The Office of Family Assistance and its Systems to Family Stability National Policy Academy hosted a webinar on Assessing Family History, Needs, and Well-Being to Improve TANF Services to Families on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 EDT. Many Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, and other programs serving low-income individuals and families, are seeking ways to better measure and assess how family histories and current family functioning affect service planning and delivery. With the increased focus on intergenerational approaches across human service systems, many are seeking new and improved ways to improve overall family well-being. This webinar was designed to help Systems to Family Stability National Policy Academy, TANF, and other human service system stakeholders understand how assessing family functioning, history, and experience can improve outcomes for TANF and other human service system participants. Speakers discussed how family assessment tools are administered and used by TANF, child welfare, and other stakeholder programs. They also addressed how these tools can be used to measure improvements in family well-being and create opportunities to use data to improve service planning. Presenters included: Lisa Washington-Thomas from the Office of Family Assistance; Jill Tichenor from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services; Debbie Davis from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services; and Karla Aguirre and Marion Eckersley, both from the Utah Department of Workforce Services.

This guide from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) provides an introduction to labor market information (LMI) for TANF administrators. It includes uses for LMI data, distinctions among types of data, and explains how TANF practitioners can work with staff in state departments of labor to help their clients find good jobs.

The Office of Family Assistance held a Webinar on Introduction to Social Capital on April 27, 2016 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. EDT. Traditionally, attention has been focused on the human capital (education level; technical expertise; soft skills; hard skills) of TANF participants in order to improve their connection to and success in the labor market. Additional focus has been paid to an individual’s social capital (education, faith-based, neighborhood, cultural, and social networks; access to information and institutions; interpersonal interactions) and the important role it plays in improving employment and economic stability. Research has demonstrated that social capital provides valuable assets for families as they move out of poverty. Increasing a person’s potential for upward economic mobility involves strengthening three forms of capital that a person needs to possess: financial, human, and social. This webinar built upon the September 2015 Gateway to Opportunity: Improving Parental Employment and Family Well-Being Outcomes plenary session in Washington, D.C. 

Presenters for the Introduction Webinar on April 27th included: Dr. Natasha Pilkauskas, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan; and Andrew Freed, TANF Senior Manager, Cook Inlet Tribal Council.

This report describes the results of a comprehensive review of self-regulation interventions spanning birth to young adulthood and a range of outcomes. It also summarizes the level of evidence for the different interventions. Additionally, the report provides details on the methodological approach and data findings, including figures with detailed descriptions for the reader who is interested in the evidence base supporting the conclusions. (author abstract)

In Utah, all financial assistance applicants are required to take the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) prior to issuance of benefits. It is a condition of eligibility to take the SASSI, but the results are not taken into consideration until after the financial benefits are issued. All customers who score a "high probability for a substance abuse disorder" on the SASSI are required to participate in a random drug screen after issuance of their first benefit. If a customer is positive, the results are confirmed by a laboratory. If confirmed positive, the customer must participate in mandatory weekly drug treatment for a minimum of 60 days in order to continue to be eligible for financial assistance. If a customer is on a prescription medication and provides proof of this, they can be exempt as a "false positive."

This resource from the Utah Department of Workforce Services includes an FAQ, business process documents, and the legislation on drug testing policies for TANF benefits.