The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is releasing more than $863 million to grantees to help low-income households with their heating and other home energy costs under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP helps low-income households supplement their home energy needs, such as heating costs in winter months and installation of insulation to make their homes more energy efficient.

Many State TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) programs identify literacy services as a critical program component to provide participants. However, as most States experience budget shortfalls and are pressured to focus on job placement more often than remediation, literacy services are often underfunded. In general, those States that have been proactive in their approach to integrating adult literacy into their programs encourage personal responsibility and provide the needed foundation to engage in activities aimed at securing and maintaining employment. They have developed blended approaches that include, but are not limited to, remedial and secondary education programs, job-readiness training, employment/self-employment counseling, field training, and referral to services to improve life management skills. In these instances, the decisions were based on formal assessments and each State has amended the participant’s individual responsibility plan reflecting their training needs and including the necessary and available support services to ensure their success. The attached report provides an environmental scan of literacy resources, sample State programs and an overview of assessment tools.

The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) hosted a webinar on February 9, 2012 from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. The webinar was designed to help States improve enrollment and eligibility systems by providing an overview of State progress towards updating their systems. Speakers included: Alan Weil, Executive Director, National Academy for State Health Policy; Alice Weiss, Co-Director, Maximizing Enrollment; Judith Arnold, Director, Division of Coverage and Enrollment, New York Department of Health; Manu Tandon, Secretariat Chief Information Officer, Massachusetts Health and Human Services; and Tracy Turner, Applications and Operational Support Manager, Oklahoma Health Care Authority.

The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) authored this report, which was developed as part of the National Workgroup on Integrating a Safety Net into Health Care Reform Implementation. As a result of the Workgroup, this report provides ten key issues that policymakers, who are concerned with the safety net, should consider in order to reach the health care reform’s goals for vulnerable populations.

The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) released this report on the role of community health centers in providing health care. This report provides an overview of community health centers and other types of Federally Qualified Health Centers. Authors provide recommendations to help State policymakers to develop strategies to integrate health centers into State delivery systems.

In 2004, Casey Family Services underwent an organizational change to help establish permanency for children and youth with special needs in foster care called “Move to Greater Permanence” (MGP). This report details the planning, implementation, agency processes, and outcomes as a result of the organizational change. Authors provide lessons learned to help child welfare providers and human service organizations utilize when conducting similar organizational change.

This report was authored by the Brookings Institution and Urban Institute, with funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and First Focus. Authors review historical and current funding trends of 100 Federal programs, including TANF, Supplemental Security Income, Food Stamps, Section 8 Low-Income Housing Assistance and Low Income Home Energy Assistance, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program. Specifically, Federal expenditures totaled $3.5 trillion in 2010, of which 11 percent ($374 billion) was devoted to children.

The Economic Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture released a report to Congress stating that limited access to affordable and nutritious food is considered a contributor to obesity and disease throughout the United States. The report examines access to food throughout the United States, characteristics and causes for access levels, and effects of limited access, and suggests recommendations for increased access to food throughout the United States. The report also provides a literature review, assessment of access to supermarkets and grocery stores, and an analysis of economic and health effects related to access levels.

One of every 45 American children, about 1.6 million children total, is homeless every year. This amounts to 4,400 homeless children per day and 30,000 homeless children per week. The National Center on Family Homelessness has updated its previous reports documenting child homelessness; this 2010 report outlines the definition of homelessness and provides each State’s ranking of child homelessness, child well-being, child’s risk of homelessness, and the State’s policy and planning efforts. Homelessness greatly affects children’s health, education levels, and education opportunities. After providing a profile of each State’s rankings, the report provides a call to action for the United States.

More than 100 million Americans do not have high-speed Internet services in their homes and a significant percentage of Americans still do not own or have access to a computer. On Wednesday, November 9, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a new initiative and promising public/private partnership to assist many low-income Americans access the world-wide web. The Connect to Compete initiative will make available low-cost computers, free digital literacy training, and discounted broadband Internet access to low-income families impacted by the digital divide. The new initiative is part of the FCC's efforts to extend affordable broadband access to more communities and it is fully supported by $4 billion in in-kind donations from private partners. To qualify for the new initiative, families must qualify for free school lunches and have at least one child that participates in the National School Lunch Program.