Addressing Hunger, Nutrition, and Health

End hunger by making it easier for everyone — including individuals in urban, suburban, rural, and tribal communities, and territories — to access and afford food. 

• In September 2022, the ACF Office of Community Services (OCS) launched its Freedom from Hunger Initiative, which features case studies and best practices on anti-hunger and nutrition programs funded by the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) within the CSBG network. 
• The ACF Office of Child Care (OCC) released a model application and guide to help states develop improved applications and verification processes for child care subsidies. In January 2023, OCC also conducted a webinar for hundreds of state staff to train them on the content. 
• In December 2023, the ACF Administration for Native Americans (ANA) launched the Ending Hunger and Improving Physical Wellness in Native Communities resource page to address food sovereignty and nutrition security in Indigenous communities, which includes webinars, guides and success stories. 
• ACF released the SNAP Exceptions for Youth Experiencing Homelessness and Exiting Foster Care letter, which explains the new exception that allows youth aging out of foster care and people experiencing homelessness to be exempt from verifying residency, allowing a wider reach to SNAP. 
• The ACF Office of Head Start (OHS) released the SNAP Eligibility for Head Start Services resource hub, which includes resources aligning with the change in Head Start policy that makes it easier for SNAP households to become eligible for Head Start programs.  
• The ACF Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) released the Elevating Family Input in TANF and Child Support Programs: Resources for Program Staff, Leaders, and Families toolkit, which provides guidance, real world examples, and resources to help Temporary Assistance for Need Families (TANF) and child support programs engage the families they serve in improving service delivery, policy, and program operations. 
• In preparation for the Biden-Harris Administration’s Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, ACF OCS released a letter that provides resources and information about the CSBG to improve food accessibility and affordability for communities.  
• The ACF Office of Head Start (OHS) hosted an Engaging Families in Head Start Programs and WIC Webinar to increase family engagement in Head Start and WIC services, especially as families adjusted to life after the pandemic. 
• ACF released a letter on addressing the Impacts of Parent and Caregiver Loss on Children, which includes resources like economic and health services support for families who have experienced parent or caregiver loss.  
• In February 2023, ACF launched the First National Early Care and Education Workforce Center, which provides investment to support research and technical assistance for states, communities, territories, and Tribal Nations to improve the recruitment and retention of a diverse and qualified workforce across early care and education programs. 
• OHS released the American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Head Start Eligibility Through Tribal TANF information memorandum, which explains how AIAN programs can maximize the use of existing eligibility criterion to enroll additional Tribal children, thus expanding tribal control and decision making in determining which children to serve in Head Start. 
• OPRE published the Elevating Family Input in TANF and Child Support Programs: Resources for Program Staff, Leaders, and Families Toolkit, which provides guidance, real world examples, and resources to help TANF and child support programs engage the families they serve in improving service delivery, policy, and program operations. 

Prioritize the role of nutrition and food security in overall health — including disease prevention and management — and ensure that our health care system addresses the nutrition needs of all people. 

• OHS hosted a webinar on ’Improving Health Literacy for Families ’. This webinar covered finding, understanding, and using health information to inform health-related decisions.
• OHS hosted a webinar on how Nutrition Services Are a Health Equity Intervention . This webinar explored Social Determinants of Health, and strategies to address disparities through Head Start services.
• In April 2023, Children's Bureau (CB) released the Changes to Medicaid eligibility for youth/young adults age 18 who transition out of foster care and move to a new state information memorandum to child welfare agencies to ensure continued coverage for young people.  
• The ACF Office of Early Childhood Development (ECD) published the Early Care and Education Medicaid CHIP Tip Sheet, which can be used to help children, families, and the early care and education workforce maintain health coverage during the renewals for Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).   

Foster environments that enable all people to easily make informed, healthy choices, increase access to healthy food, encourage healthy workplace and school policies, and invest in public education campaigns that are culturally appropriate and resonate with specific communities. 

• The ACF Office of Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) allows all OTIP grant recipients to provide nutrition counseling to program beneficiaries.

Make it easier for people to be more physically active—in part by ensuring that everyone has access to safe places to be active—increase awareness of the benefits of physical activity, and conduct research on and measure physical activity. 

• The 2023 Federal Resources for Native Arts and Cultural Activities Report highlights federal resources for Indigenous communities, including, but not limited to, cultural and physical activity and economic development. 
• OHS’ I Am Moving, I Am Learning (IMIL) physical activity and nutrition initiative for preschool children seeks to increase the quantity of time children spend in physical activity during daily routines and improve the quality of their physical movement experiences. IMIL also teaches children about healthy nutrition choices. 
• As part of their Health Manager Orientation Guide, OHS released an outline on Sharing Information About Nutrition and Physical Activity. This site includes tips, strategies, and resources for training staff about nutrition and physical activity, and how it raises awareness about the importance of healthy eating and movement on children’s families’ and staff’s overall health and wellness.  
• OHS released a report on Supporting the School Readiness and Success of Young African American Boys , which includes resources related to making sure education and opportunities for physical activity are accessible to Black boys. 
• OHS created the Healthy Habits Start Early tip sheet  (PDF), which helps families incorporate healthy habits and active play at an early age. 

Improve nutrition metrics, data collection, and research to inform nutrition and food security policy, particularly on issues of equity, access, and disparities. 

• CB released its Collecting Data on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression Podcast Series, which focuses on how using data can promote equity and ensure safe and affirming care for youth. 
• ECD’s Research to Practice Brief: Delivering on the Promise Through Equitable Policies focuses on current research trends and implications for racial and ethnic disparities related to early childhood, including food insecurity, poverty, and health. 
• In June 2023, ECD hosted the Equity in Early Childhood Data Webinar, which focused on building state capacity to consider equity in data collection, specifically administrative data, to improve equitable access and outcomes through data collection and analysis.