June 19, 2020
Greetings!
We commemorate today, Juneteenth, as a day of reflection, education, and celebration of black lives in the United States. June 19th or "Juneteenth," marks the day in 1865 when federal orders proclaiming the release of people who had been enslaved were finally announced in Galveston, Texas — two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. We hope you will join us in learning more about Juneteenth and renewing our commitment to advancing race equity. Here are a few recent resources:




Child and Family Well-Being
HHS Amends Healthcare Non-Discrimination Rule

Last week the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized a rule, the Nondiscrimination in Health and Health Education Programs or Activities: Delegation of Authority, which amends prior Departmental regulations that prohibited covered healthcare entities from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, disability, age, or sex. The amendment, which removes nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people for health care and health insurance, is expected to be challenged in court.

The Office of Child Care Releases COVID-19 Legislation Guide

This week the Office of Child Care within the HHS Administration for Children and Families released a guide for child care administrators summarizing funding sources available to assist child care agencies and providers in response to COVID-19 impacts. The guidance is based on legislation authorized through Congress as of April 28 and will be updated based on future program changes.
 
Employment and Economic Well-Being
APHSA Submits Comment Letter on Proposed SNAP E&T Rule

 Wednesday, APHSA submitted a comment letter on a proposed rule, Employment and Training Opportunities in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Docket ID Number [FNS-2019-0008] . APHSA affirmed its commitment to providing pathways to economic mobility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients and acknowledged the progress that has been made in recent years by states with the support of USDA. APHSA commented that the proposed rule’s implementation of the Farm Bill continues this progress by increasing opportunities for SNAP recipients and by integrating proven workforce development techniques, such as case management and supervised job search, into SNAP Employment and Training (E&T). However, the rules intended to align E&T services, and the methods in which states must implement them, must also be grounded in outcomes that work for SNAP recipients. The proposed rule must also take into account the realities faced by state agencies that have had to divert resources to pandemic response and looming budget deficits.

USDA Extends Farmers to Families Food Box Program Contracts

Select vendors from the first round of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program will have their contracts extended to reward the work that has been done. The USDA will also contract a few new vendors in order to continue distribution of these food boxes.

Department of Labor Issues Guidance on Postsecondary Credentials

 The Department of Labor (DOL) issued Training and Employment Notice NO. 25-19, Understanding Postsecondary Credentials in the Public Workforce System . The Notice includes information to assist the public workforce system in better understanding the key elements of credentials and identifying credentials that help individuals acquire and leverage the skills needed for quality in-demand jobs that meet the needs of the business community.

Department of Labor Issues Updated Reporting Instructions for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation

Monday, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued Update-2 to Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) 15-20, to provide states with the new ETA 227-Overpayment Detection and Recovery Activities Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) report, and to provide states with revised reporting instructions for the FPUC program.

Updates to Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Resource Center

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Resource Center has recently been updated with fact sheets, webinars, eligibility, and media toolkits. This provision affects eligibility for free and reduced-price school meals.

Upcoming Webinars & Events
Building Skills for Cross-Cultural Communication and Resilience During COVID-19
Join the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network for a workshop that explores stereotypes, biases, and disparities related to COVID-19. Participants will gain skills to recognize and interrupt bias in a compassionate manner using tools for cross-cultural communication. COVID-19 has added to the way many of us see the world through different lenses. Differences in our worldview perspectives can cause disconnection and lead to a lack of resilience. At the same time, our ability to help each other is the main tool that we have in these difficult times.

Monday, June 22, 6:00 PM EST
2Gen COVID-19 Webinar Series: Building a Response for the Future
Join the Aspen Institute for their last webinar in a series to learn more about what we can do today to build a stronger, equitable future for children and the adults in their lives.

Tuesday, June 30, 3:00-4:00 PM EST
APHSA Webinar: A Pandemic, Economic Recovery, and Uncertain Policy: Charting the Path Ahead for SNAP Work Requirements

Join panelists from the American Enterprise Institute, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to discuss the outlook and implications of economic, public health, and regulatory uncertainties on providing work supports to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ( SNAP) recipients in the coming months. The conversation will involve discussion around SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) programs, unemployment and its varying effect on communities and job sectors, and how all of this will affect SNAP agency operations as businesses transition between various phases of reopening and closing.

Thursday, July 9, 3:00-4:00 PM EST
APHSA Webinar Series - The Family First Prevention Services Act:
A Two-Part Series from Introduction to Implementation

Part One: An Overview of Family First Requirements

Join us along with speakers from the Children’s Bureau, the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, the Administration for Children and Families and Abt Associates. The Children’s Bureau will provide a high-level overview of Family First legislation with an emphasis on the Title IV-E Prevention Services Program. The goal is for state evaluators to understand what study designs, statistical analyses, etc. are required for future studies to meet the clearinghouse’s evidence review standards.

Tuesday, July 14, 1:00-2:00 PM EST
Part Two: Moving to Application

Join us along with speakers from the Children’s Bureau, the Administration for Children and Families, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Kaye Implementation and Evaluation, Kinnect and Chapin Hall. Researchers from Chapin Hall will discuss how states have approached the requirements for Kinship Navigation and Prevention Plans. Information will be shared on the process states have used to set up the plans, including important decisions points. A state representative will discuss how their state approached the evaluation requirements of the law in their plan.

Thursday, July 16, 1:00-2:00 PM EST
Conference Updates
2020 ISM Conference

Taking many factors into consideration, including ongoing health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the travel and budget restrictions many of our members and partners continue to face, we have decided to  cancel  the 2020 IT Solutions Management for Human Services (ISM) conference that was scheduled to take place this September in Orlando, FL. 
Read our full statement here .
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.