The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (CTSI) requested TA from the PeerTA Network to assist in training their TANF and child welfare staff on the wraparound case management process – an intensive, individualized care management process for individuals with complex behavioral needs and/or significant work barriers. CTSI requested a site visit in which an outside trainer visited the Tribal agency to provide wraparound training. OFA PeerTA supported a facilitated site visit for the Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services, School of Social Work, Portland State University to provide CTSI with a 3-4 day onsite training focusing on wraparound case management.

On September 3 - 4, 2014, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), held a meeting titled the “2014 Tribal TANF Case Management Meeting” in Tulalip, Washington. This meeting provided staff from Tribal TANF and workforce development agencies with structured forums and presentations about TANF case management, case plan development, client engagement strategies, and service delivery with the goal of transitioning hard-to-serve clients out of poverty. The presenters were Region X ACF staff and Tribal leaders. Participants were able to engage with ACF administrative staff to gain in-depth guidance on financial management, as well as network with other Tribal TANF agencies.

The Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success at CLASP released a paper that explores "stackable credentials," which is defined by the Department of Labor as a series of credentials that accumulate to build an individual's qualifications for advancement on a career pathway. The paper discusses some of the barriers to acquiring multiple educational and occupations credentials, pulling from data collected in Kentucky, Oregon, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The paper also outlines the ways in which these states are working to increase credential attainment for their residents.

The Urban Institute recently published an article discussing the Work Support Strategies Initiative. Work Support Strategies (WSS) is a multiyear, multi-State initiative to implement reforms that help eligible low-income families get and keep a full package of work support benefits, including Medicaid, nutrition assistance (SNAP), and child care assistance. This report summarizes the lessons learned from the nine planning grant States (Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina), just one year into a four-year project. The report includes what the States did, how they overcame challenges, and how the planning year changed their strategies and capacities for the future.

On September 27, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, the Office of Family Assistance hosted the first Webinar in a series highlighting promising practices for building sustainable subsidized employment programs. This Webinar provided an overview of different types of subsidized employment programs that can work in different settings and with different types of employers; discussed the varied funding streams utilized and strategies for matching subsidized employment opportunities to local labor markets and employer needs; and outlined practical strategies used by peer agencies for creating targeted subsidized employment programs. Presenters for this webinar included representatives from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, the Oregon Department of Human Services, the city and county of San Francisco Human Services Agency, and MDRC.

The 2011 Annual Region X Tribal TANF Conference was held in Tulalip, Washington at the Tulalip Resort from September 27-29, 2011. The Conference provided Tribal TANF programs from Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington an opportunity to discuss and strategize methods for improving their programs and services to better serve their families and communities. Best practices and lessons learned were shared throughout the conference on a wide range of topics, including asset building, child care, child welfare, economic development, program evaluation as a method for program enhancement, and subsidized employment.

Acknowledging the needs of Tribal TANF programs in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance, Region X Office convened the Region X Tribal TANF Fiscal and Data Meeting in Seattle, Washington, on April 26-27, 2011. The meeting was a direct response to requests of Tribal TANF Programs regarding further guidance on data management, processing, reporting, and fiscal procedures.

The economic and social needs in many Tribal communities are substantial. Poverty and related social challenges have long provided American Indian and Alaska Native Nations increased reason to improve economic development while enhancing service delivery for Tribal members. To aid in the development of comprehensive strategies to improve the available services for Tribal TANF participants, the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Region X hosted the Tribal TANF Conference in Tulalip, Washington on September 27-29, 2010. The 2-and-a-half day conference highlighted a variety of topics including data management, subsidized employment, emergency preparedness, client assessment, responsible fatherhood, domestic violence, self-sufficiency programming, and non-custodial parent services.

The second Webinar in our EITC Series, this Webinar provided information on innovative EITC marketing and outreach strategies. Speakers from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provided a comprehensive overview of marketing materials available through the IRS’s Stakeholder, Partnerships, Education and Communication Office. Additionally, speakers from Oregon offered information on how to successfully market an EITC campaign through strategic messaging for employees and consumers and how to conduct direct outreach through community events.

The Urban Partnerships Initiative cities of Cleveland, Oakland, and Portland presented during this session of the National Academy, which was held in Atlanta, Georgia. Partner cities explained how they have improved technology to better serve children and families on the TANF caseload in their localities.