This report summarizes the short term effects of four current demonstration projects from the Social Security Administration (SSA) on the self-sufficiency of recipients of SSI and SSDI. The random assignment evaluations of these projects will measure long term effects of the demonstration projects when completed. The short term impacts show a slight increase in employment for this population and highlight some of the common challenges these individuals face.

Workforce One developed the Workforce System Strategies' Community Colleges and Workforce Partnership resource page. This page provides research sources related to education and training for unemployed and underemployed adults, with topics and target populations ranging from Community Colleges, Career Pathways, Limited Skills, and Online Trainings.

This recently released research study from the Urban Institute identifies promising approaches that could be implemented within the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Center for Economic Opportunity program to assist the most vulnerable families, of which families escaping domestic violence are included. The research indicates that programs can improve a vulnerable family's employability and savings; however, the most successful interventions are "high touch," longer in length than standard programs, and therefore, more expensive. Also highlighted is the importance of creating partnerships with healthcare providers, as this is often a significant barrier to stability for these families that remains unaddressed.

This discussion paper from the University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research provides analysis of state statutes related to employment protection for survivors of domestic violence. Domestic violence is often not viewed as a workplace concern, but as this report highlights, it can be a huge barrier to employment, safety, and ultimately, self-sufficiency. Example policies are provided, as well as implications for employers, human service professionals, and policy makers.

This research brief from the Center for Financial Security at the University of Wisconsin-Madison provides a thorough overview of the impact of domestic violence on the economic well-being of women. Domestic violence negatively impacts women in a variety of ways, many of which have financial and employment-related implications. For TANF stakeholders wishing to understand how domestic violence directly impacts the employment and financial security of a victim, this brief provides a condensed review of published research on the topic.

This article provides a thorough overview of the existing research related to how poor economic situations contribute to intimate partner violence. The authors explain how low socio-economic status, unemployment, career stress, and poverty are associated with rates and severity of violence. Research is also provided that shows what mitigates these factors. This document would be helpful to TANF stakeholders interested in learning how participation in TANF can help survivors of violence and why poverty can exacerbate violence.

In response to the technical assistance and program needs of States throughout the Southeast, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance, Region IV, and the United States Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Region IIII, hosted a technical assistance meeting from July 24-26, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. This meeting allowed member States to work alongside their peers to outline specific challenges faced by TANF and WIA agencies and the families they serve and posit plausible peer-based solutions for moving low-income and working families toward economic self-sufficiency. State TANF and WIA directors and program staff also discussed ways to promote interagency collaboration. Topics included: engaging veterans and military families in the TANF and WIA systems; leveraging partnerships to strengthen subsidized employment and transitional job initiatives; developing demand-driven career pathways for low-income individuals and TANF participants; maximizing WIA youth and TANF funds to support summer youth employment initiatives; and improving skill-building for low-income individuals and TANF participants with barriers to employment.

The Economic Mobility Corporation released a new report titled, "Stimulating Opportunity: An Evaluation of ARRA-Funded Subsidized Employment Programs." Major findings from this report include: subsidized employment programs can have a significant impact on low-income job seekers' employment and earnings, employers created jobs that would not have existed otherwise, the long-term unemployed experienced large employment and earnings gained, and the subsidized programs also benefited participants with significant barriers to employment. The report continues to demonstrate the value-add and need for solutions such as subsidized employment and transitional jobs in communities.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics released an economic news release on the summer youth labor force for the summer of 2013. From April to July 2013, the number of employed youth 16 to 24 years old increased by 2.1 million to 19.7 million. This year, the share of young people employed in July was 50.7 percent. Unemployment among youth rose by 692,000 from April to July 2013, compared with an increase of 836,000 for the same period in 2012.

The Foundation for Reentry and Employment Project released the Integrated Reentry and Employment Strategies white paper, which provides guidance to policymakers, agency and program administrators, and practitioners working in the reentry and workforce development fields on how to develop collaborative projects and maximize their investments aimed at shared public safety and workforce development goals.