Webinar / Webcast
The economic shocks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic along with social distancing and stay-at-home orders have dramatically reshaped the approach social service programs are taking to support employment for low-income populations. The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) will sponsor a webinar on October 28, 2020 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET featuring leaders from three employment and training programs (Climb Wyoming, Rhode Island Works, and Community Action Organization of Scioto County).
October, 2020
Dataset
This Office of Family Assistance dataset includes financial data tables, interactive maps, and national and state pie charts to illustrate the uses of TANF and Maintenance-of-Effort funds and transfers in FY2019.
October, 2020
Webinar / Webcast
Third Sector and the American Public Human Services Association will host this webinar on October 15, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET. Representatives from the Kentucky Department of Family Support and the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (MA DTA) will discuss how they are working to better meet the needs of young parent families through TANF-funded programs.
October, 2020
Research-To-Practice Brief
This issue brief illustrates the administrative burdens that people encounter when attempting to access safety net programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The brief outlines learning costs (the time spent to figure out what programs are available and the steps on how to apply), compliance costs (the need for documentation and time/expertise needed to file for benefits), and psychological costs (stress or loss of autonomy). The brief notes how these administrative burdens can be consequential to those seeking assistance by reducing participation or complicating service delivery.
October, 2020
Research-To-Practice Brief
This issue brief profiles the design and implementation of the 2Gen approach undertaken by the District of Columbia TANF program. The brief covers how staff were trained in 2Gen approaches, and the reorganization of TANF intake and eligibility processes. The report also features the District’s redesign of the TANF Employment and Education program, integration of 2Gen approaches for homeless families, and institution of a “whole family” model in universal pre-K and early childhood programs.
October, 2020
Webinar / Webcast
Trauma can have significant short and long-term effects on individual functioning and family well-being. Many human services agencies have begun to recognize the profound implications this issue has on how agency staff interact with their customers, and how staff themselves are impacted. The Office of Family Assistance hosted a webinar on September 30, 2020 to help TANF sites interested in moving from trauma awareness to practice transformation using evidence-informed strategies.
September, 2020
Toolkit
This toolkit responds to a technical assistance request by the Vermont Department for Children and Families Reach Up program to support ongoing efforts seeking to better serve families through a trauma-informed lens. The toolkit reflects information gathered through a series of ongoing discussions and two site visits with leadership and staff from the Vermont Department for Children and Families that occurred between March and October 2019.
September, 2020
Webinar / Webcast
The Office of Family Assistance hosted a free webinar on understanding how to assess and build executive functioning skills in TANF participants. Executive function and self-regulation skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. Trouble with executive function can make it hard for individuals to navigate life, including obtaining and retaining employment. TANF case managers with an understanding of executive functioning can better support TANF participants on their pathway to self-sufficiency.
August, 2020
Fact / Tip Sheet
This tip sheet identifies five tips that support program staff members’ effectiveness while offering high-quality services to participants in a virtual environment. The tips also provide guidance on protecting participant confidentiality, which is a principal challenge in remote communications. These tips cover how practitioners can create a plan for remote service delivery, connect with participants, set up staff members for success at home, maximize participant engagement, and adjust plans to support staff members as needed.
June, 2020
Stakeholder Resource
The National Association for Welfare Research and Statistics is hosting a series of virtual workshops that address research on topics of interest to human service professionals throughout the summer. Future workshops will cover Machine Learning in Human Services Contexts, Cross-System Collaboration to Serve Justice-Involved Clients, and the Family First Prevention Services Act. Recordings of previously held workshops on TANF Responses to COVID-19 and Domestic Violence during COVID-19 are available.
May, 2020
