Engaging TANF and Immigrant Populations into Work Activities that Create Pathways to Self-Sufficiency

The Family Investment Administration (FIA), Maryland Department of Human Resources, requested technical assistance from the Welfare Peer TA Network to develop meaningful work-related activities for refugees and immigrants who apply for Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) and who also meet the requirements of the Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

FIA was interested in how other States:

• Effectively serve their refugee and immigrant populations;
• Effectively assist TANF participants with no or limited English proficiency (LEP) in meeting core work activities;
• Develop programs that meet the multiple barriers of our LEP population and still meet the Federal TANF requirements.

Peer TA designed and implemented a meeting for Maryland stakeholders to learn about promising practices from around the country on better serving the immigrant population through the TANF program.