This issue brief features examples of career pathways initiatives that incorporate the work of employers, educators, and workforce development practitioners. It describes principles for successfully implementing career pathways programs that allow hard-to-employ populations to enter and advance in the workforce.

The Administration for Children and Families' Office of Family Assistance issued a "Dear Colleague" letter to their TANF program stakeholders. The letter highlights a Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) issued on March 26, 2015 by the Employment and Training Administration at the Department of Labor (DOL). The TEGL explains the broad vision for the youth services included in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Additionally, it references another letter jointly issued by DOL, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in April 2014 that encouraged youth providers and Public Housing Agencies to develop summer programs for at-risk and low-income youth. This "Dear Colleague" letter reinforces ACF's support for the use of TANF resources to strengthen summer youth employment programs. These programs provide employment, education, and skills like financial literacy and time management.

“Our American Story” is an interactive virtual community of low-income families, service providers, and community leaders seeking to increase economic opportunity for all by sharing their personal stories. Contributors share personal stories of how they or other people have been assisted by child care, affordable housing, low-income tax credits, and many other important services.

This report from the Work Support Strategies (WSS) initiative describes leadership among state health and human services officials implementing large-scale systems reform. The WSS initiative is a multi-state demonstration that offers six states the support needed to integrate and streamline delivery of work support benefits, like SNAP, Medicaid, and child care. The report offers lessons based on surveys of staff and leaders in WSS states, including communicating a clear vision for serving clients, promoting shared accountability for achieving goals, and making progress on those goals.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) developed this ACF Confidentiality Toolkit to help jurisdictions successfully navigate the delicate balance between privacy and security with the delivery of efficient and effective services. The ACF Confidentiality Toolkit analyzes, explains, and aids states and local jurisdictions in the navigation of a number of federal laws that impact the implementation of human services. Embedded throughout are sample documents from across the country from which jurisdictions using the Toolkit can borrow freely.

This blog entry highlights new issue briefs that examine three types of programs relating to youth in or transitioning out of foster care. The program topics are education, financial literacy and asset-building, and employment. Each brief contains recommendations for policymakers and program staff to consider when conducting future evaluations of independent living programs. The briefs demonstrate the unique needs and circumstances of youth in foster care.

This National Resource Center for Healthy Marriage and Families guide addresses the importance of promoting healthy family and marital relationships as an effective strategy to improve interpersonal relationships and productivity in the workplace. This guide focuses on specific steps employers can take to support employees, enhance their interpersonal skills, and reduce family stress by improving coping skills. It also highlights promising practices by leading American companies that recognize the importance of investing in healthy relationships for both hourly workers and full-time staff.

Authored by the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor, this report summarizes the responses received from a joint Request for Information in April 2014, which solicited information on career pathways. Respondents included information on barriers as well as facilitators to career pathways program development and promising practices.

This blog entry highlights a recent report that examines the early implementation activities of six Reentry grantees. The report includes descriptions of the many different services offered by these programs, feedback from program participants, and the various aspects of initial program implementation.