Both chambers were in session this week after the recess and we have a lot to share. Here is what APHSA has been following from the Hill and the Administration.
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Sweeping Healthcare Bill Introduced on ACA Anniversary
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This week, the chairmen of the committees with jurisdiction over health care (Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, and Education & Labor) unveiled a sweeping health care bill that would amend the ACA and increase access to affordable health insurance.
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The chairman of the Senate Budget Committee has introduced a five-year FY 2020 budget resolution, and the committee is expected to mark up the bill this week. The resolution adheres to caps on discretionary spending set by the Budget Control Act (BCA), and would provide less defense spending than requested by the President.
Read Resolution
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House Agriculture Committee to Hold Hearing on ABAWDS Waivers and its Impact on Hunger and Hardship
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On Wednesday, April 3 the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee will hold a hearing on examining the proposed ABAWDS (Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents) Rule and its impacts on Hunger and Hardship. This new rule would restrict statewide waivers and substate grouping and limit the carryover of exemptions. The hearing will begin at 9:00 AM EST in 1300 Longworth Bldg. and will also be webcast on the House website.
Watch Hearing
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CAPTA Reauthorization Hearing
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Negotiations on the reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) are ongoing in both houses of Congress. The Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services of the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing on the reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) on March 26
th
. The hearing focused on the economic and social costs of child maltreatment and how states, local communities, and community-based agencies use CAPTA funds to promote child abuse protection and prevention. A congressional letter circulated requesting increases in CAPTA funding.
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HHS OIG FY 2020 Budget Justification Report
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The HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued the fiscal year 2020 budget justification report:
Read Report
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The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is responsible for calculating across-the-board reductions for non-exempt mandatory programs subject to sequestration under the Budget Control Act (BCA). In FY 2020, the reductions are -5.9% for non-defense programs and -8.6% for defense.
Read Report
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The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its report of programs that are either funded in FY 2019 without authorization or will expire in FY 2019 without congressional action.
Read Report
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How Data Can Drive Performance for Social Services
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The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) has created a data-driven performance-management framework. They are using the approach in an innovative way: to orchestrate the efforts of service-delivery partners.
Read Blog
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Child and Family Well-Being
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ACF Provides Details on SSBG Report
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The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) memorandum addresses reporting deadlines and required content for the 2018 Social Services Block Grant post-expenditure report.
Read Report
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The Food and Nutrition Service announced income eligibility guidelines for the Child Nutrition programs for school year 2020. These guidelines are used by schools, institutions, and facilities participating in the National School Lunch Program (and Commodity School Program), School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program for Children, Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program.
Read Guidelines
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TANF & Child Welfare Report
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The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) report provides FY 2015 state data on the Community Services Block Grant, including performance measures.
Read Report
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Employment and Economic Well-Being
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Administration Releases Annual Economic Report
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On March 18, the Administration released t
he Economic Report of the President together with the Annual Report of the Council of Economic Advisers.
Read Report
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State 2016 SNAP Participation Rates Posted
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State Profiles of Hunger, Poverty, & Federal Nutrition Programs
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The Food Research and Action Center has developed an
interactive data set
to analyze the extent of hunger and the use of nutrition programs to stem food insecurity on a state-by-state level. Data in these interactive tables include demographic patterns, participation in state food security programs and state economic security policies (including TANF and EITC).
Read Report
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Congressional Letter to USDA Regarding Proposed SNAP ABAWD Rule
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On March 28, 47 senators sent a bipartisan letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue urging him to withdraw the proposed SNAP ABAWD rule which would limit states ability to
exercise exemptions
SNAP recipients from the current time limits on benefits and work requirements
based on local and regional economic and labor considerations
. Currently, states can get a waiver from USDA to extend benefits past the 3-month limit every 3 years that an able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) is allowed to receive benefits
based on labor market surplus and local economic conditions
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In addition to concern for the estimated 1.1M individuals who will impacted and may lose access to nutrition supports, Congressional members express the following concerns:
- The proposed rule is contrary to Congressional intent, evidenced by the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-334)
- The rules, if enacted, will limit state and local agency flexibility to factor critical local and regional context in determining economic and labor market conditions in their communities that impact SNAP participants’ connection to available jobs, including structural barriers such as racial and geographic inequities, job type and non-standard schedules.
- The proposed rule will create an administrative burden on state agencies, requiring additional paperwork and oversight.
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The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published a report presenting state estimates of eligible persons who participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in an average month in FY 2016.
Read Report
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FNS Issues Memos on SNAP Farm Bill Changes
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FNS issued a memorandum describing SNAP provisions in the 2018 farm bill and their effecitve dates. It also issued memoranda clarifying earlier guidance on farm bill revisions to the homeless shelter deduction and describing employment and training provisions and their effective dates.
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The Department of Education (ED) is seeking public comment from state and local governments on innovative practices in adult education and literacy.
Learn More
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Administration Seeks to Invalidate Entire ACA
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Earlier this week, the President and the Justice Department announced a legal challenge seeking to invalidate the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The challenge is based on a December 2018 decision by the Northern District of Texas U.S. District Court which ruled the ACA unconstitutional. Numerous counter challenges are expected and the case is likely to end up in the Supreme Court in 2020.
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Medicaid Work Requirements
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Last week, CMS approved Ohio’s waiver to require individuals who are enrolled in Medicaid due to the Medicaid expansion to either work, go to school or get an exemption to continue receiving benefits. This news comes a week before a federal judge blocked the work requirements in two states—Arkansas and Kentucky—this Wednesday. Judge James Boasberg of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia threw out Kentucky’s work requirement for a second time and rejected a similar rule in Arkansas. Currently, the Administration has allowed eight states to impose Medicaid work requirements to be eligible for benefits. Seven more states are seeking waivers to impose similar requirements.
Read Rulings
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HHS Announces FY 2019 State Opioid Response Awards
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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded $484 million to states, with an additional $933 million to be provided later this year. 2019 SOR grants will total $1.4 billion.
Read Report
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) r
eleased new tools and guidance for monitoring and evaluating Medicaid Section 1115 demonstrations.
Read Press Release
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Judge Strikes Down Association Health Plans
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Late yesterday, a federal judge in Washington, D.C. ruled that the Administration’s efforts to expand access to Association Health Plans —plans that allow small businesses and those who are self-employed to join together and set up lower cost health insurance plans that do not meet the requirements of the ACA — is “clearly an end-run” around the current health law. The judge found that the Department of Labor unreasonably expanses the definition of employer to include businesses without any employees as well as joining groups with no common interest.
Read Ruling
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U.S. News & World Report Healthiest Communities
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On Wednesday, US News & World Report released its latest Healthiest Communities report. The report and analysis evaluated nearly 3,000 communities nationwide across 10 categories, from education and public health to infrastructure and economy, to assess which communities offer their citizens the greatest opportunity to live a productive, healthy life.
Read Report
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NACOs's Affordable Housing Toolkit
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In 2016, over ONE THIRD of all households were overburdened by housing costs. Fortunately, each county is uniquely equipped with its own set of tools to help residents find housing they can afford. Check out NACo’s Affordable Housing Toolkit for Counties for some examples of strategies. The report articulates the strides that counties are taking through regional collaborations.
Download Toolkit
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2019 County Health Rankings Key Findings Report - RWJF
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The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has issued a report on County Health Rankings. By ranking the health of nearly every county in the nation, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R) illustrates how where we live affects how well and how long we live.
Read Report
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Paid Family Leave: A discussion with Sen. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA)
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Join AEI for a discussion with Sen. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), who will outline his ideas and thoughts on a path forward to provide working-class Americans with paid family leave. After a moderated discussion with Sen. Cassidy, a panel of experts will analyze current paid family leave proposals at the state and federal level and discuss optimal frameworks for a possible federal plan.
Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | 9:00 - 10:30 AM ET
AEI, Auditorium, 1789 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
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Spring Webinar Series on Work Supports and Health
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This spring, P4A’s
Research Hub
at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research and the University of California, Berkeley, will host a series of three webinars on the impacts of work supports on health. The series will bring together researchers, advocates, and other stakeholders to discuss the evidence that work supports, such as paid family and medical leave, affect family health and well-being.
Work Supports for Reducing Maternal Mortality:
The Role of Paid Family and Medical Leave
Friday, March 29 | 3:00 - 4:00 PM EST
Work Supports to Improve Child Health
Friday, April 26 | 3:00 - 4:00 PM EST
Work Supports to Improve Adult Health
Friday, May 31 | 3:00 - 4:00 PM EST
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Outcomes-Based Financing: A Model For Next-Generation
Public-Private Partnerships
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The Massachusetts Pathways for Economic Advancement Project and Maycomb Capital have developed a cutting-edge model for public-private partnerships that enables federal, state and local governments to partner with high performing service providers and use private capital to expand social programs.
The key players from the Massachusetts/Maycomb Capital partnership and APHSA's Center for Economic and Employment Well-Being (CEEWB) will explain exactly how outcome-based financing works and how your agency can utilize public-private partnerships to improve the well-being of your communities. Co-presented by CEEWB & The Maycomb Capital Community Outcomes Fund.
Thursday, April 4 | 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST
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APHSA National HHS Summit
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APHSA is elevating critical policy discussions and providing an opportunity for collective conversations with the Administration and Congress for a shared path forward for a modern, responsive and effective human service system.
This year’s National Summit is designed to showcase transformation efforts underway across the nation focusing on:
- Operational Optimization
- Healthier Communities Through Prevention
- Policy and Practice Solutions for Family and Community Well-Being
- Equity
May 19-22 | Crystal Gateway Marriott | Alexandria, VA
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Housing Is Summit:
Building Partnerships Across Sectors
to Improve Life Outcomes
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Join practitioners, researchers, and policymakers from the affordable housing, education, and healthcare sectors for this engaging two-day event with The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA). Highlighting the ways we can transform systems to better serve low-income people, the Summit will offer two days of plenary speakers/panels, breakout sessions, and caucus discussions devoted to intersectional thinking and opportunities for action. W
ith keynote speaker David A. Williams of Opportunity Insights.
May 16 - May 17
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The Forgotten First Responders: Recruiting and Training
Child Protective Services
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Members of our child protective services (CPS) teams are charged with making one of the most difficult, sensitive, and life-altering decisions of any public official — determining whether a child is safe in his or her home. Join AEI for a distinguished panel of former and current CPS leaders and researchers to discuss how we can attract the right people to these positions and better prepare them for this important role.
April 8, 12:00 -1:30 PM EST
AEI Auditorium, 1789 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
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Northwest Regional Prosperity Summits
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Join Prosperity Now at these FREE full-day Summits where practitioners and advocates will learn and share the latest tools, resources and information on advancing financial well-being. The Summits are being designed in partnership
with teams of local practitioners to ensure they are relevant, valuable and helpful.
April 3, 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM MDT
Des Moines Central Public Library| Des Moines, IA
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April 23, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM MDT
Boise State University, Alumni & Friends Center | Boise, ID
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2019 State Healthcare IT Connect Summit
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If you weren't able to attend last week's 2019 State HIT Connect Summit please
register
at the State HIT Connect Media Portal to access on-demand HD Video and PPT (available to download) of all keynotes, breakouts, and workshops.
Access Conference Materials
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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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