October 22, 2021
Greetings!
We are excited to announce the premiere of our new podcast series, Our Dream Deferred: Fulfilling the Nation’s Promise. What happens to a dream deferred? Poet Langston Hughes posed this question 70 years ago, asking what might happen if our nation’s offer of endless possibilities—our American Dream—remains out of reach and unrealized for many. Our first episode features Anthony Barrows, a Managing Director at ideas42. We’ll be talking every Tuesday with brilliant minds from unexpected places, exploring the American Dream that is still elusive for so many, and seeking a new way forward together. You can find us on Spotify, Apple, and your other preferred streaming platforms by searching for “Our Dream Deferred” or our podcast page. Be sure to listen in, share widely, write us a review - and send us your feedback and questions!
APHSA is hosting a Twitter chat on Friday, October 29, 2-3 PM ET, called The Final Push! Connecting Families to the Expanded Child Tax Credit, to promote the great resources that have been rapidly developed on the CTC. Follow #ChildTaxCreditChat and join in!
Join us for our next edition of our Leadership Corner series on Tuesday, November 16. In Advancing a Strong Social and Economic Future for Black and Brown Families in the South, we will learn with Renata Soto, a nationally recognized leader and champion for partnering with immigrant families and communities, to realize a better social and economic future across generations. Complimentary Registration.
Child and Family Well-Being
CMS Releases Set of Questions and Answers on QRTPs

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in partnership with the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released a set of “Questions and Answers” regarding Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTPs) and how they relate to the Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) exclusion. The Q&A describes a path states can take through the Serious Mental Illness or Serious Emotional Disturbance (SMI/SED) Medicaid 1115 demonstration waiver authority to exempt QRTPs with more than 16 beds from the IMD exclusion for up to a 2 year transition period.

Employment and Economic Well-Being
Guidance Released to Permit All Afghan Evacuees to Apply for TANF and SNAP

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) released guidance to allow all Afghan evacuees to apply for benefits, as authorized in the Continuing Resolution. The guidance explains the criteria for issuing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to citizens or nationals of Afghanistan paroled into the United States under emergency evacuation. Afghan humanitarian parolees, also known as non-SI parolees, are now eligible to receive federal benefits, including TANF and SNAP, as of September 30, 2021.


The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) issued Policy Letter 22-02 adding additional eligible applicants and acceptable documents to those previously listed for Afghan Special Immigrants in ACF’s Documentation Guide.

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Paternity Establishment Percentage Performance Relief

The Administration of Children and Families (ACF) Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled “Paternity Establishment Percentage (PEP) Performance Relief.” The proposed rule would modify the PEP threshold for states to avoid financial penalties to their Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program funds from the current 90 percent threshold to 50 percent in fiscal years 2020 and 2021. The rule would also remove financial penalties for adverse findings in data reliability audits of a state's paternity establishment data. The deadline for comments is November 18.

Dear Colleague Letter - FPLS and the CSENet

The Administration of Children and Families (ACF) Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) issued Dear Colleague Letter DL-21-13 indicating that states will soon receive assessments for fiscal year 2022 user fees for use of the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) and the Child Support Enforcement Network (CSENet). Additionally, OCSE will begin modernization of the legacy mainframe and other improvements.

FNS Solicits Comments on Mobile EBT Pilots

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) opened up the opportunity to submit comments regarding Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) demonstration pilot projects to test the redemption of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits through mobile payment technologies and issue a request for volunteers of state SNAP agencies to participate in the pilots. Comments are due by December 17.

APHSA Career Center - Post Your Open Positions Today

APHSA serves as a clearinghouse for job opportunities throughout the health and human services (H/HS) field. Employers reach a wide audience of candidates looking for careers in H/HS and job seekers will find a bevy of opportunities throughout the country.