This National Skills Coalition issue brief outlines effective industry partnerships for work-based learning that are designed to meet both business and worker needs. Four case studies are presented in addition to lessons about work-based learning and the need for partnership with employers to align workforce, education, and human service systems; these case studies cover models in Georgia (health care apprenticeships), Oregon (work-based learning), Texas (women in construction trades), and Indiana (advanced manufacturing).

Texas’s Summer Earn and Learn (SEAL) program and the Promoting Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income (PROMISE) programs in Arkansas are identified as successful examples of collaboration between vocational rehabilitation agencies and workforce boards. This Mathematica report also identifies key features of the programs so that policymakers can choose, develop, and adapt similar partnerships within their own context.

This article, published in the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange, describes programs designed to provide employment support to fathers who are in the criminal justice system. The T.O.R.I. Program and RIDGE Project are described in detail in their approach to provide assistance for reentry, particularly for fathers. The article also discusses grants provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for fathers and resources available to help support employment and parenting of returning young fathers.

A virtual roundtable was held on November 30, 2017 from 1:00-5:00 p.m. EST, co-presented by the Office of Family Assistance, the Office of Child Support Enforcement, and the Family and Youth Services Bureau. Via plenaries and breakout sessions, the roundtable  defined family violence, explained good cause, and highlighted examples of excellence across the nation.

The Opening Plenary Session was titled, "Family Violence and Accessing and Applying for Public Benefits and Work Supports: Challenges and Solutions," and was led by Dr. Janet Mickish, Lead Trainer and Manager of Staff Development, Colorado Department of Human Services and Krista Del Gallo, Public Policy Manager, Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV).

The Plenary was followed by 4 breakout sessions to include:

• Breakout Session #1: Discussion Around Building Good Relationships with DV Coalitions and Programs
• Breakout Session #2: Promoting Disclosure and Safety for Victims Accessing Child Support
• Breakout Session #3: Establishing Good Cause
• Breakout Session #4: Family Violence with Native American Populations

The roundtable closed with a plenary titled, "State and Local TANF/Child Support Programs of Excellence," led by Meghan McCann, National Conference of State Legislatures; Amber Harchuk, Temporary Assistance to Domestic Violence Survivor’s (TA-DVS) Policy Analyst and DHS Domestic Violence Co-Located Advocates Program Coordinator; Belit Burke, Self-Sufficiency Program Administrator, Oregon Department of Human Services; and Traci Underwood, Program Coordinator, Economic Justice Project, Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. 

While youth involved in Child Welfare or Runaway and Homeless Youth systems are at high risk of being trafficked, there has been no consensus screening tool available for providers to use to identify victims of human trafficking. This Urban Institute report describes the pretesting of a Human Trafficking Screening Tool (HTST) for 617 youth involved in the child welfare or runaway and homeless youth systems in New York, Texas, and Wisconsin. The HTST took about two minutes to administer, and the researchers found that it covered key dimensions of youth’s trafficking experiences, could be used in both child welfare and runaway and homeless youth settings, and correctly predicted trafficking victimization. The researchers conclude that the HTST is an effective, accessible tool for youth ages 12-24, but they recommend additional testing for youth under age 18 in child welfare settings.

The Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund released the results of an evaluation of a three-year investment in free, one-on-one financial counseling to residents in five cities. This project was based on a model that originated in New York City, in which individuals in financial trouble receive personalized help from a professionally trained counselor through their local government. Bloomberg Philanthropies partnered with Denver, Lansing, Nashville, Philadelphia, and San Antonio to see how they could replicate this model. In each city, the local government implemented the model and contracted with a nonprofit partner to provide counseling services. Over 22,000 individuals received financial counseling, and they were able to achieve positive financial outcomes like opening bank accounts, reducing debt, improving credit, and establishing emergency savings. Each city also found sources of public funding to sustain the program beyond the Bloomberg Philanthropies grant.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), Regions VI and VIII hosted the Bi-Regional TANF Technical Assistance Meeting on June 28-30, 2016 at the Region VI Program Office in Dallas, Texas. The meeting brought together TANF program directors and other stakeholders to discuss innovative strategies and collaborations to learn strategies, engage in strategic dialogue, and build linkages with peers to improve program outcomes and promote economic and social independence for individuals, children, and families. During the meeting, attendees engaged in listening sessions and discussions, shared best practices, and participated in workshops and action planning in order to more successfully serve the program participants in their communities.

The Jobs-Plus Public Housing Revitalization Initiative was designed to raise and sustain the employment and earnings of residents of public housing developments. It had three parts: (1) employment services offered at on-site job centers, (2) changes in rent rules that provide financial incentives to work, and (3) community support for work through neighbor-to-neighbor conversations. The initiative was subject to a rigorous evaluation that found that Jobs-Plus boosted residents’ annual earnings by 16 percent, or $1,300 per year. This report from MDRC investigates how Jobs-Plus was replicated in more contemporary settings, analyzing the early implementation experiences of a community-based provider in the Bronx and the San Antonio Housing Authority in Texas.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), Regions IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII hosted the Tribal Technical Assistance Meeting on May 3‐5, 2016 at the Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Mall of America Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The meeting brought together Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Native Employment Works (NEW) stakeholders to discuss innovative strategies and collaborations to promote economic and social well‐being for individuals, families, and tribal communities. During the meeting, tribal representatives engaged in talking circles and listening sessions, shared best practices, and participated in workshops and action planning in order to more successfully serve the program participants in their communities.

This report describes four Responsible Fatherhood programs that focus primarily on low-income Hispanic fathers:

1. Futuro Now from KidWorks, a partner of The East Los Angeles Community Union, in Santa Ana, California
2. Project Fatherhood at The Children’s Institute, Inc., in Los Angeles County, California
3. Project Padres at Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program in Imperial County, California
4. Responsible Fatherhood Program at Southwest Key in San Antonio, Texas

This study provides information about how these federally funded programs are implemented in a culturally relevant way and insights into the participating fathers’ program experiences. (author abstract)