Many States are currently using internet technology as an information tool to support their TANF, Child Care, Child Support and/or Child Welfare programs. Have any States' use of the Web progressed to the 'transaction' or 'commerce' phase to assist in providing direct services to their clients?

Have any State or county TANF agencies established constructive relationships with their local public housing agencies? If so, describe how this collaboration was formed and what results/changes have taken place due to this collaboration.

Can you please provide resources about the possible impact of welfare reform on child abuse and neglect?

Which state or sub-state areas have TANF and child support enforcement joined forces to prioritize TANF cases nearing their TANF time limits for IV-D services, i.e. order establishment and enforcement? If so, how did they approach it, and how is it going?

Which states have authority to pursue enforcement of child support orders against grandparents in cases of minor parents?

A representative from ASPE would like to identify any States that have developed statute procedures or written policies for reducing or suspending state child support debt when parents marry or re-marry. Washington and Vermont have taken steps to help parents who marry or re-marry handle any state child support debt that might have accumulated while they were not living together.

Is anyone aware of any State initiatives under TANF to bridge the digital divide?

New Jersey is establishing a food bank benefit consisting of a three day supply of groceries with TANF funds for families whose income is below 250% of the State's poverty level. Their concerns are that the benefit not be considered assistance, and that monitoring of usage to preclude recurrent use will present an administrative burden that will discourage contractors from joining the program. The non-recurrent, short-term benefit exclusion to the definition of assistance requires that the benefit is not intended to meet recurrent needs. This implies that a State should monitor usage. We are advising the State that they could develop guidelines recommending notification to the appropriate State agency if the contractor notices that the family is using the food bank on an on-going basis. The State has requested to know what practices other states have developed to define, monitor and resolve recurrent usage of food bank benefits that are classified as non-assistance. Please provide the names of states with such food bank programs, a State contact person, and a brief description of how recurrent usage is defined, monitored and resolved. Results of survey will be provided.

What States pass-through child support funds directly to the family? Please describe the process and the amount of the passthrough.

Do you know of states that have developed data sharing agreements with Workforce Investment Boards, and/or are exercising their ability to share certain NCP data, per the "Welfare-to-Work and Child Support Amendments of 1999" (PL. 106-113)?