This study explores the relationship between TANF and WIA programs in aiding TANF recipients and achieving the goals of each program. By conducting site visits, the coordination of TANF and WIA was assessed to identify how the low-income population is best served to promote self-sufficiency.

Because many welfare recipients reaching time limits face barriers to employment, Minnesota implemented the Minnesota Integrated Service Project (ISP). This project aims at improving service delivery to clients who would benefit from multiple systems working together to address their needs. From the Urban Institute, this article reviews the implementation of integrating services to improve outcomes for low-income families in Minnesota.

This report summarizes a national conference that took place in Arlington, VA, on March 20-21, 2003. The conference was jointly sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This conference brought together substance abuse treatment agency directors and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) administrators from forty States, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands. The conference provided a forum for these policymakers and administrators to share information about their experience and concerns, and their promising strategies used in strengthening the collaboration and partnership of TANF and substance abuse treatment directors.

Under contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the Compassion Capital Fund (CCF), Caliber Associates is evaluating the pre- and post-release effects of the faith-based Kairos Horizon program. Among the goals of the faith-based residential rehabilitation program are to increase personal and family responsibility, and employability among prisoners and ex-prisoners. In addition to the evaluation, Caliber is contracted to draft a series of policy-relevant issue briefs that discuss trends in corrections, the role of religion in reentry, and results of current research. This first issue brief entitled “Prisoner Reentry, Religion and Research” points out that the faith community is perhaps an invaluable partner in prisoner reentry - promoting public safety via the provision of services to support the successful reintegration of returning prisoners.

This report summarizes a meeting of Region II and III Directors to address challenges to increase work participation rates in TANF programs with the expectation that work participation rates will increase with TANF reauthorization. The stakeholders took this opportunity to learn from well performing States with higher participation rates and States that had overcome barriers to improvement. The meeting provided an opportunity to promote and enhance collaboration and partnerships within the regions.

The Network has created a Q&A on the "Charitable Choice" provision under PRWORA. Additionally, we have compiled a list of Faith-Community Based Initiatives. To view these resources, click on the following links.

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.

This panel discussion, held in Brooklyn, New York, is about Building on Faith: Tools to Fund Faith-Based & Community Programs.

The Hudson Institute, with the Center for Public Justice, hosted a panel discussion at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on September 4, 2002. The dual purposes of this panel were: 1) to announce the release of a study by Amy Sherman, Ph.D., a Senior Fellow at Hudson, and John Green, Ph.D., Director of the Bliss Institute at the University of Akron, and; 2) to discuss results of the study from the Federal, State, and local/grassroots perspective.

Because community colleges are often affordable, they offer many students the opportunity to gain postsecondary education. It has been found that many students, who start at community college, drop out. Because of this problem, the Opening Doors Demonstration tested the effects of community college programs designed to combat this low retention rate and improve student achievement. This report describes MDRC's evaluation of six community colleges undergoing programs to increase student persistence.