What is known about urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and families’ engagement with government services? This literature review summarizes what is known about the status of urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and families including their history of engagement with government services and the potential impact historical policies have had on current government service use. It also explores urban AI/AN families’ cultural engagement and ways in which cultural identification might pose barriers or facilitate access to services provided by ACF. In addition, existing literature is examined for information about how the context in which these families live might facilitate or impede access to services. Finally, the review incorporates what is known about the current level of urban AI/AN need for and utilization of ACF-funded services. (author abstract)

The Office of Family Assistance, through its Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) efforts, hosted a live Expert Panel webcast that explored the effects of toxic stress in childhood. This moderated discussion brought together preeminent, nationally recognized experts and practitioners to describe toxic stress, how exposure to childhood toxic stress can have life-long consequences as adults, and how practitioners and community-based organizations are working to prevent toxic stress exposure in children and ameliorate its effects on adults, strengthening families and communities.

This Annual Report provides a snapshot of the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Program at the end of its third year of operation. The report summarizes program operations and participant activity and outcomes from HPOG’s inception through the third year of grantee activities. (author abstract)