The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a critical period and can be particularly difficult for youth aging out of foster care. Administered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program supports youth in or formerly in foster care as they transition to adulthood. Selected state officials told the U.S. Government Accountability Office that they decide on their service array by using data, participant feedback, and information from other states. These officials also reported offering youth services based on individual skills and needs. The most widely used services in selected states are related to education, health, and housing.

This U.S. Government Accountability Office report addresses: (1) how selected states support youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood, (2) ACF resources for states on effective Chafee services, and (3) the extent that state and federal funds are used to support services for older youth.

To help ensure that children have safe and permanent homes, the federal government provides states with funding for child welfare programs. Some sources of federal funding, such as Title IV-E and Title IV-B of the Social Security Act, are dedicated to child welfare. Under Title IV-E, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reimburses states for providing foster care to eligible children, among other things. States may use funds provided under Title IV-B for a variety of services to prevent and address child abuse and neglect. Other funding sources can be used for child welfare, among other purposes. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant funds a wide range of benefits and services for low-income families. Some of these benefits and services may be administered by state child welfare agencies.

This U.S. Government Accountability Office report examines states’ use of Title IV-E, Title IV-B, and TANF funds for child welfare purposes.

This brief describes the American Public Human Services Association and Chapin Hall’s partnership to build momentum and consensus for child welfare system transformation by bringing together human services agency leadership, experts with lived experience, and national partner organizations to advance cross-sector recommendations for shared responsibility across public health and human services to prevent child maltreatment and unnecessary involvement with the child welfare system. This approach expands access to economic and concrete supports as protective factors and promotes family stability, integrity, and well-being at the individual and population level.

Helplines provide referrals to community and government resources that support parents and other caregivers in raising their children safely and successfully. By connecting children and families to upstream services, helplines can be an effective strategy in efforts to prevent child welfare system involvement. These helplines are intended to be proactive, providing immediate upstream support to families experiencing a crisis or an unmet need, therefore preventing potential child maltreatment down the road.

This Casey Family Programs brief highlights various helplines implemented across the country but focuses on helplines intended to prevent child welfare system involvement. However, some helplines are designed specifically to provide targeted support to families and older youth already involved in the child welfare system.

In the child welfare system, where families often face compounding challenges, coordinated efforts can prevent deeper system involvement and promote family stability. Every role contributes a distinct and essential piece to achieving these outcomes. This ZERO TO THREE webpage offers several strategies to illustrate how collaboration across programs and sectors can improve family outcomes, including: 

1. Centering families through Family Team Meetings;
2. Community coordination to bridge support;
3. Judicial leadership sets a collaborative tone;
4. Legal advocacy to elevate support;
5. Child welfare leadership drives systems change;
6. Building a network with Active Community Teams;
7. Driving sustained impact with Site Implementation Teams; and
8. Scaling success through policy and funding.

In American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities, Elders are highly respected and are referred to as the community’s leaders, teachers, keepers of knowledge, and role models to all. Elders ensure the continuation of traditional native customs. Research confirms that connections between Elders and children protect and support the well-being of both groups. For children, benefits of these intergenerational connections include social-emotional gains, such as increased self-awareness, improved relationship skills, and better decision-making. Intergenerational connections also have been shown to contribute to greater academic success, better self-esteem and mood, and healthier habits. Even though intergenerational connections benefit children, very few child welfare programs include intergenerational services.

The Elder Connections Project was designed to better understand how American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Elders’ knowledge, experience, and observations are helpful in developing strategies, resources, and culturally safe and appropriate practices to prevent children from entering foster care. This Casey Family Programs brief offers a summary of those findings, which are applicable to children and families of all communities.

This op-ed written by Acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison outlines that current welfare policies focused on unconditional cash transfers are failing to lift low-income families out of poverty. Instead, he advocates for a welfare model that emphasizes work incentives, family stability, personal responsibility, and reduced dependency on government aid.

The pilot is authorized under the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 and reflects the Administration’s commitment to reshaping welfare programs to encourage employment, personal responsibility, and strong, stable two-parent families. States were encouraged to propose alternative performance measures to the work participation rate that prioritize rapid employment outcomes, earnings progression, and reduced dependency on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and other welfare. 

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services selected Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, and Virginia to participate in the redesigned TANF pilot. These states were chosen from a strong applicant pool to develop models and metrics other states can replicate to help families achieve self-sufficiency. In addition to concretely tracking employment and earnings, pilot states will pursue the following strategies to reduce dependency:

• Arizona will engage directly with employers that have vacancies for in-demand, well-paying positions to directly connect TANF participants with quality, sustainable employment.
• Iowa will improve referral coordination across services, enhance the quality of information available to TANF participants through financial literacy and decision-making tools, and build partnerships with employers to create employment and matched savings opportunities.
• Nebraska, in partnership with community organizations, colleges, and businesses, will develop personalized pathways for TANF participants to strengthen connections to local jobs. Pathways will include referrals to Nebraska’s TANF-funded Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage Initiative.
• Ohio will implement a personalized “well-being assessment” for TANF participants, which will include intensive case management services, financial literacy training, and support for counties to build community capacity.
• Virginia will establish Personalized Results Plans for TANF participants to build upon the success of the Career Pathway Pilot, which blends sector-based training, intensive case management, and employment engagement to support participants as they gain credentials in fields like health care and skilled trades.

The TANF pilot program officially launches on October 1, 2025.

This webpage highlights the announcement of the new vision, mission, values, priorities, and guiding principles for the Administration of Children and Families. The webpage outlines the values and offers resources that highlight exemplary practices for each.

WorkforceGPS will host a webinar on September 25, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. ET to walk through tools and curricula that address barriers to employment for people with a criminal record and will provide the foundation for a successful job search. Presenters will offer resources to help customers explore career options, build a long-term future with training and credentials, and locate the support they may need for their reentry process.