The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) and Emergency Assistance programs wit the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Under TANF, the nature of public assistance changed from an entitlement program to one that requires individuals to work in order to receive time-limited support. This change in the welfare delivery system was accompanied by an increase in State-level flexibility in program design and operation. Welfare reform required no less than a redefinition of the role of decision makers at the Federal, State and local level, including the role played by front line workers when interacting with welfare recipients. In the journey toward reinventing the social safety net, States have met a variety of formidable challenges. Five years after the passage of welfare reform, this report takes stock of the past and current challenges that States have encountered. This report focuses on the policies and services provided to the hardest-to-serve and on the network of collaborations that States have developed to address the needs of these populations.

The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network coordinated this site visit to the offices of the Oregon Department of Human Services (OR, DHS), Adult and Family Services (AFS) Division on behalf of staff from the Minnesota Department of Human Services (MN, DHS) and the Hennepin County, Minneapolis, MN, TEA-WERC. The MN DHS office was interested in learning more about Oregon=s efforts to integrate substance abuse and mental health treatment into their Welfare-to-Work Program. MN-DHS is in the process of implementing a program similar to OR that involves coordination among social services, employment services, welfare, and health care staff. This was the second phase of technical assistance provided to MN earlier in the year from OR coordinated and supported by the Welfare Peer TA Network.

In March 1999, the Welfare Peer TA Network hosted a workshop for the state of Oregon on learning disabilities strategies. Oregon identified learning disabilities as a major barrier to self-sufficiency, and as their caseload dropped, many participants were identified has having some type of learning disability. This meeting included partners to how to best identify learning disabilities and provide appropriate services to their participants.

The Pacific Hub State TANF Directors Meeting took place in Seattle, WA on July 25-26, 2001. States heard presentations on the following: national perspective on welfare reform, a learning disability program, case manager training and retention, and caseload dynamics and time limits.

This two-day workshop was coordinated by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Region IX and Region X offices, with the support of the ACF Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network. The purpose of this event was to provide a forum for the sharing of the latest research, perspectives, and promising practices regarding job retention and post-employment services for TANF clients. The workshop combined presentations from key Federal, State and corporate experts. Information related to post-placement services was provided by Region X state representatives.