This Program Instruction (PI) identifies a change in Office of Family Assistance reporting requirements—specifically, that tribes that integrate TANF in a P.L. 102-477 plan are no longer required to submit quarterly reports. However, the PI notes the continuation of requirements of the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF), such as funds to be spent on non-recurrent, short-term benefits and grantees needing to request allotments and reallotments. The PI also provides guidance on use of funds, reporting forms, and reporting requirements for tribes under the PEAF.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 supports recovery from the economic and health impacts created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Conference of State Legislatures will host a webinar on June 24, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. ET which will review the intersection of the Recovery Plan Act, youth and young adult homelessness, and education. Additionally, speakers will discuss opportunities to support the education and basic needs of youth and young adults and to increase their economic security.

The post-COVID-19 economic recovery presents challenges for governors and state leaders seeking to identify and address barriers that keep the workforce from returning to work and filling job vacancies. This National Governors Association report examines state actions to address these barriers, increase labor force participation among low-income populations, and engage employers to address hiring challenges. The report highlights initiatives that provide monetary incentives to return to work, ensure access to affordable child care, reinstitute job search requirements, utilize TANF waivers, and address hesitancy to return to workplaces due to health and safety concerns.

The Fathers and Continuous Learning in Child Welfare project is testing a Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC) methodology to improve placement stability and permanency outcomes for children by strengthening the engagement of fathers and paternal relatives. The pilot study described in this report documents the BSC implementation, as well as how designated Improvement Teams worked with system partners to plan, test, and adjust engagement strategies.

This Office of Child Care dataset identifies the Grant Year (GY) 2021 discretionary base, discretionary per child, and total base allocations under the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) for tribes, listed by tribe for each state. The table also presents other supplemental funding allocations for tribes.

This Office of Child Care dataset identifies the Grant Year (GY) 2021 allocations by state and territory for the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). The table also notes the state share for matching funds and state maintenance of effort (MOE) levels, as well as other relevant data on appropriations.

This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation research-to-practice brief assesses how Tribal HPOG 2.0 grantees incorporated tribal culture and practices into their healthcare training programs. The Tribal HPOG 2.0 Program includes projects that connect eligible individuals with education and training in a healthcare-related field or occupation. Integrating tribal values into the curricula helped students to deliver culturally sensitive healthcare services. Attention is paid to how these grantees offered events and supportive services to connect students with their respective culture to build community and provide culturally specific gathering spaces for trainees of similar backgrounds.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration will host a webinar on June 22, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET which will examine the assessment and development of soft skills for job seekers. Presenters will share how they selected and implemented soft skills assessment tools in their organizations, and discuss tips and advice for improving the soft skills of job seekers. Speakers include representatives of GPS Education Partners, the Alamo Colleges District, the State of Arizona, and the Washington Greene County Job Training Agency, Inc.

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Youth Solutions project will host a three-day virtual conference from June 9, 2021 to June 11, 2021, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET each day to share program and policy proposals that provide innovative, evidence-based strategies to raise employment among youth and young adults who apply for or receive SSI. The proposals are funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy.

This report reviews the use of technology-based learning (TBL), covering employability or soft skills, basic literacy and numeracy, technological literacy, job search skills, and occupational training and certification. It also examines approaches used to increase remote access for TBL, perceived barriers in implementing TBL at American Job Centers, and the American Job Center staff perceptions of the effectiveness of existing TBL services. The report is based on site visits at five state workforce agencies (in Massachusetts, Kentucky, Utah, Minnesota, and California) and nine American Job Centers in these states as they were developing policies for expanding the use of TBL.