March 1, 2024

Hello Donna,

The ISM + PHSA Education Conference & Expo has opened its Call for Proposals! ISM and PHSA are now accepting submissions from government and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) for consideration to present at their Education Conference & Expo in Aurora, CO, October 6 to 9. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, March 21. To learn more, follow this link.

We're growing! APHSA is looking for a Process Innovation Associate to support the management of a variety of projects within our Process Innovation portfolio. We also have an open position for a Child Welfare Compact Associate. Their role will be to assist the Director of Interstate Affairs and Compact Operations. Apply now or share with interested parties in your network!

ACF Strengthens Support for Adolescents and Young Adults

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released a new Dear Colleague Letter that provides information on a unique developmental stage in youth while suggesting approaches and resources for incorporating practices into programs to meet developmental needs. This letter includes information on co-regulation practices, youth peer support, and authentically partnering with youth with lived experience.

WIC 2024/2025 Income Eligibility Guidelines Released

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the 2024/2025 income eligibility guidelines for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. The updated guidelines must be implemented on or before July 1, 2024.

New Rule to Improve Child Care Access, Affordability, and Stability in CCDF

On February 29, the ACF, Office of Child Care (OCC) announced a new rule that will lower costs for families that receive child care subsidies, improve payment practices to child care providers, and increase families’ child care options. The changes make much needed updates to the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), which is the nation’s largest funding stream to help families afford child care and improve quality in child care settings.

ECD Dear Colleague Letter on Mixed Delivery

On February 26, the Office of Early Childhood Development (ECD) released a Dear Colleague Letter on Mixed Deliver Systems to encourage state leaders to work with local educational agencies and early childhood partners in their states and communities to serve more of their youngest learners in high-quality preschool through a mixed delivery approach.

FNS Shares RFQ for Summer EBT Application

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) released a Request for Quote to develop a national Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) Application. The deadline for responses is this coming Monday, March 4.

FNS Posts Updates to Replacement of Stolen Benefits Dashboard

FNS posted an update to its dashboard that displays the amount of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that have been replaced due to skimming. This data shows up through Quarter 4 of Fiscal Year 2023.

FNS Updates Summer EBT Q&As

FNS updated the set of questions and answers on the Summer EBT program to support states in their plans for implementation. New answers cover the definition of school-aged and eligibility outside of school-aged, custody disputes, and over 20 new answers on financial management.

New APHSA Publication

APHSA has published AI-Powered SNAP Modernization: An Introduction to Current and Potential Uses of AI in SNAP Case Processing, which is its first brief in a three-part series on the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and SNAP case processing. This introductory publication defines common AI terms, explores real-world use cases, and shares insights from a wide network of partners. Parts two and three will delve deeper into regulatory and equity-based considerations for the use of AI in SNAP.

VIDEO: Leveraging HUD’s FYI Program

ACF has partnered with the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to offer a webinar for the Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) program grantees, housing and housing service providers, child welfare professionals, and youth-serving agencies on ACF’s newly released guidance, Leveraging HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Program for Eligible Youth Experiencing or At-Risk of Experiencing Homelessness. The webinar featured speakers from ACF’s Family Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) and Children’s Bureau (CB), along with HUD’s Office of Housing Voucher Programs.

Recorded: January 25

2024 Thriving Communities and Economic Mobility Regional Summit

APHSA will be supporting the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) at its annual event in Atlanta, Georgia. It will focus on aligning workforce, education, and employment through SNAP Employment & Training (SNAP E&T), and we strongly encourage the attendance of organizations and community colleges interested in learning about the opportunity to become a SNAP E&T third-party provider. Current third-party providers looking to expand their programs are also welcomed.

April 24 to 25, in Atlanta, Georgia

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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.