Lessons Churned: Measuring the Impact of Churn in Health and Human Services Programs on Participants and State and Local Agencies

Record Description
This report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities discusses the concept of “churn,” when the periodic review of public benefits eligibility leaves benefits-eligible households without benefits temporarily, and forces them to reapply. Churn costs benefit recipients and state agencies both time and money, so reducing churn is beneficial for all involved parties. The report uses the experience of states involved in the Work Support Strategies project to discuss lessons learned about churn and potential methods for reducing churn.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2015-03-01T19:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
SFS Category
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.cbpp.org/research/lessons-churned-measuring-the-impact-of-churn-in-h…
Publication Date
2015-03-02

State Innovations in Horizontal Integration: Leveraging Technology for Health and Human Services

Record Description
This report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities discusses how enhanced federal Medicaid matching funds made available because of the Affordable Care Act can be used for technology and services improvements to eligibility systems that are shared between Medicaid and other health and human services programs. The report discusses states that have used this opportunity to make systems improvements, including specific examples of initiatives and discussion of common themes between state efforts. Most states in the report have worked on improving client portals, enhancing call center technology, streamlining document imaging and management, and introducing mobile tools for consumer use.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2015-03-01T19:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
SFS Category
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.cbpp.org/research/state-innovations-in-horizontal-integration-levera…
Publication Date
2015-03-02

Work Supports Strategies Evaluation Publications Page

Record Description
This webpage from the Urban Institute includes several publications related to the Work Support Strategies (WSS) initiative evaluation. Topics include changes in joint Medicaid/CHIP and SNAP participation rates, using technology to improve delivery of benefits, and using behavioral economics to inform the integration of human services and health programs.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2016-05-31T20:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
SFS Category
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.urban.org/work-support-strategies-evaluation-publications-and-resour…
Publication Date
2016-06-01

Event Materials Available: Making Government Programs Work for Families

Record Description
The Urban Institute, in collaboration with the Center for Law and Social Policy and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, hosted a discussion on how state and federal government can improve access to work support programs for low-income families. Over the past four years, as part of the Work Support Strategies (WSS) initiative, six states have worked to streamline low-income families’ access to benefits, reducing burdens on families and workers, and promoting cross-agency and cross-program integration and coordination. Results show that WSS state agencies improved benefit access and the delivery of benefits through coordination of technology, local office operations, policy, and use of data for management, and relationships between health and human services agencies and between state, county, and local offices.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2016-05-31T20:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
SFS Category
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.urban.org/events/making-government-programs-work-families
Publication Date
2016-06-01

HHS/ACF Seeks Comment on TANF Financial Reporting

Record Description
On June 24, 2016, the Administration for Children and Families announced that it is seeking comments on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Quarterly Financial Report. This request is for renewal of approval to use the Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) 196 form for periodic financial reporting under the TANF program. States participating in the TANF program are required by statute to report financial data on a quarterly basis. This form meets the legal standard and provides essential data on the use of Federal funds. Failure to collect the data would seriously compromise ACF's ability to monitor program expenditures, estimate funding needs, and to prepare budget submissions required by Congress. Financial reporting under the TANF program is governed by 45 CFR part 265. This renewal restores columns for reporting Emergency Contingency Fund Grant expenditures.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2016-06-23T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-06-24/pdf/2016-14945.pdf
Publication Date
2016-06-24

DC’s Redesigned TANF Program: A Tiered Model of Service Options

Record Description
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' Building Better Programs initiative collected this set of resources on the process of implementing a redesigned TANF program structure based on the experience of the District of Columbia. In 2011, DC redesigned its TANF program to better address the needs of its participants through a customer-centered design model. The new system follows a three-tiered structure in which individuals seeking employment are assessed and directed to one of the three tiers of need based on their job readiness and access to employment opportunities.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2014-04-01T20:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
SFS Category
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.buildingbetterprograms.org/2014/04/02/dcs-redesigned-tanf-program-a-…
Publication Date
2014-04-02

Assisting two-parent families through TANF

Record Description

Two-parent families’ lower TANF participation rates appear to result from differences in policies and practices. The dynamics of family relationships and personal feelings, especially of men, about seeking assistance may contribute to this difference as well. These families may also receive fewer support services than single-parent families because of either formal rationing of services or staff assumptions about their needs.

This report documents these findings by analyzing administrative data, phone interviews, and site visits, highlighting key findings about:

  1. the characteristics of two-parent families participating in or eligible for TANF;
  2. the variety of services two parent families are receiving through TANF;
  3. how state policies help or hinder families participation in TANF; and
  4. how beliefs, attitudes and perceptions of state and eligible families help or hinder families’ participating in TANF. (author abstract)
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2015-12-31T19:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/resource/assisting-two-parent-families-through-tanf
Publication Date
2016-01-01

2016 TANF Caseload Data

Record Description
The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) has posted Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) caseload and application data for the first quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2016 (October-December 2015). The data include families receiving assistance through state TANF and Separate State Program Maintenance-of-Effort (SSP-MOE). In the first quarter of FY 2016, there was a monthly average of 1.59 million families receiving TANF and SSP cash assistance, representing approximately 4.1 million recipients. The monthly average number of TANF applications received in FY 2016 was 262,288.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2016-06-23T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/resource/tanf-caseload-data-2016
Publication Date
2016-06-24

Blended and Braided Funding: A Guide for Policymakers and Practitioners

Record Description

The Association of Government Accountants Intergovernmental Partnership brought together federal, state and local government experts to explain how governments can leverage resources to serve the public in a comprehensive, coordinated and efficient manner that improves program performance. This guide provides basic ‘how to’ information for those responsible for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of funds through blended or braided funding.

Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2014-11-30T19:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.naswa.org/assets/utilities/serve.cfm?gid=739F4139-2F05-42CB-B4F0-902…
Publication Date
2014-12-01

Systems of Care Toolkit: Training, Development, and Human Resources

Record Description
This toolkit from the Child Welfare Information Gateway and National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center for Systems of Care Resources was developed for the Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau Demonstration Initiative, “Improving Child Welfare Outcomes Through Systems of Care.” The toolkit provides practical information to help communities plan, build, and sustain systems to improve outcomes for children and families. The focus is on staff training, workshops, coaching, mentoring, and other learning opportunities that challenge employees to perform to the best of their ability. The resource also provides real-life examples from states that have implemented systems change models.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2016-06-13T20:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
SFS Category
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/management/reform/soc/communicate/initiativ…