This blog post from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is part of the "Self-Sufficiency Series: Solutions from the Field" and highlights the $150 million initiative by the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Family Assistance to conduct Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) promotion activities; of this $150 million, $75 million each year is designated for healthy marriage and relationship education (HMRE). OFA funds 46 HMRE programs in 27 states and the territory of Guam. One of these programs is University Behavioral Associates/Montefiore’s Supporting Healthy Relationships program, which delivers services on building healthy relationships and marriages to 300 married and unmarried couples each year. This blog post describes the services that two UBA/Montefiore program participants received and their appreciation for the services.

This blog post from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) discusses interoperability, data integration, and data-informed decision-making, which are essential elements in the delivery of effective human service programs. ACF has committed to an Interoperability Action Plan with the goal of expanding data sharing initiatives within ACF and beyond. The action plan supports and strengthens the ReImagine HHS focus on aligning programs and “Putting People in the Center of HHS Programs.” The plan takes a fresh approach on serving individuals and families to examine existing and service delivery models.

Strong partnerships between TANF programs and employers can lead to better long-term employment outcomes for TANF participants. By developing a partnership with employers, TANF programs gain direct access to information about potential and existing job openings, current occupational and skill needs, and anticipated changes within the organization that may impact jobs. In return, employers benefit by having access to a large pool of work-ready job applicants who have been pre-screened to fit the employer’s need, receive job supports that improve the likelihood of workplace success such as transportation and child care, and have access to education and training resources that help participants continue to build their skills. In these partnerships, TANF programs can work with employers to balance an employer’s need for productive employees and a TANF program’s need for job placements.

 

In this facilitated webinar, presenters shared how they leverage stable, long-term relationships with employers to increase employment opportunities for TANF participants. Additionally, presenters highlighted lessons learned and strategies for making such partnerships work. This webinar was held on August 22, 2018 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT.

This 2013 toolkit from the National Resource Center for Healthy Marriage and Families provides information for individuals on increasing awareness of domestic violence, recognizing child maltreatment, and applying healthy relationship education into partner services and practices. This information provides a basic approach to creating a safety net and improving recognition skills of abusive situations. The toolkit includes a section of beneficial handouts and resources for dispersal in programs and the community.

This toolkit from the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse provides fatherhood programs with resources to address domestic violence and promote safe environments for children and families. Some of the strategies covered include: establishing partnerships with local domestic violence organizations to share goals; working with a domestic violence prevention partner to create protocols for ensuring domestic violence issues and guiding service delivery; and facilitating cross-training for fatherhood and domestic violence agency staff.

While only a small percentage of TANF families are involved in the child welfare system, a large portion of child welfare families have received or are eligible for TANF benefits. More than half of all foster children come from families who are eligible for TANF, and most of the families that receive in-home child welfare support services are also on welfare. A growing body of research further demonstrates a strong correlation between poverty and child maltreatment. While poverty may not be a predictor of maltreatment, it is one of many interrelated and complex risk factors that increase the likelihood of child welfare system involvement. In this facilitated webinar, presenters:

• provided a descriptive and demographic overview of the intersections of families, funds, and services between TANF and child welfare systems, and 
• discussed specific initiatives that state or local programs have undertaken to increase collaboration between TANF and child welfare systems through strategic partnerships, data integration, coordinated case management, and kinship provider support systems.

This webinar occurred on April 24, 2018 from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. EST.

On October 17, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) issued a joint Information Memorandum (IM) to all ACF programs emphasizing the importance of meaningful father involvement to better serve children and families. In particular, this memorandum highlights research findings that demonstrate the value of fathers’ involvement in the lives of their children and families, as well as identifies promising practices to promote and sustain fathers’ engagement, regardless of their physical location or extent of custodial participation.

This blog post from Clarence H. Carter, Director, Office of Family Assistance, announces the release of an information memorandum that details efforts to prioritize and enhance father engagement in ACF-funded programs. The memorandum was signed by the leadership of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, including the Children’s Bureau, the Family and Youth Services Bureau, the Office of Child Support Enforcement, the Office of Family Assistance, the Office of Child Care, and the Office of Head Start. ACF affirms its commitment to fathers and families and encourages paternal involvement in family support and child welfare programs.

This webinar explored promising practices and programs from TANF programs and Department of Labor grantees that help TANF recipients with a disability move toward employment. The webinar examined opportunities and challenges in providing supports and services as well as strategies and approaches, such as customized employment being used to help recipients with a disability secure and maintain employment. It explored opportunities for partnerships between TANF and disability and workforce programs to promote employment outcomes and:

• Provided a context for the connection between disability, TANF, and intergenerational poverty.
• Shared information on evidence-based approaches that offer universal design strategies for youth on TANF and/or in families receiving TANF support.
• Provided information on different user-friendly strategies for implementing Customized Employment, another universal design evidence-based approach to employment that better ensures a successful job match with higher retention rates.
• Highlighted states that are implementing successful practices to engage and support people with disabilities that promote employment outcomes.
• Provided links to resources that can assist TANF program staff in designing programs and providing services that promote employment outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities.

This webinar was held on Thursday, July 12, 2018 from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. EDT. 

On July 26, 2017 from 3:00-4:00 PM ET, PeerTA hosted a webinar: Possibilities for Coordination Between TANF, Child Care, and Workforce Development. Child care subsidies are critical for families receiving TANF cash assistance, as well as those transitioning off assistance, to be able to participate in employment activities, to maximize educational activities, and achieve better employment outcomes. Studies show that parents receiving child care are likely to have more stable employment, which enables them to support their families and gain increased financial security. This webinar explored how states have coordinated TANF and child care services to enhance workforce development outcomes. The webinar also examined the research associated with TANF and child care to highlight best practices. Presenters included Heather Hahn, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute; Erin Oalican, Reach Up/TANF Program Director, Vermont Department for Children and Families; and Kathy Bell, Program Field Representative, Oklahoma Department of Human Services.