This Brooking Institution report describes how local communities have invested in better outcomes for children and youth. The authors start by describing benchmarks of success from early childhood to adulthood, such as developing reading and math…

It has been 20 years since the U.S. Congress passed welfare reform, and throughout these two decades, Maryland has provided cash assistance to families whose incomes do not meet their basic needs. In this way, the Temporary Cash Assistance program (…

When TANF became law in 1996, welfare recipients were required to engage in work participation activities, and states were required to have 50 percent of their TANF cases meet these participation requirements. The intention of requiring individuals…

This article attempts to answer whether moving into poor quality employment (i.e., low security, low wages, low autonomy) is better for one’s physical and mental health than staying unemployed. Researchers examined employment outcomes and health…

This blog post from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse provides information on opioid abuse among older adults ages 55 to 64. Older adults have experienced the greatest increase in drug-related deaths. A pattern of opioid misuse…

This toolkit from Workforce GPS provides ideas, strategies, and resources for integrating service delivery in the public workforce system under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). This toolkit provides workforce partners across…

Low-income families and people of color often struggle to find safe neighborhoods to live in due to high housing costs and discrimination. These challenges lead to economically segregated neighborhoods that suffer from neglect, inadequate services,…

This resource highlights six strategies and practical steps faith-based organizations can take when helping their communities prevent and heal from the effects of the opioid crisis. These strategies include opening doors and offering space for…

Domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness among families with children. This blog post from the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) describes how communities can use the 2017 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)…