The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA) recently announced an application solicitation to award cooperative agreements to state agencies for participation in a TANF Policy Academy for Innovative Employment Strategies (PAIES). PAIES is a series of technical assistance activities developed to help state TANF programs design, plan, and implement innovative and comprehensive approaches to increase employment outcomes for TANF participants through coaching and career pathways. The PAIES work will document and disseminate emerging and promising strategies, and awardees will receive 18 months of funding, subject to funding availability. Applications are due May 29, 2018. For more information on coaching grants, please see https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/HHS-2018-ACF-OFA-FJ-1280. For more information on career pathways grants, please see https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/HHS-2018-ACF-OFA-FJ-1345.

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 12th Report to Congress from the Office of Family Assistance provides data from the TANF program from fiscal years 2014 and 2015. It presents information on expenditures, caseloads, work participation, characteristics of TANF families, performance measures and other relevant metrics about the program. Data and information is also provided on state-specific provisions and Tribal TANF programs.

The Systems to Family Stability (SFS) National Academy was an OFA initiative that consisted of eight teams (comprised of state TANF agencies, OFA representatives, and subject matter experts) that were organized to design and build collaborative systems within and across agencies to improve family economic security. In this one of three videos that were produced as a result of this initiative, SFS National Policy Academy participants provide guidance and tips to engage staff in change management processes as agencies prepare and implement new practices.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), held the Employment Excellence: Social Enterprise Experts' Listening Session at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. on March 1-2, 2018. This meeting convened a select group of thought leaders so they could explore the evolution and current landscape of social enterprise organizations (SEOs), as well as SEO successes, needs, and challenges. Attendees also brainstormed potential avenues for the federal government to advance the SEO field, particularly in support of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participants and TANF-eligible populations.

The Office of Family Assistance hosted a webinar entitled “Opioid Use Disorder, Treatment, and Barriers to Employment Among TANF Recipients” on March 29, 2018. Opioid use disorder in the United States has skyrocketed since 2010, yet little contemporary research has been conducted on this surge’s effects on the TANF population. Existing research about the opioid crisis primarily focuses on its impact on the general population, while TANF-centered studies almost exclusively examine general substance use. Moreover, research shows opioid and substance use disorders pose significant barriers to employment for low-income individuals. Such an information gap makes it difficult to properly address TANF recipients’ needs for effective opioid use treatment. This interactive webinar explored how opioid use disorder affects TANF recipients and TANF-eligible individuals, as well as emerging strategies for assessing and treating these populations.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), held the 2017 National Tribal Summit at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, Virginia on August 16-18, 2017. Sponsored by the Office of Family Assistance (OFA), the 2017 National Tribal TANF Summit brought together program administrators, stakeholders, and leaders. The event provided attendees with opportunities to interact with peers, hear from experts in the field, and share best practices and the latest self-sufficiency research, with the common goal of improving Tribal TANF programming to benefit families in need.

To help the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA) better understand what is needed for organizations to successfully embed two-generation approaches in their service delivery, OFA created a year-long Community of Learning (COL) initiative to support 11 interested program teams from across the United States. Invited to participate were Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, Tribal TANF/Child Welfare Collaboration (TTCW) grantees, Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) programs, and Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) programs. To mark the end of the year for the two-generation COL, OFA held the Two-Generation Community of Learning Capstone Event at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda Hotel in Bethesda, Maryland on September 18-20, 2017. This capstone and closeout of the COL brought together two-gen COL participants and provided them the opportunity to reflect on, celebrate, and acknowledge the progress that teams have made in implementing their whole family focus visions and strategies, as well as their next steps.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), held the Linking Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Families to Employment and Economic Opportunities Meeting at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, Virginia on August 14-16, 2017. This meeting allowed Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program representatives from around the country the opportunity to learn about promising practices and actionable implementation strategies to improve employment outcomes and economic independence among TANF families. Over the course of the meeting, attendees attended presentations from experts and program administrators, and participated in peer-moderated InfoSessions, OFA Regional breakout discussions, and a sharing session with OFA leadership. Almost 300 TANF representatives, State and Territory Human Service Commissioners, and federal partners attended the meeting.

On August 17, 2017, the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) sponsored a technical assistance site exchange for Ramsey County (Minnesota) Workforce Solutions to meet with staff from the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation’s (DLLR) Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning, and Maryland Department of Human Services’ Office of Workforce Development to discuss service delivery methods. During the site exchange, Ramsey County shared materials that reflect their approach to adopting and implementing a comprehensive, strengths-based, service delivery model, including how they built staff capacity through training on coaching, motivational interviewing, and executive functioning skills. (When using these materials, Mathematica, Goodwill Easter Seals of Minnesota, and Ramsey County Workforce Solutions should be credited.)