This Urban Institute brief examines the experiences of clients applying for work supports, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Medicaid, and child care assistance. Applying for these benefits can be a daunting process for low-income families, so six states participated in the Work Support Strategies initiative to streamline and improve the application and service delivery process. The authors describe the experiences of families applying for work supports, then they identify three areas where the process could be improved. Those areas include minimizing wait times so families can receive their benefits sooner, improving customer service so families applying for benefits are treated with respect, and providing clearer information about the process of applying for benefits. The authors recommend that states provide a range of options for applying for benefits and aim for providing benefits on the same day that a client applies.

Many states have recently passed “ban the box” laws, which prevent employers from asking job applicants whether they have a criminal record. This article from The Pew Charitable Trusts examines several recent studies that show that these laws may be preventing black men from getting job interviews. Employers may be weeding out young black men because they are disproportionately more likely to have criminal records or raising the minimum requirements for jobs so that these men no longer qualify. To be more effective, “ban the box” laws need to be paired with other interventions that prevent racial discrimination in hiring.

Providing additional training or education opportunities for workers, or upskilling, has the potential to benefit both employers and employees. Upskilling can range from providing pre-employment training to helping employees complete a high school diploma, apprenticeship, certification, or college degree. The Aspen Institute developed this playbook to highlight examples of employers who have successfully helped their employees increase their skills. The playbook includes nine chapters that focus on why employers should care about upskilling, what the different models of upskilling are, and how employers can choose the right model to fit their needs.

This Congressional Research Service report explores the involvement of child support enforcement in fatherhood programs and discusses initiatives to promote and support father-child interaction outside the parents’ relationship. The report also focuses on the need many see for more work-oriented programs that would enable fathers to consistently meet their child support obligations and reviews the current initiatives already in place.

This tool developed by the National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) helps organizations such as local Head Starts, community action agencies, and family support programs assess their capacity to develop services for fathers and increase father involvement in existing family services. It offers low- and no-cost strategies that organizations can use to better engage fathers in services.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the LEAD Center published training materials to help create a Customized Employment program for individuals with disabilities. These trainings use a Guided Group Discovery approach, which helps jobseekers find employment that would matches both their skills and interests and an employer’s needs. The materials available include a facilitator manual, a PowerPoint introduction and course, and a participant workbook.

While students attending alternative schools are often at higher risk for teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, there has not been much research conducted on teen pregnancy prevention programs implemented at alternative schools. This Mathematica report, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Family & Youth Services Bureau aims to fill that research gap. Mathematica conducted a rigorous evaluation of the Teen Choice prevention curriculum in alternative schools in the New York City area. This report covers the implementation of that curriculum. The programs suffered from low attendance rates, but the students who did attend were engaged and willing to participate in group discussions. Program staff liked the flexibility of the Teen Choice curriculum and the mutual aid approach that encourages facilitators to build trust with participants.

The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine wrote this report at the request of the Food and Drug Administration to characterize the opioid epidemic, describe the evidence on strategies for addressing it, and identify actions that government agencies can pursue to respond to the epidemic. A committee of 18 experts wrote this report, and they recommended that opioid abuse become a public health priority. Other recommendations included enhancing education on opioid abuse for health professionals and the public, collecting better data on pain and opioid use, implementing state laws to increase the availability of naloxone, and investing in evidence-based treatment for opioid abuse in multiple settings, such as prisons and hospitals.

This Brooking Institution report describes how local communities have invested in better outcomes for children and youth. The authors start by describing benchmarks of success from early childhood to adulthood, such as developing reading and math skills, learning how to behave appropriately, graduating from high school, and reaching middle class. Next, they discuss the intergovernmental funding challenges associated with improving youth outcomes. The authors conclude with three qualities present in communities who have made improvements in youth outcomes, based on conversations with city, county, and state leaders. Those qualities are a willingness and ability to devote more local funding to youth services, a commitment to cross-sector collaboration, and attention to accountability, transparency, and evaluations. The report also includes successful program examples from cities and tips for taking the first step toward improving youth outcomes.

Mental Health America created this Back to School Toolkit to help students and parents learn the self-regulation and coping skills that lead to better mental health as an adult. Children face a variety of stressors at school and home, and if they do not learn how to manage their emotions, they can have behavior issues. This toolkit includes a variety of materials that explain the relationship between emotions and behavior, and also provides resources for finding treatment when students are in crisis. Toolkit materials include handouts, classroom activities, and media and social media materials aimed at both parents and students.