ARPA Impact Report: An Analysis of How Counties are Addressing National Issues With Local Investments
America's nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees are on the frontlines of the nation's response to the coronavirus pandemic. As the country emerges from the pandemic and grapples with the toll it has taken on our citizens, counties are responding and rebuilding. At the same time, many counties are still confronting significant workforce shortage pressures at a time with growing, critical resident needs.
With American Rescue Plan funds, counties are strengthening America's workforce, addressing the nation's behavioral health crisis, expanding broadband access, improving housing affordability and building prosperous communities for the next generation.
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NACo Analysis of the American Rescue Plan Act
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County Investments of American Rescue Plan Recovery Funds
U.S. Forest Services opens nominations to establish Resource Advisory Committees for SRS funding
On April 30, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) published a notice of intent to establish new Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) for the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. RACs provide advice and recommendations to Forest Service units on how they should use Title II funds under the SRS program.
NACo Hails New FEMA Public Assistance Dashboard Requirement as Major Win for Counties
Landmark provision in U.S. Department of Homeland Security funding bill mandates real-time public visibility into disaster reimbursement, delivering accountability counties have long sought.
New Law Brings Long-Sought Transparency to FEMA Disaster Reimbursements
A new federal law requires FEMA to publish a publicly accessible, interactive dashboard tracking all Public Assistance reimbursement requests, giving counties unprecedented visibility into disaster recovery funding.
Reflections on federalism at America 250
NACo CEO Matt Chase: "Counties are where federal and state policy stops being policy and starts being real. We are not a delivery mechanism for decisions made elsewhere. We are where American governance actually lives."
Counties eye potential Medicaid reimbursement remedies
Increasing the number of beds in mental health treatment facilities eligible for Medicaid reimbursement would empower counties to do more to help their residents.
After 2025 fires, Los Angeles County and local partners join forces to rebuild
Volunteer efforts have proven crucial to Los Angeles County's receovery from 2025 wildfires.