This Office of Child Support Enforcement Information Memorandum notes that state and tribal child support agencies are eligible for a funding and regulatory waiver, in order to create employment services for noncustodial parents struggling to make child support payments if these parents are unemployed or underemployed. This waiver is allowed under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act which provides limited demonstration authority to use federal funds for employment services.

The Information Memorandum also notes that state and tribal child support agencies that seek waivers must also utilize new funds - rather than existing resources - to cover their share of the cost of the pilot activities. With this Information Memorandum in place, the Office of Child Support Enforcement will provide technical assistance on how to apply for waivers and will be creating a toolkit of resources for assessment, design, and development of employment service programs for noncustodial parents.

The Anoka County Job Training Center is the only WIOA job center serving the county. It houses all public assistance programs, including TANF (called the Minnesota Family Investment Program), on-site WIOA partners, and child care services in the same building. As described in this brief, the Center has implemented strategies to streamline service delivery and co-enrollment among these programs, including a universal program application, a team of intake and eligibility specialists, and cross-program practices for adapting resources to meet client needs. This site also offers a rich mix of youth programming, such as employment and training opportunities for out-of-school and in-school youth, and a Human Services Youth Team to focus on young TANF recipients.

Sections of the brief discuss joint service delivery, resource sharing, shared learning, and managing collaborative activities. Readers may also access links to the state TANF plan and funding information for more context and resources. This brief is part of the TANF Works! TANF/WIOA Collaboration Series, through which the Office of Family Assistance’s Integrating Innovative Employment and Economic Stability Strategies (IIEESS) initiative seeks to highlight innovative coordination strategies of TANF and WIOA programs to serve low-income or vulnerable populations.

The American Job Centers in Pennsylvania (called PA CareerLink®) offer workforce services to TANF clients through the Employment Advancement Retention Network (EARN). As described in this brief, the PA CareerLink® in Lehigh Valley has developed a strong team-based culture, with staff organized by function instead of by program. This structure helps clients navigate the job center and encourages programs to exchange ideas, expertise, and data. These team-based collaborations are facilitated by regular meetings, cross-training on all programs, and staff and leadership dedicated to working toward integrated service delivery.

Sections of the brief discuss joint service delivery, resource sharing, shared learning, and managing collaborative activities. Readers may also access links to the state TANF plan and funding information for more context and resources. This brief is part of the TANF Works! TANF/WIOA Collaboration Series, through which the Office of Family Assistance’s Integrating Innovative Employment and Economic Stability Strategies (IIEESS) initiative seeks to highlight innovative coordination strategies of TANF and WIOA programs to serve low-income or vulnerable populations.

This case statement describes the American Job Centers in Central Arkansas (called Arkansas Workforce Centers). Strategies to coordinate cash assistance and employment services for TANF recipients and job seekers include in-house referrals between TANF and WIOA, the development of a new integrated data system (ARWINS) to track participant outcomes, and information sharing among program staff. Through strong relationships with local workforce development boards and business partners, the Workforce Centers also offer work-based learning and subsidized employment opportunities to job seekers.

Sections of the brief discuss joint service delivery, resource sharing, shared learning, and managing collaborative activities. Readers may also access links to the state TANF plan and funding information for more context and resources. This brief is part of the TANF Works! TANF/WIOA Collaboration Series, through which the Office of Family Assistance’s Integrating Innovative Employment and Economic Stability Strategies (IIEESS) initiative seeks to highlight innovative coordination strategies of TANF and WIOA programs to serve low-income or vulnerable populations.

This Brookings Institution report examines both unemployment and the underemployment rate and identifies racial disparities in the rates for both economic categorizations. The report also analyzes data trends that point to the different labor market outcomes by race and notes how unemployment rates have fallen since 2010 for all groups. Differences in underemployment exist between those who work part-time for economic reasons and those who would work full-time if they had available options.

This MDRC study examines the offerings of 39 adult basic skills programs and analyzes the need for these types of programs. The report identified 10 programs in high-need areas in California, where adult basic skills education is integrated with workforce and college preparation. There is also a set of findings on opportunities for expanded integrated adult basic skills programs in the state and the lessons that can be applied to other states across the country.

This Urban Institute report examines youth employment 2013 data in-depth (the most recent data available). There is a particular focus on disparities in employment outcomes by race and ethnicity, sex, and age, for youth ages 16-24. The report also analyzes the industry sectors where youth are employed and rates of disconnection between school and work that could explain declining youth labor force participation rates.

This Institute for Research on Poverty report presents findings of the Child Support Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration Program (CSPED) implementation analysis. The report highlights promising agency-led approaches that emphasize delivery of services to noncustodial parents, compared to child services agencies that only emphasize enforcement of child support obligations. This new management orientation for child services agencies engages noncustodial parents and impacts parenting, case management, and employment, which helps facilitate reliable child support payments.

This Upjohn Institute policy brief analyzes the long-run outcomes of Earned Income Tax Credit and welfare time limits to increase employment and reduce public assistance; the brief also reviews the impact of anti-poverty programs on geographical locations where participants live. The research and analysis examine these anti-poverty programs and whether they have made a difference not only for individual households and participants, but also for disadvantaged neighborhoods.