The deadline for families to submit information to the IRS for advanced payments of the Expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) is November 15. The American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) is hosting a webinar series for human service agencies and community providers to highlight the tools and resources states are using to assist eligible families in receiving this credit. APHSA will convene the third webinar along with GMMB on October 22, 2021 from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET to discuss the CTC Message Toolkit for Human Services Agencies and demonstrate how these resources can be used to spread the word to families about the CTC.

The deadline for families to submit information to the IRS for advanced payments of the Expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) is November 15. To assist in ensuring that eligible families receive this credit, the American Public Human Services Association is hosting a webinar series for state agencies to discuss the CTC tools they are using. The first webinar was October 1, when the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center (TPC) discussed how TPC’s data visualization map can inform a strategic approach to targeting CTC outreach, and what Colorado is doing today to reach eligible families.

NPR, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health conducted a five-part polling series in July – August 2020 to examine the most serious health and financial problems facing households across America prior to the expiration of federal coronavirus support programs, with an aim to identify vulnerable populations in urgent need of government help or charitable aid. The findings detailed in this report raise important concerns about disproportionate impacts of the coronavirus outbreak reported by Latino, Black, and Native American households beyond the elevated health risks they face battling COVID-19. In particular, these findings show these racial/ethnic minority households may have limited financial resources to weather long-term financial and health effects of the coronavirus outbreak, as large shares have already depleted their savings and are having major problems paying for basic costs of living, including food, rent, and medical care.

The Urban Institute will host a webinar on October 13, 2021 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET to explore persistent rural poverty, which occurs in one in seven rural counties and leaves rural and Native communities lacking capital, quality jobs, housing, infrastructure, and services. The webinar includes presentations from six rural community development financial institutions on what has worked to transform the rural and Native areas they serve into opportunity and the challenges that remain. Speakers include representatives from the Rural Community Assistance Corporation, HOPE, Oweesta Corporation, Fahe, cdcb, Communities Unlimited, and the Urban Institute.

The integrated service delivery (ISD) approach aims to assist individuals challenged by economic instability in accessing services to attain self-sufficiency. Using the ISD, organizations in the Working Families Success Network (WFSN) strive to meet participants’ needs by providing services in the areas of employment and career advancement, finance and asset-building, and income enhancements and work supports. Researchers conducted a survey of 71 WFSN organizations to identify promising practices for ISD implementation and found that goal setting among participants might support their progression to self-sufficiency. This brief identifies four promising strategies that support goal setting and help connect participants to services.

This report presents interim findings of a national random assignment evaluation of the Family-Self Sufficiency (FSS) program which is implemented in households receiving Housing Choice Vouchers through 700 public housing agencies. FSS consists of two elements: case managers who work with participants to develop individualized self-sufficiency plans, and the creation of an interest-bearing escrow account to support participants’ asset development. The report reviews implementation of the FSS program, program participants’ engagement, and the impacts on labor force participation and government benefits receipt.

The American Public Human Services Association and the National Association of Welfare Research Statistics will host a hybrid (in-person and virtual learning) conference from August 22 to August 25, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The conference will bring together policy, practice, research, and various programs to advance the collective goal of achieving economic mobility and well-being for everyone. Workshops are being developed to help health and human service leaders, policymakers, and researchers in developing human services programs through collaboration, integration, modernization, and guidance on effectively monitoring quality control and performance management. A registration fee is required.

Working families, administrators of public benefits, and grassroots service practitioners have been at the forefront of federal policy during the COVID-19 pandemic. This July 19, 2021 webinar recording examines challenges providing and receiving services within the federal safety net. The recording also identifies opportunities for federal benefits reform under the expanded child tax credit and other federal cash assistance programs, and includes discussions with Mary Bogle of the Urban Institute; George Jones of Bread for the City; Laura Zeilinger of the DC Department of Human Services; and Yamila Ruiz of One Fair Wage.

The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation has issued a Call for Papers for the Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency (RECS) 2022, to be held in-person from June 1-3, 2022 in Washington, DC. The Call invites proposals for full conference sessions, individual presentations, and roundtables on the following topics: TANF programs, policies, and populations; employment and mobility in the labor market; youth well-being and the transition to adulthood; strengthening families, fatherhood, marriages, and relationships; evaluating social programs, building evidence, and using data; and approaches to alleviate poverty and expand opportunity. A virtual information session on preparing and submitting a proposal will be held on July 22, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. Proposal submissions are due by August 27, 2021.

The Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Community Services (OCS) announced a funding opportunity for the Community Services Block Grant CARES Act Rapid-Cycle Impact Projects. The funding will support the CARES Act goal of adapting service models to meet urgent community needs while testing proposed projects’ strategies to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Support will be provided for communities to utilize a rapid-cycle learning or continuous quality improvement approach to strengthen the effectiveness of a grant-funded program or service strategy. Up to 20 grants will be awarded. Applications are due by July 26, 2021.