar in our language justice series. This session will focus on the collaborative solutions that agencies and community-based organizations (CBOs) can leverage to strengthen language access initiatives. Attendees will learn best practices such as, strategies for building partnerships that expand capacity, leveraging community-based resources, and data sharing.
April 3, 3:00-4:00 PM ET
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WEBINAR: Staff Safety - Accommodating Invisible Disabilities
Policies and norms that recognize neurodivergence and other “invisible disabilities,” can remove stigma as well as increase safety and productivity. This month's National Staff Development and Training Association (NSDTA) Showcase will be a discussion around stopping systemic ableism so that all can be the best version of themselves. Objectives include coming away with designed actions that can be put in place within the next three months, enhancing a sense of belonging (decreasing exhaustion, compassion fatigue, and resentment), and learning simple steps for organizations and agencies to implement.
April 22, 3:00-4:00 PM ET
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Medicaid Food Security Network Summit
The Medicaid Food Security Network is holding its first National Summit in Washington, DC. The theme is "Policy Strategies for Medicaid and MCOs to Improve SNAP, WIC, & Food is Medicine Coordination." There is no registration fee, but there is limited space. Attendance is strongly recommended for food security advocates, healthcare representatives, managed care organizations, state government staff at SNAP and Medicaid agencies, state legislators, funders, and allies
May 7-8, in Washington D.C.
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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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