To mark the beginning of National Mental Health Awareness Month this May, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra reinforced the Biden administration’s commitment to expanding access to mental and behavioral health care. To spotlight the issue in recent months, Secretary Becerra announced the allocation of $35 million for community mental health services for children and young adults and $105 million for the 988 crisis care infrastructure, both funded through the American Rescue Plan.

In the State of the Union Address earlier this year, President Biden outlined his plan to address the national mental health crisis. This plan includes increasing the number of behavioral health professionals, incorporating mental health and substance use treatment into primary care, proliferating virtual care, and protecting the mental health of children. In a promising step forward last week, Sens. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), members of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, introduced the Mental Health Reform Reauthorization Act of 2022, which would provide funds to states to enforce existing mental health parity laws, expand SAMHSA’s Minority Fellowship Program, and increase funds for the Mental Health Services Block Grant, among other things. Though still far from passage, this bipartisan bill would make major headway toward addressing the national mental health crisis. 

In other news, almost 200 organizations, including many in the Social Current Network, joined a sign-on letter to send a strong message to the Hill in support of $468 million for the Full-Service Community Schools program for FY 2023! Please keep an eye out for more advocacy opportunities for FY 2023 in the coming weeks as Congress advances its appropriations discussions.

SNAP Recipients Now Automatically Eligible for Head Start

Dr. Bernadine Futrell, director of the Office of Head Start, announced that families participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will now be automatically eligible for Head Start. Before, many families that were eligible for SNAP were also eligible for Head Start; however, they had to provide proof of income to both programs, which was a burden on families and program administrators. Now, families will only have to prove eligibility for SNAP in order to enroll in Head Start. Futrell stated that this change reflects the aims of President Biden’s Executive Order on Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government from December 2021. The Office of Head Start has provided resources to help families and Head Start operators understand the recent policy change.

Rural Partners Network Takes Shape

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice announced the creation of the Rural Partners Network (RPN), a whole-of-government initiative with the goal of providing economic and infrastructure support to rural areas. The announcement was part of President Biden’s Building a Better America Rural Infrastructure Tour, which has featured dozens of presidential trips to rural communities. The RPN will launch in Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Arizona, and will hear and learn from rural communities about their policy needs. A Rural Prosperity Interagency Council, made up of 16 federal agencies and regional commissions, will incorporate rural voices into the policymaking process. The administration plans to expand the program into additional states later this year, including Nevada, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Alaska.

New SNAP Guidance for Childless Adults

The Federal Nutrition Service released guidance on how to determine whether an individual can receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits if they voluntarily quit a job over insufficient COVID-19 safety measures. In general, individuals ages 16-59 must fulfill certain work requirements to receive SNAP benefits; however, they can quit voluntarily or reduce their work hours and continue to participate in SNAP, if they have good cause. The newly released guidance provides state agencies with resources on how to determine if working conditions meet certain requirements for COVID-19 safety. Individuals can also cite these resources to SNAP administrators if they wish to continue receiving benefits after leaving a job due to insufficient COVID-19 safety measures.

While there are many ways to build your organization’s capacity for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), they all require an overarching commitment and investment. With limited resources and many priorities, some may wonder if there is really a tangible ROI to EDI efforts.

Well, just look at the data.

Research compiled by the Performance Excellence Network shows that investing your organization’s time and resources in EDI strategies can support your business, in addition to your mission. Highlights from that research include:

So now what?

To ensure that your investment leads to real change at your organization, make sure you receive the right level of support you need. One unique opportunity that can help you build and sustain momentum toward your goals is our upcoming EDI Learning Collaborative. Participants will collaborate with peers at other organizations in a supportive environment and receive guidance from EDI experts in developing, implementing, and advancing their equity work. This collaborative offers continual support over a 15-month period.

Apply by submitting the online application by June 30.

Our three-part virtual workshop offers learning and support to participants over the course of a month. It combines valuable information, facilitated discussions, reflection opportunities, and focused work time to begin developing an EDI action plan. We recommend sending multiple staff who serve on your EDI committee or advance EDI in other ways. This workshop will provide the tools, guidance, and dedicated time they need to be successful. 

Register now for our upcoming June session (June 9, 16, and 23). Additional sessions are being offered in September/October and November.

Last week, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) met with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to talk about a tax increase and deficit reduction bill. Manchin argued that deficit reduction could help mitigate rising inflation. He pushed for the corporate tax rate to increase from 21% to 25% and for certain loopholes to be eliminated. He also is open to allowing Medicare to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs, which would also help reduce the deficit.

Though he had shown openness to including child care provisions in previous proposals, Manchin said he no longer supports any social spending moving forward. In theory, the bill would be able to pass with only 50 votes, as opposed to the usual 60, through the budget reconciliation process, which is reserved purely for tax and spending bills. However, it is unclear whether the critical 50th vote, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), will sign on, as she has publicly opposed corporate tax increases in the past. Though Social Current is disappointed in recent congressional deadlock, we will continue to advocate for the nonprofit sector and the families and communities we serve.

Centrist Democrats Introduce Slew of Health Care Bills

A sleight of centrist House Democrats, called the New Democrat Coalition, have endorsed 22 health care bills, urging leadership to put them up for a vote. The bills cover numerous topics, including mental health for children in schools and opioid addiction prevention and recovery. Each bill has at least one Republican cosponsor and 13 have companion bills in the Senate. The New Democrat Coalition is proposing to pass as many of these bills in a bipartisan manner as possible before the midterm elections in November. Lawmakers are discussing whether to pass each bill separately, or as a combined package. Furthermore, it is unclear which of these bills can pass in the Senate, which requires 60 votes for a measure to pass. Leaders of the New Democrats hope to have the bills marked up in May and introduced onto the floor of the House during the summer. Here is a list of the endorsed bills:

Administration Releases Resources for Mental Health Parity Compliance

The Biden administration has released three resources that will help certify that insurers comply with existing mental health parity requirements. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 requires that insurers do not apply more restrictive financial requirements and treatment limits to mental health or substance abuse disorder benefits than to medical or surgical benefits. The Biden administrations says insurers and health plans aren’t complying with the law. The White House has pushed Congress to update the law, but, in the meantime, it has released three tools to improve enforcement:

With these resources, families will learn their consumer rights and lawmakers will be able to advocate more effectively for the health and well-being of their constituents.

Nonprofit Sector Strength and Partnership Act Introduced

On April 26, Reps. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) and Fred Upton (D-Mich.) introduced the bipartisan Nonprofit Sector Strength and Partnership Act of 2022, which will improve collaboration between the social sector and the federal government. The bill would create a White House Office on Nonprofit Sector Partnership, housed in the Executive Office of the President. A nonprofit advisor, serving as an assistant to the president, would influence policy relating to the nonprofit sector. That position would establish an online portal that would allow charities to register for fundraising opportunities across multiple states simultaneously. The bill would also create two entities that would weigh in with recommendations on how to strengthen the nonprofit sector:

Finally, the bill would also require the Bureau of Labor Statistics to compile and release quarterly economic data about nonprofit organizations, allowing regular updates on the health of the nonprofit sector, the third largest sector in the economy.

The important work in our communities cannot be achieved without the support of diverse community-based partnerships. Global Service Month provides a great opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate partners that donate time, resources, and expertise to make a difference in our communities.

Social Current is grateful for three of its corporate partnerships, helping our network drive impact through the engagement of corporate volunteers and generous donations of resources.

Aramark

Rooted in service and united by purpose, Aramark strives to do great things for its employees, partners, communities, and planet. Their global volunteer program, Aramark Building Community, launched in 2008 and engages the talents and passions of employees to develop solutions that address challenges caused by lack of access to healthy food and proper nutrition, financial insecurity, and inequitable environments. The program drives stronger communities, creates employee volunteer opportunities, and encourages employees to give back to their local communities.

Throughout the year, and during the annual Aramark Building Community Day, thousands of Aramark employee volunteers work to build vibrant, sustainable communities for all. They also offer complimentary resources to nonprofit organizations that equip families and individuals with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to discover, choose, and prepare healthy food. This is often in conjunction with volunteer activities like food drives, cooking demos, and meal prep workshops. Last year alone, nearly 200 community-based organizations were provided regrants by Social Current, while dozens more strengthened community health and well-being through Healthy for Life® resources, thanks to Aramark’s tremendous support.

Aramark Partner Spotlight: The Aramark Chicago Star Team, lead by Angila Faison, works in partnership with Social Current client UCAN. UCAN Director of Corporate and Foundation Grants Lauren Birchlove shared, “Many of our program participants have young children for whom they struggle to provide healthy food, school supplies, and holiday gifts. Our participants were grateful to receive funds through the Aramark Building Community holiday grant program, in partnership with Angila, to purchase healthy food, gift cards, and toys, creating a special holiday for their children.” Lauren went on to praise, “Aramark volunteers are top notch. They are serious about completing projects, which means that they do high quality and efficient work. We can’t wait to welcome Aramark volunteers back in-person soon.”

CSC ServiceWorks

CSC ServiceWorks is the leading provider of laundry solutions and air vending services throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Through their CSC CommunityWorks Signature Services initiative, they are helping to enhance lives by working with community centers to provide reliable access to clean laundry and basic supports. They believe access to clean laundry is essential to helping people be successful in school and work and maintain healthy lifestyles. CSC teams support work within the communities they operate by lending their expertise, providing washer/dryer and air/vacuum equipment to community organizations, ongoing service for these machines, as well as volunteer support. Through their donations of washers, dryers, and ongoing equipment maintenance, CSC helps strengthen the capacity of our partners who are providing these essential services. In 2021, CSC ServiceWorks donated hundreds of washers and dryers, at a value of approximately $125,000, as well as ongoing maintenance services to provide reliable laundering operations for nearly 30 Social Current network partners.

CSC ServiceWorks Partner Spotlight: Michigan-based CSC ServiceWorks employee Paul Martin worked with Social Current client Ruth Ellis Center to install a donated washer and dryer to support their Kofi House program serving low-income LBGTQ youth. Program Director Kathie Griffin-Futch shared “Clients are able to wash up to two loads of laundry every week. Because of this donation, clients don’t have to decide between clean clothes or food on the table. All CSC employees were very caring and professional. This was the most amazing experience and a beautiful gift to the community.”

Bank of America

Bank of America offers Better Money Habits, a free financial education platform, that builds know-how around topics like budgeting, saving, credit, homeownership, retirement, and more. Community-based organizations can leverage these resources in a variety of current programs by engaging staff in train-the-trainer or direct-to-community-member Better Money Habits sessions.

Bank of America Partner Spotlight: Social Current client Northwestern University Settlement House in Chicago worked with Mary Bovalis, Better Money Habits Champions Lead and Treasury Product Manager with Bank of America, to train its staff on these financial literacy education tools. “The Better Money Habits website and tools were really easy to access and use,” said Katie Taylor, director of development at Northwestern University Settlement. “Our program staff are able to easily pull what’s needed for our different populations and specific needs.”

Additionally, in honor of National Financial Capability Month, Bovalis hosted a 30-minute demonstration of the Better Money Habit’s platform for all Social Current community-based organization partners.

Social Current celebrates and thanks all of its corporate volunteers, working in partnership with our network of organizations and helping us implement equitable solutions to society’s toughest challenges. For questions about Social Current’s corporate partnerships, please contact Emily Merritt, network and corporate engagement manager.

On April 7, the Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, paving her way to become the first Black woman on the highest court in the nation, once Justice Stephen Breyer steps down at the end of the current term. In her speech from the South Lawn of the White House the next day, she proclaimed: “It has taken 132 years and 115 prior appointments for a Black woman to be selected to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. But, we’ve made it. We’ve made it, all of us.” All 50 Democrats and three Republican senators supported Jackson’s historic confirmation.

In other news, on Thursday the Biden administration released the results mandated in his executive order from last year, which called for the elucidation of a whole of government approach to addressing equity and racial justice. More than 90 federal agencies released Equity Action Plans, which detail over 300 steps these agencies will take to overcome systemic barriers in federal policies and programs. For instance, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has committed to eliminating the racial gap in homeownership, and the Department of Health and Human Services will increase engagement with communities of color to facilitate enrollment in free and low-cost health care. Within the federal government, data collection efforts will be improved to include key demographic data and encourage cross-agency information sharing. The administration says that this project is a major step forward in “a generational commitment” to advancing equity and achieving justice for underserved communities.

House Education and Labor Committee Introduces Workforce Development Bill

Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Higher Education Workforce Investment Subcommittee Chairwoman Frederica Wilson (D-FL) introduced legislation that would reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. This important training and career services program, which expired in 2020, supports state workforce development systems. The proposed legislation would pump $78 billion into the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) over six years, thereby training one million workers per year by 2028. It would also create a permanent program at the Department of Labor committed to assisting formerly incarcerated individuals find gainful employment and career pathways. Expanded summer and year-round jobs programs for youth and increased support for partnerships between employers and community colleges are also included in the reauthorization package. According to the committee’s press release, federal workforce development funding has decreased 45% since 2002, adjusting for inflation.

Extension of Child Nutrition Waivers in the Works

Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the Support Kids Not Red Tape Act, which would extend school meal flexibilities from June 30, 2022, to September 30, 2023. At the beginning of the pandemic, the Department of Agriculture began issuing child nutrition waivers that allowed schools to serve meals during closures and gave them flexibility to respond to operational and personnel challenges. The proposed bill would provide schools with space and time to return to normal operations while keeping children well-fed and healthy. Without the extension, schools will not have flexibility given the constraints from COVID-19 and supply chain issues, putting countless meals in jeopardy. 50 colleagues joined Sens. Stabenow and Murkowski in introducing the bill.

New Bipartisan Bill Embraces Two-Generation Approach

Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced the Two-Generation Economic Empowerment Act, which would address the health and well-being of parents and children by encouraging a holistic framework that links existing funding streams and systems. The bill would codify the Council on Economic Mobility at the Department of Health and Human Services, which would tackle multigenerational poverty by coordinating efforts across a wide array of federal agencies and departments. The bill would also foster innovative two-generation programs by granting transfer and waiver authority to participating agencies, which would break down silos and facilitate blending and braiding of federal programs. Finally, a pilot program would be established, allowing state, local and tribal governments to stand up their own two-generation programs.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. In recognition, resources to support organizations in communicating about childhood adversity are now available at: BuildingBetterChildhoods.org.

These easy-to-use tools were developed through a partnership between Social Current and Prevent Child Abuse America and grounded in recent research from the FrameWorks Institute.

They are intended to support practitioners and professionals at human services organizations in describing how childhood adversity is a public, preventable, and solvable issue. The Building Better Childhoods website provides important guidance on how to talk about child abuse prevention in a way that resonates with a broad range of audiences. The tools can be used when communicating with media, funders, policymakers, and the general public.

The toolkit includes:

This Child Abuse Prevention Month and beyond—we hope you will join us in this movement to effectively frame childhood adversity and communicate about the benefits of prevention and upstream resources.

Visit BuildingBetterChildhoods.org to download the toolkit.

About the Reframing Research

Building Better Childhoods is based on recent research from the FrameWorks Institute, which was shared in the 2021 framing brief Reframing Childhood Adversity: Promoting Upstream Approaches.

The communications guidance is designed to be highly accessible and actionable. In addition, it takes recent science and current communications contexts into account, speaks to racial and social justice, and aligns with efforts to reimagine child welfare systems into child well-being systems.

Download the reframing brief online and view our on-demand webinar for a guided tour of the recommendations.

By Verleaner Lane and Daniel P. Riggins of Cook County Health

The nation’s child welfare systems have long been structured in a way that responds to incidents of child abuse and neglect after harm has occurred. There is a new movement in child welfare to change this and devote more resources to using data to identify those children most at risk. Based on what the data shows, front end resources and services can then be brought to bear in support of families before abuse or neglect occurs.

A good example of this can be found in the Child Safety Forward initiative. Funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Child Safety Forward is a demonstration initiative to develop multidisciplinary strategies and a public health response to address fatalities or near-death injuries as a result of child abuse, neglect, or unsafe practices. The initiative takes place across five sites, including Cook County Health in Illinois.

Cook County Health established Project CHILD in 2019 to better understand and address infant-specific deaths due to maltreatment.

Our strategy includes bringing together a diverse group of community stakeholders that work with most affected families in a variety of different settings, including healthcare and mental health providers, community health workers, maternal infant health providers, faith leaders, educators and social service providers. Our work has been focused in three Illinois counties: Cook, Peoria, and Vermilion, with a goal of identifying the highest-risk geographic areas and targeting resources at these communities.

We began our efforts by using a data collection process that had been established earlier by Cook County Health in partnership with the Cook County Medical Examiner. The process automates data exchange between these two Cook County agencies allowing for the linkage of clinical data to mortality events among specific populations as determined by the medical examiner. Data sharing across these agencies is automated to identify risk factors for mortality among individuals experiencing homelessness, those impacted by the opioid epidemic, those with justice involvement, and the intersection of these experiences.

For Cook County, we reviewed approximately 300 sudden unexpected infant deaths over the past five years likely related to unsafe sleep conditions. We identified specific neighborhoods that had a higher rate of sudden unexpected infant death.

Based on these findings, we are now able to appropriately target resources and educational interventions to protect families from these catastrophic events. We are currently working with pediatricians and community organizations to develop safe sleep messaging and interventions targeted to these high-risk neighborhoods.

Child Safety Forward is an example of what can be accomplished through a data-informed, place-based approach that facilitates community engagement and targets interventions to families that need them the most. It reflects a growing trend in child welfare to shift from a reactive to a proactive approach and to highlight the importance of data sharing and collaboration when addressing complex problems like child safety.

By working across agencies and directing resources upstream, we can continue to support a shift from child welfare systems to child wellbeing systems that better serve all families.

_________________

A version of this oped was previously published in The Daily Herald on March 31, 2022.

Verleaner Lane is the project director for Project CHILD of Cook County Health. Daniel P. Riggins, MD is with Cook County Health. This commentary is provided in memoriam of Dr. Majorie Fujara, former pediatrician at Cook County Health, who served as the principal investigator for Project CHILD and a tireless advocate for the welfare of children.

Disclaimer: This product was supported by cooperative agreement number 2019-V3-GX-K005 Reducing Child Fatalities and Recurring Injuries Caused by Crime Victimization, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this product are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Last Monday, President Biden released his administration’s $5.8 trillion budget request for fiscal year 2023. Though Congress traditionally takes the lead in crafting the federal budget and will inevitably alter many aspects of the president’s proposal, the request paints a picture of the administration’s priorities heading into the budgetary process. The president included budget details for his “Unity Agenda” announced at the State of the Union in February, which aims to tackle the opioid crisis, bolster the mental health system, and fund research for his Cancer Moonshot program. However, the administration declined to outline the costs of elements from the president’s signature Build Back Better bill, possibly to give leeway to Congress, especially holdouts like Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), to negotiate details on provisions like universal pre-K, the Child Tax Credit, and climate funding.

Major highlights from the budget request include:

The administration included new pay fors, including a 20% minimum tax on unrealized capital gains for households worth more than $100 million, as well as a boost to the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% and a new top income tax rate of 39.6% on high-income earners. These new tax increases would help fund $1 trillion in deficit reduction over 10 years, a new priority that would help woo more moderate voters. Social Current will continue to advocate for our sector’s policy priorities and keep you up to date on developments as the budget for FY 2023 comes together.

Social Current in the News

Last week, the Chronicle of Philanthropy featured an article by Social Current President and CEO Jody Levison-Johnson and Senior Director of Government Relations Ilana Levinson about staff shortages and workforce challenges facing the social sector. You can read the full article online.

Republican Senators Introduce Child Care Bill

Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) introduced legislation to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG ) until FY2025. CCDBG aims to fund child care subsidies for low-income families with children under the age of 13, though prior to the pandemic, only 20% of eligible children participated in the program. The proposed legislation would expand eligibility to families earning 150% of the State Median Income (SMI), from 85%. Moreover, families making less than 75% SMI would pay a $0 copay, and no eligible family would pay more than 7% of their income in copays. President Biden’s child care plan, which lost traction along with the Build Back Better bill at the end of last year, also requires no copays for families earning less than 75% SMI, but requires no more than 7% of income in copays for families up to 250% SMI.

New Report on Impact of the American Rescue Plan

The Treasury Department released a report on the impact of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) one year after passage. The $1.9 trillion bill invested in COVID-19 vaccines and testing, state and local governments, economic supports for children and families, and housing and small business assistance, among other things. The report states that the ARP made significant progress is addressing child poverty, food insecurity, and unemployment in low-income communities and doubled GDP growth. The expanded child tax credit, for example, benefitted 36 million families with more than 61 million children, and over $400 billion in Economic Impact Payments, or stimulus checks, were distributed. The state and local dollars provided 740,000 essential workers with premium pay and funded 1,460 projects to increase affordable housing, improve education, and address public health issues across the country. Finally, the Emergency Rental Assistance programs provided over 5 million rent, mortgage, and utility assistance payments as of January 2022.

New Ratings from the Prevention Services Clearinghouse

The IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse announced ratings for 15 new programs. Two were found to be “well-supported,” one was found to be “supported,” three were found to be “promising,” and the remainder “does not currently meet criteria.” See the ratings and links to each program below:

GenerationPMTO – Individual – Promising
GenerationPMTO – Group – Well-supported
Strengthening Families Program – Birth to Three – Does not currently meet criteria
Strengthening Families Program – 3-5 – Does not currently meet criteria
Strengthening Families Program – 6-11 – Does not currently meet criteria
Strengthening Families Program – 12-16 – Does not currently meet criteria
Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14 – Supported
Familias Fuertes – Does not currently meet criteria
Families and Schools Together® – Early Childhood Education Level – Does not currently meet criteria
Families and Schools Together® – Elementary School Level – Promising
Families and Schools Together® – Middle School Level – Does not currently meet criteria
Families and Schools Together® – High School Level – Does not currently meet criteria
Community Reinforcement Approach + Vouchers – Promising
Mindfulness–Based Cognitive Therapy – Well-supported
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Anxious Children – Does not currently meet criteria

The time is now to SPARK bold and brave conversations—and it begins with you. 

Social Current is seeking workshop presentations for its SPARK 2022 conference, to be held Sept. 13-14 in Baltimore. This event will activate our collective power to spark and elevate bold thinking and new conversations around some of our sector’s most vexing challenges. We will provide participants with an innovative forum to learn, refuel, connect, exchange ideas, and be inspired. 

The deadline to submit presentations is April 13. 

Social Current’s mission is to advocate for and implement equitable solutions through collaboration, innovation, policy, and practice excellence. This conference will convene and unite our diverse community from across our network and sector to share their expertise and drive toward an equitable society where all people can thrive. 

We welcome all presentations that will engage, challenge, educate, and inspire participants to act. While emphasis will be placed on the core areas below, we welcome submissions that address other current issues affecting and important to our sector. Social Current will not accept proposal submissions intended to market or sell a product, consultant, or program. 

Core Areas of Focus 

Brain Science
Sessions should discuss advancing the integration and alignment of brain science and trauma-informed knowledge, skills, and strategies into organizational and systemic practices and policies. Consider how the application of brain science can be used to prevent and mitigate toxic stress and build child, family, and community health and well-being. 

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Sessions should address how organizations can create a more just, fair, and inclusive organizational culture and society through policies and practices, organizational leadership, and programs and services. Consider inequities experienced in health, education, systems involvement, the workplace, and more based on race, sexual orientation, age, gender, and ability. 

Organizational and Service Delivery Innovations 
Sessions should discuss innovative programs and solutions that contribute to organizational excellence and/or help all individuals and communities thrive. Consider examples of cross-sector collaboration, practices that advance financial sustainability, programs that support integrated care or address the social determinants of health, and more. 

Workforce Resilience and Leadership
Sessions should address how to recruit, retain, and support a workforce so that it can stay healthy and well amid ongoing change and uncertainty. Consider approaches that promote brain-science awareness, equity, and hiring from the community; build positive organizational culture; support healthy workplace relationships; and mitigate the effects of vicarious trauma, moral injury, and other workforce concerns. 

Submission Requirements 

Address all the following submission requirements in your presentation proposal. SPARK workshop sessions will be 90 minutes.

All workshop proposals must be submitted by April 13 through our online submission form.

The 2022 edition of updates to the standards for COA Accreditation, a service of Social Current, have recently been released. These targeted enhancements to the standards are the result of our annual process and include changes based on ongoing collection and analysis of feedback received from our network, collaboration with diverse groups of subject matter experts, and a review of research and professional literature on identified trends and evolving practices.

Our collaborative update process is designed to ensure the standards remain up-to-date and field-informed, promoting improved outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.

Who’s Affected

These changes impact private, public, and Canadian accredited organizations. The 2022 edition of updates will not impact organizations that are currently pursuing accreditation or re-accreditation and have already been assigned standards in the MyCOA portal.

When It’s Happening

Standards will officially be released on the Social Current website on March 30.

Standards assignments for COA Accreditation begin April 4.

What’s Changing in Our Standards

New Standards for Office-Based Opioid Treatment (DTX)
We have revised our standards for Day Treatment Services (DTX) to accommodate providers offering medication-assisted treatment under the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000. The American Society of Addiction Medicine identifies ongoing maintenance medication with appropriate psychosocial treatment as the gold standard of care for opioid use disorder. Within the context of the opioid epidemic, this work supports improved access to quality programs offering this evidence-based treatment. The 2022 updates to DTX include:

Additional Revisions
In response to feedback from our network, we are also releasing many minor revisions throughout the COA Accreditation standards to provide clarity and/or remain current with trends in the field. Some of the highlights include:

A full list of standards impacted by the 2022 updates can be found online.

Our Process

The 2022 COA Accreditation standards updates reflect changes made based on evolving practices, ongoing review of relevant literature, and the continuous feedback we receive from our network, including volunteer reviewers and accredited organizations. More specifically, updating the 2022 Standards involved:

Questions?

If you are an in-process or accredited organization, reach out to your accreditation coordinator.

If you are seeking accreditation for the first time, contact Joe Perrow.

For additional information about COA Accreditation standards, contact Melissa Dury.