The U.S. Department of Labor hosted a webinar on September 24, 2020 which discussed how to use the online resource CareerOneStop for career exploration and job services. Materials now available include a PowerPoint presentation and user guides for CareerOneStop to support virtual delivery of employment services. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development delivered presentations.

This report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation emphasizes benefits and challenges of building an integrated data system to support two-generation programming and also highlights strategies adopted by several agencies to efficiently track and share information on families they serve. The report highlights field-tested lessons from different organizations in Maryland, New York, Texas, Atlanta, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Massachusetts; these sites develop, adopt, and refine integrated data systems to enhance their two-generation work. Despite the implementation barriers, their goal is to improve programs and program outcomes for parents and their children.

The two-generation (2Gen) approach to building stronger families is gaining momentum in several states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, Tennessee, and Washington. In these states, a 2Gen coordinator has been identified to work with frontline staff, families, community partners, and across statewide departments to advance 2Gen strategies. On July 28, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. ET, Ascend, an Aspen Institute initiative, will host a webinar which will cover how these states are working toward systems change to help families experience more equitable and positive outcomes.

This research-to-practice brief profiles a needs assessment of TANF child-only cases undertaken as part of the Office of Family Assistance’s Assisting Special Populations to Improve Readiness and Engagement (ASPIRE) project. Researchers first conducted a literature search and then select interviews with state and local TANF agency officials in California, Idaho, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington State. The brief describes three major categories of child-only TANF cases and provides a historical overview of how the TANF child-only caseload has changed in size over time. Additionally, the brief identifies needs pertaining to specific types of TANF child-only families, including non-parent caregivers, ineligible immigrant parents, and SSI recipient parents. Innovative models for alternative service delivery are highlighted.

This National Governors Association policy brief examines the lessons learned from the Parents and Children Thriving Together: Two-Generation State Policy Network (PACTT Network). Initially convened in 2016, the PACTT Network is a policy academy that created and implemented two-generation strategies to address intergenerational poverty. The policy academy included state representatives from Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Oregon.

The Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin at Madison will host a webinar on January 15, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT to discuss the Pathways to Prosperity and Well-Being program. This program is a comprehensive systems transformation approach that addresses policy formulation, program management and supervision, and program implementation and practice. The webinar will include presentations from representatives of human services agencies in Olmsted and Dakota counties in Minnesota, as well as discussions by evaluators from the University of Minnesota’s Future Services Institute about the program’s design and initial implementation.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration will host a webinar on December 18, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET to discuss current and future competency model initiatives. Speakers from the Competency Model Peer Learning Group will share real-time examples and program innovations. The interactive webinar will also provide opportunities for participants to offer their own experiences, raise questions, and share feedback on future initiatives.