This short report describes the Roundtable entitled Developing Strategies to Address the Child-Only Caseload that was held April 8-9, 2003 in Colorado Springs (El Paso County). The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network conducted discussion with State TANF administrators around the country to assess their current policies and programs designed to meet the needs of the child-only caseload, and to gauge their level of interest in participating a Roundtable on this topic. The full report fully describes the meeting, attended by California, Colorado, Hawaii, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, and includes important highlights and lessons learned.

The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network conducted discussions with State TANF administrators around the country to assess their current policies around the child-only caseload. These States include Alabama, Florida, Idaho, North Carolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. As a result, eleven States participated in the first Roundtables entitled Developing Strategies to Address the Child-Only Caseload held April 8-9, 2003, in Colorado Springs (El Paso County), Colorado. In response to the positive feedback received following the first Roundtable, a second Roundtable was held in Trenton, New Jersey, on June 3-4, 2003. Participants at the second Roundtable heard presentations from New Jersey; El Paso County, Colorado; and Alabama about innovative practices in those locations.

During this Roundtable, participants heard presentations from El Paso County, Colorado, and the States of Alabama and New Jersey about innovative practices in those locations. South Carolina shared results of a large-scale research effort regarding the demographics and wellbeing of the TANF child-only caseload. The Roundtable also enjoyed sessions regarding economic security, presented by staff from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the AARP. Thanks to the hospitality of the State of Alabama Department of Human Resources, Roundtable participants were given a tour of Alabama’s Kinship Care (KC) program. Participants in the Roundtable were also able to speak with program specialists, staff, and clients of these child-only services.

Oklahoma requested that the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance (TA) Network sponsor a one and half- day site visit of two grandparent housing facilities in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition, representatives from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services expressed an interest in this unique issue that often presents itself among the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) caseload. Therefore, with collaboration from Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Regions I, V and VI, the Welfare Peer TA Network sponsored a visit to the Boston GrandFamilies House and the Franklin Field Grandparent Housing Development. The site visit took place on October 7th and 8th, 2003. A small delegation of participants also participated from the States of Ohio, Oklahoma and the ACF Region I Office.

The U.S. Administration for Children and Families (ACF), with support from the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network, sponsored the Uniting Incarcerated Parents and their Families workshop on May 21-22, 2002, in Orlando, FL . Participants included representatives from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), corrections staff, and child care staff from the following States: Alabama, Florida, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana. The purpose of this 2-day seminar was two fold: to provide participants with an opportunity to understand how TANF agencies and corrections staff can work together to better serve incarcerated parents and to showcase the Kairos Horizon’s faith-based program around parenting, anger management, conflict resolution, basic skills, and job readiness.

The National Practitioners Network for Fathers and Families joined with the Family and Corrections Network in this collaborative effort—the Second North American Conference on Fathers Behind Bars and on the Street. The conference presented an opportunity for practitioners, researchers, policy experts, and advocates who work on behalf of father—both those living in the community and those who are incarcerated in prisons, jails, and detention facilities—to come together to learn from each other in an unique event for this still young field of work. There were many excellent opportunities during the week to expand our own knowledge, gain new skills, and create networks with others who are working with fathers and their families. The program included plenary speeches, panel discussions, workshops, and seminars.

The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network sponsored this multi-State Roundtable event on November 19-20, 2003. The Roundtable showcased promising practices from around the country and provided an opportunity for participants to think strategically about how to design and implement these programs, as well as the occasion to learn about and discuss “what works” in serving this at-risk population. Participants included representatives from the States of Colorado, Virginia, and Wyoming. Roundtable speakers included State and local government agencies, service providers, practitioners, Federal personnel, and leaders of national  organizations.

To assist States in strategically and creatively utilizing their Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) dollars, while yielding better outcomes for low-income families, the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance (TA) Network sponsored a 1-day site visit to the Chicago Child-Parent Center (CPC) Program in Chicago, Illinois on Wednesday, April 2, 2003. The CPC program was designed in 1967 and is the second oldest federally-funded early childhood program in the United States. It is managed by the Chicago Public Schools, Office of Early Education, and targets children between the ages of 3-4. Furthermore, the CPC program is comprised of education sites or centers located within low-income areas with high concentrations of former Aid to Families With Dependent Children (AFDC) program participants.

The Alabama Department of Human Resources is exploring ways to promote Healthy Marriage Initiatives in the State of Alabama. Endeavoring to fulfill this mission, Alabama sought and received assistance from the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance (TA) Network to send a representative from the Family Assistance Partnership in Alabama. With the support of Ramona Warren, Team Leader for the Region IV Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Program and the financial support of the Welfare Peer TA Network, Alabama was able to send Program Specialist, Sharon A. Finklea, to Allentown, Pennsylvania to meet with several marriage stakeholders in the Pennsylvania area.

The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network coordinated this presentation as part of the Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF) Region VI Head Start Mid-Winter Leadership Conference in collaboration with the Region VI office. The conference featured regional representatives from both Head Start and various public assistance agencies. These agencies included the Administration for Children and Families, the Department of Labor, the Health Care Financing Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. The conference was sponsored by the ACF Dallas Region VI Office.