CNCounty News

What's next? Federal human services policy in the 116th Congress

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Key Takeaways

Counties play a pivotal role when it comes to connecting residents to critical human services. When it comes to breaking the cycles of poverty, counties provide and administer federal, state and local systems of services from early childhood development and nutrition assistance programs to workforce and economic development. In fact, counties invest $58 billion annually in human services while serving as the front-line social safety net.

The 2018 midterm elections resulted in a divided 116th Congress in which both parties could struggle to advance legislative priorities, but on some issues — including reauthorization of both the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) — alignment of the parties’ priorities could result in bipartisan agreement on major pieces of legislation.

As counties are administrators, in many cases, of these federal programs, NACo will continue to advocate for increased funding and local flexibility. Of the following, TANF and SNAP still await reauthorization, as of County News press time:

 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program:

In May 2018, the House Ways and Means Committee advanced a TANF reauthorization that would extend the program through FY 2023 and enact changes to its structure.

On the other side of the Capitol, the U.S. Senate is in the beginning stages of developing its own version of a TANF reauthorization bill.

With Democrats taking control of the House and Republicans maintaining control in the Senate, bipartisan consensus on the next TANF reauthorization bill will be necessary.

The TANF program has operated on a series of short-term extensions since the last major reauthorization expired in 2010. The program provides funds to states to operate cash assistance, child care and other programs for individuals and families. The FY 2017 omnibus bill provided $16.5 billion for TANF, which was consistent with FY 2016 funding levels.

Like Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), TANF is county-administered in 10 states. TANF is a federal cash assistance program for low-income families with children that is designed to produce better outcomes for kids and help adults move from welfare to work.

TANF is due for reauthorization at the end of FY 2018.

The 10 states where counties administer TANF make up more than half of the total population covered by the program. Changes in program funding or structure could impose increased administrative requirements on county agencies.

Counties support better streamlining of federal assistance programs to allow county agencies to work in tandem to produce results for individuals and communities.

 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

In June 2018, both the House of Representatives and Senate developed and passed their respective farm bill reauthorizations. Since then, lawmakers have been at odds for months on whether to overhaul work requirements for SNAP recipients and other provisions as they work to reconcile differences between the House- and Senate-approved bills.

The previous farm bill expired at the end of September 2018.

SNAP, which is also county-administered in 10 states, is a public assistance program that offers nutrition support to eligible low-income individuals and families.

The program currently serves approximately 42 million residents across the nation and accounts for 80 percent of spending in the omnibus food and agriculture legislation known as the farm bill.

The county role in administering SNAP is one of the many ways in which counties serve as the front-line social safety-net for the nation’s communities.

Counties operate healthy eating, school nutrition and senior nutrition programs across the country.

In every county, SNAP is an important aspect for healthy eating, especially in areas lacking access to sustainable and fresh food supplies.

NACo supports a long-term reauthorization of the farm bill to help counties provide critical investments in our nation’s most underserved communities.

Additionally, while NACo supports the goal of enabling individuals to find and secure long-term employment, more stringent work requirements may both negatively impact residents and unintentionally increase administrative costs for counties in county-administered states.

 

Social Services Block Grant (SSBG)

SSBG received $1.7 billion in the FY2019 Labor-HHS-Education and Defense spending package, which is level with FY 2018 funding. SSBG is county-administered in 10 states and provides funds for activities serving vulnerable populations, including adults and children at risk of abuse and neglect. NACo strongly supports SSBG.

 

Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)

CSBG received $742 million in the FY 2019 Labor-HHS-Education and Defense spending package, which is level with FY 2018 funding. CSBG is a NACo-supported program, which allows counties to design and implement anti-poverty programs tailored to an individual community’s needs.

 

Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG)

CCDBG, which is the primary federal funding source supporting child care for low-income families, received $5.2 billion for FY 2019, consistent with funding for the previous year.  Because of CCDBG, counties connect families to safe, reliable and affordable child care that allows parents to work, and promotes children’s health growth and development.

 

Head Start

The FY 2019 Labor-HHS-Education and Defense spending package builds on increased funding outlined in the FY 2018 omnibus bill to make further investments in Head Start and would allocate $10.1 billion for the program in FY 2019.

NACo supports increased investments in Head Start and other county-run early childhood programs, which connect preschool children to education, nutritional and social services.

 

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

LIHEAP was funded at $3.6 billion in FY 2019 Labor-HHS-Education and Defense package. LIHEAP delivers critical short-term aid and helps pay for home heating and cooling for the nation’s most vulnerable populations, including those with low incomes, the disabled and the elderly.

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