Last week, Social Current held its inaugural conference, SPARK 2022. Hundreds of social sector leaders converged in Baltimore to exchange ideas, learn best practices, and connect with each other. Social Current President and CEO Jody Levison-Johnson opened the conference with a strong message of unity, asserting that the social sector is “stronger together” and that we should all lean into the give-and-take that our work requires. The opening keynote, from educational psychologist Michele Borba, stressed the importance of acting on empathy to build strong organizations and relationships with our staff and communities.

Over the two-day conference, workshop focused on brain science, anti-racist approaches, workforce resilience, and innovative programs and solutions. The conference ended with a keynote from Heather R. Younger, founder, and CEO of Employee Fanatix, who masterfully detailed all the facets of building a culture of belonging in our organizations based on inclusion and authenticity.

The Social Current Public Policy Team hosted the pre-conference session Social Current’s Federal Policy Agenda: Advocacy Workshop and Opportunities for Impact, which provided participants with an overview of the policy agenda, a module on how Washington, D.C., works and training on messaging and advocacy strategy.

Final Rule on Public Charge

After a public comment period, the Department of Homeland Security has published a final decision regarding the controversial public charge rule. The previous administration finalized a controversial rule that allowed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to consider receipt of certain public benefits, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as a factor in deciding whether to grant individuals green cards or change their immigrant status. In February 2021, President Joe Biden ordered the secretary of state, the attorney general, and DHS to reassess the rule and make recommendations. The new rule, which will go into effect in December, excludes participation in numerous programs, including SNAP, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and housing benefits, among others, from consideration in determining immigrant status. Only long-term institutionalization could be considered in a public charge determination. The rule also ensures that green card holders are not subject to a public charge determination. The rule will go into effect in December.

Annual Food Insecurity Report Released

The Economic Research Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released the report Household Food Security in the United States in 2021 on the state of access to nutrition in the nation. This year’s report surveyed 30,343 households, a representative population sample. The report found that 10.2%, or 13.5 million households, were food insecure, defined as households that at some point during the year expressed difficulty accessing enough food for all the members of their household. This is down from 10.5% in 2019 and 2020. About 3.5%, or 5.1 million households, experienced inadequate food security, where consumption of food by some members is reduced, and eating routines are interrupted due to a lack of resources. In addition, 6.2% of households with children, or 2.3 million households, had food insecure children, and 0.7% of these households had very low food security. About 56% of food-insecure households said they enrolled in federal nutrition assistance programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, and the National School Lunch Program.

The public policy team is pleased to host the session, Social Current’s Federal Policy Agenda: Advocacy Workshop and Opportunities for Impact, Sept. 12 in Baltimore, leading up to SPARK 2022, Sept. 13-14. Blair Kiser, senior director of government affairs, and Derry Kiernan, field mobilization and policy manager, will highlight the critical role of the social sector in federal policy development and engage participants with advocacy skills workshops. The session will feature background on the mechanics of the federal government, in-depth exploration of critical issues, and training on messaging and advocacy strategy.

This interactive pre-conference session will include an overview of Social Current’s first-ever federal public policy agenda, a crash course in U.S. public policy, and a sneak peek at the 2022 midterm election and 2024 general election. The session will conclude with a policy briefing covering the recent opioid settlement funds, what programs and services they can support, and how to advocate for them. This briefing will be followed by a congressional meeting simulation, where participants will prepare for a meeting with members of their congressional delegation to advocate on issues vital to the continued health and growth of the social sector.

We are excited to host this session and hope to see you there! There is still time to register for SPARK 2022 and this free pre-conference session.

Administration Releases Student Loan Forgiveness Plan

On Aug. 24, President Joe Biden announced his student loan forgiveness plan, eliminating up to $20,000 in debt for borrowers who earned less than $125,000 in 2020 or 2021 ($250,000 for married couples). Individuals who received Pell Grants, which help low-income students afford college, will have $20,000 forgiven, while people with standard federal loans will have $10,000. All “Direct Loans,” the most common type of federal loan, issued before June 30, 2022, are eligible, including those taken out by parents and graduate students. It is estimated that this plan will eliminate student debt for 20 million people out of 43 million with student loans. The Department of Education says that monthly payments will decrease by $250 for borrowers with a remaining balance on a 10-year payment plan. The administration’s plan also included a proposal to reduce the cap on monthly payments for undergraduate loans from 5% to 10% and to eliminate balances after 10 years of payments, rather than 20. The administration also announced that loan payments paused during the pandemic will resume in January 2023. A study by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, which did not include the additional forgiveness for Pell Grant recipients, projects that the plan will cost $230 billion.

Senate Committee on Aging Holds Hearing on ABLE Act

On Aug. 17, Bob Casey (D-Penn.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Aging hosted a hearing called “Saving with ABLE: Financial Security for Pennsylvanians with Disabilities.” The Stephen Beck Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014 created so-called ABLE accounts, through which people with disabilities can save money without losing access to benefits, including Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid. Before the passage of the ABLE Act, individuals with more than $2,000 in assets in savings or retirement funds risked losing these benefits. With an ABLE account, individuals can save up to $15,000 per year with a total cap of $100,000 and still retain access to these programs.

During the hearing, Sen. Casey promoted the ABLE Age Adjustment Act, raising the age diagnosis limit from 26 to 46 and giving 6.2 million additional individuals with disabilities access to ABLE accounts. Currently, only individuals who are diagnosed with a disability before the age of 26 are eligible. One witness said that the ABLE Act had allowed her to save up to buy a new house and stop fearing acquiring wealth. Another witness, a former professional dancer, offered her story as a victim of a spinal cord injury at 41 to demonstrate that people who develop disabilities at all ages need access to ABLE accounts. The ABLE Age Adjustment Act has earned bipartisan support from 12 members of the Senate.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law. This historic piece of legislation will impact health care costs, corporate tax rates, clean energy incentives, and IRS funding. The law passed through the Senate along party lines, 51-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote, and then through the House of Representatives, 220-207. Here is a detailed breakdown of the health care provisions that will interest our network the most.

Prescription Drugs Under Medicare Part B and D

Affordable Care Act Subsidies

Joint Letter from Schomburg and Gray on Child Support Payments

Aysha Schomburg, associate commissioner of the Children’s Bureau (CB), and Tanguler Gray, commissioner of the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OSCE), released a joint letter discouraging child welfare agencies from referring parents to child support agencies when their child enters foster care. In many cases, parents must pay child support to cover the cost of foster care. However, Schomburg and Gray believe that, in most cases, these parents are already struggling economically and do not need additional financial hurdles to overcome as they try to reunite with their children.

Moreover, the letter cites a study that shows that higher child support payments are associated with increased time before reunification—harming both parents and children. It also cites two additional studies that find that government money spent collecting child support payments far outweighs payments themselves. Given these realities, Schomburg and Gray encourage IV-E agencies to stop automatically referring cases to child support offices. They say that the CB and the OSCE are willing to help agencies implement this change, including offering IV-E administrative funds to help implement necessary changes to data systems.

New Housing Grant Awards for Youth Aging out of Foster Care

According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 14 public housing agencies in 12 states will receive grants to provide housing assistance to youth aging out of foster care. In total, $621,000 is allocated to cover 60 Housing Choice Vouchers for youth in Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. The grant program, called the Foster Youth to Independence Program, serves foster youth who are 18-24 years old and have left or are about to leave foster care. It also serves all foster youth 16 years old or older who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The vouchers last for 36 months.

Senators Write Letter Supporting Student Debt Relief for Public Service Workers and Others

Twenty-two Senate Democrats, including Patty Murray (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, wrote a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, expressing support for the Department of Education’s proposed rules concerning student debt relief. These rules would help borrowers whose schools closed or defrauded them and borrowers who are disabled and/or work in public service organizations. Regarding the last group, the letter lauds the multiple ways the department proposes to categorize more types of monthly payments as eligible for the 120 necessary to receive loan forgiveness. The senators also encourage the secretary to expand the types of positions eligible for forgiveness to include for-profit early childhood education employees and self-employed independent contractors working full time at qualifying organizations. The department plans to finalize the rules by Nov. 1. The administration has already forgiven $26 billion for 1.3 million federal student loan borrowers through executive action.

Indian Child Welfare Act Webinar Showed What’s at Stake this Fall

On Aug. 11, Social Current CEO Jody Levison-Johnson and Sarah Kastelic, executive director of the National Indian Child Welfare Association, hosted a webinar on the upcoming Supreme Court case Brackeen v. Haaland. The lawsuit challenges the legitimacy of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978, considered by many experts to be the “gold standard” in child welfare because it prioritizes placement of native foster children in extended families and within tribal communities whenever possible. Levison-Johnson noted that research supports ICWA by consistently showing that kids thrive when they grow up with their family, community, and culture.

Kastelic spoke about the history of the harmful policies of the federal government leading up to ICWA, including forced assimilation through boarding schools and family separation through the child welfare system. She also explained how these practices of taking children from their families fit with common colonialist actions worldwide.

Regarding the Supreme Court Case, Kastelic argued that the challenge to ICWA is not just about the future of native children but also tribal sovereignty. If the Supreme Court rules against the ICWA, it may be the start of an effort to chip away at tribes’ ability to govern themselves and do what is best for their citizens.

Log in to watch a recording of the webinar online. Anyone may create a free account.

After a rare weekend meeting of the United States Senate, Senate Democrats on Sunday, Aug. 7, passed a comprehensive $740 billion tax, climate, and health care reconciliation measure, with Vice President Kamala Harris providing the deciding vote. The legislation titled the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will significantly advance President Joe Biden’s domestic policy agenda if it passes the House of Representatives.

The health care provisions in the bill are significant. The legislation outlines a method for Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs. This new negotiating power could save the federal government $288 billion over ten years. The bill would also cap Medicare patients’ out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 per year and impose a financial penalty on drug companies that raise prices faster than the inflation rate. On top of these Medicare reforms, the bill would extend Affordable Care Act subsidies for three years, lowering premiums for approximately 13 million people. 
  
Additionally, the bill could reduce the deficit by $300 billion, invest $370 billion in energy security and climate change programs, boost IRS funding by $80 billion, implement a 15% minimum corporate tax on corporations with over $1 billion in value, and close the so-called carried interest loophole, among other things.  
  
Now that the legislation has passed the Senate, it will go to the House of Representatives, where Democrats can afford to lose only a handful of votes. President Biden has said he will sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

Senate Appropriations Bills Released

On Jul. 28, the Senate Appropriations Committee released 12 appropriations bills for the fiscal year 2023, representing the Senate Democrats’ opening salvo in the upcoming negotiations with Republicans over next year’s federal budget. These bills are subject to substantial change as the process unfolds, and Social Current will keep you updated on the negotiations throughout the fall.

The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill includes $216.1 billion in funding, a $21 billion, or 10%, increase from the fiscal year 2022 level. Here are some of the highlights from the bill:

In addition, the transportation and housing appropriations bill increased funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development by $4.3 billion above FY2022 to $70 billion.

Finally, in the agriculture appropriations bill, critical nutrition programs received significant increases in funding.

Senate Committee on Aging Holds Hearing on Tech and People with Disabilities

On Jul. 28, the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing called “Click Here: Accessible Federal Technology for People with Disabilities, Older Americans, and Veterans,” which explored the technological barriers that hold back people with disabilities, who are disproportionately older Americans and veterans. Chairman Bob Casey (D-Penn.) opened the hearing by stating that though the government came a long way during the earlier part of the pandemic to increase digital accessibility, a report found that only 10% of Veterans Affairs websites were fully accessible, particularly for the blind. Another topic was telehealth. Ranking Member Tim Scott (R-S.C.) highlighted the Telehealth Modernization Act, making telehealth flexibilities permanent after the public health emergency. One of the witnesses, Eve Hill of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP, was formerly a deputy assistant attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. She noted that the federal government’s immense buying power could influence developers and suppliers to update their electronic and information technology to be more accessible to the general public. Finally, a retired navy veteran, Ronald G. Holmquest, said that telehealth and technology upgrades had allowed him to take full advantage of the VA’s health offerings and pressed Congress to continue in the right direction.

New Fact Sheet for the Affordable Connectivity Program

The White House released a fact sheet that helps families access internet services through the Affordable Connectivity Program, a new program created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure law passed last year. The program gives eligible households a $30 discount per month on their internet bills. These households can also get $100 off the purchase of a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet through the program. The fact sheet walks prospective applicants through signing up for the program, including an online tool to determine eligibility. For individuals to qualify, households must either earn less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participate in another program like Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or WIC. The fact sheet also provides a list of participating internet service providers.

On August 11, Social Current will host a webinar called “Challenging the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and Tribal Sovereignty” on the upcoming Supreme Court case Brackeen v. Haaland. The case challenges the ICWA, a law enacted in 1978, which is considered the “gold standard” in child welfare practice. Enacted to put an end to generations of separating Native children from their parents, the ICWA prioritizes placement with extended families and tribal communities whenever possible, preserving children’s connection to their culture and people. Opponents of the law argue that the ICWA is unconstitutional because it treats Native children differently in the child welfare system – an argument that fundamentally misunderstands tribal sovereignty. The Supreme Court will take up the case this fall.

Social Current is a major proponent of shifting resources and supports upstream to prevent family separation; however, if a placement is necessary, the research is clear that extended family and kinship care settings are optimal. Separating Native children from their families and communities goes against everything we understand about child well-being and equity. Please join Social Current President and CEO Jody Levison-Johnson and Dr. Sarah Kastelic, executive director of the National Indian Child Welfare Organization, to learn more about ICWA and what you can do to help.

Manchin Opts for Healthcare Bill, Delays Climate and Tax Provisions

Two weeks ago, Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) told Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) that he would delay consideration of a legislative package focused on climate change provisions and tax increases on the wealthy. In prior weeks, both senators had said they were making progress on the bill, but Manchin put a hold on talks after the June inflation report recorded the highest inflation increase in 40 years. In the meantime, he said he could support a slimmed down health care bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, cap out of pocket costs for seniors at $2,000 per year, and extend Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies for 13 million people for two years. Biden has called on Congress to pass the health care bill and Schumer says it could pass before the August recess.

First-Ever Grant Funding for Integrated Approaches to Homelessness

The Biden administration announced the first-ever batch of grants to address unsheltered homelessness and homeless encampments through integrated approaches. The package of $322 million, including $54.5 for rural communities, supports initiatives that tie together housing, healthcare and veteran services and expressly encourages coordination between health care organizations, public housing authorities, and other housing providers. These grants will fund homeless outreach, permanent housing, and other support services. In addition to these funds, another batch of $43 million is now available for 4,000 housing vouchers to aid individuals experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, and veterans and their families.

New Ratings in the Family First Prevention Services Clearinghouse

The Family First Prevention Clearinghouse has posted new ratings for nine prevention services. One was found to be “well-supported”, one “supported”, two “promising”, and five rated as “does not currently meet criteria”. The programs included mental health services, in-home parent skill-based services, and substance abuse services. So far 109 programs and services have been reviewed, and 57 have been rated as promising, supported, or well-supported.

The new ratings are as follows:

Democrats are attempting to revive parts of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, which was scuttled in the Senate late last year. Conversations behind closed doors are taking place between Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), and progress on a few key sticking points has been made. For one, they have agreed on giving the federal government the power to negotiate lower prices for certain drugs under Medicare, which would save the program billions in the coming years. The plan would also cap yearly drug costs for seniors at $2,000 and penalize pharmaceutical companies that raise prices faster than inflation. Manchin and Schumer also came to an agreement on closing a tax loophole on so-called “pass-through” businesses, which would help keep Medicare solvent until 2031.

Sticking points still exist on several other issues. Manchin has yet to voice support for extending enhanced subsidies to consumers who purchase health insurance on the Affordable Care Act exchanges–a provision from the American Rescue Plan which passed last year. Without his support, 13 million people would experience premium increases next year. It is also unclear whether other prized Democratic priorities, like affordable child care and universal pre-kindergarten, will earn his support and make it into the final bill. To pass through the expedited legislative process called reconciliation, all 50 Democratic senators, including another hold out, Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), would need to support the final version of the package. Senator Schumer says that a bill could reach the Senate floor as soon as late July.

New Executive Order on Equality for LGBTQI+ Communities

Last month, the White House released a new Executive Order (EO) on Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Individuals. The EO calls on the federal government to tackle discrimination, eliminate disparities, and “pursue a comprehensive approach to delivering the full promise of equality for LGBTQI+ individuals.” It also asks the Departments of Health and Human Services and Education to protect LGBTQI+ individuals from harmful state and local laws and encourage policies and practices that support their safety, well-being, and rights, and foster health equity, especially in mental health care. The HHS Secretary is tasked with addressing discrimination and challenges faced by LBGTQI+ children in the child welfare system. Activities include promotion of policies that improve outcomes for the population, increased training, and technical assistance to State child welfare agencies, evaluations of current practices that result in disparities, and more data collection on LBGTQI+ youth in the child welfare system. The EO calls on the Department of Housing and Urban Development to create a Working Group on LGBTQI+ Homelessness and Housing Equity, which would identify supports that address homelessness and housing instability.

Work Requirement Bills Introduced in the House

Representative Rodney Davis (R-IL) introduced the America Works Act of 2022 in the House of Representatives, which would require all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants between the ages of 18 and 65 to work or volunteer at least 20 hours per week to remain eligible. The Jobs and Opportunities for Medicaid Act, introduced by Jake LaTurner (R-KS), would create the same work requirement for Medicaid beneficiaries. According to Rep. Davis’s fact sheet, in April 2022 there were 11.4 million job openings, with over 11 million able-bodied adults who aren’t working. As of now, states determine whether they implement work requirements for participation in these programs.

New, Confidential Hotline for Pregnant and New Moms

The Health Resources and Services Administration has created the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, a free and confidential resource for moms before, during, and after pregnancy. The hotline is available 24/7, in both English and Spanish, with interpreter services in 60 languages. Professional counselors, such as nurses, doctors, mental health clinicians, doulas, and peer support specialists are on call to provide real-time support and information, as well as referrals to local and telehealth providers and support groups. Women who are feeling overwhelmed, sad, anxious, or exhausted before or after giving birth are encouraged to call or text the hotline at 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS. Congress authorized funding for the new hotline in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

Last week, Congress passed major gun safety legislation for the first time in 30 years. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed with a vote of 65-33 in the Senate and 234-193 in the House of Representatives. President Biden signed the bill into law on Saturday. Following the mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, a small bipartisan group of moderate Senate lawmakers came together to hash out a bill that could gain 60 votes and overcome the chamber’s filibuster. The resulting compromise did not include some Democratic priorities, including bans on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines; however, its provisions were significant enough to gain intense opposition from the National Rifle Association, which ultimately failed in its lobbying efforts. In the Senate, all 50 Democrats were joined by 15 Republicans in passing the bill, which Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said is “going to save lives.”

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act expands background checks for gun buyers under the age of 21 to include juvenile and mental health records and gives authorities up to 10 days to perform the checks, up from three days in current law. As part of the compromise, this provision would expire after 10 years. In the bill, $750 million would go to incentivizing states to pass red flag laws, which allow law enforcement to temporarily take guns away from people seen as dangerous in the eyes of a judge. For states that do not implement red flag laws, they will have the option of using the money to support crisis and violence intervention programs. The legislation also closes the “boyfriend loophole,” a long-sought provision among Democrats, which would bar people convicted of domestic violence or under a restraining order to buy a gun, whether they are spouses or intimate partners. The bill would also commit $300 million to school safety and community mental health programs, including training for school personnel who work with minors with mental health challenges. Finally, the bill would create the first-ever federal prohibition on gun trafficking, which would crack down on “straw purchasers,” or buyers who obtain guns for others who can’t legally buy guns.

Congressional Budget Office Releases Report on Work Requirements and Supports

The Congressional Budget Office released a report on the effect of work requirements and work supports on employment and income for participants in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicaid. The study found that work requirements increased employment for TANF and SNAP enrollees but not for Medicaid enrollees. Because programs decrease benefits as participants earn more, the increase in income for TANF beneficiaries was equal to the decrease in benefits, while the SNAP and Medicaid beneficiaries saw their benefits reduce more than their income rose, as a result of work requirements. The data on work supports was more promising. Subsidized child care, job search assistance, and subsidized employment increased employment for beneficiaries, while job training had more varied effects. Moreover, the study found that work supports through government programs gave participants extra resources to spend on goods and services.

Congress Passes School Meal Aid Bill to Combat Child Hunger

Late last week, Congress passed the Keep Kids Fed Act, which would extend COVID-19-related school meal waivers for another year. Originally passed in the 2020 Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the waivers expand eligibility for free school meals by increasing the income cut off from 130% to 185% of the poverty level. Under the waivers, reimbursement rates are enhanced to allow schools to afford meal provision, given supply chain challenges and rising food prices. For the 2022-2023 school year, rates would increase by 15 cents per breakfast and 40 cents per lunch. The waivers also allow flexibilities, such as giving parents the ability to pick up meals to eat at home. The Keep Kids Fed Act would extend these waivers through Sept. 30, 2022, for the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option, and through June 30, 2023, for the 2022-2023 academic year. The bill is budget neutral, as it uses unspent funds from prior pandemic spending to cover the waiver extensions.

New Fact Sheet on the SNAP-Ed Program

The Food and Nutrition Service released a fact sheet on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed), which educates SNAP recipients on how to budget effectively, cook healthy meals and increase physical activity. Program research shows that 40% of participants ate more fruits and vegetables and drank fewer sugar beverages and 35% were more physically active. Moreover, SNAP-Ed programs in schools are associated with enhanced cardiovascular fitness. One of its partner programs in Georgia, “Be a Health Hero: EAT, DRINK, MOVE,” utilized marketing campaigns, like billboards, shopping tote bags, and store signage, to increase awareness of healthy eating practices.

Following the recent tragedies in Tulsa, Uvalde, Laguna Woods, and Buffalo, a small, bipartisan contingent of centrist senators that had been meeting behind closed doors to discuss possible legislative responses finally reached a tentative agreement over the weekend. Leading the negotiations were John Cornyn (R-Texas), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.). A broader group of moderate lawmakers was also influencing the talks. The proposed framework bolsters mental health resources, increases funding for school safety, and provides grants to states to incentivize “red flag” laws that allow law enforcement to take guns away from individuals who are deemed dangerous to others. The deal also includes expanding background checks to include juvenile records for gun buyers under the age of 21, and a long-sought prohibition on dating partners – not just spouses – from having guns in cases of domestic abuse.

The White House had been pushing for a ban on assault rifles for individuals under the age of 21, and the House of Representatives passed its own bill last week that included a prohibition on sales of semiautomatic weapons to people under the age of 21 and a ban on magazines that hold more than 15 rounds of ammunition. These bans, however, will likely not be included in whatever deal the Senate ultimately works out. Sen. Cornyn has publicly said that these types of bans are off the table. Though the tentative deal represents the farthest Congress has gone in recent decades on gun safety legislation, there are still details to nail down. For Democrats, the deadline for action is fast approaching; in the past, flurries of legislative activity after mass shootings have often dragged on without producing any results. Republicans insist on sticking to the negotiations and working out the details, no matter how long it takes. Both sides say that their colleagues are working in good faith. Any deal would need the support of all 50 Democrats, plus at least 10 Republicans, to bypass the filibuster and become law.

On June 1, Social Current CEO Jody Levison-Johnson released a statement about the recent gun violence and urged the social sector to treat gun violence as an urgent public health issue. Social Current will continue to address the underlying causes of gun violence by championing community-based violence intervention efforts, positive youth development programs, increased federal funding for research on gun violence, and trauma-informed and brain-science aligned policy principles, among other things.

Community Services Block Grant Reauthorization Passes the House

The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Modernization Act of 2022, introduced by Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), and James Comer (R-Ky.), passed the House of Representatives. The CSBG supports a network of over 1,000 Community Action Agencies (CAA), which help low-income families attain economic stability through skills training, educational empowerment, and housing services. If it passes the Senate and is signed into law, the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Modernization Act would reauthorize funding for CSBG for another 10 years—the longest reauthorization in program history—and would increase the annual level of funding by $1 billion for the first five years. It would also increase the number of eligible people by raising the income eligibility threshold to 200 percent of the poverty line. Finally, the bill would create a new initiative called the Community Action Innovations Program, which would direct federal and state training and assistance to groundbreaking, evidence-based poverty-reduction programs. In 2019, CAAs served more than 9 million individuals. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, these community-based organizations helped people acquire personal protective equipment, access vaccines, and receive supplies for remote learning.

HUD Bolsters Eviction Protection and Diversion Program

Last month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $20 million in grants to 11 nonprofit and government legal organizations, as part of its Eviction Protection Grant Program. The previous round in November awarded grants to 10 organizations. Grant beneficiaries provide legal assistance to low-income tenants at risk of eviction. These services disproportionately assist people of color, people with limited English proficiency, and people with disabilities. The program also helps landlords access resources for rent arrears. HUD cites multiple studies that show legal assistance services save taxpayers millions of dollars and mitigate evictions that would otherwise destabilize families. The Eviction Protection Grant Program is just one program alongside many, including the State and Local Emergency Rental Assistance program, that help families retain shelter during the recovery from the public health and economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

DELIVER Act Reintroduced in Congress

Reps. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) reintroduced the Delivering Elderly Lunches and Increasing Volunteer Engagement and Reimbursements (DELIVER) Act, which would increase the gas reimbursement rate for volunteers who deliver meals to the elderly for programs such as Meals on Wheels. Especially during this time of inflation, gas costs for volunteers have gotten prohibitively expensive. This bill would raise the tax deduction for volunteer drivers from 14 cents per mile, a figure that hasn’t changed in nearly two decades, to 58 cents per mile, the standard business rate. This bill will ease costs for volunteers, allow senior citizens to continue living independently in their own homes, and foster more community and civic engagement.

Social Current has released its first-ever federal public policy agenda. This agenda will power our policy and advocacy efforts for 2022-2024, as we work to build an equitable society where all people thrive.

“We are thrilled to reach this milestone for Social Current. We realize this is just the beginning of our work and opportunity to realize our network’s collective power and influence,” said Social Current President and CEO Jody Levison-Johnson. “We know we must work together to move the needle on key public policies to create an equitable society. Social Current looks forward to engaging our network of organizations, their communities, and all of our partners to advocate for these critical priorities.”

The 2022-2024 federal policy agenda is the result of months of input from the Social Current network through focus groups, surveys, and individual conversations. It represents the breadth and diversity of our network organizations, the challenges they face, and the future they envision.

Watch this webinar recording to learn more about the specific policies Social Current will champion. Jody Levison-Johnson and Derry Kiernan, field mobilization and policy manager, shared how you can join in supporting in our collective advocacy work.

Within our policy agenda, you’ll find our policy principles—our commitments that serve as the foundation of our policy agenda:

  • Center equity
  • Engage voices with lived experience
  • Promote prevention
  • Advance whole-person approaches
  • Create access and opportunity
  • Ensure the health and resilience of the social sector

Following our foundational principles, the agenda details the policies Social Current and our collective network seek to accelerate through leadership and policies we seek to accelerate through partnership with our coalition partners and other experts. These policies are in four key areas:

  • Advancing Equity. As the cornerstone of our agenda, we seek to advance equity by empowering community voices, utilizing data for equity, and ensuring equitable access and resources
  • Improving Health and Well-Being. We seek to advance healing-centered and trauma-informed policy, respond to behavioral health needs, and integrate cross-systems approaches that support health equity
  • Increasing Economic Opportunity and Mobility. We seek to expand economic supports so that all people can achieve upward mobility and financial security
  • Achieving Social Sector Health and Excellence. Our commitment to the health and excellence of the sector is absolute; we seek to ensure our sector’s financial viability and ability to attract and retain a strong workforce

Download Agenda
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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.