The Office of Family Assistance published data tables which show TANF and Separate State Programs-Maintenance of Effort (SSP-MOE) caseloads separately and combined by state and at the national level from October 2019 through June 2020. The tables are cross-tabbed to include total recipients, total families, total children, one-parent families, two-parent families, no parent families, adults, and monthly caseload data.

The Office of Family Assistance hosted a free PeerTA webinar on TANF and Food Insecurity on December 1, 2020. A study by the Urban Institute found that as of May 2020, two months into the COVID-19 pandemic, more than one in six adults (17.7%) and more than one in five parents living with children (21.8%) experienced food insecurity during the prior 30 days. Further, adults and families of color experienced food insecurity at higher rates than their peers. Public benefits programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs are critical resources for TANF families mitigating food insecurity during this time. Since most TANF families (84.3%) also receive SNAP benefits and other support, coordination between programs can reduce administrative burdens for participants, increasing the likelihood that participants will be able to access and receive the full suite of supportive services. Additionally, TANF partnerships with charitable organizations and food banks can help to reduce food insecurity and fill critical gaps for TANF families.

This webinar explored strategies for supporting vulnerable families, particularly as it relates to food insecurity, and the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on service delivery. A researcher panel discussed how TANF programs have addressed food insecurity with their participants through strengthened coordination with SNAP and other public programs. In addition, several State and Tribal programs discussed innovative partnerships between TANF agencies and charitable efforts to reduce food insecurity in local communities.

Speakers included: • Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, Northwestern University/Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) • Maria Boyle and Jillian Ouellette, Abt Associates • Julie Garreau, Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP) (unable to attend, but her PowerPoint was presented) • Alexis Fernandez, California Department of Social Services • Tikki Brown, Minnesota Family Investment Program

The Office of Family Assistance published data tables which cover TANF and maintenance-of-effort separate caseloads and combined (TANF and SSP-MOE) by state and at the national level from October 2018 through September 2019. The tables are cross-tabbed to include total recipients, total families, total children, one-parent families, two-parent families, no parent families, adults, and monthly caseload data.

This resource is for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program administrators who are interested in adopting coaching practices within their programs. It includes matrices that compare five employment coaching models that are in use today with TANF-eligible populations: Family Centered Coaching, Goal4 It!^TM, the Human Services Coaching Framework, MyGoals for Employment Success, and Mobility Mentoring^®. This resource also includes short snapshots that describe the key characteristics of each coaching model and contact information for their developers. Four are being used directly in a TANF setting and one can be adopted to a TANF setting. Project IMPROVE, funded by the Office of Family Assistance, aims to bridge the gap between human services research and practice.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), held the 2019 National Tribal TANF/NEW Summit at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia on September 16-17, 2019. Sponsored by the Office of Family Assistance (OFA), the 2019 National Tribal TANF/NEW Summit brought together program administrators, stakeholders, and leaders. The event provided attendees with opportunities to interact with peers, hear from experts in the field, and share best practices and the latest self-sufficiency research, with the common goal of improving Tribal TANF/NEW programming to benefit families in need.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) requests caseload data for October 2019 on the number of foster children supported with public funds and the number of children in families receiving TANF payments in excess of the poverty income level under the 2019 HHS Poverty Guidelines. The data will be used as part of a formula to allocate FY 2020 U.S. Department of Education, Title I, Part A of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) funds. Data provided to ACF must include the name of the local education agency (LEA) (or county, if not available by LEA) and reporting code shown on the list. Form ACF-4125 must be submitted by December 31, 2019 by regular mail or e-mail. Failure to provide data will result in the loss of Title I funds.

More than half the caseload of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program consists of child-only cases, in which a child receives TANF cash assistance but the parent or caregiver does not. The most common type of child-only case is a nonparent caregiver case, consisting of children being cared for by someone other than their parents, often a grandparent. Research suggests that nonparent caregiver cases are often vulnerable with many unmet needs and that the children in these cases share characteristics with children living in foster care: mental health conditions, school-related problems, and experience with trauma. Kinship navigator programs can be an important tool for supporting these families. Most states are developing or expanding these programs, and the federal government has provided funding in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 to state and eligible tribal child welfare agencies to develop, enhance, or evaluate kinship navigator programs. The Family First Prevention Services Act amended the Social Security Act to allow title IV-E agencies to receive funding for kinship navigator programs that meet certain evidence-based criteria; see ACYF-CB-PI-18-11 for program requirements.

On July 16, 2019, the Office of Family Assistance, in collaboration with the Children’s Bureau, sponsored a webinar that featured kinship navigator programs operating in three states and the services they offer to nonparent caregivers. Arizona Kinship Support Services connects kinship families to government benefits, links them to legal services, and helps them navigate existing community support systems. California’s UWCA-211-iFoster Kinship Navigator Collaborative provides an online, self-service resource portal for kinship families that coordinates public and private resources based on the families’ individual needs and preferences. The New York State Kinship Navigator provides an information and referral network for kinship caregivers statewide. In addition to these three states, the webinar featured a representative from the Children’s Bureau who discussed the federal funding available for kinship navigator programs and a representative from the Assisting Special Populations to Improve Readiness and Engagement (ASPIRE) study team who shared information on TANF child-only cases.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance (OFA) Regions IV through VIII hosted the 2018 OFA Tribal Technical Assistance Meeting on July 17-18, 2018 at the Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake, Minnesota. The meeting provided Tribal TANF and Native Employment Works (NEW) representatives with an opportunity to discuss promising strategies for serving low-income families, share challenges, and gather with peers. Attendees participated in presentations from program administrators and experts, heard from practitioners who serve low-income populations, and learned about technical assistance opportunities.

While only a small percentage of TANF families are involved in the child welfare system, a large portion of child welfare families have received or are eligible for TANF benefits. More than half of all foster children come from families who are eligible for TANF, and most of the families that receive in-home child welfare support services are also on welfare. A growing body of research further demonstrates a strong correlation between poverty and child maltreatment. While poverty may not be a predictor of maltreatment, it is one of many interrelated and complex risk factors that increase the likelihood of child welfare system involvement. In this facilitated webinar, presenters:

• provided a descriptive and demographic overview of the intersections of families, funds, and services between TANF and child welfare systems, and 
• discussed specific initiatives that state or local programs have undertaken to increase collaboration between TANF and child welfare systems through strategic partnerships, data integration, coordinated case management, and kinship provider support systems.

This webinar occurred on April 24, 2018 from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. EST.

On July 26, 2017 from 3:00-4:00 PM ET, PeerTA hosted a webinar: Possibilities for Coordination Between TANF, Child Care, and Workforce Development. Child care subsidies are critical for families receiving TANF cash assistance, as well as those transitioning off assistance, to be able to participate in employment activities, to maximize educational activities, and achieve better employment outcomes. Studies show that parents receiving child care are likely to have more stable employment, which enables them to support their families and gain increased financial security. This webinar explored how states have coordinated TANF and child care services to enhance workforce development outcomes. The webinar also examined the research associated with TANF and child care to highlight best practices. Presenters included Heather Hahn, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute; Erin Oalican, Reach Up/TANF Program Director, Vermont Department for Children and Families; and Kathy Bell, Program Field Representative, Oklahoma Department of Human Services.