The ISM + PHSA Education Conference & Expo begins in two weeks! Join us in Aurora, Colorado for unparalleled opportunities for learning, peer networking, experiencing hands-on demonstrations of solutions, and connecting with a wide array of committed partners and organizations at the intersection of technology, legal compliance, policy, and practice. Register today! |
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APHSA Urges Congress to Extend Federal Authority to Replace Stolen SNAP Benefits
In a letter published yesterday, APHSA strongly urged Congress to extend the federal authority to replace SNAP benefits electronically stolen through third-party theft. Action needs to be taken now to ensure SNAP recipients at risk of theft are protected while continuing to build the longer-term solutions for a modern and secure Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) infrastructure.
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House Passes Bipartisan Child Welfare and Child Support Legislation
On September 18, the Strengthening State and Tribal Child Support Enforcement Act (H.R. 7906) and the Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act (H.R. 9076) were passed by the House of Representative as a combined package as H.R 9076. The bipartisan package would improve the effectiveness and available tools of state and tribal child support enforcement agencies. Additionally, the package reauthorizes and modifies Title IV-B of the Social Security Act (SSA) by focusing additional resources to expanding community-based resources and the prevention of neglect due to material hardship.
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Moving Human Services Upstream | |
Estimates of Child Care Eligibility & Receipt for FY21
The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) Office of Human Services Policy published an analysis of childcare subsidy eligibility and receipt for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21). Some of the report’s key highlights are that 11.5 million children were eligible for childcare subsidies under federal rules, while 8 million were eligible under state rules. In addition, only 1.8 million children received subsidies, representing 15% of those eligible under federal rules and 22% under state rules.
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Request for Public Comments: Early Care and Education Longitudinal Follow-ups
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has proposed a data collection activity for January 2025 to December 2025 to follow up on the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education. These follow-ups aim to gather important insights on the employment experiences of Early Childhood Education (ECE) workers, as well as how households use financial assistance for early care and education. Comments on this proposal are due within 30 days of publication.
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FNS Publishes Handbook 310
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has updated the FNS Handbook 310, which provides detailed procedures for conducting Quality Control (QC) reviews for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), starting in FY 2025. It incorporates changes from recent legislation and policy updates, including new time limits for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD), and updated review procedures for various scenarios.
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Advancing Social and Economic Mobility | |
Dear Colleague Letter: Update on Community Services Block Grant
Last week the Director of the Division of Community Assistance at the Office of Community Services published a Dear Colleague Letter to address the redistribution of Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funds for FY24 . The letter states, in part, that "The Office of Community Services (OCS) is allocating funds that were offset from the current year's appropriation as a result of administrative actions taken by the Administration for Children and Families.”
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Grant Opportunity: SNAP Process Technology and Improvement Grant Awards
Every year, USDA awards Process and Technology Improvement Grants to support efforts by state agencies and their community-based and faith-based partners. The goal is to support the development and implementation of projects that use technology to improve the quality and efficiency of SNAP application and eligibility determination systems.
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Strengthening the Human Services Sector | |
Grant Opportunity: Unaccompanied Children Lived Experience & Youth Engagement Program
The Unaccompanied Children Lived Experience and Youth Engagement Program (LEYEP) is a discretionary funding opportunity announced by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and aimed at establishing a Lived Experience Council and Youth Leadership Academy to support former unaccompanied children and their sponsors. The program will recruit and train people with lived experience, conduct research on best practices, and work to protect children from exploitation. The program focuses on leadership development, continuous improvement, and effective integration of unaccompanied children into society. Applications are due by December 20, 2024.
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Dear Colleague Letter: Data Reliability Audit Requirements
Read the Dear Colleague Letter addressed to State IV-D Directors on the required data submission specification for the FY24. The letter includes information on the Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) Office of Audit evaluation of the completeness, reliability, and security of performance indicator data reported by states.
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National Adoption Month
The Children's Bureau published its campaign for National Adoption Month to increase awareness of adoption and draw attention to the need for adoptive families for teens living within the U.S. foster care system. Their 2024 toolkit describes how you can participate in the campaign.
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Child Trends Applied Research Agenda on Black Children and Families
A panel of experts will discuss the development of Child Trends Applied Research Agenda on Black Children and Families and the role of community-engaged research in achieving the agenda’s objectives. They will also present three projects on protective community resources, community safety, and critical literacy instruction for young children, followed by a Q&A session.
September 24, 1:00 to 2:00 PM EST
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NSDTA September Showcase Series Webinar: The Power of Civility in the Workplace
In this presentation guided by Dr. Stephanie N. Perry, attendees will explore the need to address workplace incivility in the human services space while gaining insight on the subject through an overview, open dialogue, and group exercise. You will leave this webinar with tools to develop a deeper understanding of the effects of incivility and learn strategies to protect yourself in unhealthy work environments.
September 25, 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST
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Bring on the Change at NSDTA
Enhance your facilitation skills and drive your organization’s projects forward at “Bring on the Change: An Organizational Effectiveness Training and Handbook for Change Management Facilitators.” This intensive workshop, held on the first day of the NSDTA Annual Education Conference, will utilize the revised APHSA Organizational Effectiveness (OE) Handbook. Participants will learn by doing in an experiential setting designed to equip them with the tools necessary to successfully facilitate their organization’s continuous improvement and change management projects. You’ll explore APHSA’s DAPIM™ model along with many other resources and tools within the OE Handbook that will boost your confidence in project facilitation.
*This is an optional add-on event with an additional fee. Seats are limited so be sure to reserve your spot while registering for the NSDTA Conference.
October 20, 9:45 AM to 4:00 PM MDT
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Session Spotlight: A Special Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Two-Part Seminar
As part of the NSDTA Annual Education Conference, there will be a two-part seminar series that promises to delve into the significance of belonging for those in the human services sector. The event will feature discussions led by practitioners and leaders from across the nation. Participants will create actionable plans for embedding Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) principles within their agencies.
October 22, 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM MDT
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SNAP E&T Learning Session and Resources
Join the upcoming virtual learning session, "Facilitating Continuous Learning and Improvement in Your SNAP E&T Program." This session is a new FNS resource in its Growing and Strengthening SNAP E&T Programs series. The series aims to assist state agencies in enhancing their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment & Training Program (SNAP E&T) programs through four main priorities: understanding and exploring the program, designing it, selecting suitable providers, along with monitoring and using data effectively. This session will focus on fostering a culture of continuous improvement within SNAP E&T programs, offering insights and strategies to help participants enhance their programs.
October 7, 1:00 to 2:30 PM EST
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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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