[Wsssc] Loss of ABAWD Funds at Colleges

[Joe Holliday]

WSSSC:

We are bringing an urgent matter to your attention regarding the possible elimination of federal funding for Able Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWD) Navigators at your colleges. Instruction Commission will also be notified.

Recently, the Federal Nutrition Services (FNS) conducted a Monitoring Evaluation to review the Department of Social Health Services' (DSHS) administration of the ABAWD program. DSHS shared with the State Board some preliminary information from that review which could result in the elimination of ABAWD funding.
Our understanding from DSHS is that neither the State Board nor the colleges would be expected to repay any funds should the ABAWD grant be defunded. The colleges have met their contractual obligations with the State Board.

We understand the importance of the ABAWD Navigators at the colleges for your students and communities. The navigators have been providing a direct connection to the college's Basic Food Employment and Training (BFET) Program; which is an important part of the state's comprehensive workforce development system, serving the needs of low-income individuals, displaced workers, and underrepresented populations by encouraging financial independence from public assistance through skill acquisition and gainful employment.

The State Board is actively working to find a solution if the funding is eliminated.

As we wait for official notification from DSHS, the SBCTC Student Support Programs Policy Associate, Jennifer Dellinger, and Program Administrator Kathi Medcalf, have been in contact with college BFET/ABAWD Administrators to apprise them of the situation.

Attached is additional information about the ABAWD funding situation. We will be back in touch as we learn more. If you have any questions please contact Jennifer Dellinger at 360.704.3925 or jdellinger at sbctc.edu<mailto:jdellinger at sbctc.edu>.


Joe

[Compass]
Joe Holliday
Director, Student Services
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
jholliday at sbctc.edu<mailto:jholliday at sbctc.edu>* o: 360-704-4334 * f: 360-704-4418
sbctc.edu<https://www.sbctc.edu/> * Twitter: @SBCTCWashington<https://twitter.com/SBCTCWashington> * Facebook: @WASBCTC<https://www.facebook.com/wasbctc/>

SBCTC Vision:

"Leading with racial equity, our colleges maximize student potential and transform lives within a culture of belonging that advances racial, social, and economic justice in service to our diverse communities."


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ctc.edu/pipermail/wsssc_lists.ctc.edu/attachments/20210322/acc64701/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 629079 bytes
Desc: image001.jpg
URL: <http://lists.ctc.edu/pipermail/wsssc_lists.ctc.edu/attachments/20210322/acc64701/attachment-0002.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image003.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2623 bytes
Desc: image003.jpg
URL: <http://lists.ctc.edu/pipermail/wsssc_lists.ctc.edu/attachments/20210322/acc64701/attachment-0003.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: ABAWD Funding Talking Points.docx
Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
Size: 18817 bytes
Desc: ABAWD Funding Talking Points.docx
URL: <http://lists.ctc.edu/pipermail/wsssc_lists.ctc.edu/attachments/20210322/acc64701/attachment-0001.docx>