The Office of Family Assistance published data tables which cover TANF and maintenance-of-effort separate caseloads and combined (TANF and SSP-MOE) by state and at the national level from October 2018 through September 2019. The tables are cross-tabbed to include total recipients, total families, total children, one-parent families, two-parent families, no parent families, adults, and monthly caseload data.

As a part of continued support to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs and their endeavors to serve individuals and families virtually during the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Family Assistance recorded a PeerTA webinar on June 24, 2020. TANF staff and those they serve had to retool quickly to adapt to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Staff who conduct in-person case management and coaching are looking for ways to continue these needed services virtually in order to protect the health and safety of individuals and families, ensure the health and safety of their own families, and maintain confidentiality by using virtual services that are secure. Luckily, remote case management services are not new concepts, as they are increasingly being used across TANF and other client/student serving organizations to provide efficient and effective support to those they would normally see face-to-face.

This panel webinar discussed virtual TANF case management and coaching strategies considering the risks associated with COVID-19. Information was delivered in a panel format with question and answer dialogue with panelists. Through the panel webinar registration process, registrants had the opportunity to pose questions for the panelists and the field to consider as they make critical decisions about their ongoing operations, including use of virtual tools and processes to conduct coaching/case management sessions.

Speakers included:

• Annette Waters, Ph.D., Social Science Analyst, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
• DaiJuan Wade, Supervisor -- Special Projects, Operations and Training, District of Columbia Department of Human Services
• Suzie Miller, Workforce Programs Manager, Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce Center 
• Mary Roberto, PeerTA Project Director, Manhattan Strategy Group (Panel Moderator)

As a result of the novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the United States is amid a national emergency. In addition to the urgent public health crisis underway, families across the country are struggling to find work and access benefits as a result of business closures, stay in place orders, and social distancing measures. In addition, TANF agency business processes are upended as workers adjust their work schedules while working from a new location, caring for themselves or a sick relative, navigating the absence of childcare, or simply adapting to what is a stark contrast from previous expectations for everyday working and living. As more states adopt policies to combat COVID-19, TANF agencies and other human services providers are required to reimagine and adapt previous expectations, behaviors, and communication styles for a digital and dispersed environment.

In this facilitated webinar hosted by the Office of Family Assistance on April 9, 2020, presenters discussed the operational aspects of transitioning agency and frontline staff to remote work such as use of technology, data security, staff expectations and support, and communication. The webinar focused on sharing strategies for how TANF agencies can adapt to support their workforces, and in turn continue to address the growing needs of families across the country. Presenters included: Gerrie Cotter, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services; Susan Pugh, Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities; Maria Wortman-Meshberger, Nevada Department of Health and Human Services; and Beth A. Heinen and Joe Raymond, both of ICF.

As a result of the novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the United States is amid a national emergency. In addition to the urgent public health crisis underway, families across the country are struggling to find work and access benefits as a result of business closures, stay in place orders, and social distancing measures. In addition, TANF agency business processes are upended as workers adjust their work schedules while working from a new location, caring for themselves or a sick relative, navigating the absence of childcare, or simply adapting to what is a stark contrast from previous expectations for everyday working and living. As more states adopt policies to combat COVID-19, TANF agencies and other human services providers are required to reimagine and adapt previous expectations, behaviors, and communication styles for a digital and dispersed environment.

In this facilitated webinar hosted by the Office of Family Assistance on April 9, 2020 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. ET, presenters discussed the operational aspects of transitioning agency and frontline staff to remote work such as use of technology, data security, staff expectations and support, and communication. The webinar focused on sharing strategies for how TANF agencies can adapt to support their workforces, and in turn continue to address the growing needs of families across the country. Presenters included: Gerrie Cotter, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services; Susan Pugh, Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities; Maria Wortman-Meshberger, Nevada Department of Health and Human Services; and Beth A. Heinen and Joe Raymond, both of ICF.

Thank you for your interest in attending today's webinar, TANF and the Transition to a Remote Workforce. We are currently attempting to increase capacity due to the overwhelming response. We are recording the webinar and will provide a link to all registrants as soon as possible.

This TANF Program Instruction (PI) provides program guidance on TANF administration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This PI offers questions and answers about the use of TANF funds, work participation rates, flexibility in case management regarding TANF participant requirements, and overall TANF administration.

Human services and workforce agencies face complex, systemic challenges in serving families receiving TANF and other low-income families. Such challenges include bureaucratic program requirements, program leadership and staff entrenched in a compliance-focused mindset, limited financial and staff resources, and a mismatch between what customers need and what programs can provide. The Office of Family Assistance will host a webinar on March 24, 2020 from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. which will describe the successes, challenges, and opportunities for getting good, evidence-informed interventions to stick in human service and workforce programs.

During the webinar, we will hear from Dr. Michelle Derr, a leading implementation researcher who has studied TANF and workforce programs for more than 20 years. Additional presenters include exceptional program administrators who have rolled out science-informed strategies across programs within their respective service delivery systems who can share their day-to-day experience with getting good interventions to stick!