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| Greetings NACHSA Members! |
Federal Update: The House and Senate returned last week from their holiday recess. Last night, congressional leaders announced an agreement on a federal fiscal year (FFY) 2014 omnibus spending bill to fund the federal government and programs through September 30, 2014. The House and Senate will likely consider the bill later this week and the president is expected to sign it. For HHS programs, the bill essentially maintains funding at current levels. The Social Services Block Grant is level-funded and the Community Services Block Grant is also funded at essentially current levels, despite the administration's proposal to cut funding in half. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program continues through September 30, 2014.
Farm bill conferees continue to struggle to complete a final agreement. Issues over milk price supports appear to be the last major hurdle. The final bill reportedly will contain a $9 billion over ten years cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by limiting the use of the state 'heat and eat' option. Fourteen states have used the administrative mechanism to increase benefits for some of their beneficiaries. Current federal policy allows states to make a nominal annual payment of one dollar in Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) benefits to certain SNAP recipients so that it triggers the standard utility allowance (SUA), resulting in an increase in benefits. The compromise bill will contain the House bill provision requiring that the LIHEAP benefit be at least $20 annually. The Senate bill contained only one SNAP cut -- a LIHEAP minimum benefit of $10 annually. The House bill contained another $30 billion in cuts over ten years which have been rejected.
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NACHSA News
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DUES: NACHSA 2014 Dues are due, please click here to access the invoice. This marks the 10th year that dues have been frozen. Thank you for your support!
NACHSA Awards Process Begins: NACHSA welcomes applications from dues-paying members for awards highlighting innovative county programs; exemplary human services directors, and elected officials demonstrating steadfast support of health and human services programs. Applications are due February 7 to Lindsay Webb (lw@wafed.com). Winners will be notified before NACo's Legislative Conference and awards will be presented at the Human Services and Education Committee meeting on Sunday, March 2. There is no fee for applying and winners need not be present. Click here for the 2014 Awards Applications.
NACHSA Resource Library Created: Given the volume of materials the e-Alerts disseminate over time, NACHSA has created a library which categorizes them into issues areas, including child welfare services, income assistance, health, food and nutrition and more. Click here to view the library.
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| Health Reform Resources |
ACA Coverage of Former Foster Youth: CMS recently circulated an FAQ on Medicaid and CHIP, including coverage under the ACA of former foster youth up to age 26, among other issues. This four page brief from First Focus summarizes what it covers and outstanding implementation issues.
State ACA Impacts: New reports for each of the fifty states from the Kaiser Family Foundation show how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) changes insurance coverage in each state. Click here to access your state report.
State-by-State Look at How the Uninsured Fare: A new interactive infographic from the Kaiser Family Foundation presents a comprehensive look at how the uninsured are expected to fare as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) takes full effect.
In prison you get health care. When you're released... As this American Public Media segment on Marketplace reports, "People in prison are sick. A recent report found the nation spends more than $6.5 billion every year on healthcare services for the men and women who are incarcerated. But right now, much of that care stops as prisoners are released. And many prison officials believe that's part of the reason why so many former inmates keep coming back. The Affordable Care Act could interrupt this cycle beginning in January as several hundred thousand former inmates become eligible for healthcare."
Webinar on State Approaches to Medicaid Expansion: This January 27 webinar from 1-2:30 pm ET will provide a closer look at the various ways states are expanding Medicaid to those who are newly eligible for the program. State panelists will discuss issues related to the expansion, including: education and outreach efforts for newly eligible individuals; provider capacity needs for new and current enrollees and, Implications and opportunities for delivery system reform. Click here to learn more and register.
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| Human Services Resources |
One in Three Americans Below Poverty at Some Point Between 2009-2011: "The "official" poverty rate was 15 percent in 2012. As a new report from the Census Bureau shows, a much, much larger subset of people slip in and out of poverty all the time. Between 2009 and 2012, 31% of the population fell below that official poverty line for at least two months. By contrast, only 3.5 percent of the U.S. remained poor for that entire period." Read a Washington Post story here.
Helping Youth Access Credit Reports: For a youth transitioning out of foster care, poor credit can add to the challenges of getting an apartment, a bank account, or a student loan and achieving financial stability. A new reference guide provides child welfare agency staff with detailed information on accessing credit reports for youth in care and helping resolve common credit report errors, as required by Federal mandate. The guide-developed by the Credit Builders Alliance and supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation-also presents tips on educating youth about the importance of building credit and protecting against identify theft. Links to other resources are at the end of the guide. In addition to the report, a set of three fliers is available for caseworkers and others to share with youth and young adults regarding credit issues.
Preventing Elder Financial Abuse: This guide provides information on common frauds, scams and other forms of elder financial exploitation and suggests steps that older persons and their caregivers can take to avoid being targeted or victimized. Click here for more information on FDIC's Money Smart for Older Adults curriculum.
Preventing Child Maltreatment Resource Guide: This HHS Resource Guide was written to support service providers in their efforts to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect. It includes information about protective factors that help reduce the risk of child maltreatment, strategies for changing how communities support families, and evidence-informed practices. It also offers suggestions for enhancing protective factors in families, tools to build awareness and develop community partnerships, information about child abuse and neglect, a directory of national organizations that work to strengthen families, and tip sheets in English and Spanish.
Parenting After Trauma: From the American Academy for Pediatrics, this guide for families explains how trauma can impact a child and provides tips for making them feel safe in their new home. Pediatricians can reproduce and provide this handout to foster and adoptive parents.
Welfare Databook Released: Last month, HHS published the Welfare Rules Databook: State TANF Policies as of July 2012. The Databook provides researchers and policymakers with substantial information on how the TANF program operates across the states.
SNAP Application Processing Timeliness: This link provides FY 2012 state-by-state rates for SNAP application processing times.
SNAP QC State Data: Payment accuracy is at an all time high, according to USDA's Annual SNAP Quality Control Report for FY 2012. This report also provides breakdowns on overpayments by state and by type of SNAP household.
Child Support and 529 Education Accounts: Kansas is promoting savings for postsecondary education by offering a unique 529 plan for noncustodial parents. 529 plans are investment accounts for postsecondary education expenses that may increase in value over time. Contributions to 529 plans may be deducted from income taxes. The Kansas Child Support Services department and Treasurer's Office have teamed up to offer another benefit for contributing to a 529 plan: reduction in child support arrears of double the amount deposited into a 529. Learn more.
NACo Webinar on Human Trafficking: Join your colleagues this Thursday from 2 pm - 3:15 pm ET for a NACo webinar on human trafficking. It occurs in counties large and small, rural and urban, but the signs of it are often missed due to lack of knowledge. Learn about the Department of Homeland Security's Blue Campaign, which educates communities on indicators of human trafficking, how to use a victim-centered approach to combat trafficking and how to bring together law enforcement, social service agencies and other organizations in your county to address this issue. Register here.
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Tom Joseph
National Association of County Human Services Administrators
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