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)

This research-to-practice brief summarizes interview findings from juvenile justice system administrators in communities that are moving away from youth prisons and toward investing in community-based solutions. The interviews from these agency administrators identified four key lessons: maximize windows of opportunity to establish a continuum of community care; develop strategic partnerships with advocates to prioritize relevant issues for juvenile justice reform; collaborate with youth, families, and community members who interact with juvenile ex-offenders; and use data and research to make the case for closing youth prisons. Interviews were conducted with juvenile justice administrators in Louisiana, Wisconsin, New York, and the District of Columbia.

“Coaching within a Two-Generation Context” is a discussion of two-generation approaches to service delivery to achieve positive outcomes for both parents and their children. Representatives from Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath), and the DC Department of Human Services share their experiences with programs in Boston, MA, Jackson, MS, and Washington, DC. This webinar was presented on August 16, 2018, as part of the IIEESS Coaching for Success series.

This webinar shares strategies, tools, and assessments used to integrate the Targeted Mobility Coaching (TMC) program into the District of Columbia Department of Human Services TANF program. The presentation also covers a discussion on gaining staff buy-in, the impact they have experienced through coaching, and preliminary data relative to improved outcomes. This webinar was presented on July 12, 2018, as part of the IIEESS Coaching for Success series.

This Urban Institute report presents a preliminary set of findings on the effects of colocation of human services organizations in Washington, DC. The report illustrates initial lessons for service usage and the benefits received by participants of human services programs from multiple organizations housed at the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC). (Thirty million dollars in programs and services in human services programs at THEARC are coordinated by Building Bridges Across the River and served more than 100,000 people in 2017.) Initial report findings noted that the organizations at THEARC, which provide education, recreational, health care, workforce development, and other services, share similar goals. The intentional colocation produced notable positive effects on the health and well-being of the adults and children who utilized these organizations’ offerings.