Research-To-Practice Brief
This practice guide, used in partnership with a research or technical assistance support team, can help program leaders make evidence-driven decisions as they manage change. The guide targets individuals thinking about or implementing a program change, including those operating TANF or workforce programs. The guide supports use of Learn, Innovate, Improve (LI2), an evidence-driven framework and process to address common practice challenges and improve programs.
February, 2022
Research-To-Practice Brief
This resource is for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program administrators who are interested in adopting coaching practices within their programs. It includes matrices that compare five employment coaching models that are in use today with TANF-eligible populations: Family Centered Coaching, Goal4 It!TM, the Human Services Coaching Framework, MyGoals for Employment Success, and Mobility Mentoring®. This resource also includes short snapshots that describe the key characteristics of each coaching model and contact information for their developers.
May, 2020
Stakeholder Resource
Through the TANF Works! Series, the Office of Family Assistance seeks to disseminate information about promising practices within the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) field that can be scaled or adapted by other programs. The series includes three components:
April, 2020
Stakeholder Resource
Project IMPROVE, funded by the Office of Family Assistance, aims to bridge the gap between human services research and practice. Through IMPROVE, Mathematica collaborates with TANF practitioners, empowering them to incorporate research findings and methods into their work in order to better serve families in need. Specifically, Project IMPROVE works through the Learn, Innovate, Improve framework (or LI2), which includes a series of evidence-informed program improvement activities and analytic methods to help programs design, implement, and iteratively test and refine program changes.
April, 2020
Research-To-Practice Brief
This practice brief introduces three foundations for improving services for children and families in a human services environment that has become more complex and challenging. Investments in reducing complexity and bureaucracy, building skills of supervisors and staff, and putting humans back at the center of human service delivery can help programs meet the needs of families facing challenges like low educational attainment, unemployment, criminal records, mental and physical health issues, and children with special needs.
December, 2019
Research-To-Practice Brief
This practice brief shares strategies human services programs can use to improve customers’ experience and make their engagement in programming more meaningful. Drawing on Mathematica’s experience working with Philadelphia Works, Inc., the administering workforce development board for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)-funded services in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this brief provides a step-by-step guide to reduce the burden of paperwork and procedures for customers and staff while continuing to meet program environments.
November, 2019
Stakeholder Resource
The Larimer County Works Program has implemented a goal achievement coaching model (Goal4 It!) hand-in-glove with a technology-based coaching platform, TuaPath. The combined approach, referred to as My Journey to Success, has redirected TANF staff and participants’ time and energy toward employment outcomes. With online and in-person tools to plan and track action steps with coaches, this approach supports participants in building executive function skills, goal setting capacity, and accountability to reach employment and life goals.
October, 2019
Stakeholder Resource
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services has adopted an innovative approach to preparing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participants for employment: fully integrating relationship skills education into its work readiness program. By transforming its TANF orientation process to focus on soft skills development and navigating workplace relationships, the agency’s integrated approach is laying a foundation for helping TANF participants obtain and sustain employment.
September, 2019
Stakeholder Resource
The Kansas Department for Children and Families is improving employment retention for participants in its Successful Families Program (TANF) with a new staffing strategy. By creating the specialized roles of “Career Navigators” and “Transitional Retention Specialists,” the program offers TANF participants individualized career development services, connections to employers and employment opportunities, and post-employment services to help navigate the cliff effect and support job retention.
September, 2019
Toolkit
“Creating a Strong Foundation for Change” is a resource for programs working with low-income families when anticipating or implementing a new approach such as coaching. This guide will help you to systematically look at your foundational readiness for change, so the improvements you want to make will take root and grow.
September, 2019
