FAST-LC held a virtual event in May 2024, “Strategic Communication and Messaging: Shaping the Prevention Narrative.” During the FAST-LC Initial Convening, several site teams expressed an interest in and a need for support on how to strategically communicate with internal and external audiences about their prevention initiatives. The issue continued to be a priority over the course of the FAST-LC. This event explored the role that TANF and Child Welfare leaders can play as strategic communicators, specifically in service of their prevention initiatives. The session applied the lens of the Learn, Innovate, Improve (LI2) framework, considering specific opportunities for strengthening teams’ approach to communicating with one key audience.

The FAST-LC Capstone Convening was hosted on August 20-21, 2024 in Bethesda, Maryland. This convening brought teams from all the participating sites together to discuss their experiences and learn from one another. The session, Sustaining Your Work to Make a Difference, was presented by keynote speaker Linda Spears. Spears delivered motivating remarks about the sustainability of the FAST-LC work and offered principles and practical considerations for ensuring that site initiatives do not lose momentum and continue beyond the life of federal TA support. Following the presentation, OFA facilitated an audience Q&A.

The FAST-LC Capstone Convening was hosted on August 20-21, 2024 in Bethesda, Maryland. This convening brought teams from all the participating sites together to discuss their experiences and learn from one another. Day one ended with time for attendees to share their insights, closing thoughts, and reflections on their Gallery Walk experience, wherein the FAST-LC participating sites were able to review posters from all the sites describing their initiative, their next steps, and the lessons they learned from participating in the FAST-LC. This session was led by OFA Deputy Director La Sherra Ayala. After this interactive debrief, closing remarks were provided by Deputy Commissioner Cheri Hoffman of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families.

The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) will host a national webinar for state TANF programs and partners entitled Building Strategic Partnerships and Maximizing TANF Flexibilities to Reduce Housing Stability on January 15, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. ET to roll out its newly released Dear Colleague Letter on Housing Stability. OFA will provide an overview of current and relevant research for TANF programs and will offer peer perspectives from two TANF programs investing in housing stability activities.   

The webinar also will help increase knowledge about approaches for addressing housing instability for families, facilitate the introduction of new partnerships, and share options for maximizing TANF flexibilities to reduce housing instability for families and children and achieve TANF purposes.

This National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) tool provides TANF front-line staff with access to a directory of each state’s agencies for labor, health, vocational rehabilitation, mental and behavioral health, developmental disabilities, and other relevant agencies. With easy navigation, users can select any state to explore its executive orders, state legislation, policies, programs, initiatives and state plans that support workforce inclusion and equal opportunities for people with disabilities to achieve competitive integrated employment outcomes. 

For more information, please contact Yvonne Wright at ywright@ndi-inc.org.

Based on input from state TANF programs during the 2023 National TANF Directors’ Meeting, the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) developed five virtual Learning Collaboratives (LCs) on topics best addressed through a cohort-based, peer learning format. These LCs were designed to be a progressive series of interactive meetings that facilitated reflection, peer sharing, connection with experts, and human-centered design and planning activities to deeply explore facets of the collaborative topic. Sessions were held monthly from March to August 2024 for 60-90 minutes.

The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA) has prompted states to think about how they track employment and other TANF program outcomes. The Creating Outcomes-based TANF Programs LC was designed to guide states through a collaborative learning journey focused on reporting on employment and other outcomes in light of the new FRA requirements. Participants worked to better understand what it means to focus on outcomes, and what successful outcomes look like for the families they serve. Participating states and territories included New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, North Carolina, Minnesota, Louisiana, New Mexico, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Utah.

This OFA resource highlights the Creating Outcomes-based TANF Programs LC, including key takeaways and resources from each session as well as overall themes and future considerations for follow-up.

This Urban Institute resource follows the House Committee on Ways and Means Hearing on Reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): States’ Misuse of Welfare Funds Leaves Poor Families Behind, held in September 2024. The resource explains that using TANF funds for activities seemingly unrelated to the program’s core goals, even if technically legal, undermines the integrity of TANF. The resource also provides supporting evidence that parents with low incomes have intrinsic motivations for employment, that TANF work requirements can be counterproductive, and that shifting TANF funding to the broader workforce development system could leave recipient families behind. The resource offers evidence-based recommendations on how access to and accountability for TANF block grant funds can better ensure the program supports employment and children in need.

Based on input from state TANF programs during the 2023 National TANF Directors’ Meeting, the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) developed five virtual Learning Collaboratives (LCs) on topics best addressed through a cohort-based, peer learning format. These LCs were designed to be a progressive series of interactive meetings that facilitated reflection, peer sharing, connection with experts, and human-centered design and planning activities to deeply explore facets of the collaborative topic. Sessions were held monthly from March to August 2024 for 60-90 minutes.

The Building Strategic Partnerships with Child Welfare Services LC was connected TANF professionals interested in building strategic partnerships with child welfare partners with experts and one another. It was designed to prepare states to partner with child welfare services to jointly explore a key area for upstream prevention, given the growing body of evidence demonstrating how the concrete and economic supports available through TANF can prevent and reduce families’ involvement with the child welfare system. Participating states included Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey, Alabama, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

This OFA resource highlights the Building Strategic Partnerships with Child Welfare Services LC, including key takeaways and resources from each session as well as overall themes and future considerations for follow-up.

Based on input from state TANF programs during the 2023 National TANF Directors’ Meeting, the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) developed five virtual Learning Collaboratives (LCs) on topics best addressed through a cohort-based, peer learning format. These LCs were designed to be a progressive series of interactive meetings that facilitated reflection, peer sharing, connection with experts, and human-centered design and planning activities to deeply explore facets of the collaborative topic. Sessions were held monthly from March to August 2024 for 60-90 minutes.

The Overcoming Barriers to TANF Participation LC gathered TANF program leaders motivated by the many families facing barriers to accessing TANF or needed financial support despite their eligibility. The LC provided the opportunity for states to connect with each other while learning new strategies that may increase TANF participation for greater family well-being. It was designed to encourage participants to take steps to identify a priority barrier to participation in their TANF program. Participating states and territories included New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Virgin Islands, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, Minnesota, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Wyoming.

This OFA resource highlights the Strengthening Overcoming Barriers to TANF Participation LC, including key takeaways and resources from each session as well as overall themes and future considerations for follow-up.