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Greetings NACHSA Members! |
The House and Senate will re-convene next week after President Obama's Inauguration. They face a number of key budget deadlines in the next 60 days, including raising the debt limit by mid-February, addressing the across-the-board cut trigger of 8.2% on March 1, and continuing federal fiscal year 2013 funding after March 27.
NACHSA Dues Are Due! NACHSA 2013 dues are due. This is the ninth consecutive year that NACHSA's dues have been frozen. Click here to access the dues letter highlighting NACHSA's efforts in 2012 and the form itself.
Conference Stipends Available: NACHSA is pleased to announce that it is offering a limited number of $500 stipends to county directors or their designee to help defray the costs of attending the upcoming National Association of Counties' Legislative Conference, to be held March 2-6, 2013 at the Washington Hilton. Contact Tom Joseph at tj@wafed.com to receive a brief application form. For more information about the NACo conference, click here. |
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| Health Reform Implementation Resources | |
ACA Implementation Issues: George Washington University and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's HealthReformGPS have prepare an eight page brief containing summary paragraphs of 16 ACA Policy Implementation Issues. It highlights major implementation matters that the Administration has recently released or is expected to address in policy or program implementation in the coming weeks and months as the 2014 full implementation date approaches.
State Guidance Issued on Calculating Income for ACA: In late December, HHS issued guidance to states to assist them in their efforts to convert current net income eligibility thresholds to modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) thresholds for Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The guidance provides information about the conversion methodology and process as well as timeframes for the conversions. The letter to states on MAGI conversion may be viewed here.
Proposed Rule Announced on Medicaid & Exchanges: This week, HHS released a proposed rule concerning ACA provisions related to Medicaid and the exchanges. The rule aims to streamline eligibility rules and outlines options for states to coordinate consumer eligibility notifications and appeals for Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program and the exchanges. HHS has posted a three-page fact sheet on the proposal.
Medicaid Eligibility and ACA Implementation: This Kaiser Family Foundation brief summarizes the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) final rule to implement the ACA provisions relating to Medicaid eligibility, enrollment simplification and coordination. Effective Jan. 1, 2014, the rule lays out procedures for states to implement the Medicaid expansion and the streamlined and integrated eligibility and enrollment system created under the ACA.
HealthCare.gov Website Updated: This week, HHS re-launched its HealthCare.gov website in preparation for October 1, 2013, when open enrollment begins for the health insurance exchanges.
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| Human Services Resources | |
Children's Mental Health: Concerns Remain about Appropriate Services for Children in Medicaid & Foster Care: This recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report examines the use of psychotropic medications and other mental health services for children in Medicaid, information on the use of psychotropic medications and other mental health services for children in foster care. HHS reported that 18 % of foster children were taking psychotropic medications at the time they were surveyed, although utilization varied widely by the child's living arrangement. HHS also reported that 30 percent of foster children who may have needed mental health services did not receive them in the previous 12 months. HHS agencies are taking steps to promote appropriate mental health treatments for foster children, such as by sending information to states on psychotropic medication oversight practices. A one-page summary may be read here.
GAO Report on States' TANF Use: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, examining how states are using TANF to provide many non-cash assistance services. GAO reviewed expenditure information and talked with HHS officials, TANF experts and officials in the 10 states that account for half of the nations' spending on TANF. Some key members of Congress are increasingly concerned that TANF has evolved into a fund to primarily supplement other federal social services programs, including child welfare. A map of the states on page 10 of the report demonstrates the wide variation among TANF programs.
HHS Identifies Effective Home Visiting Programs: HHS's Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness project identifies home visiting programs that are shown to be effective through rigorous research. Promising Practices Network (PPN) recently added five home visiting programs which meet PPN's evidence criteria, to the Programs that Work section under Other Reviewed Programs: Child FIRST, Early Intervention Program for Adolescent Mothers (EIP), Family Check-Up, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY), and Resources, Education, and Care in the Home (REACH).
SNAP State Fact Sheets Available: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps over 47 million low-income families put food on the table. As new state fact sheets from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities demonstrate, SNAP plays a crucial role in every state. Nationally, almost 72 percent of SNAP participants live in households with children; in some states, like California and Texas, this figure is over 80 percent. In most states, SNAP benefits are less than $1.50 per person per meal. Additionally, this link from the Food Research and Action Center provides additional state data on SNAP participation, including the percentage of residents receiving benefits.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Resources: EITC Awareness Day is on January 25. Four out of five individuals that file a Federal tax return receive the EITC they earned, while millions of potentially eligible individuals continue to miss out on the opportunity to boost their income by not claiming it. Click here to access a number of outreach materials prepared by the IRS. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities prepared this paper last year noting that 27 million working adults with low and moderate incomes, most of whom are raising children, received the EITC in 2009 to reduce their taxes and supplement their earnings. Studies have found that the EITC encourages work, reduces poverty, helps families meet basic needs, and improves children's achievement in school and likely increases their earnings as adults.
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| Grant Opportunity | |
Medicaid/CHIP Outreach Grants Available: HHS has announced that $32 million is available for grants to states, local governments, community-based and non-profit organizations for outreach and enrollment in Medicaid/CHIP. The two-year grants will range from $250,000 to $1 million for a two-year period. This CMS memo provides the key details. |
| Webinars |
The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse: Slated for January 24, from 12:30 pm - 2 pm ET, this Webinar will provide an overview of the NRFC and the available resources and supports that the clearinghouse offers to fathers, families, and the fatherhood field. In 2013, the NRFC will provide new resource materials and supports for agencies working with families. The NRFC is funded by HHS. Click here to learn more.
Engaging TANF Participants in Tax Filing Assistance: On January 30, from 1pm - 2:30 pm ET, HHS will offer a Webinar highlighting the Internal Revenue Service's two new free tax preparation models; a discussion of a model integrating tax education and free tax preparation with strategies to increase income and build savings for targeted taxpayers; and, speakers from local programs will describe how to improve outreach and engagement to TANF recipients and other low-income individuals. Register here. The Self-Sufficiency Research Clearinghouse has a number of EITC resources on this website. |
| Human Services Jobs |
San Bernardino County, Calif. is recruiting for a Deputy Director in their Child Support Services Department.
The County of Santa Clara, Calif. is seeking a Director of Employment and Benefit Services.
The City and County of San Francisco has an opening for their Deputy Director of Family and Children's Services.
NACHSA members may post senior job openings free of charge. Contact Tom Joseph at tj@wafed.com for more information. |
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Tom Joseph
National Association of County Human Services Administrators
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