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| Thank you for reading This Week in Washington. In each issue you will find summaries of relevant events and APHSA's analysis behind them. More simply, you will learn about the event, whether it is a policy letter, new regulation or key appointment, and what it means to you. |
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Congress Closing in on Avoiding Fiscal Cliff
With a new fiscal cliff just five weeks away, appropriators in the House and Senate are working overtime to craft an omnibus appropriations bill that will fund the government through fiscal year 2016 and ensure that the government stays open after December 11, the date the current continuing resolution expires.
In fact, some congressional aides have predicted that the House and Senate may be able to pass a continuing resolution the week of November 16, before both chambers break for their Thanksgiving recess.
But the job may not be easy. Disagreements between Republicans and Democrats that are less about funding and more about policy riders are getting in the way. And conservatives who opposed the budget deal that raised the debt ceiling and added $80 billion over two years to the budget are threatening to oppose the appropriations bill that is moving forward under newly elected Speaker Paul Ryan's leadership.
But conflicting appropriations goals need to be resolved. Whereas Democrats have said they want a substantial increase in funding for the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education appropriations bill, Republicans have indicated that they would like to increase funding for NASA and infrastructure programs.
In addition, funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is on the chopping block. Members of Congress want to cut the IRS budget so it cannot implement the individual mandate under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans also want to trim the EPA's budget so it cannot implement the new greenhouse gas regulations and parts of the Clean Water Act.
Other potential sticking points include a desire by some conservatives to crack down on so-called sanctuary cities, from which undocumented immigrants are not deported; roll back portions of Dodd-Frank that was passed after the 2008 financial crisis; weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from implementing new Internet regulations; and defund Planned Parenthood.
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House Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Safety-Net Programs and is Accepting Written Submissions for the Record
On Tuesday, November 3 the House Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee held a hearing titled "Better Coordinating Welfare programs to Serve Families in Need" on the need to better coordinate the many programs that serve families in need.
With over 80 federal anti-poverty programs some have argued that many of these programs, while well intended, are often contradictory rather than complimentary. They also argue that this has led to a system that can be inefficient, outdated, difficult to navigate, and focused on regulations rather than families' goals and the solutions to the barriers they face. Supporters of the various programs worry, however, that efforts to consolidate these programs will result in cuts to funding and may eliminate programs designed to serve special populations.
The subcommittee heard oral testimony from invited witnesses only. Video recording of the hearing will be available to view on the committee's website. The hearing advisory, witness list, and testimony can be found here. Individuals and organizations may submit a written statement for consideration to be included in the hearing's printed record.
Instructions for submission can be found here.
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National Stakeholders Convened for Roundtable on Improving Financial Stability
On Tuesday, November 3, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Financial Empowerment Division, in partnership with RTI International convened the Pathways to Family Financial Stability Roundtable.
The meeting presented approaches for integrating financial counseling and capability services into human service programs. Attendees heard about local efforts that are currently integrating financial counseling into their financial empowerment work. These included Nashville's Live Empowered initiative and Delaware's $tand by Me program. Each of these efforts focused on meeting people where they are, and understanding that the pathway to financial stability will be different and thus services and interventions may need to customized.
Financial capability models in human services centered on Head-start, TANF, and programs for youth in transition. Tim Decker, director, Missouri Division of Youth Services discussed the agency's efforts to build financial stability for youth in transition. Many of the state efforts focused on "the income" side of the equation, providing support for older youth to secure driver licenses and make insurance payments. Tracy Frizzell, executive director, Economic Advisory Council discussed their partnership with the Illinois Department of Children and Families to improve outcomes for emancipated youth. The partnership includes the Countdown to the 21 program, an initiative to build financial literacy for older youth. This includes a $1,200 incentive for youth who complete the training.
Participants also heard from philanthropic, business, and participant stakeholders on building individual, organization, and community capacity from financial insecurity to financial stability. APHSA has partnered with the CFPB to empower low-income and economically vulnerable consumers to secure income, build assets, and improve financial decision making.
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APHSA's NEICE Project Receives National Award
Staff members of the
American Public Human Services Association's (APHSA) National Electronic Interstate Compact Enterprise (NEICE) project have been recognized by Voice for Adoption (VFA) as recipients of the Adoptions Across Boundaries Award. The annual award honors a state, organization, or dedicated individual that has made diligent efforts in overcoming geographic barriers and has a proven track record of best practices in placing children across state or county lines.
Anita Light, director of the National Collaborative for Integration on Health and Human Services, and Carla Fults, division director Interstate, were honored for their work on the NEICE Project, a web-based electronic case-processing system that supports the administration of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) by exchanging data and documents across state jurisdictions. The Children's Bureau is funding the project for three years to bring all 52 jurisdictions onboard to process ICPC cases.
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OIG Work Plan for 2016 Prioritizes HHS Preparedness for Emergencies and Disasters
On Monday, November 2, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Office of Inspector General (OIG) posted its Work Plan (Work Plan) for fiscal year (FY) 2016. This document summarizes new and ongoing OIG reviews and with respect to Health and Human Services programs and operations. Programs reviewed includes over 30 programs administered by the Administration for Children and Families( ACF) that promote the economic and social well-being of children, families, and communities, including the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program; the national child support enforcement system; the Head Start program for preschool children; and assistance for childcare, foster care, and adoption services.
Specific to ACF, OIG ongoing monitoring includes the health and safety of children in foster care through the complaint resolution and licensing process; states' child support enforcement investigation efforts under the child support enforcement task force model;
the extent to which States' payment rates under the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) are sufficient to ensure access to childcare for low-income families
; and
ACF's oversight of Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) funding for expenses resulting from Hurricane Sandy and identification of any challenges states and their sub-grantees experienced in using and accounting for the funding.
OIG's states its intention to prioritize planned work on the sufficiency and training of medical staff for disasters and severe infectious diseases, as well as the oversight of expenditures and adherence to safety standards in ACF's Unaccompanied Children Program to promote human services program preparedness for emergencies and disasters. To this end OIG has
revised monitoring of
Hurricane Sandy states' emergency preparedness, response, and recovery planning for child care
to determine the extent to which states develop and/or update emergency preparedness and response plans specific to child care services and programs. OIG has also revised its review of
Head Start program quality determinations and funding renewal decisions made under the Designation Renewal System (DRS) and grant re-competition has been revised.
Added to OIG's scope of work under ACF programs are
states' protocols for the use and monitoring of psychotropic medications for children in foster care and states' implementation of guardian ad litem requirements under section 8 of the Child Abuse and prevention and Treatment Act.
OIG was created to protect the integrity of HHS programs and operations and the well-being of beneficiaries by detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse; identifying opportunities to improve program economy, efficiency, and effectiveness; and holding accountable those who do not meet program requirements or who violate federal health care laws.
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Child Care/Child Abuse
Adoption & Foster Care
Health and Mental Health Care
Medicare/Medicaid
SNAP/Food Stamps
TANF
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