This webpage from Washington State demonstrates how a state agency can use mobile offices to deliver public services directly to communities. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, the resource offers a real-world model for expanding access to applications, case management, and support services in underserved areas. It can help TANF programs think through how mobile outreach can reduce missed appointments, improve engagement, and connect families with assistance without requiring long-distance travel.

When families cannot easily travel to a service office, bringing services directly into communities can make a significant difference. The model from Rural Health Information Hub shows how agencies, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, can use mobile offices to provide care coordination, enrollment assistance, and other support in rural or underserved areas.

TANF agencies can use this resource to explore ways to reach participants who face transportation barriers, live far from service centers, or have difficulty attending in-person appointments.

Families in rural areas often need help from multiple programs, but transportation, distance, and limited staffing can make it difficult to access services in one place. The Rural Health Information Hub toolkit offers practical strategies for bringing health, workforce, education, and social services together so families can receive more coordinated support. The toolkit provides examples of partnerships, service coordination approaches, and outreach strategies that can improve access for families with complex needs.

For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, this toolkit is valuable because it can be used to reduce the burden on rural participants who may otherwise need to visit several offices to get assistance. 

On July 9, 2026, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, joined “A Home for Every Child (AHEC),” the ACF initiative aimed at increasing the ratio of licensed foster homes relative to children in foster care. 

AHEC operationalized parts of the Fostering the Future for American Children and Families Executive Order by offering states an alternative Program Improvement Plan (PIP) under the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR)—replacing lengthy paperwork exercises with a single, unifying measure: a state’s ratio of licensed foster homes to children in care. Child welfare jurisdictions nationwide have volunteered to participate because PIPs, long criticized as burdensome busywork that pulled caseworkers away from families, are now a vehicle for state innovation and shared accountability.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is creating new opportunities for human services, but integrating lived experience into AI design is essential for ensuring these systems are designed with and for the communities they serve. Wonderschool will host a webinar on July 20, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. ET to explore how public welfare programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) can responsibly incorporate AI while keeping the experiences and needs of families at the center of decision-making. For TANF practitioners, this webinar will offer valuable insights into using AI to improve customer service, streamline administrative tasks, and design more responsive programs without losing the human connection on which families rely.

Building financial security starts with making sure families know about available opportunities. This Urban Institute resource explores early findings showing that many families who could benefit from new Trump Accounts are unaware the program exists. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, the resource reinforces the importance of outreach and trusted communication when introducing new benefits or savings opportunities, like the Trump Accounts. The resource can help TANF programs think about how to share information more effectively, encourage participation, and connect eligible families with tools that may support their children's long-term financial well-being.

Supportive services—such as childcare, transportation, housing assistance, and career coaching—can make the difference between participating in employment services and successfully reaching long-term goals. This National Skills Coalition resource highlights how these supports can help people overcome everyday barriers that can prevent them from finding and keeping a job. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, this resource can offer practical ideas for strengthening service delivery by connecting families with the resources they need to participate in work activities, training, and education. Whether reviewing your program's supportive services or looking for new partnerships, this resource can help TANF practitioners better meet families where they are and support lasting economic stability.

The Office of Human Services and Emergency Preparedness and Response, in partnership with The Council of State Governments, will host a webinar on July 16, 2026, from 2:00-3:00 P.M. ET to examine how the Social Work Licensure Compact enhances disaster preparedness, response, and recovery by increasing workforce mobility and strengthening human services delivery. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners and social workers can play a vital role in disaster relief and emergency preparedness, and multistate licensure can help ensure affected communities receive timely, coordinated support during emergencies. This webinar is open to the public and is free.

In April 2026, the Office of Family Assistance launched the TANF Program Integrity Office Hours: a series of topical peer learning sessions where state agencies can share what's working, explore real challenges, and walk away with practical strategies they can use. This webpage hosts session recordings with companion tools, lessons learned, and helpful resources.

This report is part of the Congressional Research Services series that focuses on changes in programs affecting low-income children in light of the upcoming 30-year anniversary of the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA).

Child support can play an important role in helping families achieve greater financial stability. This report reviews how the child support enforcement system has changed since PRWORA and explains its relationship with public assistance programs. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners can use this resource to better understand how child support policies affect the families they serve, strengthen collaboration with child support agencies, and help parents access resources that support their children's well-being while working toward greater economic independence.