The Welfare Peer TA completed an analysis of Delaware's strategies for identifying substance abuse among A Better Chance Families. This provides the Executive Summary as well as a set of appendices that include promising practices from other States; a list of resource organizations; and a list of articles related to the topic of substance abuse among TANF families.

This guidance addresses challenges encountered by Welfare-to-Work (WtW), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agencies in the provision of services to WtW participants, and seeks to assist States and local communities to improve WtW program operations and enhance inter-agency collaboration.

The ACF West-Central Hub Family Stabilization Workshop, held September 26 and 27, 2001, in Denver, CO, had three primary themes: Responsible Fatherhood, Faith-based and Community Initiatives, and Marriage and Family Stabilization. The Administration for Children and Families West-Central Hub includes Region VI (New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas) and Region VIII (Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming). The objectives of the workshop were to introduce participants to successful programs in the three key areas, to encourage networking, and to serve vulnerable children and families by focusing on making lasting connections. Speakers from various programs and perspectives  shared promising practices, challenges, and lessons learned in the area of family stabilization.

This report describes the Colorado Strengthening Families Conference held September 18 and 19, 2002, in Denver, CO. The Colorado Strengthening Families Conference was intended “to serve as an opportunity for leaders in the State to come together to share research, strategies, and programs that foster healthy families and promote long-term success in life and work.”

This report describes the ACF Dallas Regional Office’s Midwinter Leadership Conference held in Dallas, TX, on January 21-24, 2003. The theme of the Conference was “Leading the Way: Positive Educational, Social and Healthy Outcomes for Children.” The Conference addressed the following areas: positive youth development, improving children’s lives by encouraging responsible fatherhood and healthy marriages, community movements, and team approaches to TANF.

The ACF West-Central Hub sponsored a conference entitled “Outreach to Faith and Community: Renewing Our Commitment,” May 14-16, 2002, in New Orleans, Louisiana. This event was designed to support the President Bush's White House Initiative on Rallying the Armies of Compassion and the DHHS/ACF initiative to remove barriers to full participation of faith-based and community services in the delivery of government-funded social services. The conference also showcased ACF’s national initiatives in relation to strengthening families through promoting healthy marriages, parenting skills, and responsible fatherhood or male involvement in support of child well-being.

The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network, funded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) coordinated this workshop in conjunction with the El Paso County Department of Human Services (DHS). Ms. Barbara Drake, Deputy Director, El Paso County DHS, led the planning and carrying out of this site visit. It was intended for site visitors to gain an understanding of El Paso County’s uniquely holistic approach to integrating intake and case management activities for multiple programs including TANF, child welfare, child care, domestic violence, mental health, and substance abuse.

The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network, with the CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Project, hosted a Roundtable entitled Establishing Linkages Between TANF and Child Welfare Programs May 31, 2002 in Sacramento, CA. This Roundtable was attended by representatives from four States (NC, NJ, WI, CO) as well as the State of California and ten of its counties currently working toward improving service coordination.

This report details the presentations given and questions, answers, and concerns articulated by members of the ACF Region V States at the June State Human Services Officials Meeting.

In 2003, the State of West Virginia submitted a Peer TA request form, asking for assistance in determining the most effective mental/emotional health screening instrument available to meet the needs of their TANF clients. This short report summarizes the technical assistance request, and provides information on screening and assessing the mental health of TANF eligible clients.