The events of this week remind us of the need for our nation’s continuing work to combat racial inequity. And as April is National Poetry Month, we note that before she captivated the nation on Inauguration Day, poet laureate Amanda Gorman delivered a powerful encouragement against racial injustice. Her poem “Fury and Faith” shares, "Whether we prevail is determined, not by all the challenges that are present, but by all the change that is possible." At APHSA, we aspire to continue our work addressing structural bias and inequity, and we strive for a future where one’s race identity has no influence on how one fares in society. Read our Call to Action and Resource Guide.
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Child and Family Well-Being |
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ACF Releases Child Care Funding Included in the American Rescue Plan
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released state allocations for the $24 billion in Child Care Stabilization Grants and $15 billion in supplemental funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG).
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ACF Provides Guidance on CCDF Funding in CRRSA Act
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released new guidance on the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) discretionary funding appropriated in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act (Public Law 116-260), signed into law on December 27, 2020. This Information Memorandum is designed to help states, territories, and tribes quickly distribute funding to communities in need of further child care funding due to COVID-19. The guidance provides information on the use of funds, non-supplantation requirements, exemptions, and reporting guidelines.
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Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists
Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services, renewed the federal public health emergency for an additional 90 days, effective April 21, 2021. The administration has previously signaled it is likely to continue maintaining the public health emergency throughout 2021 and will provide advance notice to state and local governments before letting it expire.
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HHS Announces Nearly $150 Million to Community-Based Health Care Providers with COVID-19 Response
As part of the American Rescue Plan, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is announcing the availability of nearly $150 million to community-based health care providers to aid their response to COVID-19. These funds will support approximately 100 Health Center Program look-alikes to respond to and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, strengthen vaccination efforts, and enhance health care services and infrastructure in communities across the country.
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Employment and Economic Well-Being |
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USDA Extends Child Nutrition Waivers through the 2021-2022 School Year
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a broad range of flexibilities to allow school meal programs and child care institutions to return to serving healthy meals in fall 2021. Several meal service flexibilities that enable social distancing are now extended through June 30, 2022. The waivers will help USDA continue to provide safe, healthy meals free of charge to children as the pandemic continues to threaten the food and nutrition security of vulnerable populations.
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ACF/OCS Releases Terms & Conditions and Draft State Plan for Water Assistance Program
On April 19, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Community Services (OCS) released terms and conditions states must accept by April 27 to receive funds for the newly established Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). OCS has also developed a draft State Plan for the program and is requesting feedback by April 27 via an online survey.
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DOL Awards More Than $146M to Support Workforce Agencies’ Efforts to Return Unemployed to Workforce More Quickly
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) awarded more than $146 million to workforce agencies in 48 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia to help operate Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessments (RESEA) programs. RESEA is a tool that states use to provide information on services the broader workforce system provides to people receiving unemployment insurance.
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Save the Date! 2021 conferences are being designed to fit the hybrid event model with both in-person and virtual options. More details and registration deadlines to come. Visit our Events Page for all our upcoming events.
Economic Mobility and Well-Being Conference (EMWB)
August 22-25, Milwaukee, WI
Information Technology Solutions Management for Human Services (ISM) September 26-29, Cincinnati, OH
National Staff Development and Training Association (NSDTA)
October 3-6, Spokane, WA
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APHSA Third Thursday 360: Virtual Mini-Series of Health and Human Services Collective Learning
Join us on the Third Thursday of each month through June - building on our January-April sessions, we're continuing with topics on Child Welfare, SNAP, TANF, IT, Performance Management, Child Care, & more. It's never too late to join in as your registration allows full access to the entire series!
Thursday, May 20, 12:30-5:15 PM EST.
Certificates of attendance will be provided for the pursuit of continuing education (CE) credits. Pay once for entire series! Group discount available for five or more registrants. Learn more!
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Upcoming Webinars & Virtual Events |
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Webinar - Bolstering Early Childhood Through the American Rescue Plan Act
Join the Institute for Child Success (ICS) along with the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) for a webinar highlighting how jurisdictions can apply an equity lens when working to deploy the funding coming to states and other territories via the American Rescue Plan Act. Expert panelists share their experiences regarding the impact of systemic inequities in their respective fields, and make recommendations on how the Act’s funds should be used strategically to work against inequities and build lasting change that improves outcomes for children.
Thursday, April 29, 2:00-3:30 PM EDT
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CSG Capitol Ideas Presents: A Year of Recovery
Join the Council of State Governments (CSG) along with the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) in conversation with emergency managers and state health officials as they discuss state response to COVID-19, lessons learned and how their industries are more important than ever.
Thursday, May 6, 2:30-4:30 PM EST
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2021 Virtual State Healthcare IT Connect Summit
Reimagining Health, and Human Service Delivery for 2021 & Beyond! Early registration is now open for the Healthcare IT Connect Summit. COVID-19 has highlighted, as never before, the need to address healthcare disparities for the nation's highest-risk patients often residing in some of the most underserved communities. The pace of change and innovation is set to continue, with the CMS, and ONC Interoperability rules laying the foundation, for a more citizen-centric data ecosystem, and the ability to deliver care in a variety of settings, across the health and human services continuum.
May 17-21, 2021
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NAPA Annual Social Equity Leadership Virtual Conference
Join the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) for the 20th Annual Social Equity Leadership Conference. This virtual conference provides a space to discuss how public administrators can develop a broader understanding of social equity and recognize social equity's implications within the administrative context. You will have the opportunity to engage in the discussion through a range of educational lectures, workshops, live plenaries, keynote and lunchtime speakers, on-demand panels, and power social hours.
June 9-11, 2021
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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.
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