This Urban Institute report notes that the opioid crisis is widely recognized as a difficult policy challenge, but the reasons why it is difficult and the paths to overcoming those difficulties are less easily understood. As a result, policymakers risk spending limited public resources on potentially ineffective or even counterproductive efforts. Adopting the perspective of pay for success (PFS)-–an outcomes-oriented funding model-–helps to mitigate these risks and facilitates the application of sound public policy and administration principles.

Due to its accountability and efficiency, Performance-Based Contracting has been identified as a topic of interest among TANF programs around the nation. This podcast was convened to provide insight about how performance-based contracting improved employment outcomes for TANF-eligible populations. Brian Anderson from the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families takes listeners on the journey Wisconsin Works took to improve employment outcomes for TANF clients and how performance-based contracting played a role.

This research brief from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation provides a snapshot of the progress health and human service agencies are making to integrate their data systems across programs. The brief presents the results of a questionnaire completed by officials in 45 states and the District of Columbia and provides a synthesis of results that paint a picture of this issue nationally.

This report from the Department of Labor provides an overview of the state of the field related to career pathways programs. The report provides a synthesis of the existing research in the field on this type of program, offers various research design options for evaluating career pathway programs, and offers suggestions for future directions for the field.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA) recently announced an application solicitation to award cooperative agreements to state agencies for participation in a TANF Policy Academy for Innovative Employment Strategies (PAIES). PAIES is a series of technical assistance activities developed to help state TANF programs design, plan, and implement innovative and comprehensive approaches to increase employment outcomes for TANF participants through coaching and career pathways. The PAIES work will document and disseminate emerging and promising strategies, and awardees will receive 18 months of funding, subject to funding availability. Applications are due May 29, 2018. For more information on coaching grants, please see https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/HHS-2018-ACF-OFA-FJ-1280. For more information on career pathways grants, please see https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/HHS-2018-ACF-OFA-FJ-1345.

This post from the Urban Institute discusses shortfalls of the TANF program and offers suggestions to make the program more successful and more effective for low-income families. The author describes how TANF policies can create disincentives and barriers to meeting the complex needs of TANF families. Rather, she suggests, federal performance measures should give states incentives to take a balanced approach to promote work, family economic stability, and child well-being. Additionally, states should have greater flexibility through reduced reporting requirements and fewer restrictions on specific client activities.