The Flexibility, Efficiency, and Modernization in Child Support Enforcement Programs final rule makes changes to strengthen the child support enforcement program. Additionally, it updates current processes to: increase regular, timely payments to families; increase the number of noncustodial parents supporting their children; and improve program operations.

In the United States, child welfare systems encounter many vulnerable children and their families each year. This report from the Center on the Developing Child examines how new science on child development can be applied to policies and practices to enhance child welfare systems, thereby improving outcomes for children and their families.

Throughout the past three years, the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices has provided technical assistance to Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming to develop statewide plans to improve outcomes and reduce cost of care for high-need, high-cost Medicaid enrollees. This road map from NGA can be used by states across the country that are interested in housing as an element of improved health and a reduction of costly health services.

This brief from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service provides states with information about 50 percent reimbursement funds. First, the brief details the staffing and infrastructure that may be necessary to implement an expanded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment & Training (SNAP E&T) program. Additionally, it offers states recommendations for identifying and accessing important resources to support this added capacity.

As of November 2015, more than 2.5 million children, many younger than six years old, are homeless each year. This report from the Bassuk Center presents strategies to end family homelessness, including assessing all family members, addressing trauma, and providing permanent affordable housing.

This study, conducted by Social Policy Research Associates for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, reviews research on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) programs and practices. The study also includes data on the effectiveness of different aspects of E&T that are offered by other federal agencies, state agencies, and private organizations.

This brief from Health Affairs discusses opportunities through Medicaid to address supportive housing needs. In addition, the brief highlights other tools provided by the Affordable Care Act that can support individuals with disabilities living in community settings.

The SNAP to Skills website was recently launched by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. This new resource will serve as a hub for information and news about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training (E&T) program. Users can access information about the SNAP to Skills project, SNAP E&T tools and resources, policy briefs, and stories from successful SNAP E&T programs.

The U.S. Census Bureau released data on health insurance coverage in the United States in 2015, based on information collected in two surveys: the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC) and the American Community Survey (ACS). The data suggests that the uninsured rate decreased by 1.3 percent between 2014 and 2015. For all or part of 2015, 90.9 percent of individuals were covered by health insurance.

Jobs-Plus is a place-based workforce development model to help public housing residents find employment. The model was tested in six cities between 1998 and 2006 and is now being replicated across the United States. This infographic from MDRC presents the history of the program, shows the evidence behind the approach, and describes its three core components: on-site employment services, rent-based work incentives, and community support for work.