This study from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation examined the effects of transitional and subsidized employment programs on outcomes of well-being beyond financial measures. The data was collected as part of the Subsidized and Transitional Employment Demonstration (STED); results of the data analysis are provided and include that STED services create a positive effect on well-being for participants.

This brief from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families examines the take-up rates for child care and early education for Hispanic families. Historically, Hispanic families have lower rates of usage of programs targeted to assist low-income families such as child care assistance, and this brief uses research to determine why this is the case for child care assistance and what the implications are for these findings.

This report from the Urban Institute shares the experiences of women who have received TANF cash assistance for more than five years in the District of Columbia. Recently, the District changed their policy to do away with the five-year time limit for full benefits and as of April 1, 2018, those past the five- year limit will still receive full benefits. The report does not evaluate the DC TANF program but provides a picture in time of the participating women's experiences as DC embarks on services changes and improvements to their program.

This paper from MDRC highlights the work of YouthForce NOLA, which works to prepare New Orleans public high school students for post-secondary education and careers in three in-demand local industries: health sciences, creative media and technology, and skilled crafts. The paper provides an overview of the main principles and elements essential to creating a career pathway for high school-aged youth. MDRC is currently completing an implementation evaluation of the program.

Thursday, May 10 is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day 2018. This year’s theme, Partnering for Health and Hope Following Trauma, will focus on the importance of an integrated approach to caring for the mental health needs of children, youth, and young adults who have experienced trauma, as well as their families. Though often not behavioral health professionals, workforce system staff play an integral role in a youth’s well-being and growth. It is critical to recognize the signs of trauma as well as deliver services and supports in a way that aims to heal and avoid retraumatization. Join the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration’s Division of Youth Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for this joint webinar. Together, participants will learn how behavioral health and workforce agencies can collaborate to develop strategies to benefit the well-being of youth served. The webinar will be May 2, 2018 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. EDT.

This document by the American Institute for Research offers a process and curriculum for adopting organizational trauma-informed care to support organizations serving vulnerable children, adults, and families to become trauma-informed. The framework outlined includes a four-phased approach that can be applied to organizations and systems of various size and structure. Phases cover: the exploration of organizational needs; installation of the infrastructure needed to communicate, monitor, and evaluate progress; implementation of customized training and coaching to support trauma-informed care; and full adoption and sustainability of practices.

This report by the National Fund for Workforce Solutions documents emerging practices from the National Fund’s Young Adult (YA) work and identifies an ongoing need for technical assistance in designing and implementing YA models. Specifically, this report looks at the history of YA sectoral work and highlights replicable lessons learned and recommended practices that can be used by organizations to address unemployment and underemployment. The report outlines both challenges and opportunities in the YA sectoral field, including a critical need for dedicated funding to: cover planning and implementation, ensure that YA programs include proven approaches to move lower-skilled young adults along supportive pathways to successful employment, address raising the floor for young adults already working in entry- and low-level jobs, and continue the role of the Federal Government in WIOA rollout.

The Systems to Family Stability (SFS) National Academy was an OFA initiative that consisted of eight teams (comprised of state TANF agencies, OFA representatives, and subject matter experts) that were organized to design and build collaborative systems within and across agencies to improve family economic security. In this one of three videos that were produced as a result of this initiative, SFS National Policy Academy participants provide guidance and tips to engage staff in change management processes as agencies prepare and implement new practices.

This web article from Psychology Today looks at how we are falling short in treating trauma victims and what we can do to fix it. The article addresses how coping mechanisms for post-trauma are poorly understood even by those in the best situation to provide assistance, and that it is important to understand that victims of trauma might not always react or behave as one might expect. It further suggests that many factors including public education, early identification, and effective trauma treatment are necessary to break the cycle of violence, and that we need to intensify and expand the availability of trauma-informed care. Various examples of trauma are illustrated, along with how victims react differently and often unexpectedly to trauma, and that just because someone might not show a lack of emotion, it does not mean they have not been abused. Without shattering the myths that limit the understanding of trauma victims, providers will not be able to deliver assistance effectively.