ACF Blog Spotlight
The ACF blog - The Family Room - talks about new initiatives at the agency, success stories and policy announcements. The blog also provides links that help direct viewers to other parts of ACF's website.
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Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Date:
February 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
National/International:
National
Topics/Subtopics:
- Employment
- Education and Training
- Family Strengthening
- Transportation
- Asset Building
- Supportive Services
- Special Populations
- TANF Program Administration
- Tribal TANF
- TANF Policy and Legislation
Related Records
This blog post from the Administration for Children and Families’ Family Room Blog highlights the work of the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation in 2016. Some notable examples of successful research and evaluation projects include: a video on using behavioral science insights to increase child support collections in Cuyahoga County, Ohio; a report that examines similarities and differences among executive functioning skills for children aged three through six; and a report on the early impacts of two approaches to subsidized employment for TANF participants in Los Angeles.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
December, 2016
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- TANF Program Administration
This blog post from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) examines promising new findings from ACF’s Assets for Independence (AFI) program. AFI was shown to increase liquid assets among participants and reduce participant use of alternative financial services. Additionally, the program participants experienced fewer material hardships and showed greater confidence in their financial security.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
December, 2016
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Asset Building
The Year Up program is one of nine career pathways programs in the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation’s Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education (PACE) study. Year Up’s sites had to increase recruitment by 50% to meet the study sample requirements. This blog post from the Administration for Children and Families highlights Year Up’s efforts and lessons learned while scaling up their services.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
August, 2016
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Education and Training
- Career Pathways
This ACF Family Room Blog post discusses a new partnership between ACF’s Office of Child Care and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) about strengthening investments in working families and child care. ACF and DOL will push for a national conversation on how to increase access to high-quality, affordable child care.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
November, 2016
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Supportive Services
- Child Care
This post from the ACF Family Room Blog breaks down the FY 2015 TANF and MOE financial data. One notable distinction is that in FY 2015, states reported spending only 4.1% of TANF and MOE funds on “other,” which consists of non-assistance activities, compared to 14.7% in FY 2014.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
August, 2016
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- TANF Program Administration
This blog post from the ACF Family Room Blog highlights the work of the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) on improving rural communities. OFA developed the Rural Communities Initiative, which provided information on various rural issues. In addition, OFA provides assistance on small business development, economic development, and transportation.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
September, 2016
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Special Populations
- TANF Program Administration
This blog post from the Administration for Children and Families provides an overview of the Pathways to Advancing Careers and Education study, which focuses on nine career pathways programs and looks at risk factors that prevent low-income students from achieving college success. For example, having better grades in high school predicted enrolling in college, staying in college, and earning credentials; and being able to devote time to full-time education, rather than having to work a high number of hours while enrolled in school, has at least as much influence as money on the likelihood of enrolling and persisting in college.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
August, 2016
Source:
Partner Resources
OFA Initiatives:
TANF/WIOA Resource Hub
Topics/Subtopics:
- Education and Training
- Career Pathways
- Post-secondary Education
This blog post from the Administration for Children and Families provides a discussion of Career Pathways, which are a promising solution to help Americans acquire marketable and in-demand skills through integrated programs and services for students and job seekers transitioning from education to employment. In April 2012, the U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services formed a federal partnership and issued a joint letter of commitment. The partnership helps promote the use of career pathways to assist youth and adults in acquiring valuable skills and credentials through better alignment with employers, educational institutions, training and employment providers, and human and social service agencies. Building on that work, ACF has expanded support to multiple agencies to foster better coordination of programs and services.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
May, 2016
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Education and Training
- Career Pathways
Nationwide, nearly 1.5 million high school students experience physical abuse from a dating partner each year. Additionally, about 1 in 3 teenagers has experienced some form of abuse by a dating partner. This blog post was written by the Associate Commissioner of the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) to highlight the importance of addressing Teen Dating Violence as part of ongoing FYSB and ACF activities to enhance health, safety, and wellbeing for all children, youth, and families.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
February, 2016
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Special Populations
- Domestic Violence Survivors
This blog post highlights the efforts of the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) and its grantees to reduce domestic violence in Native communities through Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) grants. The SEDS grants are designed to end community problems through culturally appropriate projects.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
October, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Special Populations
- Domestic Violence Survivors
- Tribal TANF
The Office of Family Assistance recently announced the new Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood grantees. This blog post provides funding details and explains the types of services these grantees will provide, including responsible parenting, economic stability, and marriage and relationship skills services.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
October, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Family Strengthening
- Fatherhood
- Healthy Relationships and Marriage
Every October, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and other organizations across the country take time to raise awareness about the 12 million women and men who are victims of domestic violence each year in the United States. Throughout the month, advocates mobilize to mourn the lives lost to domestic violence, celebrate domestic violence prevention and intervention efforts, and connect to a community that collectively strives for the safety and wellbeing of all its citizens.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
October, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Special Populations
- Domestic Violence Survivors
This blog post discusses the recently announced $600,000 in awards to six tribal entities for a new round of Tribal Early Learning Initiative (TELI) grants. These grants allow tribal communities to coordinate their early learning and development programs and enhance the services offered to children and families from pregnancy through kindergarten.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
August, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Tribal TANF
- Family Strengthening
- Supportive Services
This blog post highlights the work of a Family and Youth Services Bureau grantee, the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy (ACAP). ACAP partners with local teen pregnancy prevention groups and other stakeholders to provide more effective services to youth. In 2014, they found that most youth reported positive perceptions of their programs.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
August, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Special Populations
- Pregnant and Parenting Teens
- TANF Program Administration
- Collaborations and Partnerships
This blog post describes some of the highlights of the Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships Program (EHS-CC). Partners of the program include state child care administrators, Head Start collaboration directors, the grantees, and the grantees’ partners. Ultimately, the program is meant to provide children and families with high-quality learning environments.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
August, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Supportive Services
- Child Care
August is Child Support Awareness Month. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the child support program; throughout those years, ACF’s Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) has partnered with states to collect child support payments that increase family income. Currently, 16 million children receive services from a state or tribal child support program; in fact, 1 in 4 children in the U.S. has an active child support case. This blog post highlights ACF’s efforts to ensure that all children receive financial and emotional support from both parents, even if the parents do not reside together.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
August, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Supportive Services
- Child Support
This blog and accompanying report present data about the health and well-being of children across the United States. Twenty-three federal agencies participated in data collection and reporting. This contributed to the wide range of indicators that were covered, relating to topics such as family and social environment, economic circumstances, health care and safety, behavior, education, and health.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
July, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Special Populations
This blog post highlights the recently released final report on the accomplishments of State Advisory Councils (SAC) on early childhood education and care. SACs were authorized in the Head Start Act of 2007, with a goal of promoting partnerships between Head Start agencies, state and local governments, and the private sector.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
June, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Education and Training
- Supportive Services
- Child Care
ACF and the Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced an evaluation of subsidized employment efforts. The evaluation will aim to help States and localities use and expand subsidized employment strategies for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients, non-custodial parents, disconnected youth, and other low-income and/or at-risk youth and adults. This blog post informs States and localities how they can use the evaluation to strengthen subsidized employment and transitional jobs programming.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
June, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Employment
- Subsidized Employment
In a post from Sylvia Burwell, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, she describes a woman who experienced homelessness and was cared for by a community health center. Secretary Burwell notes the interagency commitment to end veteran homelessness by 2015, chronic homelessness by 2017, and family, youth, and child homelessness by 2020.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
July, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Supportive Services
- Housing Assistance
- Special Populations
- Homeless Families
This post, published on July 1, 2015, marks the day that many of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provisions begin to take effect. The goals of the joint vision between the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Education are to: ensure the needs of business and workers drive workforce solutions, guarantee American Job Centers provide excellent customer service to jobseekers and employers, and have the workforce system support strong regional economies and play an active role in community and economic development.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
July, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Employment
- WIOA
- Education and Training
This blog post spotlights the Family and Youth Services Bureau grantee Futures without Violence, located in San Francisco. Their work with the Coaching Boys into Men (CBIM) initiative aims to engage men as fathers, uncles, teachers, and coaches to teach young boys to respect women and prevent domestic violence.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
June, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Family Strengthening
- Healthy Relationships and Marriage
- Special Populations
- Domestic Violence Survivors
This blog post, written by an analyst at the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), discusses his new role as a father and the work he does with the Parents and Children Together Evaluation (PACT). PACT documents real stories of dads served by fatherhood programs across the country, as well as identifies innovative and effective new ways to serve this population.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
June, 2015
Source:
OFA Peer TA
Topics/Subtopics:
- Family Strengthening
- Fatherhood
This blog post was written by an employee at the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) and describes her childhood experience with child support. She highlights the work of OCSE, including their recent Child Support Report newsletter, and how the agency has improved exponentially throughout the past decades.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
June, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Supportive Services
- Child Support
This post from a TANF program specialist at the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) describes OFA’s efforts in improving TANF programs across the country. To share ideas about improving case management, integrating two-generation approaches, engaging workforce partners, and enhancing training, OFA has launched a national policy academy. The first groups to enter the academy are Connecticut, Colorado, Maryland, North Carolina, Ramsey County (Minnesota), Utah, Washington, and West Virginia.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
May, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Family Strengthening
- Two-Generation Approaches
- TANF Program Administration
- Collaborations and Partnerships
- TANF Redesign
In addition to promoting the economic and social well being of their clients, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) takes on many health initiatives to supplement and support their mission of helping children and families across the country. This blog post highlights some of the various health-related initiatives from ACF, some of which focus on preventing abuse, ending teen pregnancy, tribal home visiting, and combating childhood obesity.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
April, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Supportive Services
- Health/Behavioral Health Referrals and Supports
This blog post from the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Mark Greenberg, highlights the importance of financial capability programs within human services agencies. ACF programs have issued notices to a wide range of ACF-supported programs to demonstrate the need for financial capability and encourage them to structure their services and activities to strengthen financial capability among the populations they serve.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
April, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Asset Building
- Financial Literacy and Education
This blog post kicked off National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. Although the pregnancy rate among U.S. teens has decreased by more than half since 1990, disparities remain. Some youth, including those in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems, are at a much higher risk of experiencing a pregnancy than are their peers. This post highlights the need to tailor teen pregnancy prevention programs to different populations. Some approaches include empowering youth and staff, creating continuity, and testing strategies to see what works.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
May, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Supportive Services
- Child Welfare
- Special Populations
- Incarcerated and Individuals with a Criminal Record
- Pregnant and Parenting Teens
This blog post discusses the importance of financial literacy and empowerment within the Latino community. One example of a recent initiative is the ACF Region X partnership with Catholic Charities in Portland, Oregon to present a Spanish-language training called “Your Money, Your Goals.” This new financial empowerment toolkit for social service workers who serve the Latino community was created to train front-line staff on how to talk about personal finances with their clients. The resources are available in both English and Spanish.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
April, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Asset Building
- Financial Literacy and Education
- Special Populations
This blog post from ACF’s Family Room Blog highlights recent efforts by American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth to improve their communities and address systematic problems including teen suicide, school drop-outs, and drug and alcohol abuse. Last year, the Generation Indigenous Initiative (Gen-I) was founded to focus on the future of Indian Country at both policy and grassroots levels. Gen-I is “based on the premise that hope is contagious” and that “positive actions can beat negative outcomes.” They will focus on partnerships with Tribal leaders, community members, and other youth.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
April, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Tribal TANF
Childhood experiences can influence health and well-being throughout one’s life. An increasing amount of research on trauma and toxic stress highlights the importance of reducing stressors on ACF-served children and families, as well as the need to help these families cope. Examining this research through the lens of resilience, practitioners are able to further understand why some individuals and families can thrive in the face of adversity. Additionally, programs can identify promising practices and strategies to promote protective factors.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
April, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
OFA Initiatives:
Systems to Family Stability National Policy Academy
Topics/Subtopics:
- Special Populations
- Children Impacted by Toxic Stress
This blog entry highlights connections and collaboration opportunities utilized by service providers to strengthen immigrant and refugee communities and families. ACF’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), along with other key partners, aims to decrease refugees’ barriers by increasing linkages with critical mainstream resources and networks, including the Office for Civil Rights, the Department of Labor, and the ACF Office of Community Services.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
March, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Special Populations
- Immigrants
- Refugee
This blog entry includes an interview with one of the first Head Start participants. The participant credits Head Start for helping pave the way for her academic successes and explains why she believes early education is crucial for young children.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
March, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Education and Training
- Supportive Services
- Child Care
Iowa’s Reliable Employment and Child Support Help program, or REACH, aims to improve the financial well-being of children by increasing the engagement of non-custodial parents in Polk County through different service offerings. The non-custodial parents are provided with job development, child support assistance, and parenting and financial education training.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
March, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Supportive Services
- Child Support
- Special Populations
- Non-custodial Parents
This blog entry highlights new issue briefs that examine three types of programs relating to youth in or transitioning out of foster care. The program topics are education, financial literacy and asset-building, and employment. Each brief contains recommendations for policymakers and program staff to consider when conducting future evaluations of independent living programs. The briefs demonstrate the unique needs and circumstances of youth in foster care.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
March, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Special Populations
- Youth in Transition
This blog entry highlights a recent report that examines the early implementation activities of six Reentry grantees. The report includes descriptions of the many different services offered by these programs, feedback from program participants, and the various aspects of initial program implementation.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
February, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Family Strengthening
- Fatherhood
- Special Populations
- Incarcerated and Individuals with a Criminal Record
The Family Violence Prevention and Services Program, a Division of the Family and Youth Services Bureau in the Administration for Children and Families, provides support for domestic violence programs across the nation. It also supports the National Domestic Violence Hotline, a tool used for victims of domestic violence to reach out for help.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
September, 2014
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Special Populations
- Domestic Violence Survivors
This entry introduces a new ACF resource, the Early Childhood Self-Assessment Tool for Family Shelters. The toolkit was created so shelters and other early learning programs could work together to create the most supportive and stable environment possible for vulnerable young children who have no place to call home. It provides strategies to collaborate efforts at the local level and to utilize community resources most effectively.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
December, 2014
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Supportive Services
- Special Populations
- Homeless Families
The Family Engagement Inventory (FEI) is an interactive web-based tool aimed at familiarizing professionals in child welfare, juvenile justice, behavioral health, and other professions with the competencies for family engagement as it relates across the different fields of practice. The primary purpose of the FEI is to combine knowledge in a way that supports professionals in engaging with families.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
January, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Supportive Services
- Child Welfare
- Special Populations
The Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program had a successful annual grantee meeting, “Building Pathways to a Brighter Future,” which included a success story shared by an HPOG student.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
December, 2014
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Education and Training
This ACF blog entry discusses the 40th anniversary of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and how a notable percentage of Americans are unaware of their eligibility to participate in the program. In addition, it reports on how different organizations have partnered together to increase EITC enrollment by implementing innovative outreach strategies.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
January, 2015
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Asset Building
- Earned Income Tax Credit
The “My Brother’s Keeper” (MBK) initiative aims to help young males and boys of color create a promising future for themselves and their communities. The blog features an ACF fellow discussing her experience at an MBK Summit in Boston.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
December, 2014
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Family Strengthening
- Fatherhood
- Special Populations
The Children’s Bureau and Office of Community Services developed a toolkit entitled “A Financial Empowerment Toolkit for Youth and Young Adults in Foster Care.” This toolkit aims to provide caseworkers, care providers, foster parents, and other adults with strategies and resources to help youth improve their approaches to gaining financial competence.
Record Type:
Stakeholder Resource
Publication Date:
December, 2014
Source:
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics:
- Special Populations
- Youth in Transition