The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated housing instability for families with low incomes and created an even greater need for affordable, stable housing. Two-generation programs, which strive to end intergenerational poverty by supporting both parents and children living in the same household to improve life outcomes for the whole family, are one model of effective collaboration to increase housing stability. This blogpost, based on research on multiple two-generation partnerships, identifies four key elements to using two-generational programs to promote housing stability.

These briefs are blueprint fact sheets showcasing the accomplishments of peers and stakeholders in implementing a whole family approach at seven Community Action Agencies: Aroostook County Action Program (Presque Isle, Maine), Blueprints (Washington, Pennsylvania), Community Action, Inc. (Topeka, Kansas), Community Action Project of Tulsa County (Tulsa, Oklahoma), Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County (Santa Rosa, California), Mahube-Otwa Community Action Partnership (Detroit Lakes, Minnesota), and People, Inc. (Abingdon, Virginia). Each brief details the agency, its area demographics, its whole family approach with a highlight of the program’s innovation story, successes, a profile of a program participant, challenges, wisdom (lessons learned), the program’s building block focus, and a timeline for implementation.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA) conducted the 2021 National TANF Directors’ Meeting from September 20 - 24, 2021. During this panel-style session comprised of “success snapshots,” speakers presented innovative strategies that enable programs to link people to jobs, to better communicate and respond to participant needs, and to provide training and skills development to the community. Presenters shared various strategies for finding employment opportunities, including work activities that are culturally relevant and responsive to the needs of their participants. This session also explored the option of Tribal TANF and NEW programs partnering with local organizations to fulfill community needs.

This case study describes the Family Assessment Centers (FACs), which provide emergency shelters for families experiencing homelessness in Honolulu, Hawaii. The FACs represent an initial initiative under the `Ohana Nui service delivery framework, which is used across the Hawaii Department of Human Services (DHS) to support multigenerational families. The case study covers this program in detail, including where FACs operate and their context; what FACs offer; whom FACs serve; how they are staffed and funded; what services are provided by FACs; and how FACs measure program participation and outcomes. The case study also highlights accomplishments, challenges, and future plans.

This case study examines the Community Caring Collaborative (CCC), the lead organization within a network of 45 nonprofit and state government organizations that support low-income individuals in Washington County (Maine). The case study describes CCC operations and identifies its key features: where it operates and its context; who it serves; what services the CCC provides; how it is organized and funded; how it assesses its performance; and promising practices and remaining challenges. The case study includes a spotlight on Family Futures Downeast, a two-generation program that was developed by CCC and its partner organizations.

This blogpost draws upon assessments of the Housing Opportunities and Services Together Initiative and the Family Centered Community Change program and presents four key elements that made their two-generation initiatives successful. These elements include employing engaged coaches or case managers to help families, providing “glue” money to support service partnerships and staff time for program coordination, developing strong partnerships focused on a common goal of supporting families, and selecting an effective backbone organization to provide for or raise funds to ensure the two-generation initiative’s sustainability.

This report, a review of the current state of the two-generation model, explains the components for two-generation approaches, including physical and mental health, early childhood development, K-12 education, postsecondary education and employment pathways, economic asset building, social capital, and the assumptions behind designing programs that simultaneously improve outcomes for children and families. Also, the report identifies the impacts of implementing two-generation approaches, lessons learned, and recommendations for future action.

For Tribal communities working to strengthen child welfare services, understanding how to access and use federal funding can be an important part of building long-term capacity. This webinar PowerPoint from the National Tribal Child Welfare Center for Innovation and Advancement explains three pathways Tribes can use to access Title IV-E funding: operating a direct Title IV-E program, developing a Tribal-State agreement, or working through a Tribal-State contract. Title IV-E can help support costs related to foster care, adoption and guardianship assistance, training, administration, and prevention services.

For Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, the resource is useful for understanding how child welfare and economic support systems can intersect for families. It also offers a practical way to think about which funding and partnership approach may best fit their community’s existing capacity and goals. The discussion of Tribal-State agreements is particularly helpful for TANF programs interested in building administrative systems, strengthening culturally responsive services, and moving toward greater control over child welfare programs. Rather than simply describing federal funding, the resource helps practitioners consider how different funding arrangements can support stronger systems and better align services with the needs and priorities of Tribal families.

Men play a vital role in helping children and families thrive, yet they are often overlooked in conversations about foster and kinship care. This Creating a Family podcast episode explores the unique contributions of fathers, grandfathers, uncles, mentors, and other male caregivers, while discussing strategies for engaging and supporting them in meaningful ways. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners who work with kinship and foster families can use this resource to strengthen family engagement, promote inclusive caregiving practices, and better highlight the important role male caregivers play in helping children build safe, stable, and supportive relationships.

Kin caregivers often step in unexpectedly to care for children and may not realize they are eligible for support. This Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network fact sheet explains how Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) can help relatives raising children by providing financial assistance and connecting families with additional services. TANF practitioners can use this resource to better inform kin caregivers about available supports, answer common questions, and ensure families receive the assistance they need. This fact sheet can also be a useful tool for expanding awareness of TANF and helping caregivers access resources that promote stability for the children in their care.