Congress Averts Government Shutdown 

Less than two weeks ago, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) that will keep the government funded through Dec. 3, with level funding. The bill also extended the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and the temporary increase in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). It also included a $6.3 billion special investment to help resettle Afghan refugees that were evacuated during the U.S. withdrawal as well as $29 billion in aid to communities who were impacted by Hurricane Ida. 

Source: APHSA

COVID-19 Chafee Expanded Benefits Expired on Sept. 30

As the pandemic continues, young people with experience in foster care still face significant challenges in meeting basic needs and accessing funds and services. The Supporting Foster Youth & Families through the Pandemic Act (Division X of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021) has brought critical aid to young people. However, because of delays in implementation, many young people are still awaiting relief. Despite these needs, many provisions of the law expired Sept. 30, 2021, cutting off services for young people.

Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth co-chairs Reps. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.), and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) have introduced a bipartisan bill, H.R. 5167, to extend emergency protections for youth. The bill would ensure that vital supports are continued by:

Below are some additional #ReUpChafee resources from the Transition Aged Youth Federal Coalition: 

Source: Child Welfare and Mental Health Coalition

HUD Announces Grants Awards to End Youth Homelessness

Marcia Fudge, secretary of Housing and Urban Development, announced that 13 local communities, including 11 rural communities, will receive $142 million from HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program. These dollars will help local organizations deliver services, such as rapid rehousing, permanent housing, and transitional housing, to youth across the nation. As part of the application process, HUD partnered with individuals with lived experience to assess the approximately 100 applications, ensuring that grant recipients understood the concrete challenges facing young people in their care. The grants require that communities develop a comprehensive plan through a partnership of youth advisory boards, child welfare agencies, and community-based organizations. Moreover, awarded communities will conduct program evaluations to inform future work around ending youth homelessness.

USDA Prepares for Restoration of SNAP Time Limits for Some Recipients

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), sent a policy memo to state agencies in preparation for the end of the Public Health Emergency period. As part of the Family First Coronavirus Response Act passed at the beginning of the pandemic, work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) were suspended. As the memo states, a month after the Public Health Emergency is lifted by the secretary of Health and Human Services, SNAP policy for adults aged 18-49, who do not have dependents and are not pregnant, will return to pre-COVID-19 conditions. This population will not be able to receive SNAP benefits for more than three months within a three-year period unless they meet work requirements. The memo also notes that states can request waivers of the time limit, which can be granted on a case-by-case basis depending on local unemployment and job availability rates.

Children’s Bureau Letter to Child Welfare Leaders on Housing

In preparation for the expiration of the eviction moratorium, Aysha Schomburg, associate commissioner of the Children’s Bureau, released a Dear Colleague Letter to child welfare leaders and prevention partners. The letter outlined key resources for community-based organizations and public agencies as they meet the challenge of evictions and housing insecurity. Schomburg cited the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which helps landlords and renters with billions of dollars for qualifying households; 70,000 new Emergency Housing Vouchers, which can be given to families experiencing housing insecurity; and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps with electric and gas bills. She also mentioned specific programs available through the Children’s Bureau that can be used to address housing needs, including the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood, the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program and the Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Program. Schomburg urges local organizations to be proactive in connecting families to these resources, assist with documentation and eligibility determinations, attend eviction-related court hearings, and mediate with landlords.

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The federal fiscal year ends Sept. 30, and members of Congress have yet to come to an agreement on a continuing resolution to keep the government funded through the end of the calendar year. The major challenge is the need to raise the debt ceiling so that the U.S. does not default on its debt obligations. However, there are partisan disagreements and negotiations have not been productive thus far, leading some policy experts to believe that there could be a government shutdown on Oct. 1. Typically, for a short government shutdown (less than a week) there is no major impact to the sector. However, if it extends beyond that, it can have serious repercussions for government contracts and benefits like SNAP. Alliance-COA is continuing to monitor the situation and will keep the network apprised. We remain hopeful that Congress will reach an agreement. 

Additionally, the House is also expected to vote by Sep. 27 on a bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that passed in the Senate in August. While it has strong support, the bill is caught up in broader negotiations around the reconciliation bill.

Biden Administration’s New Vaccination Mandates

Several weeks ago, President Biden announced a new six-point plan to combat COVID-19, which mandates companies of 100 or more staff to require vaccinations and testing for all employees. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is tasked with issuing guidance. The National Council of Nonprofits is collecting questions from organizations for OSHA to answer. Email your questions to the National Council of Nonprofits, which will submit them as soon as it is possible.

In addition, employees working in health care facilities that receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement will also be required to be vaccinated. This is expected to impact 7 million workers at 50,000 health care providers. According to research, as of late July, 27% of the country’s health care workforce was still unvaccinated. Biden also announced new methods to make at-home rapid tests more accessible and ensure Medicaid will cover those tests for free. He also announced that the federal government will expand a free testing program to 10,000 pharmacies. His plan also called on schools to set up regular testing. The executive order will also require that 30,000 Head Start teachers be required to get vaccinated and called on governors to require vaccinations for teachers and school staff.

Mark Up Begins on Build Back Better Act

Earlier in September, key committees of jurisdiction in the House of Representatives marked up their sections of the Build Back Better Act, which aligns with President Biden’s American Jobs and Families Plans. The $3.5 trillion package would include a wide array of investments aimed at recovery. 

The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees health programs like the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid, proposed a series of investments. These included addressing the Medicaid coverage gap; expanding access by strengthening the Affordable Care Act; and expanding Medicare to cover hearing, dental, and vision benefits. The bill also includes some provisions from the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, a bill endorsed by Alliance-COA, that addresses maternal mortality, health disparities, and maternal health equity.

The House Ways and Means Committee proposed an expansion of the Child Tax Credit and making the earned income and child and dependent tax credits permanent (from the American Rescue Plan). Its proposal would also include 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave, accessible to all U.S. workers. It also includes investments to improve child care access and equity.

The House Education and Labor Committee released its $761 billion bill for education and workforce development programs at the beginning of the month, which includes $450 billion for affordable child care and universal pre-K. Under the plan, no family would pay more than 7% of its income on child care and all three- and four-year-old children would have access to pre-K. The bill would also provide two years of tuition-free community college and increase the value of Pell Grants, which low-income students rely on to afford college. 

The House of Representatives is now packaging together various parts of the bill into one larger package, for consideration next week. The Senate will be the biggest challenge, as all Democrats need to be on board for the bill to pass. Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Kristen Sinema (D-Ariz.) have reservations about the price tag.

Progress on American Rescue Plan Act Fund Spending at Local Level

Almost all of the American Rescue Plan Act state and local funds (about $240 billion) have been distributed to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments. Localities have so far been most active in allocating their funds. 

There are some exciting investments in human and social services. Los Angeles County’s phase one plan for $975 million in funds has been approved. The three pillars of the plan are equity-focused investments, building a bridge to equitable recovery, and fiscal stability and social safety net. It plans to direct almost $300 million in direct community investments and partnerships with community-based organizations, and more than $89 million to expand systems of care and reduce reliance on incarceration, support justice-focused community organizations, and create jobs for justice-involved individuals. They also plan to address trauma and violence in communities.

In Indianapolis/Marion County, Indiana, the mayor introduced a $419 million budget for American Rescue Plan funds that included $150 million for anti-violence efforts, crime prevention, and community organization grants. Snohomish County, Washington, is proposing to use its first $80 million in American Rescue Plan funds to meet immediate needs in the community, while its other $80 million would be used for long-term strategic goals. This will include nearly $30 million in community supports like senior services, enhanced early learning, child care for essential workers, food security, behavioral health, housing stability, and workforce development. They have involved community organizations in the planning process.

Additionally, city officials in Delaware, Colorado, Maryland, and North Carolina have all included nonprofits in their allocations of American Rescue Plan funds. Denver created a Nonprofit Emergency Relief Fund last year and extended the program. In Baltimore, the mayor announced nonprofits can apply for grants focused on community-based violence reduction, recovery, and equity. Wilmington, Delaware, is setting aside $700,000 for grants to nonprofits. In Asheville, North Carolina, officials plan to distribute over $7 million to support affordable housing, care for aging residents, community communication, domestic violence prevention, food systems, and more. In New Hampshire, the County of Cheshire plans to assist nonprofits impacted by COVID-19 with $1,000-$20,000 grants. Camden County, New Jersey, plans to approve $8 million in grants for nonprofits serving vulnerable populations and providing pandemic-related services. Franklin County, Ohio, is also allocating dollars for grants to nonprofits serving low-income households.

Sources: National Council of Nonprofits and National Association of Counties

ASPE Releases New Brief on Foster Care Entry Rates

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation recently released a new brief that focuses on foster care entry rates. The study, which was conducted from 2011-2018, found that the number of infants entering foster care increased by about 24%, reaching nearly 50,000 in 2018. This increase was nearly 13 times as much as the 1.8% increase for placements in other age groups. Over half of counties saw infant foster care entries increase.

Source: Child Welfare and Mental Health Coalition

Nonprofit Job Growth Slows

According to a recent report by the Center for Civil Society Studies at Johns Hopkins University, nonprofit job growth slowed in August, reflecting a larger national slowdown in job growth because of the Delta variant. Most of the restored jobs (about 28,000) occurred at educational institutions in preparation for the new school year. Religious and arts organizations saw modest gains. Health care organizations showed a small decline in jobs. The sector has still not recovered from the pandemic, with nearly 565,000 jobs lost since February 2020.

Source: National Council of Nonprofits

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Committees in the House and Senate have begun to release their individual draft bills that, together, will constitute the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill under consideration in Congress. In the Senate, the Finance Committee has floated several tax proposals that will raise revenue to fund the bill, including an excise tax on stock buybacks, a carbon tax, a higher corporate tax rate, and a levy on executive compensation. 

The House Education and Labor Committee released its $761 billion bill for education and workforce development programs, which includes $450 billion for affordable child care and universal pre-K. Under the plan, no family would pay more than 7% of its income on child care and all three- and four-year-old children would have access to pre-K. The bill would also provide two years of tuition-free community college and increase the value of Pell Grants, which low-income students rely on to afford college. The House Ways and Means Committee also released details on its proposal. As of now, its bill would include 12 weeks of universal paid family and medical leave, and it would add a vision benefit, hearing coverage, and dental benefits to Medicare, in 2022, 2023 and 2028, respectively. 

Though the House is advancing pieces of this legislative package, with votes expected in late September, it still has hurdles to overcome in the Senate. In the Senate, all 50 Democrats must vote for the bill to secure passage. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has balked at the size of the $3.5 trillion package, citing inflation and debt concerns. Privately, he has suggested a $1.5 trillion bill. Over the past month, leaders of the respective committees in the Senate have been in constant contact with Manchin to address his concerns. He has expressed concerns over the size of the child tax credit and proposed adding an income cap to the pre-K provisions and conditioning community college aid on student performance. Hailing from a coal state, he is sternly against many of the proposed climate provisions. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has vowed to bring the Democratic caucus together to pass a significant bill, but long-simmering tensions in the Democratic party are beginning to boil and it is unclear at this point how it will all play out. Alliance-COA is monitoring the negotiations and will continue to provide updates.

Additionally, last Thursday, President Biden announced new vaccine requirements to help stop the spread of COVID-19. These new executive orders mandate vaccines for all federal workers and contractors. In addition, employees working in health care facilities that receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement will also be required to be vaccinated. This is expected to impact 7 million workers at 50,000 health care providers. According to research, as of late July, 27% of the country’s health care workforce was still unvaccinated. He also announced new methods to make at-home rapid tests more accessible, to ensure Medicaid will cover at-home tests for free, and that the federal government will expand a free testing program to 10,000 pharmacies. His plan also called on schools to set up regular testing. The executive order will also require that 30,000 Head Start teachers be required to get vaccinated and called on governors to require vaccinations for teachers and school staff.

Family First Prevention Services Clearinghouse Updates

New ratings have recently been released for the Family First Prevention Services Clearinghouse: 

Jobless Aid Cliff Arrives with No State Help

The federal pandemic unemployment insurance program expired on Labor Day, and states are not planning to use federal relief dollars to extend them. When the program expired, 7.5 million Americans were still enrolled. An additional 2.6 million were receiving a combination of the $300 weekly supplement plus traditional state-run unemployment insurance. These programs, which began in March 2020, have paid out more than $700 billion in benefits. States across the political spectrum have urged people to get ready for the end of federal benefits by seeking employment or applying for other public assistance.

However, initial claims from newly unemployed people fell to their lowest level of the pandemic, according to recent U.S. Department of Labor statistics. At least 26 states, primarily led by Republican governors, decided to end some or all federal benefits a few weeks early, aiming to nudge people back to work. Early numbers suggest these decisions didn’t yield any faster job gains in those states compared to others.

Source: Bloomberg Government

Congress Proposes Conference on Hunger and Nutrition

On Sept. 1 the Rules Committee, chaired by James McGovern (D-Mass.), held its seventh roundtable event on hunger, called “Ending Hunger in America: Food as Medicine.” The event focused on food insecurity in the U.S. and highlighted research that shows food as a key ingredient for decreasing hospital admissions, cutting prescription drug costs, and improving well-being, among other things. This roundtable follows the one last month called “Ending Hunger in America: Hunger Across the Territories.” On the same day, McGovern, along with all 25 committee chairs in the House, sent a letter to President Biden asking him to put together a national conference on food, nutrition, hunger, and health. The conference would convene leaders from the government, nonprofit, and for-profit sectors and propose holistic solutions that would end hunger by 2030. The last hunger conference took place 52 years ago and sparked the creation of America’s anti-hunger safety net.

Administration Announces New Actions on Housing Affordability

On Sept. 1, the Biden administration announced new concrete steps to combat the affordable housing crisis. It plans to accomplish this by boosting the supply of affordable rental units and increasing homeownership through numerous approaches. For instance, raising the investment cap on the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, the largest federal program for the construction of rental housing, to $1.7 billion from $1 billion, will attract more financing for housing construction across the country. The administration also plans to increase the size of the grant program for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and nonprofit housing organizations. Moreover, the administration says it will consider offering a higher percentage (50% instead of 10%) of distressed HUD properties to nonprofits, which rehabilitate the houses and sell them at affordable prices. Finally, the federal government will partner with state and local governments to reduce exclusionary zoning, which depresses the supply of affordable housing. These approaches, among others, will help families rent affordable units and purchase their first homes. Before the pandemic, 11 million families spent more than half of their income on rent.

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August marks National Immunization Awareness Month and is also the time of year many parents are buying school supplies, scheduling routine sports physicals, and ensuring their children have required vaccinations. Most of the country’s K-12 schools, after-school programs, and colleges are preparing to reopen and return to in-person instruction after more than a year of operating virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, parents of children over the age of 12 have a new task at hand—deciding whether to have their children receive the COVID-19 vaccine and then scheduling those appointments. Yet, many parents, educators, and health care providers continue to have questions about COVID-19 vaccine guidelines for children ages 12 and older. 

In this on-demand webinar hosted by Morehouse School of Medicine’s National COVID-19 Resiliency Network, hear leading pediatricians and researchers answer questions from the community, discuss the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, and explain strategies underway to ensure equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

The webinar speakers include:

During the webinar, they discuss: 

Listen to this episode of the podcast More than Health Care: Nonprofits and Health Care Working Together featuring Dr. Dominic Mack of MSM. Learn more about NCRN and the power that partnerships have in the fight for health equity amid the pandemic. 

Additional Resources

While many organizations are looking to start or bolster efforts to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), it can be difficult to know where to start. Simply mandating or promoting EDI in the workplace is not enough. To realize the benefits, organizations must treat EDI as any other critical resource and commit to building the right infrastructure to support it.

Organizations are likely to be most successful by creating a multi-year plan to guide their efforts. Advancing equity is a journey, both for people and for organizations.

Progress is made over time and with intentional effort. Having a plan clarifies goals, outlines needed resources, and creates accountability. Consider these tips as you start a new EDI initiative or explore opportunities to improve upon current efforts.

Support Staff with Virtual Workshop

Allocating resources, including staff time, is key for reaching your EDI goals. Staff will need to rethink and adapt their current practices, approaches, and policies. In addition, those who serve on the EDI taskforce or committee will be doing so in addition to their regular job responsibilities. 

Make sure staff working to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion have the necessary tools, guidance, and dedicated time to be successful. The Alliance-COA’s Advancing EDI for A More Perfect Union virtual workshop  offers valuable information, facilitated discussions, reflection opportunities, and focused worktime to begin developing an organizational action plan.

edgard martinez

What People are Saying

Edgard Martinez (pictured right), Community Schools – Team Leader and EDI Committee Chair at Children & Families First in Wilmington, Delaware, and his colleagues participated in the June session of the Advancing EDI for A More Perfect Union virtual workshop.

“Attending the Advancing EDI for a More Perfect Union workshop along with several members of our organization’s EDI Committee was a perfect selection for us. We received excellent guidance and tools that allowed us to assess and advance our individual and organization-level EDI journeys, as well as infusing every aspect of our organization with proven EDI practices. Excellent training, expert-level instructors, highly-recommended!”

Molly Greenman

Molly Greenman (pictured left), president and CEO of The Family Partnership in Minneapolis, Minnesota, reflected on her time at the June session and how it compared to other EDI trainings she’s done in the past.

“This workshop was inspiring, challenging, and practical. I have done a lot of anti-racism trainings over the years and this was one of the most comprehensive. Importantly, it focused on what I need to do in our organization as a leader and what I can do personally in my community.”

View full event details and register online to participate.

Episode 39 of the podcast More than Health Care: Nonprofits and Health Care Working Together is now available on the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities’ website and on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. Once a month, a new episode uncovers keys to collaboration and holistic health in pursuit of improved health outcomes and lower costs for all.

Camden Coalition is grounded in what is known as, “Perspective Taking.” In other words, they consider a variety of different perspectives on issues in order to provide, adopt, and achieve a better outcome for individuals. 

Victor Murray, director of field building and resources at Camden Coalition explained further, “Our goal is to include as many perspectives as possible—whether that’s a local health department, a health system, community-based organizations, [or] primary care—whomever these institutions or organizations might be that can help us to better understand the population that we’re serving and resources that we need.”

It’s through the power of community partnerships that Camden Coalition started connecting the dots on a micro-patient level, creating a narrative around each patient. By implementing its “Big Tent” approach, it is better equipped to apply a holistic health method and help community members navigate systems and receive better services.

In addition, by knowing the strengths of their community partners, they have been able to leverage those strengths during COVID-19 to better deliver pressing services. One example was through their ”quarantine hotels,” where community members without housing could come and properly quarantine, receive critical care, and get assistance with making connections to family, friends, or other needed services.

Carter Wilson, associate director for the National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs, an initiative of the Camden Coalition, talked through how health systems are a key partnership moving forward from COVID-19, “I think COVID helped clarify for health systems that their work needs to go beyond the traditional health care delivery system. I think that’s clear. But what isn’t clear is how health systems will respond, in part, that health systems have had a hard year. I’m worried that a lot of these institutions will choose to go fast, and to go fast you go alone.”

Wilson goes on to say that as these health systems race forward, he hopes they do so with the perspectives and the partnership of community to create the necessary impact. Because this is often easier said than done, Murray and Wilson close out the episode outlining the investments they see as critical to provide proper complex care to community members, both locally and nationally.

Listen to Victor Murray and Carter Wilson as they explain how shifting to a collaborative infrastructure approach will better impact individuals with complex needs in Episode 39 of the More than Health Care Podcast available through the Alliance website or subscribe on the Apple Podcast, Google Play, or Spotify apps.

About the Podcast

While many are realizing that collaboration and holistic approaches are the solution, the health care and human services sectors are struggling to find the right formula to realize the full potential. The More than Health Care podcast is designed to help organizations overcome barriers to partnerships resulting from cultural differences, financial pressures, and rules and regulations.

In addition to showcasing inspiring examples of integration from across the country, featured experts will expose the myths, misconceptions, and shortcomings of efforts to address the social determinants of health through collaboration across sectors.

This podcast is presented by the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities-Council on Accreditation, Beech Acres Parenting Center, and KVC Health Systems. Host Jill Huynh, vice president of new business development at Beech Acres, and producer Erin Keltner, vice president of clinical services for KVC West Virginia, work at the intersection of health and human services, bringing the expertise and practical experience to uncover key takeaways for improving health care and human services integration.

Subscribe on  Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify.  
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Learn more about the Alliance’s efforts to improve population health and well-being. 

The National Council of Nonprofits (NCN), one of our coalition partners, recently released the special report, Strengthening State and Local Economies in Partnership with Nonprofits: Principles, Recommendations, and Models for Investing Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. In the American Rescue Plan passed in March, Congress allocated $350 billion to states, localities, tribes, and territories to help communities recover from the pandemic, and expressly stated that nonprofits should be partners with government entities and recipients of these funds. In the report, NCN presents guiding principles for governments in identifying the best use of these dollars with nonprofit partners. In particular, the report states, governments should prioritize equity, invest in economic multipliers like nonprofits, work quickly to distribute funds, and encourage accountability and transparency. The report also outlines existing state plans and programs that engage nonprofits in the use of state and local funds.

We encourage you to join us in advocating for nonprofit relief funding for your organization and community. View and customize this sample letter and send it to your governor and state legislators urging them to prioritize nonprofits in the distribution of American Rescue Plan funds.

Biden’s Team Takes on Balancing Act with Congress on Infrastructure 

With President Joe Biden having reached a tentative deal on physical infrastructure with a bipartisan group of senators last month, the race is on to work out the minute details of the $1.2 trillion bill. Staffers are still waiting on a revenue estimate from the Congressional Budget Office and some conservative groups are voicing objections to the IRS enforcement aspects of the bill. Meanwhile, a larger, separate human capital bill, which includes provisions on child care, health care, education, and climate change, is gaining steam in the Senate. Democrats hope to pass that bill through a budgetary maneuver called reconciliation, which allows them to circumvent the filibuster and pass a bill with 50, rather than 60, votes.

The initial negotiations among democrats focus on the top line number. Though Biden has expressed interest in a bill that runs up to $4.5 trillion financed by increased taxes on corporations and the wealthy, his team will have work to build consensus, since Democrats cannot afford to lose a single member of their 50-member caucus in the Senate to pass a bill through reconciliation. Senate Budget Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is pushing for a $6 trillion bill that encompasses many of Biden’s policies but also allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices, among other things. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), the most moderate democrat in the Senate, has announced he will not go above $2 trillion; he also opposes Biden’s plan to raise corporate taxes from 21% to 28%, opting for 25% instead.

The timing and sequencing of the bills also present massive challenges. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) says that he wants both the bipartisan and reconciliation bills to be considered simultaneously before the August recess, which leaves little time for differences to be worked out. Multiple committees in the House and Senate must provide input into both bills before they can be moved to the floor. Moreover, Republicans who signed onto the bipartisan bill are unhappy that Democrats are insisting both bills move through the process on parallel tracks. They are pushing to pass the bipartisan bill as soon as possible, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is pressuring moderate democrats to abandon the reconciliation bill altogether.

Last week, President Biden visited Traverse City, Michigan; La Crosse, Wisconsin; and Crystal Lake, Illinois, to tout both bills.

Sources: New York Times, The Hill, POLITICO, CBS, ABC

Charitable Giving Policy Updates

In recent weeks, new reports on charitable giving trends during the pandemic have been released. At the beginning of the pandemic, nonprofit sustainability was a concern. However, the sector was able to turn the corner and stay afloat due to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other relief supports. According to a new report from the Center of Effective Philanthropy, the PPP played a big role in buoying the budgets of many nonprofits last year.

In June, Giving USA released its annual report on charitable giving, which includes information on giving by corporations, foundations, individuals, and bequests. According to that report, charitable giving hit a record high of $471.44 billion in 2020. However, when adjusted for inflation, giving by individuals only increased by one percent. It also is important to note that these numbers were further inflated by large gifts by MacKenzie Scott in July and December of last year. Corporate giving, on the other hand, dropped by 7.3% in 2020. The change in overall giving varied among different segments of the sector. For example, donations to religious nonprofits were flat, donations to health organizations dropped by 4.2%, and donations to the arts dropped by 8.6%. 

The Charitable Giving Coalition, of which Alliance-COA is a member, issued a statement commenting, “While we’re encouraged by the initial increase in giving in 2020, the sector is still not out of the woods.” It also observed, “Nonprofit employment remains down from 2019 levels, with 800,000 fewer jobs now than before the pandemic.”

Source: National Council of Nonprofits

RISE from Trauma Act Reintroduced

Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) have reintroduced the RISE from Trauma Act (S. 2086). The bill would expand the trauma-informed workforce in schools, health care settings, social services, first responders, and the juvenile justice system and increase resources for communities to address the impact of trauma. The first part of the bill, focused on community programming, would authorize grants of up to $6 million to local coordinating bodies to address community trauma, prevention, and resilience, and must include representatives from mental health, human services, child welfare, health care, education, workforce, and more. This program would be authorized at $600 million per year. It would also expand the performance partnership pilot program for children who have experienced or are at risk for trauma. It addresses hospital-based interventions to reduce readmissions and promotes training certification guidelines for key community leads. The second part of the bill focuses on workforce issues. It emphasizes training and recruiting individuals with lived experience, funds the National Health Service Corps, funds Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Clinical Leadership Program, provides trauma-informed teaching and school leadership tools for front-line providers, funds the Children Exposed to Violence and Addiction Initiative, and establishes a law enforcement child and youth trauma coordinating center. Alliance-COA has endorsed this legislation for the second time.

Bill Increasing SNAP Benefits Introduced in Congress

On June 23, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.) introduced the Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2021 in the Senate and House, respectively. The bill aims to address the rising cost of food and the escalating number of Americans who face food insecurity. In particular, the bill would raise the baseline benefit amount of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by calculating benefits based off the Low-Cost Food Plan, rather than the Thrifty Food Plan. The bill would also eliminate time limits for all Americans and strengthen access to needed benefits for individuals and families that face high medical costs and costs of living. The bill is projected to increase SNAP benefits by $80 per month for single parents of one child and by $150 per month for families of four. 

Transparency around Federal Spending on Children the Focus of Two New Bills

On June 23, Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) introduced the Focus on Children Act and the Children’s Budget Act, which would require the Office of Management and Budget and the Congressional Budget Office to produce parallel reports on proposed and actual federal investments in children on a yearly basis. In addition, the Focus on Children Act would create a public website that illustrates federal spending on children’s programs, and the Children’s Budget Act would provide a more detailed breakdown of children’s spending by agency and initiative. Provisions in these bills would provide much-needed transparency on federal spending on children, a topic that has not been tracked by the federal government. According to First Focus, the total share of federal spending on children declined by 8.6% from 2016 to 2020. Meanwhile, almost one in seven children live in poverty.

Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund Dispersed to States

The Administration for Children and Families has allocated $994.5 million to states, the District of Columbia, tribes, and territories through the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF). Part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which passed in March, PEAF dollars will complement already existing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds. Unlike TANF, PEAF will provide cash and other benefits for immediate and acute hardship episodes that last no longer than four months. Potential uses include emergency housing and food aid, utility assistance, clothing allowance, and funds for back-to-school expenses. These short-term, non-recurrent benefits will help families meet immediate needs and recover from the pandemic.

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NP Coalition Letter Logos

Due to the racial disparities that have come to light because of the COVID-19 pandemic and racial justice protests, the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities and other major organizations across the country have crafted and signed a Nonprofit Racial Justice Statement. These 47 organizations have come together to lay out principles and values to guide individual and collective efforts to advance equity and justice across our country. 

Read the full statement for more details.

For more opportunities to take action and voice sector concerns, visit the Alliance’s Policy Action Center. 

Statement of Guiding Principles to Advance Racial Equity and Justice

As leaders who are committed to equity and justice, as mission-focused organizations who are stewards of the public trust, and as a nonprofit sector with far-reaching impact on the national economy, the undersigned are committed to advancing racial justice and equity in all areas of civic and community life. We are deeply moved by the stark racial injustice that the intersecting crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and policy violence toward people of color have once again revealed — racial injustice that is intertwined with America’s past and its present. The racial and ethnic disparities that persist across economic, education, healthcare, criminal justice, and other sectors of society make clear that systemic racism continues to undermine the foundations of well-being for communities of color by denying access to opportunity and making it more difficult to secure jobs, housing, healthcare, education, nutrition, and equal treatment under law. 

Faced with this moment of national urgency and entrusted by communities to lead in crisis, we affirm and commit to utilizing the following principles and values as a guide in our individual and collective efforts to advance equity and justice: 

Read the principles and values here.

This statement, originally published in September 2020, has been updated with additional endorsing organizations.

Episode 38 of the podcast More than Health Care: Nonprofits and Health Care Working Together is now available on the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities’ website and on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. Once a month, a new episode uncovers keys to collaboration and holistic health in pursuit of improved health outcomes and lower costs for all.

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed health equity to the forefront of conversations nationwide, as reports of communities of color being disproportionately impacted by its devastation have grown. The Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) saw an opportunity to engage a variety of voices and expertise around COVID-19 mitigation through their specialization in addressing health equity in underserved communities through research-backed programs and detailed implementation models.

In July 2020, MSM was awarded funding to begin a new initiative called the National COVID-19 Resiliency Network (NCRN), led by Dr. Dominic Mack, MSM professor, family physician, and director of the National Center for Primary Care. “The ultimate goal [of NCRN] is to link disproportionately impacted communities related to COVID-19, to COVID-19 related services,” Dr. Mack explained. 

He emphasized that these communities are invested in their personal and community health but aren’t always given the right resources or information. An important part of this initiative is developing proper messaging that reduces stigma around the COVID-19 vaccine and barriers that are preventing individuals from getting treatment.

A key aspect of MSM’s NCRN model is that it is powered by partnerships. From day one, MSM has involved community partners in the initiative’s planning process to better influence its implementation. “We were able to develop a model that was based on partnerships throughout the nation … in which you put the partners in front of the implementation, not just involve them in research or developing the messaging, but actually put them in front of the program because these community-based partners have this experience, they’ve done scientific research, and they have the expertise to deal with their own communities,” Dr. Mack explained. By working with its partners and hearing from community members, NCRN has been able to gauge the impact COVID-19 has had on different communities across the country in a more detailed way, better informing their work.

Listen to Dr. Mack as he describes the Morehouse School of Medicine’s NCRN initiative and the importance of engaging all voices in Episode 38 of the More than Health Care Podcast available through the Alliance website or subscribe on the Apple Podcast, Google Play, or Spotify apps.

About the National COVID-19 Resiliency Network (NCRN)

With the critical goal of improving social determinants through health equity, the Morehouse School of Medicine’s National COVID-19 Resiliency Network will mobilize community-based organizations across the U.S.to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minority and American Indian and Alaska Native communities that are disproportionately impacted through disseminating culturally and linguistically relevant resources to the hardest hit communities. Subscribe to receive regular updates.

About the Podcast

While many are realizing that collaboration and holistic approaches are the solution, the health care and human services sectors are struggling to find the right formula to realize the full potential. The More than Health Care podcast is designed to help organizations overcome barriers to partnerships resulting from cultural differences, financial pressures, and rules and regulations.

In addition to showcasing inspiring examples of integration from across the country, featured experts will expose the myths, misconceptions, and shortcomings of efforts to address the social determinants of health through collaboration across sectors.

This podcast is presented by the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities-Council on Accreditation, Beech Acres Parenting Center, and KVC Health Systems. Host Jill Huynh, vice president of new business development at Beech Acres, and producer Erin Keltner, vice president of clinical services for KVC West Virginia, work at the intersection of health and human services, bringing the expertise and practical experience to uncover key takeaways for improving health care and human services integration.

Subscribe on  Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify.

Learn more about the Alliance’s efforts to improve population health and well-being. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Alliance for Strong Families and Communities and Council on Accreditation (Alliance-COA) announced the recent addition of five new staff members in the focus areas of practice excellence in accreditation; equity, diversity and inclusion; safety and resilience; and brain science and trauma-informed care.

Diane Barnes, Ellie Walborn, and Keesha Souvenir joined Alliance-COA as accreditation coordinators to oversee and coordinate accreditation services for a variety of human and social service organizations. Alliance-COA offers full-organization accreditation, including phased approaches for Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTPs) under the Family First Prevention Services Act, for nonprofit, for-profit, and government programs in the U.S. and Canada. Alliance-COA also offers accreditation for military family readiness and child and youth development programs. They bring extensive experience in the sector to the accreditation team.

Diane Barnes joins the Alliance-COA having worked to support a wide range of accredited organizations with varying budgets, sizes, and areas of focus. Previously, Barnes worked for Catholic Charities of Venice to develop and implement the first federal grant to address human trafficking in partnership with the University of South Florida and Lee County Sheriff’s office. She has a decades-long career supporting those who have experienced domestic violence, homelessness, and mental illness.

Ellie Walborn joins Alliance-COA with a background in social services in the areas of foster care and elementary education. Most recently, she was a care coordinator at West Michigan Partnership for Children (WMPC), a private foster care oversight entity where she worked closely with the performance and quality improvement coordinators to improve outcomes for children in the child welfare system. She also served as the co-chair of WMPC’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. She was a member of the subcommittee to address permanency for LGBTQ+ youth at risk for homelessness and chaired the Employee Advisory council which helps to drive development of organizational culture and wellness initiatives. 

Keesha Souvenir joins Alliance-COA with varied experience. Most recently, she worked for the NYC Department of Corrections as an investigator. Prior to her work there, she worked in child welfare using the Sanctuary Model as well as utilizing her certification in Solution-Based Casework. She has developed effective crisis management skills throughout her work in social services including in her work as a crisis counselor for a visiting nurse service following Hurricane Sandy. 

Romero Davis has joined Alliance-COA as part of the Safety and Resilience Impact Area. Romero is a mentor; an award-winning leadership, professional development, and life coach; published author; and an advocate of safe communities and families. He has been active nationally working with agencies in areas such as poly-victimization; trauma in families; equity, diversity, and inclusion; juvenile justice; and domestic violence. Romero previously served as program manager for agencies focused on sexual assault and domestic violence. Davis will co-lead the technical assistance for the DOJ-funded Child Safety Forward initiative and will also support the Alliance-COA’s equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) portfolio. 

Karen Johnson has joined the organization as Director of the Change in Mind Institute. Johnson is a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in individual and organizational resilience, brain science, toxic stress, trauma, and trauma-informed approaches. She has over 25 years of experience working in behavioral health, community services and child welfare.  She led the National Council for Mental Wellbeing’s trauma-informed services team and more recently served as an independent consultant working to advance trauma-informed, resilience-oriented approaches. She also led and developed community-based programs during her 19 years at SaintA in Milwaukee. Johnson will oversee a cohort of 10 Texas-based organizations in a collaborative learning model funded by the Powell Foundation and the Episcopal Health Foundation to strengthen their ability to translate brain science concepts into programs, practice, and policy change. 

According to Jody Levison-Johnson, president and CEO of the Alliance-COA, “Barnes, Walborn, and Souvenir bring extensive expertise in quality improvement and accreditation, an important focus and critical service offering from the Alliance-COA. Davis brings tremendous depth of experience to our Child Safety Forward work to build the body of knowledge about strengthening child and family wellbeing to prevent crises. Johnson’s efforts will combine the newest science around brain research, trauma-informed care, adversity, and resilience to strengthen these crucial areas in organizations across the social sector. The addition of these five staff represent our continued growth and commitment to the areas of quality improvement, equity diversity and inclusion, and brain science as critical areas to propel our field forward and improve outcomes for all people.”

About the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities and Council on Accreditation (Alliance-COA)
The Alliance-COA and resulting new organization will convene and catalyze a dynamic, inclusive, multifaceted network of human/social services organizations that leverages the collective experience of the field and research to spark a current in the sector and drive continuous evolution and improvement. Our goal is to activate the power of the social sector and create a unified, intrepid, just, and purposeful network that propels our field forward so all people can thrive. The new organization will provide a range of offerings and learnings to actively shape the sector through policy, advocacy, knowledge exchange, certification, accreditation, connection, and ongoing iterative and reflective interactions.