In this short video, TANF practitioners explain how partnerships at their local American Job Centers are creating opportunities to reach more people who utilize their services. North Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah programs are highlighted for their successes in TANF/WIOA collaborations.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) issued a Final Rule to make changes to the TANF program regulations to require states to maintain policies and practices that prevent TANF funded assistance from being used in any electronic benefit transfer (EBT) transaction in any liquor store; any casino, gambling casino, or gaming establishment; or any retail establishment that provides adult-oriented entertainment. Provisions become effective immediately.

The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) has released the TANF work participation rates for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013. Nationwide, more states met the work requirement in FY 2013 than in FY 2012, but the work participation rates declined slightly compared to those from FY 2012. Thirty-two states and territories met their work requirement in FY 2013, compared to 29 states and territories in FY 2012.

This brief explores kinship families and the importance of TANF to those families, the two types of TANF grants a relative caregiver may receive (child-only and family), and a Kinship TANF Model that draws from different state and county efforts to stabilize and support kinship families. Additionally, the brief recommends separate kinship policies, programs, and practices that are designed to help kinship families specifically.

Compared to a few decades ago, low-income children today have better access to healthcare, fewer are born to teen mothers, fewer live in foster care, and their parents have more education. However, the circumstances and outcomes of higher-income children have advanced even more rapidly, leading to expanding inequality in the resources that boost child development. Additionally, in some ways, the circumstances of low-income children have gotten worse. This report consists of a consensus plan from researchers at the Brookings Institution and the American Enterprise Institute. The plan would reduce poverty and improve opportunities for those at the lowest income levels.

Developed by the Urban Institute for the U.S. Department of Education, this guidance document recommends data collection strategies and data system structures to ensure Promise Neighborhoods can manage and produce measurable results. While this guidance document is written specifically for Promise Neighborhoods, these recommendations can be applied to other place-based initiatives.

On September 18 - 19, 2014, the Office of Family Assistance sponsored a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) technical assistance (TA) site visit to the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) (Region X). This visit was in response to rising TANF caseloads in the State, challenges addressing budgetary concerns, issues meeting the employment and service needs of TANF participants, and other concerns stemming from the ongoing effects of the recent recession. During this visit, TA coaches facilitated sessions in the following areas: program assessment, performance-based contracting, and change management. Staff visited the Community Works Project in Portland, Oregon and the Oregon Department of Human Services headquarters in Salem, Oregon and participated in the TANF Alliance Meeting at Central City Concern in Portland, Oregon. After each session, TA coaches were able to provide recommendations and key steps for implementing changes to their processes to improve collaboration with contractors and case management for TANF clients.