Many TANF program recipients have been exposed to trauma in the form of violence and adversity in the family and community setting. TANF participants often have work-limiting health issues linked to expose to trauma, and those issues can provide physical barriers to employment by limiting work prospects and income. This research brief by Drexel University’s Center for Hunger-Free Communities outlines the Building Wealth and Health Network program that combines financial empowerment, trauma-informed peer support, and matched financial savings to support TANF participants and their families. The program recommends that public assistance programs incorporate trauma-informed approaches to public assistance and on-the-job training; investment in programs that support the caregivers’ physical, mental, and economic health to promote well-being of both the child and caregiver; and finally, focus on behavioral health services to support families, career readiness, and self-sufficiency before WorkFirst participation.

This website is a resource for education, advocacy, and leadership regarding mental illness in the United States. Providing helplines, public policy resources, and events, NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

This website helps Medicaid beneficiaries receive services in their home or community rather than segregated settings. It provides information for targeted population groups, including people with mental health disabilities as well as intellectual, developmental, and/or physical disabilities. Every state has a HCBS waiver that identifies the population(s) they will serve through this program. Resources and contact information are also provided.

This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report details implementation recommendations regarding low-income women and the detection of breast and cervical cancer. Many factors contribute to the likelihood that a woman will be diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer, including age, family history, race, and socioeconomic factors. The report emphasizes decreasing death rates by increasing access to early screenings and services. To provide these services, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) and the CDC identified six priorities in developing research-backed policy recommendations.

This toolkit provides a wealth of resources and strategies to communities to help prevent opioid overdose deaths. Some of these strategies include ensuring access to treatment and to naloxone, and assisting providers in preventing overdose. It includes five essential steps for first responders, as well as guidance for those who prescribe opioids. Finally, it provides recovery resources for communities, families, and individuals.

This study assessed the relationship between the stage of breast cancer diagnosis and the area-level poverty in which the women lived when mammography screening was offered at no cost (author abstract). The conclusions showed that women who had more access to free screenings mitigated the stage of breast cancer at diagnosis.

This resource highlights six strategies and practical steps faith-based organizations can take when helping their communities prevent and heal from the effects of the opioid crisis. These strategies include opening doors and offering space for recovery programs and support groups, as well as increasing awareness, reducing stigma, and encouraging compassion through understanding of the condition. Additionally, building and restoring community capacity and the presence of faith-based organizations at the table are key. Getting ahead of the problem is especially important, as prescription opioid exposure remains a path to heroin use. The resource also encourages connecting and collaborating between community organizations and utilizing federal resources.

This National Consortium of Breast Centers resource provides a list of websites and organizations that provide breast cancer information and resources. The list includes the name, contact information, and a short summary of each organization. This resource also provides information on how to access free breast cancer screenings for those with financial constraints.

This interactive map from the Centers for Disease Control, National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program allows users to find resources for getting free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings. Users can search by state or American Indian/Alaska Native Organization to find local hotlines for affordable screenings, information about state screening programs, and state-specific cancer statistics.

On Tuesday, October 10, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) hosted an event on the state of safety-net programs under the Trump administration to include the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, Medicaid, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The discussion was moderated by AEI’s Robert Doar with a panel of Wade Horn, the former assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families; Robert Rector from the Heritage Foundation; and Ron Haskins from the Brookings Institution.