The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) is offering On-Site Technical Assistance (TA) to strengthen, develop, and/or expand the capacity of tribal and native advocacy programs and communities' responses to intimate partner violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, and sex trafficking. The NIWRC staff will collaborate with each selected On-Site TA recipient to create an agenda specific to their program and tribal community. The NIWRC TA application is due April 22, 2024.

While the financial security of U.S. households is frequently studied, comparatively little research focuses on the economics of American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) households specifically. The Center for Indian Country Development is helping to fill this gap with new analysis of a key annual survey of American households: the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Household Economics and Decision-making (SHED). This Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis resource highlights:

• Statistical techniques that enable an AIAN-focus;
• Results detailing AIAN respondents’ financial security; and
• Persistent barriers to economic opportunity for AIAN households.

The Administration for Native Americans Western Region is hosting five pre-application trainings, a combination of in-person and virtual events:

• Training 1 is in-person from April 2 to 3, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada;
• Training 2 is in-person from April 16 to 17, 2024 (location announcement coming soon);
• Training 3 is virtual from April 8 to 11, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET;
• Training 4 is virtual from April 22 to 25, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET; and
• Training 5 is virtual from April 29 to May 2, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.

Registration for each training is open. While topics for both in-person and virtual training will be dependent on time constraints, each training will assist the application process for the NEW Notice of Funding Opportunities. Each training will also cover the new review criteria and how to address each in the application.

The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center at Virginia Commonwealth University is launching a Native Outreach webinar series entitled “Voicing Resiliency: State Vocational Rehabilitation Best Practices with Indigenous Communities.” The first webinar will take place on April 3, 2024 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET and will feature Jim Warne and Treva Roanhorse. The speakers will provide insight into the culture surrounding Indigenous Disability and discuss the history of Indigenous Disability services in Indian Country throughout the past and into the present.

The Fiscal Year 2025 President’s Budget for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) proposes critical investments and policy changes to continue building on ACF’s success in delivering human services that are equitable, focused on prevention, and centered on child and family well-being. The ACF request for $91.8 billion would increase child and family safety and well-being; strengthen the early childhood sector to meet the needs of children and families; build economic stability; create greater opportunity for youth, young adults, and young parents; fulfill our nation-to-nation commitment to tribes; provide support for refugees and unaccompanied children; and ensure communities are resilient in the face of disasters.

Detailed information about ACF’s budget request is available in the HHS FY2025 Budget in Brief beginning on page 128 and in Congressional Justification.

ACF is hosted a virtual event on March 19, 2024  to discuss ACF’s priorities and highlights from the FY2025 budget.

Registration for this event is closed.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is working to strengthen the well-being of children, youth, and their families by integrating behavioral health services into the existing supports they rely on, such as social services and early childhood programs. This ACF announcement highlights the new behavioral health webpage that includes a tip sheet for parents and caregivers and a series of short videos about mental health.

The new behavioral health webpage includes audience-specific pages with resources about mental health and substance use for:

• Teens and young adults
• Parents and caregivers
• American Indian and Alaska Native Communities
• Service providers
• Grant recipients
• Early childhood professionals

The Office of Family Assistance podcast series, “Incorporating Lived Experiences into Decision Making,” provides insights into how TANF agencies can include and involve individuals with lived experience in receiving TANF into agency programming and policy development. The series discusses why including individuals with lived experience is important and highlights various strategies and resources agencies can use to incorporate these perspectives. This first episode explores various strategies agencies have taken to gather and use input from individuals with lived experience to benefit agencies’ understanding, decision-making, and programming. Podcast speakers discuss varying approaches, including gathering survey feedback on program operations, forming participant advisory committees, incorporating participant-led case management practices, and hiring individuals with lived experience into permanent positions. This episode also explores how to engage in lived experiences equitably, including discussions of compensating individuals appropriately for their time and expertise.

This Administration for Children and Families report provides data for fiscal year (FY) 2016 through FY 2021 and presents information regarding TANF expenditures and caseloads, work participation and earnings, the characteristics and financial circumstances of TANF recipients, TANF performance measures, interactions between TANF and child support, as well as specific provisions of state TANF programs. In addition, this report documents current family self-sufficiency and stability-related research, provides national data on non-marital births, and presents child poverty statistics.