The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program plays a key role in promoting strength and stability for families experiencing poverty. By helping families to meet their basic needs, obtain employment, and nurture healthy family relationships, TANF programs can foster long-term family wellbeing and economic independence. States have significant flexibility to use TANF funds to address unique family needs and accomplish any of the four purposes of TANF.

The Office of Family Assistance released a series of briefs that highlight innovative and strategic ways that states are leveraging TANF funds to strengthen families and communities by building capacity for self-sufficiency and economic independence. This brief highlights the work of Family Support Centers (FSCs) towards preventing child welfare involvement. FSCs serve as a single-entry point for families to access a range of free or low-cost services. Although FSC services may support all four purposes of TANF, the brief focuses specifically on their role in strengthening families and preventing CPS involvement in support of TANF’s first statutory purpose: to provide assistance to families so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives.

This National Responsible Fatherhood video explores the community's interest and openness to change, reflecting on insights from leadership, staff, and family members about anticipated improvements and expectations. Topics covered in this video include:

• The collective commitment to enhancing the well-being of all families in West Virginia;
• The overwhelming desire to encourage and provide services specifically for fathers, ensuring they receive the support needed to be actively involved in their children's lives;
• The perspectives from leaders, staff, and family members about the future of social services and the changes they hope to see; and
• The efforts to create programs that foster stronger community connections and remove barriers that fathers face. 

This National Responsible Fatherhood video highlights the dedicated efforts taking place within West Virginia's Family Support Centers (FSCs), which are essential community hubs that provide a wide range of services to families with children up to age 18 and pregnant families. Topics covered in this video include:

• Innovative service models implemented at FSCs, designed to meet the unique needs of each community;
• Diverse range of services offered, including parent education classes, child development activities, after-school programs, GED and literacy instruction, health information, and more;
• Staffing, training, and recruitment practices that ensure effective and compassionate service delivery;
• Continuous quality improvement measures in place to maintain the effectiveness and sustainability of these programs; and
• Renewed efforts to support and empower fathers, enhancing their role in family dynamics.

This National Responsible Fatherhood video highlights the often-overlooked struggles of fathers, who face significant barriers in receiving the support and resources they need to be present and effective caregivers. Topics covered in this video include:

• The pervasive economic struggles that impact countless families across the state;
• The devastating effects of drug addiction, particularly opioids, on individuals and their loved ones; and
• The alarming number of children entering the foster care system due to familial instability and substance abuse.

This National Responsible Fatherhood video explores the unique qualities and vibrant community spirit that define West Virginia. Known for its deep-rooted rural traditions and close-knit communities, West Virginia is a state where family and community bonds run deep. Topics covered in this video include: 

• The strong sense of unity and mutual support that characterizes West Virginia's towns and rural areas;
• The evolving demographic landscape;
• The stark differences between regions within the state, such as the resource-rich eastern side of Greenbrier County and the more challenged western side; and
• The remarkable resilience of West Virginians in the face of economic hardships and substance use challenges.

This Heritage Foundation report analyzes data on important trends related to marriage, childbearing, divorce, cohabitation, and abortion, and offers insights on these trends. The report includes five key findings about family life in America today:

1. Americans are getting married less and later;
2. Fewer children are being born, but more are born outside marriage;
3. More couples are cohabiting;
4. Marriage and family are no longer priorities; and
5. American singles are faced with a “connection conundrum.”

This Institute for Family Studies report shows how closely the fortunes of Ohio families are tied to the educational success, poverty, and emotional well-being of children across the state, how strong families are tied to safer streets, how closely connected economic mobility for poor children is to the state of the unions in their communities across the state, and how falling fertility imperils the demographic future of the state. Given the importance of the family for children, adults, and the state, this report also identifies a series of public policies and civic measures the legislature, businesses, churches, and families can advance to renew the foundations of marriage and family across Ohio.

Given young adults’ high desire for marriage, understanding the truth of how loving and lasting marriages are formed can help the rising generation have confidence in their own ability to pursue this path in their own lives. Helping young people achieve their life goals of marriage is deeply important because a happy marriage is one of the best predictors of life satisfaction for men and women. This Institute for Family Studies report explores top attitudes and behaviors that were predictive of a high-quality and stable marriage from a recent survey of married men and women.

This Family and Youth Services tool helps Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention programs reflect on strategies for identifying and engaging community partners and supporting and sustaining these partnerships over time. Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention grantees can use this tool to discover effective methods for identifying suitable community partners; explore strategies for engaging and maintaining strong, productive relationships with these partners; explore best practices for providing ongoing support to community partners and recognize their contributions; learn how to address challenges in partnerships and sustain long-term collaboration; and use feedback from community partners to continuously improve program implementation.

To prevent pregnancy among adolescents, the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) supports state, Tribal and community efforts to teach abstinence and contraceptive education. This FYSB webpage highlights their Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention program and its grant recipients, including Personal Responsibility Education Programs which educate young people on abstinence and support pregnant youth or mothers under the age of 21.