ARPA Impact Report: An Analysis of How Counties are Addressing National Issues With Local Investments
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Teryn Zmuda
Jonathan Harris
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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
HHS releases rule repealing federal nursing home staffing mandate, supporting county long term care facilities
On December 2, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published an interim final rule that repeals the federal nursing home staffing mandate, a regulation that would have required long-term care facilities to meet strict minimum staffing levels.
Stretching small opioid settlement allocations helps funding do more
States and localities are set to receive $56 billion in opioid settlement dollars over an 18-year period, but not every county that receives settlement funding will get enough to build out infrastructure.
Congress passes SUPPORT Act reauthorization
On September 18, the U.S. Senate passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 (SUPPORT Act Reauthorization) (H.R. 2483) by voice vote, following House passage earlier this year. With strong bipartisan backing in both chambers, the legislation now heads to the President’s desk for signature.
SUPPORT Reauthorization Act of 2025: What it means for counties
On December 1, the bipartisan SUPPORT for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Reauthorization Act of 2025 (H.R. 2483) was signed into law. The reauthorization renews vital federal funding for programs that seek to prevent opioid overdoses and expand treatment and recovery options.
County Countdown – Dec. 1, 2025
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership.
Counties Celebrate Key Permitting Inclusions in SPEED Act
NACo issued the following statement in response to the passage of the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act (H.R. 4776), which advanced out of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources on November 20.