The deadline is approaching for the 2026 EMWB Impact Award for Excellence nominations! Each year at the Economic Mobility and Well-Being (EMWB) Conference, we recognize state and local human services agencies that are making a meaningful, measurable difference in their communities. Submit your nomination by Friday, June 12. | |
House Passed the Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026 (H.R. 7726), legislation that amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 1990 to address federal oversight and enforcement of child care program requirements.
The bill is designed to improve program integrity by holding states accountable for compliance with federal child care standards. Under the legislation, states that do not meet specified program integrity and accountability requirements could face the withholding of federal CCDBG funds.
While the bill has passed the House, it must also pass the Senate before it can be sent to the President for signature.
| |
OMB Issues Proposed Rule on Federal Financial Assistance
Last week, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in coordination with federal grant-making agencies, published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance (FR Doc. 2026-10817). The proposal would make significant revisions to the government-wide regulations governing federal grants, cooperative agreements, and other forms of federal financial assistance under 2 CFR Subtitle A, including the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200). Public comments are due by July 13, 2026.
| |
ACF Issues Proposed Rule on Reducing Bureaucracy and Burden for Family Assistance Programs
Also last week, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) issued a NPRM that would rescind a number of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) regulations the agency has identified as duplicative, obsolete, or better suited for sub-regulatory guidance. The proposed changes affect regulations related to program administration, fiscal management, accountability, reporting, and Tribal TANF.
| |
ACF Launches Grant Program to Expand Use of Predictive Analytics
ACF has announced a new competitive grant opportunity to support state, territorial, and tribal child welfare agencies in piloting predictive analytics technologies. The funding will help jurisdictions develop and implement predictive risk models, train staff on responsible use of analytics tools, establish governance and quality assurance processes, engage stakeholders, and evaluate outcomes. ACF notes that predictive analytics can support child safety and decision-making by helping agencies identify families who may benefit from early support while ensuring high-risk cases receive timely attention. Preference will be given to jurisdictions participating in, or committed to joining, ACF’s A Home for Every Child initiative.
| |
New Brief Highlights Growth and Variation in Guardianship Assistance Program Use
A new Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) brief examines trends in the Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program (GAP), finding that use of guardianship as a permanency option continues to grow nationwide. As of March 2026, nearly 90 percent of jurisdictions had approved GAP plans, and the number of children receiving Title IV-E guardianship assistance increased by 83 percent between FY 2016 and FY 2023. Despite this growth, guardianship assistance remains far less common than adoption assistance and varies significantly across states. The brief also notes that guardianship assistance is among the most cost-effective Title IV-E permanency options and highlights opportunities to address eligibility and implementation barriers that may limit broader use of the program.
| |
New ASPE Report Examines Progress and Challenges in CCWIS Implementation
A second new report from ASPE examines the status of Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) implementation nearly a decade after the framework was established. The report finds that fewer than one-third of CCWIS projects are operational, with many jurisdictions continuing to rely on legacy systems despite more than $2.2 billion in federal and state spending since 2016. The analysis identifies common implementation challenges, including procurement delays, workforce capacity constraints, organizational readiness, and the complexity of large-scale technology modernization efforts. The report also outlines opportunities for strengthening federal support, modernizing guidance, and focusing on outcomes that improve child welfare practice and service delivery.
| |
Children’s Bureau Establishes Tribal Cross-Functional Team
ACF's Children’s Bureau (CB) has established a new Tribal Cross-Functional Team (TCFT) to improve coordination across its work with Tribal Nations and Tribal organizations. The team plans to support collaboration on policy, funding, technical assistance, and program implementation, with the goal of strengthening engagement and improving support for tribal child welfare programs.
| |
CMS Issues Interim Final Rule on Medicaid Community Engagement Requirements
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an interim final rule with comment period implementing new Medicaid community engagement requirements established by H.R. 1, requiring certain adults ages 19 to 64 to complete at least 80 hours per month of qualifying work, education, community service, or other approved activities as a condition of Medicaid eligibility. States that cover the Medicaid expansion population must generally implement the requirement by January 1, 2027, and will be responsible for outreach, compliance verification, exemptions, and reporting. CMS is accepting public comments on the rule through July 31, 2026.
| |
SSA Considers Changes to Public Assistance Household Definition
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has proposed rescinding a previous rule that expanded the definition of a public assistance household by including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as a form of public income maintenance. Under the proposal, SSA would return to its prior policy, under which all household members must receive public income maintenance payments for the household to qualify as a public assistance household.
| |
Proposed LIHEAP Reporting Changes Open for Comment
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has published a proposed information collection for the annual report on households assisted through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The proposal would continue annual reporting by states and grantees while modifying the data collected, including the removal of several demographic and household data elements. Public comments are being accepted through June 8, 2026.
| |
USDA's Food and Nutrition Service Becomes the Food and Nutrition Administration
Effective June 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) officially became the Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA). USDA is updating agency materials and resources to reflect the change. Additional information about the reorganization is available on the FNA website.
| |
USDA Releases New SNAP E&T Cost Allocation Tools to Strengthen Fiscal Oversight
USDA FNA has released new SNAP Employment & Training (E&T) Cost Allocation Tools to help states and providers accurately allocate program costs and ensure compliance with federal requirements. The resources include a Cost Allocation Brief and Infographic designed to support clearer fiscal processes, stronger oversight, and consistent cost allocation practices across SNAP E&T agencies and partners.
| |
USDA Proposes Updates to SNAP Quality Control Reporting Requirements
USDA FNA is seeking public comment on proposed revisions to the FNS-245 information collection, which supports SNAP negative case action quality control reviews. Proposed revisions would update reporting procedures and data elements, simplify case classifications, and add new variance categories for SNAP quality control reviews. Comments are due July 31, 2026.
| |
USDA Requests Comment on SNAP SUA and Self-Employment Income Reporting Requirements
USDA FNA is requesting public comment on information collection requirements related to establishing and reviewing Standard Utility Allowances (SUAs) and establishing a methodology for offsetting the costs of producing self-employment income in SNAP administration. The agency is seeking feedback on the necessity, burden, clarity, and utility of the reporting requirements. Comments are due by July 27, 2026.
| |
USDA Requests Comment on SNAP Incentive Program Reporting Requirements for Retailers
USDA FNA is requesting public comment on information collection requirements for SNAP-authorized retailers and partner organizations seeking approval to offer incentives that encourage SNAP recipients to purchase healthier foods. The agency is seeking feedback on the necessity, burden, clarity, and efficiency of the reporting requirements. Comments are due by July 27, 2026.
| |
WIC Maternal Health Center Opens Grant Opportunity
| The WIC Maternal Health Center is inviting state and local Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) agencies to apply for funding to implement innovative initiatives that address maternal health warning signs and improve outcomes for families. Supported by USDA funding and technical assistance from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the competitive grant program offers resources, evaluation support, and opportunities to scale promising WIC-based maternal health interventions. Applications are due by July 6, 2026. | |
Navigating the Cliff: Engineering Economic Mobility | A Virtual Conversation on the Benefits Cliff Effect
Jun 22, 2026 01:00 PM
| Join us for an important virtual discussion, hosted by APHSA and National Association of Welfare Research and Statistics (NAWRS), to explore policy solutions, workforce pathways, and lived experiences connected to the benefits cliff effect and strategies to help families move beyond it. | | 2026 APHSA Conferences—All Registrations Open! | Stay ahead of the curve in human services with APHSA’s distinct range of education conference offerings. Designed to educate and inform, our events showcase innovations and best practices and foster peer-to-peer engagement across the nation throughout the year. | |
If you were forwarded this email, SUBSCRIBE NOW to receive This Week in Washington straight to your inbox! | | | | |
