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. 

This National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) toolkit provides a blueprint to help build partnerships between workforce development boards/American Job Centers and banks. It provides practical guidance on creating linkages to financial literacy programming and career pathway opportunities for jobs within the banking sector, enhancing financial empowerment and career growth for participants. TANF front-line staff can utilize this resource to support participants in gaining financial empowerment and pursuing career pathways into bank jobs, that foster long-term personal growth and financial stability.

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

This Department of Labor toolkit was developed in collaboration with the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) provides TANF front-line staff with a range of tools and resources on topics like financial planning and goal setting, to support individuals with disabilities in building a secure financial future. Covering every stage of the employment journey, from preparing for a job to maintaining employment and planning for retirement, this resource empowers participants to achieve lasting financial stability and independence. 

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

This Office on Trafficking in Persons fact sheet provides an overview of community resources and highlights programs assisting with job training, food, energy bills, housing, childcare, and recovery services for those affected by trafficking. Support for disaster recovery and access to social services such as substance use treatment and mental health care are also included.

This Office of Research, Planning and Evaluation report describes the design of the NextGen Project, which is evaluating the effectiveness of four programs that provide services for people with physical, mental, or emotional health challenges. Many of the people are potential applicants for Supplemental Security Income. The four programs highlighted are:
• Bridges from School to Work;
• Individual Placement and Support for Adults with Justice Involvement;
• Philadelphia Workforce Inclusion Networks; and
• Western Mass Mental Health Outreach for MotherS PartnershipSM.

Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking need access to education and job training programs that are grounded in trauma-informed practices. Futures Without Violence hosted a webinar in January 2022 and focused on recognizing barriers to employment and education for survivors and strategies for building strong cross-sector collaborations between advocacy service providers and workforce development programs.

Very few domestic violence survivors are getting Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) waivers from the work requirements and time limits, despite being eligible. Federal law allows states to grant domestic violence waivers to TANF recipients when time limits, work requirements, and other policies would unfairly penalize victims of abuse or increase their risk of abuse. This Rutgers resource was developed through an examination of the annual reports from Michigan to the federal government on the number of domestic violence waivers issued from 2008 to 2021, as well as focus groups with TANF caseworkers. This resource discusses the importance of waivers for survivors and other work being done around this issue.