Understanding the Supplemental Poverty Measure and Developing Differential Metrics to Strengthen the Effectiveness of TANF Programs

In recent times, in part due to the economic recession, a focus on accountability and performance measurement has become more important across government agencies and programs. State and local Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs and researchers have shown an interest in the use of alternative/supplemental measures or differential metrics for measuring TANF program success and an interest in strategies for better understanding rates of poverty among families. In keeping with these salient foci, the National Association of Welfare Research and Statistics (NAWRS) Annual Workshop committee and the Colorado Department of Human Services submitted a joint technical assistance request to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance to convene a session at the workshop entitled Understanding the Supplemental Poverty Measure and Developing Differential Metrics to Strengthen the Effectiveness of TANF Programs. The session took place on September 13, 2011 and included representation from ACF leadership, TANF policy experts, and State representatives. The technical assistance request merged the two topics in order to maximize resources and to provide the attendees the opportunity to collectively engage in discussions on strategies to tailor recommendations on the TANF program that are (1) more responsive to the economic self-sufficiency, poverty reduction, and employment needs of low-income families; and (2) better measure States’ performance in achieving greater employment and poverty reduction objectives for low-income families based on a more clear understanding of who is indeed in poverty.