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Greetings NACHSA Members: |
Sequester Report Released: This afternoon, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released its report to Congress on the effect of the across-the-board cuts should Congress and the administration fail to craft an alternative deficit reduction package. Each domestic program subject to sequester would be cut from 7.6% for mandatory programs not subject to the appropriations process (e.g., SSBG) to 8.2% for all other discretionary programs.
OMB also determined that the child support enforcement (CSE) program would NOT be subject to the cuts. (See page 72 of 224). CSE joins other entitlements such as Medicaid, SNAP, IV-E, TANF, and SSI as programs protected from the cuts which will occur on January 2, 2013 if no agreement is reached on an alternative.
While there is no agreement on a budget alternative, most Capitol Hill observers speculate that at the very least, a short-term budget fix would be adopted before years-end, given the devastating impact of the cuts to both domestic and defense programs.
House Extends Federal Funding into 2013: Yesterday, the House adopted a six-month extension of all federal funding through March 27, 2013. The Senate will follow suit next week, thus avoiding any chance of a government shutdown at the end of the federal fiscal year. The bill also contains a clean six month extension of TANF.
NACHSA Releases SSBG Report: Also this week, NACHSA and NACo participated in a congressional briefing on the Social Services Block Grant. Bob Suver, NACHSA Executive Committee member and Director of the Clark County, Ohio Department of Job & Family Services presented the findings of a NACo/NACHSA survey on county SSBG use. Over 60 individuals from congressional offices, HHS and advocacy organizations attended. Also presenting were representatives of the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Alliance for Children and Families and the New York City Human Resources Administration. |
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Health Reform Resources | |
Increasing Medicaid Access to Vulnerable Populations: This Health Affairs blog identifies some of the newly eligible populations who will be eligible for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. People who are homeless, those with serious and persistent mental illness; low-income veterans; and jail-involved individuals are among the often overlapping groups that will pose unique coverage challenges for states, counties and their care delivery partners.
Medicaid Eligibility Toolkit: The National Academy for State Health Policy's State Health Reform Assistance Network has posted a 2014 Medicaid Expansion Eligibility toolkit.
Maximizing Enrollment in Medicaid, CHIP and the Exchanges: Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this paper identifies a number of strategies to maximize enrollment in health insurance, including 'no wrong door' approaches to enrollment. It focuses on the various ways states can help customers connect to coverage and explores how current consumer assistance will change as new tools are deployed and technology transforms the enrollment process. Examples of current practices are included.
State Budget Impacts of Medicaid Expansion: This Urban Institute paper explores the potential state budgetary effects of the Medicaid expansion in four areas: state costs, state savings, state administration, and state revenue. Items are presented in a Q&A format in logical rather than priority order. In most states, certain items are likely to have particularly large fiscal effects, but major interstate differences will require each state to make its own assessment.
Health Exchange Development in States: The Affordable Care Act enables states to create health insurance exchanges to help their residents purchase coverage. Only 15 have done so. The rest risk having the federal government do the job for them. This infographic updates state exchange efforts.
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| Human Services Resources |
Education Needs of Foster Youth: This "back to school" issue of the National Council for Adoption's Adoption Advocate, looks at the many challenges to educational attainment faced by youth in foster care. Written by former foster youth Jetaine Hart, The Unique Educational Challenges Facing Youth in Foster Care shares information about her own work with students in Alameda County, Calif. and offers her expert recommendations on ways in which foster families, educators, mentors, and others involved in the lives of youth in care can support and help them achieve their educational goals.
Making Healthy Choices: A Guide on Psychotropic Medications for Foster Youth: It looks like a graphic novel, but its photo-heavy format and cartoon speech balloons is designed to appeal to youth. The Making Healthy Choices booklet walks the reader through the decisions that have to be made when mental health problems-short- or long-term-need to be addressed. The booklet discusses medication, but it also discusses alternatives to medication, and it includes vignettes that describe teens' mental health dilemmas. It includes worksheets and lists of questions that youth or their caregivers can ask doctors or other health-care professionals.
The booklet is also posted on the National Resource Center on Youth Development website, which offers a number of resources for youth in foster care.
Cane Toads and Public Managers: What relevance does the cane toad - a modern day conquistador - have for public executives? The cane toad was imported to Australia to conquer the cane beetles, which were destroying one of the country's major export crops: sugar cane. Instead, they ignored the beetles and started migrating. And, they are poisonous; thus they kill their natural predators. To control the beetles, Australia tried to do just one thing. Big Mistake. Read Bob Behn's one-page performance leadership report on why all public executives must remember Garrett Hardin's words: 'You can never do merely one thing'. |
| Webinars | |
The National Center on Family Homelessness is presenting a free training series for providers working with young homeless families. The webinars will help providers learn about the impact of trauma and homelessness on young mothers and children, and develop strategies for improving services. The series is based on findings from the Strengthening At Risk and Homeless Young Mothers and Children Initiative. The goals of the Initiative were to improve the housing, health, and developmental outcomes of homeless young mothers and their children at four sites across the country. The next three webinars are below:
September 19, 2012 - Findings from the Strengthening At Risk Young Mothers and Children Experiencing Homelessness Initiative
2-3 PM ET
Learn more and register today.
September 26, 2012 - Making Systems Work for Young Homeless Families - Building Collaborations and Effective Policies
2-3 PM ET
Learn more and register today.
October 3, 2012 - Guidelines for Working with Young Homeless Families
2-3 PM ET
Learn more and register today. |
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Tom Joseph
National Association of County Human Services Administrators
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