The Office of Family Assistance’s TANF Outcomes Technical Assistance and Logistics (TOTAL) team delivers training and technical assistance to state TANF programs and partners responding to the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA). The team hosted their December office hours, which discussed work and education outcome measures, including eligibility, definitions, and calculations. This TOTAL slide deck includes five scenarios that capture the content discussed.

For any questions or assistance on education outcome measures, contact the TANF Data Division at tanfdata@acf.hhs.gov. 

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and significantly shifted how state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies offered services to youths with disabilities, particularly to students. WIOA requires state VR agencies to offer preemployment transition services (pre-ETS) to students with disabilities and to reserve at least 15 percent of their federal program funds for that purpose. This Social Security Administration resource describes the extent to which WIOA and pre-ETS access affected employment-related outcomes for youths with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income payments.

This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation infographic discusses how various potential downsides to increasing earnings play out in the likelihood that recipients of TANF would accept a higher-paying job. The infographic touches on benefit loss and benefit cliffs, job stability, and the burden of reapplying for benefits.

This Administration for Children and Families resource is a compilation of their funding opportunities that may be of interest to organizations and agencies seeking funding opportunities to support work in the areas of mental health and substance use, collectively referred to throughout this document as “behavioral health.”

Self-regulation skills are the skills needed to finish tasks, stay organized, and control emotions, and they are critical in finding and maintaining employment. Poverty and other chronic stressors can hinder the development and use of these skills, but coaching can promote self-regulation skills and help adults with low incomes become economically secure. This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation report presents findings from a study of four employment coaching programs conducted as part of the Evaluation of Employment Coaching for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Related Populations. The report presents estimates of impacts of coaching on participants’ self-regulation skills, employment, earnings, self-sufficiency, and other measures of personal and family well-being throughout the 21 months after enrollment.

The Office of Family Assistance’s TANF Outcomes Technical Assistance and Logistics (TOTAL) team hosted a webinar in November 2024 to introduce the TANF Work and Education Outcomes Reporting requirements for states and territories required by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. The webinar was open to the public to include all states and their representatives: TOTAL FRA Work and Education Outcomes Reporting Introductory Webinar

This Department of Labor resource provides actionable strategies to boost employment outcomes by aligning and maximizing services and funding resources. Blending, braiding, and sequencing enables TANF front-line staff to partner with state and local workforce partners, creating a collaborative approach to employment support that leverages funding streams and services. The webpage and FAQ provide strategies designed to ensure participants in the workforce system have access to a broader range of coordinated resources and services, helping to create a more seamless and supportive pathway toward long-term employment success.

For more information, please contact Yvonne Wright at ywright@ndi-inc.org. 

This National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) resource helps TANF State administrators and front-line staff understand how the Good Jobs Principles empower employers to actively recruit, train, retain, and promote individuals with disabilities by utilizing inclusive practices that benefit all jobseekers. By understanding and utilizing these principles, TANF staff can better support participants in connecting with employers who are committed to building accessible and equitable workplaces and fostering sustainable employment opportunities.

For more information, please contact Yvonne Wright at ywright@ndi-inc.org. 

This National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) resource webpage provides TANF staff with an introduction to Customized Employment (CE), a universal design approach that supports people with disabilities in achieving employment success. Through these proven strategies, TANF front-line staff can learn methods to create career opportunities for participants facing multiple employment barriers. The webpage includes a link to “The Essential Elements of Customized Employment for Universal Application,” which outlines key strategies, techniques, and interventions to increase the capacity and sustainability of CE as a service to individuals in need of the service, and to ultimately increase the number of individuals with disabilities who obtain competitive integrated employment and long-term employment success.

For more information, please contact Yvonne Wright at ywright@ndi-inc.org.