This Urban Institute research report analyzes the potential of a universal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The review looks at the proposal for a wage tax credit of 100 percent of annual earnings up to a maximum credit of $10,000 and analyzes the economic effects of a universal EITC to address poverty for families headed by a full-time worker. This assessment is compared to the effects of the current EITC law.

This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation report reviews the effectiveness of using coaches to help low-income individuals move toward self-sufficiency. The evaluation profiles four coaching models: Iowa’s Family Development and Self-Sufficiency (FaDSS); coaching at home visits implemented in Jefferson County, Colorado; LIFT, a national nonprofit organization that delivers career and financial coaching in Washington (D.C.), New York (New York), Chicago (Illinois), and Los Angeles (California); and MyGoals for Employment Success, a model designed by MDRC and piloted in Baltimore (Maryland) and Houston (Texas).

This fact sheet from the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin at Madison provides concrete data on how the opioid crisis has grown in Wisconsin. Identification of the rising number of opioid-related deaths, geography of opioid-related deaths (for urban and rural communities), and the increased number of opioid-related ER visits are presented in reader-friendly graphics.

This United States Interagency Council on Homelessness brief is a transcript of a set of interviews conducted with housing officials in Montgomery County (Pennsylvania), Columbus (Ohio), and Los Angeles (California). The discussion identifies their approaches and initiatives to stem eviction and divert persons from entering homelessness.

This blogpost by the Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau highlights the celebration of National Foster Care Month 2019. This year’s theme is that foster care supports birth families when they most need it and provides care for children until their safe return home. The blogpost identifies resources and tips on building relationships among child welfare professionals, birth parents, and foster parents to support development of healthy and thriving children, as well as targeted supportive services implementation.

This factsheet, prepared by Minnesota State Careerwise, illustrates a list of common barriers to employment. It also provides guidance on how to address barriers when job hunting, including finding helpful resources.

Many families in the TANF system face complex challenges that make it difficult for them to attain economic security. Some have disabilities or struggle with substance abuse or physical or mental health issues. Others do not have the skills or experiences needed for available jobs. Still others cannot secure a job because of a criminal record or failed drug test. Many face several of these employment barriers at the same time. 

An Office of Family Assistance (OFA)-sponsored webinar on May 29, 2019 shared the experiences of two TANF programs which have developed innovative approaches to serving families with complex family needs. The Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance is partnering with the state vocational rehabilitation agency to pilot the Individualized Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment for a set of TANF customers who had previously been exempt from work requirements due to a limiting physical or mental condition. Ramsey County (Minnesota) Workforce Solutions partnered with a number of community partners to provide Families Achieving Success Today (FAST), an initiative designed to improve employment outcomes for TANF recipients with work limitations and/or disabilities and to reduce racial disparities in employment outcomes. A representative from Project IMPROVE informed attendees about support that may be available through OFA to design and test approaches to serving families with complex family needs.

The Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin at Madison will hold a webinar on May 15, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT to discuss research findings from the National Academies report, Cutting the Child Poverty Rate by Half. Two of the report’s authors, Hilary Hoynes and Robert Moffitt, will cover the effectiveness of current assistance programs and their policy and program recommendations to reduce child poverty by half in the next 10 years.

This Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) issue brief is drawn from a jointly funded initiative from the ARC and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, “Creating a Culture of Health in Appalachia: Disparities and Bright Spots.” The brief presents statistics on opioid abuse and deaths in Appalachia, discusses strategies and resources for addressing the opioid crisis in this location, and offers recommendations for further study and program implementation of community-based solutions.

This United States Interagency Council on Homelessness issue brief reviews the relationship between housing costs and housing stability; more affordable housing options reduce the likelihood of families becoming homeless, and help homeless families exit homelessness more quickly. The issue brief also notes recent reports identifying housing affordability and stability challenges and efforts the Council has made to address them.