April 13, 2018
Greetings!
It's been a busy week with both chambers of Congress back in session so let's get right to it! Continue reading below for the latest updates, resources, and announcements.
The Latest...
Executive Order on Opportunity and Economic Mobility
On Monday, President Trump signed the Reducing Poverty in America by Promoting Opportunity and Economic Mobility Executive Order . The order calls on the secretaries of eight federal agencies (Treasury, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Education) to review their respective public assistance programs and propose new regulations and policies such as work requirements.
2018 Farm Bill Introduced in the House
Yesterday, Thursday, April 12, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) introduced H.R. 2 – The Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Farm Bill). Title IV of the bill (beginning on page 223) makes significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), particularly in the areas of work requirements, program modernization, program integrity, and promoting health foods. 
Opioid Week on the Hill
Congressional Hearings: This week, both the House and the Senate held multiple hearings on the opioid crisis to review draft legislation or to propose new bills. Learn more and access recordings of the hearings. 
Congressional Briefing: On Wednesday, April 11, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) hosted a briefing entitled “The Opioid in the Black Community Congressional Briefing.”  Read more about it.
Governors Roundtable: Also this week, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health held a roundtable with governors discussing the need for wraparound services that could help people who are currently addicted to opioids get back to “normal life.” Read more about it.
Reports & Resources
A-87 Exception Contingency Document
The A-87 Cost Allocation Exception is set to expire at the end of this year. In anticipation that the traditional A-87 Cost Allocation rules may fall back into place in 2019, APHSA is recommending that states consider taking certain steps, as outlined in our 1-pager released this week.
The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2018 to 2028
On Monday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its annual Budget and Economic Outlook repor t . In CBO’s baseline projections, which incorporate the assumption that current laws governing taxes and spending generally remain unchanged, the federal budget deficit grows substantially over the next few years.
Building a Better Budget Process
It's been more than 20 years since all appropriation bills passed before the fiscal year began. The government continues to function with short-term solutions including continuing resolutions and threats of shutdowns. To address this issue and work towards a better process in the future, the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution brought together a group of policy and budget experts who developed a set of recommendations over the past 18 months and included them in Convergence's latest report, Building a Better Budget Process.
This comes at the same time that Congress, as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 , created the Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform . Co-chaired by Steve Womack (R-AR) and Nita Lowey (D-NY), this Committee is tasked with identifying and recommending reforms to the budget and appropriations process. Over the next several months, the Convergence project team will meet with members of the Select Committee to discuss its recommendations.
APHSA's Collaborative Centers
Check out our other specially focused newsletters brought to you by our National Collaborative for Integration of Health and Human Services (National Collaborative) and our Center for Employment and Economic Well-Being (CEEWB)!
Announcements
Register for APHSA National HHS Summit TODAY!
Early registration rates for our 2018 National Health and Human Services Summit expire next week so get them while you can! Check out the latest agenda to learn more about what's in store for you at this year's main event!
NAPIPM Call for Proposals - 1 Week Left!
The National Association for Program Information and Performance Measurement (NAPIPM) is now accepting proposals for the Annual NAPIPM Education Conference this August 13-16 in Tampa, FL. This is your opportunity to shape the content for this premier event for professionals who focus on assessing and improving program information, performance, and outcomes. Submissions are due no later than Friday, April 20.
AASD/NASTA Call for Proposals
The American Association of SNAP Directors (AASD) and National Association of State TANF Administrators (NASTA) are now accepting proposals for their Annual Education Conference this August 26-29 in Reno, NV. Help achieve better outcomes for children, families, and communities by sharing how your strengthening SNAP, TANF, program integrity, accountability, data analysis, and more. Submissions are due no later than Friday, April 27.