On March 21, 2018 from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. EST, in recognition of Women’s History Month, this National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse webinar will highlight the important roles that women have played, and continue to play, in the field of responsible fatherhood. Presenters will: discuss how the voices of women have influenced fatherhood research, advocacy, and public policy; explore the role of female professionals in the development and implementation of fatherhood services; and provide tips from female experts on how women can effectively deliver front-line fatherhood services such as case management and group facilitation.

SNAP to Skills will host the webinar Better Jobs and Increased Incomes: Integrating SNAP E&T into Career Pathways Programs on March 22, 2018 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. EST. The webinar will focus on how career pathways can help SNAP participants upgrade their skills and advance to higher paying jobs by completing training and obtaining credentials in industries with strong employment opportunities. Webinar participants will learn how SNAP E&T can integrate with career pathways programs to create expanded opportunities for SNAP participants, leverage other funding, and fill service gaps to increase impact. It will include opportunities to hear from specific communities on how they have integrated SNAP E&T with career pathways to create opportunities for participants to obtain better jobs and increase earnings.

This blog by Lane Schonour, Goodwill Vice President of Learning and Development, looks at the challenges faced by many non-profits related to talent management in today’s economy. Mr. Schonour shares insights and lessons learned by Goodwill as a result of their work in this area and how Goodwill has had success with managing the talent pipeline by ensuring they have the right mix of skills and competencies to meet current and future business requirements.

In this report supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Manatt Health explores the opioid and mental health crises and how cities and counties are implementing local initiatives to address the human and economic impact of untreated serious mental illness and substance abuse disorders. The report profiles 13 local programs that address homelessness, criminal justice, and the frequent use of first responder and hospital emergency departments. It examines both the community impact and local response initiatives, paying particular attention to areas with gaps in treatment, such as the homeless community, and outlines success factors of these local programs.

The Center for Living and Learning (CLL) is a non-profit organization in California that provides programs to aid disadvantaged persons with obtaining and holding stable employment. Working with disadvantaged adults and at-risk youth since 2001, CLL provides vocational education and has assisted with over 400 apprenticeships. The CLL Apprenticeship Program provides paid internships to persons transitioning from rehabilitation, homelessness, and incarceration, as well as welfare recipients and former foster and at-risk youth, single parents, and other disadvantaged individuals. Skills learned include customer service, data entry, administration, organization, and clerical work, along with a full suite of computer skills. CLL offers to businesses services which help them understand CLL clients; CLL also assists businesses in interacting with CLL clients to facilitate their re-entry into the workforce.

This update from The Aspen Institute is related to 2015’s UpSkilling Playbook for Employers, a playbook designed to promote and highlight examples of employer-led programs and to encourage employer training and advancement practices for workers. Since the release of the Playbook, there has been a significant increase in upskilling among employers. Businesses are recognizing the importance of implementing upskilling programs, and investors are now looking at the importance of upskilling for both business and societal good. The update lists several upskilling programs that are providing positive results. A link to the Upskilling Playbook for Employers is included.

Learn more about Wisconsin’s journey through career pathway policy alignment and system change at the local, regional, and state levels. In this webinar, participants will hear from Scott DuBenske, Education Director at the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). He will provide a detailed look at the primary drivers of success in Wisconsin’s journey to scale career pathways. Join the webinar to learn the details of this innovative career pathways operation and gain insights into how to scale initiatives state-wide. WTCS’s career pathways initiative was supported by funds from a Round 4 Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant.

This blog post from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) refers to an article written by Jerry Milner, associate commissioner of the Children’s Bureau and acting commissioner for ACF’s Administration for Children, Youth and Families. This article for The Chronicle of Social Change pertains to the Family First Prevention Services Act. The Act is legislation passed as part of the spending bill that changes the funding structure for the child welfare system by trying to prevent at-risk children from entering the foster care system. Milner praises the Act but concentrates on other actions that need to take place to get to true prevention.

This blog post from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) describes how the President’s proposed FY2019 budget request for ACF aims to strengthen the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. High priorities of the Trump Administration are encouraging work, changing the culture of dependence on government assistance, and reducing poverty. The President’s budget hopes to focus on work and support integrated approaches to helping families reach self-sufficiency.

This resource, from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families, reviews trends related to family structure for low-income Hispanic mothers in urban areas using the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. The data show differences in family life stability, psychosocial risk, parenting stress, co-parenting relationships, and support across foreign-born and U.S.-born Hispanics. Authors conclude that strengths and risks vary based on mothers’ nativity, which should be considered when developing interventions or programs.