Question / Response(s)

Question from Wisconsin Department of Children and Families

Question Text

A representative from the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families would like to know the best practices that states use to monitor their TANF performance contracts. What types of tools do states use to monitor contracts, and do they monitor overall data or conduct detailed reviews of caseloads?

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Date
October 2017
Source
OFA Peer TA
Agency/Organization
Dept of Children and Families
State
Wisconsin
Topics/Subtopics
TANF Program Administration
TANF Regulatory Codes

OFA Regions V and VII Technical Assistance Meeting

Record Description
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance (HHS/ACF/OFA) Regions V and VII hosted the TANF Technical Assistance Meeting, Innovations in TANF: Setting the Stage for the Next 20 Years on June 22-24, 2016, at the Bolling Federal Building in Kansas City Missouri. The meeting brought together TANF program administrators and other key stakeholders to engage with peers on innovative strategies and collaborations to promote economic and social well-being for individuals, families, and communities. Meeting attendees were provided with opportunities to discuss best practices and latest research, as well as to plan ways to improve TANF programming for low-income families in their jurisdictions.

Measurement Matters: Better Data for Better Decisions

Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
Sponsor
Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM)
Location
Chicago, IL
Topics/Subtopics
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)
Event Date
-

ACF Blog: The Dignity of Work and Welfare Reform

Record Description
This blog post from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families details the reasoning behind a recent decision to rescind waivers from TANF work requirements. Strengthening work requirements is not intended to be punitive, but rather to emphasize the importance of work as a crucial means of attaining self-sufficiency. The goal of this new policy is to help states engage TANF participants in work and work activities more consistently.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-08-29T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2017-08-30
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Work Participation Rates: Fiscal Year 2016

Record Description
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance released 22 work participation rate tables for fiscal year 2016. The tables include an average number of work-eligible individuals participating in work activities, the average number of hours of work participation per week, and the average number of families with sufficient work hours to meet the work requirement.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-09-06T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2017-09-07
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Systems to Family Stability State Profiles

Record Description
The Office of Family Assistance’s (OFA) Systems to Family Stability National Policy Academy (Policy Academy) was an 18-month intensive technical assistance (TA) initiative in 2015–2016 for seven states and one county interested in modernizing and improving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practice. During the initiative, sites received dedicated coaches, onsite strategic planning, access to expert consultants, and tailored written resources. Additionally, they participated in several in-person convenings, peer exchanges, and virtual training. These state profiles detail the journey and lessons learned of the 8 teams that participated in the Policy Academy.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-09-18T20:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
SFS Sites
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2017-09-19
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)
Upload Files
Attachment Size
Colorado 702.51 KB
Connecticut 787.06 KB
Maryland 670.75 KB
Ramsey County, Minnesota 856.54 KB
North Carolina 774.71 KB
Utah 682.35 KB
Washington 894.15 KB
West Virginia 676.46 KB

Financial Stability Improves Chances of Family Reunification

Record Description
This policy brief from the Center for Poverty Research at UC Davis highlights new research that demonstrates a connection between a parent being employed or receiving cash assistance and a higher likelihood of the parent(s) being reunified with their children after a child welfare interaction. It provides examples of how a parent may become economically disconnected once their child is removed and how this can significantly impact the chance of reunification. Suggestions for further supporting vulnerable families are given.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2015-10-13T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2015-10-14
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Dual-System Families: Cash Assistance Sequences of Households Involved with Child Welfare

Record Description
This article from the Journal of Public Child Welfare explores the experiences of families involved in both the child welfare and public assistance systems. The study indicated that families who lose their TANF support or who have sporadic public assistance support are less likely to be reunified with their children who have been removed. It concludes that policies that support coordination for families across systems can be beneficial economically and promote family stability and reunification.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2016-06-29T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2016-06-30
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

National Association of Welfare Research and Statistics: 2017 Conference Presentations Available

Record Description
The annual conference of the National Association of Welfare Research and Statistics (NAWRS) took place from July 30 – August 2, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This year’s theme was: “Moving Forward to Reduce Poverty, Increase Opportunity, and Improve Human Service Delivery.” Presentations from the conference are now available through links in the conference agenda.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-08-16T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2017-08-17

Meeting Welfare’s Work Participation Requirements and Transitioning into the Labor Market a Study of the Outcomes of TANF Recipients

Record Description
When TANF became law in 1996, welfare recipients were required to engage in work participation activities, and states were required to have 50 percent of their TANF cases meet these participation requirements. The intention of requiring individuals to engage in these activities was to assist individuals in gaining employment and becoming economically self-sufficient. However, the rates at which TANF recipients meet the participation requirements and transition into employment consistent with economic self-sufficiency are disappointingly low. This chapter provides an overview that begins with a more detailed characterization of these issues to provide a context that highlights the importance of the questions this research seeks to answer. The data used in this research essentially constitutes a census of first-time TANF recipients in Utah, and some of the aspects of this data set are subsequently described. Finally, the TANF population is compared to the general population in Utah for the purpose of illustrating the significant differences between these populations.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-08-09T20:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County