Authored by Amy Brown. This series of reports, as part of the Aspen Institute's Economic Opportunities Program and funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, explore various lessons learned from innovative approaches to EITC campaigns. The series covers pilot projects, financial literacy in the workplace, connecting asset building to Workforce Development One-Stops, market research and asset development strategies, partnering with commercial tax preparation firms, and using technology.

This study explores the relationship between TANF and WIA programs in aiding TANF recipients and achieving the goals of each program. By conducting site visits, the coordination of TANF and WIA was assessed to identify how the low-income population is best served to promote self-sufficiency.

This guidance addresses challenges encountered by Welfare-to-Work (WtW), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agencies in the provision of services to WtW participants, and seeks to assist States and local communities to improve WtW program operations and enhance inter-agency collaboration.

Because many welfare recipients reaching time limits face barriers to employment, Minnesota implemented the Minnesota Integrated Service Project (ISP). This project aims at improving service delivery to clients who would benefit from multiple systems working together to address their needs. From the Urban Institute, this article reviews the implementation of integrating services to improve outcomes for low-income families in Minnesota.

From the National Center for Children in Poverty, this speech by author and policy expert Lisbeth Schorr outlines challenges and opportunities in creating systems change. Schorr offered lessons and recommendation for how to improve service delivery through networking to increase positive outcomes for children and families.

This report summarizes a national conference that took place in Arlington, VA, on March 20-21, 2003. The conference was jointly sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This conference brought together substance abuse treatment agency directors and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) administrators from forty States, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands. The conference provided a forum for these policymakers and administrators to share information about their experience and concerns, and their promising strategies used in strengthening the collaboration and partnership of TANF and substance abuse treatment directors.

The purpose of this seminar was to provide State representatives the opportunity to join with Federal partners on identifying and sharing information related to service integration efforts. The conference was centered on peer-to-peer learning among participants.

This paper, from the National Poverty Center, analyzes current housing policy with relation to the recent trends of the low income population becoming decentralized. Authors seek to investigate if this strategy equates to increased economic efficiency by reviewing data from large metropolitan areas across the country.

From the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, this paper provides an overview of methamphetamine, as social workers are seeing an increasing number of children and families affected by meth. Authors present the most current research on methamphetamine, its effects on families, and treatment options available.

As the crime of human trafficking increases in prevalence, magnitude, and scope, trafficking victims who apply for TANF may emerge as a new Hard to Serve/Multi Barrier population for TANF administrators. This study offers a critical resource by assessing the needs of domestic service providers who are working with trafficking victims. Conducted for the National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice, the research team, led by Dr. Heather J. Clawson, completed a national sample of 98 interviews with domestic service providers.