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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Dam
Advocacy

Environmental Protection Agency announces $6.5 billion in available financing for water infrastructure projects

On September 6, the Environmental Protection Agency announced $6.5 billion in funding for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program.

Brownfield cleanup
Advocacy

Environmental Protection Agency announces $232 million in grants to clean up Brownfield sites

On September 6, the EPA announced $232 million in grant funding through the EPA’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, RLF, and Cleanup (MARC) program. Counties are eligible for funding to assess and clean up polluted brownfields within their jurisdiction.

Counseling
Advocacy

Treasury, DOL and HHS release final rule on Mental Health Parity

On September 9, the U.S. Department of Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services issued a final rule to further enforce provisions under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, a sweeping mental health parity rule enacted in 2008. The rule establishes equitable treatment limits for mental health and substance use, in line with medical and surgical benefits. 

fallvaccine
County News

Fall vaccines: Why they are important and how county leaders can support uptake

New versions of the flu and COVID-19 vaccines are now available and recommended for everyone 6 months and older.

Intermountain Regional Forester Mary Farnsworth, third from right, describes the range of agreements that shared stewardship represents, during the inaugural Intergovernmental Forum on Public Lands Sept. 13 in Washington, D.C. From left: Idaho Association of Counties Executive Director Seth Grigg; Beaver County, Utah Commissioner Tammy Pearson; Idaho County, Idaho Commissioner Skip Brandt; Farnsworth; Stevens County, Wash. Commissioner Wes McCart and Jamie Barnes, Utah state forester. Photo by Chris Wathen
County News

Public lands county leaders show vision, experience

Following a busy day of Capitol Hill meetings, county public lands officials shared their insight on shared stewardship, the nature of public lands county economies and the direction the National Center for Public Lands Counties will take.

Flooding
Advocacy

NACo urges Congress to address Disaster Relief Fund shortfalls

On August 7, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that the Disaster Relief Fund had become depleted, forcing the agency to transition to Immediate Needs Funding and halting more than $6.1 billion in recovery activities across the country.