2021 National TANF Directors’ Meeting: Welcome and Opening Prayer, TANF at 25: Where Can We Go from Here?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA) conducted the 2021 National TANF Directors’ Meeting from September 20 - 24, 2021. On Day 1 at the opening plenary session, Lisa Washington-Thomas, Director, Self-Sufficiency TA, welcomed the attendees to the week-long virtual meeting, followed by a prayer by William Martin, 477 Division Director, Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, and greetings from Holly Morales, Senior Director, Employment & Training Services, Cook Inlet Tribal Council. The TANF at 25 discussion featured leaders from ACF, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and Georgetown University who reflected on the evolution of TANF programs and, more critically, considered the role of TANF in meeting current challenges and accomplishing priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration. These leading national experts explored opportunities to rethink TANF in response to changes to the labor market, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and national social policies.