Markups on budget reconciliation bills have begun in House committees and are likely to continue over the next few weeks. While committee bills have been released in Education & Workforce and Judiciary Committees, among others, we anticipate that the key committees which oversee human services will begin to release and markup their bills over the next two weeks. The aim is to pass a comprehensive package of all the committee bills through budget reconciliation by Memorial Day, according to key majority leaders. We expect to see the House Agriculture Committee (focused on SNAP), House Ways and Means Committee (focused on TANF and SSBG), and House Energy and Commerce Committee (focused on Medicaid) marking up bills the week of May 12. | | Earlier today, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the President’s budget request for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 discretionary spending. For the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the proposal includes an increase of $500M for Make America Healthy Again efforts and eliminates funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program ($4.1B), Community Services Block Grant (1.97B), and Preschool Development Grants ($315M). For the Department of Agriculture, the proposal eliminates funding for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program ($425M). | | Last week, Chloe Green, Manager of Food and Nutrition Services at APHSA, with support from partners at the National Association of Counties (NACo), held a briefing for House Agriculture Minority Committee staff with members from Connecticut, New York, Oregon, and a county in Ohio. The briefing focused on potential shifts in the cost of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to state agencies. This week, Green also presented to the majority members of the House Agriculture Committee about SNAP quality control and payment error rates. She discussed what they are, how they are calculated, and how states are addressing increases in recent years. These briefings are crucial for informing legislative decisions and ensuring the effectiveness of SNAP. | | We’ve updated our Key Federal Updates page. This page offers a comprehensive overview of executive orders (EOs) and other presidential actions that impact state, county, and city governments, along with various human services programs. All information is sourced directly from the administration’s EOs, memorandums, and policies. | | Regulatory & Legislative Updates | |
APHSA Comments on TANF-Related Congressional Hearing
On April 22, APHSA submitted a comment for inclusion in the Ways and Means Work and Welfare Committee hearing record. In the letter, we emphasized the need for comprehensive reform of TANF. Subcommittee Chairman LaHood echoed these sentiments in his opening statement. APHSA urges Congress to pursue bipartisan reauthorization that indexes TANF to inflation, enhances accountability, and maintains state flexibility. The goal is to tailor services and supports to individuals and, wherever possible, disrupt intergenerational poverty.
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Newly Released Memo for Head Start Programs
A new Information Memorandum (IM) to Head Start programs strongly encourages them to facilitate parent choice in three key ways:
- Actively participate in state and local efforts to coordinate early care and education (ECE) enrollment and services, and promote access to a variety of ECE options in the state or local community;
- Engage families to determine, develop, and improve their program model, and consider how their program offerings respond to family needs and promote family choice;
- Re-examining community partnerships and evaluating how they can be strengthened and expanded in ways that support family choice, including through connections to faith-based settings for families that desire this option.
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New Guidance on the Use of CCDF
An IM from the Office of Child Care (OCC) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), provides an overview and guidance on the use of the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). This IM aligns with Section 5 of Executive Order 14191, “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families,” which directs HHS to issue guidance on utilizing block grants, including the CCDF, to enhance educational choice. The emphasis is on supporting alternatives to public schools, such as private and faith-based options.
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USDA-FNS Shares Guidance on Improving Eligibility Verification
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) shared guidance with state SNAP agencies regarding the basic requirements for verifying legal status when applying for SNAP, as well as best practices for how to improve on this verification to support program integrity.
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HHS Updates List of Terminated Grants
HHS has updated the list of terminated grants. The spreadsheet provided offers information by program and grantee, including the date terminated, amounts obligated and expended, and unliquidated obligations as of termination. It was last updated on April 25.
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| Strengthening the Human Services Sector | |
HHS and USDA Hold First Public MAHA Event
Last month, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins hosted the inaugural Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) event at an elementary school in Alexandria, VA. During the event, they emphasized the significance of federally funded nutrition programs and the need for stronger inter agency collaboration to combat chronic diseases. As part of this broader initiative, several states are currently submitting "Healthy SNAP" waivers. These waivers aim to limit the purchase of sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods with SNAP benefits.
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WEBINAR: Designing with the End in Mind - Helping Instructional Designers Build Training that Sticks
This National Staff Development and Training Association (NSDTA) Learning Exchange webinar is for instructional designers and training professionals to ensure their training programs drive results. The session will challenge designers to go beyond content delivery to intentionally plan for what happens after the training ends, using principles of backward design and results-based learning. Join us to explore how you can create training experiences that turn knowledge into action.
May 22, 3:00-4:30PM ET
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WEBINAR: Moving Beyond the Classroom to Strengthen Training
Join us for June’s NSDTA Showcase, where we will help participants move beyond the classroom to strengthen training programs, ensuring that trainees can effectively transfer knowledge and skills to on-the-job performance. This webinar will delve into the fundamentals of “transfer of learning,” focusing on methods that have been proven to strengthen training, engage learners, and improve overall training outcomes.
June 9, 2:00-3:00PM ET
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APHSA Summit Award Nominations are Open
Each year at the APHSA National Human Services Summit, we honor individuals and organizations for their exceptional contributions to the human services sector. This year, we are excited to accept nominations in three award categories. Be sure to review the award criteria below and submit your nominations by May 20!
Deadline: May 20
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Early Bird Registration for APHSA Summit
We look forward to seeing you at this year’s APHSA National Human Services Summit, June 1-4 in Philadelphia! The deadline for early bird registration is May 22. Register today and join leaders, innovators, and changemakers in the human services sector as we come together to build strategies for improving the lives of children and families!
Early Bird Registration Deadline: May 22
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