July 15, 2022

Hello Donna,

Our latest Catalyst blog post is by President & CEO Tracy Wareing Evans

in the last of our three-part miniseries: Shifting Structural Power to Advance Race Equity. Tracy reflects on what structural power is and what it means to system leaders aiming to center communities in delivery of their agency mission.

Join our new Community of Practice (CoP) for Human Services Process Innovation! The CoP will convene an interdisciplinary group of state and local human services practitioners to share promising person-centered business process improvements that enhance service delivery and improve the customer experience.  For more information click here and join by completing our brief registration form.

Planning for the Public Health Emergency (PHE) unwinding is a key priority across health, human services, and economic support agencies nationwide. With implications spanning all public programs, an aligned response that supports communities and families through transition is critical. New resources are available to assist state and local agencies with their PHE unwinding plans, including: a centralized information hub; a communications toolkit in English and Spanish; a resource page; and a monthly webinar series.

Senate Approves Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

The Senate approved—by 65-33 vote—the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938), which seeks to address firearm safety measures across the country, mental health, school safety, and telehealth. The bill requires the Secretary of Education, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to coordinate to establish a federal clearinghouse on school safety evidence-based practices. Funds will be made available for various resource needs along these lines. Furthermore, States will be provided with grants to expand Medicaid and Telehealth services as well as provide mental health support services. Finally, the bill seeks to clarify and amend multiple federal statutes regarding gun sales including age limits, background checks, and firearms trafficking laws.

Read Bill

Proposed Information Collection Activity; State Court Improvement Program

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is requesting a three-year extension of the Court Improvement Program (CIP) Strategic Plan Template and Annual CIP Self-Assessment (Office of Management and Budget #0970-0307, expiration November 30, 2022). ACF has added minimal updates to the order to reflect new legislation. The extension allows the program to continue working in accordance with congressional authorization. The self-assessment reflects on the development and progress of states’ actions taken in prior years and the strategic plan allows for an outline of actions the state plans to take. 

Read Notice

DOE Seeks Comment on Including For-Profit Early Childhood Workers in PSLF Program

The Department of Education (DOE) has released a request for comment on a proposed rule change that would include the for-profit early childhood workforce in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The PSLF program was established to forgive the student loans of qualifying individuals who worked in public service. The proposed rule change would open up the PSLF program to the child care and early childhood workforce that work for for-profit institutions. The rule would also make structure changes to public loan forgiveness programs that would make access easier for those who already quality under current rules. Comments are due by August 13.

Read Request & Submit Comment

Proposed Temporary Changes in State Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Allocations

This notice by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeks comments on proposed temporary changes to the method of calculating poverty-based allocations under Title V of the Social Security Act for HRSA's State Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant. The poverty-based allocation has been based on the U.S. Census Bureau's 3-year American Community Survey (ACS) estimates using three pooled 1-year estimates since fiscal year 2017, but was disrupted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic that prevented the Census Bureau from releasing standard 1-year ACS estimates. HRSA proposes that the ACS 2020 experimental estimates be excluded from calculating MCH block grant allocations and that the FY 2023 funding allocation be based on the same poverty data used in the FY 2022 allocation. Readers are invited to comment on this proposed change by July 25.

Read Notice & Submit Comment

House Agriculture Committee Announces Online Farm Bill Feedback Form

The online form seeks feedback and ideas for the 2023 farm bill directly from farmers, ranchers, producers, and families across the nation. The feedback will help the House Agriculture Committee to craft a farm bill that prioritizes and meets the needs of the nutrition, research, and rural development communities.

Access Form

FNS Publishes Grants Notice for SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Modernization Technical Assistance Center (SEMTAC)

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is seeking request for applications (RFA) for grant awards not to exceed $5 million in total to improve ability of retailers to offer Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) online shopping. A portion of funding will also be used to support technical assistance for SNAP retailers and support education and training on any new issuance of modernization initiatives. Grant applications will be accepted until September 6.

Read Request & Submit Application

FNS Publishes Notice on Proposed Information Collection for the Contract Serving SNAP Applicants and Participants with LEP

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) notice on the Limited English Proficiency (LEP) study will gather data from all 53 State Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) agencies and three territories that operate the Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) about how they operate language access policies and requirements, including how agencies make decisions about these policies and practices, how they train staff on them, and their perceptions of Federal regulations. Findings from the study will help inform policymakers' efforts to provide more meaningful access to SNAP and NAP. Written comments are due by September 9.

Read Notice & Submit Comment

Treasury Released New Guidance on the Emergency Rental Assistance

On July 6, 2022, the U.S Department of Treasury (Treasury) provided revised guidance through frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the requirements of the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA1) established by section 501 of Division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-260 (Dec. 27, 2020) and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA2) established by section 3201 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Pub. L. No. 117-2. The Treasury's FAQs provide clarity on the implementation, monitoring, and management of the ERA, such as the program eligibility and requirements, including assistance for tribal members, funding and quarterly reporting requirements, allowable housing stability services, and procurement standards, usage of contractors or intergovernmental cooperation agreements.

Read Guidance

Administration Announces First Ever Funding Opportunity for Coordinated Approaches to Address Unsheltered Homelessness

The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a landmark funding opportunity to address unsheltered homelessness and homeless encampments. This funding package includes $322 million in Continuum of Care program grants, $43 million to fund 4,000 new incremental vouchers, and $54.5 million to cope with homelessness in rural communities. This HUD initiative seeks to promote partnerships among health care organizations, public housing authorities, and people with lived experience and expertise in homelessness. Existing Continuum of Care programs and rural areas are eligible to apply for this funding. Additional information on eligibility and requirement is available below.

Read Press Release

Share Your Success Stories and Nominate Your Agency Today!

The Information Technology Solutions Management for Human Services (ISM) Awards of Excellence are open; the deadline is August 15. The awards celebrate state and local health and human services agencies that are in the forefront of information technology development and implementation. ISM Emerging Leaders nominations are also open along with Fellowship opportunities; apply by July 21. Click here for details on all.

Also open are the National Staff Development and Training Association (NSDTA) Scholarships and Awards. NSDTA awards recognize outstanding individuals and initiatives within your organization which are helping advance the delivery of health and human services practices or programs to staff. The Joan Carrera Memorial Scholarship allows first time attendees entrance at partial to no cost. Deadlines are August 5. Click here for details on all.

Economic Mobility and Well-Being (EMWB) Conference

The 2022 Economic Mobility and Well-Being (EMWB) Conference will be held at the Marriott Savannah Riverfront in Savannah, GA. Join us for informative sessions, engaging content, and a restorative experience! The EMWB conference brings together members from the American Association of SNAP Directors (AASD), the National Association for Program Information and Performance Measurement (NAPIPM), and the National Association of State TANF Administrators (NASTA).

August 14-17, 2022

American Association of Health and Human Services Attorneys (AAHHSA) Annual Education Conference

The 2022 American Association of Health and Human Services Attorneys (AAHHSA) Annual Education Conference will be held at the Sheraton Columbus Hotel at Capitol Square, Columbus, OH. The AAHHSA conference is a comprehensive learning and networking experience for attorneys who represent the state and local government agencies that administer health and human services programs. This conference promotes pragmatic innovation in health and human services while facilitating the exchange of information between attorneys from across the nation.

October 9-12, 2022

National Staff Development and Training Association (NSDTA) Education Conference

The 2022 National Staff Development and Training Association (NSDTA) Education Conference will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Spokane City Center in Spokane, WA. This conference brings together human services organizational development, staff development, and training professionals at the local, state, and federal levels. Join us for the opportunity to share ideas, resources, and engage in robust sessions. We are focusing on forward-thinking ideas about instructional design, workforce development, evaluation and research, and much more!

October 16-19, 2022

Information Technology Solutions Management for Human Services (ISM) Annual Conference & Expo

The 2022 Information Technology Solutions Management for Human Services (ISM) Annual Conference & Expo will be held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. This event brings together agency leaders in technology, along with the private sector firms focused on providing solutions for health and human services agencies. The content presented will promote IT solutions and best practices that enhance the delivery of health and human services.

October 23-26, 2022

Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Enrollment Unwinding: What to Know and How to Prepare, A Partner Education Monthly Series

Join the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for the first in a series of calls running through December 2022 on the Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Enrollment Unwinding, to share what agencies and partners should know and guidance on how to prepare for the forthcoming unwinding.

July 27, 12:00 PM ET

August 24, 12:00 PM ET

September 28, 12:00 PM ET

October 26, 12:00 PM ET

December 7, 12:00 PM ET

SNAP E&T 2022 National Forum

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Office of Employment and Training (E&T) is pleased to host the second SNAP E&T National Forum at the Westin Alexandria in Alexandria, VA. Join fellow state agencies and SNAP E&T stakeholders as we gather together to build better SNAP E&T programs that lead with equity, create economic opportunity, and meet local workforce needs.

December 13-14, 2022