There are more than 2.5 million children in the U.S. growing up in “grandfamilies,” meaning they are being raised by relatives (grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, etc.) or close family friends without their parents in the home. Research shows grandfamilies are the best option for children who cannot be raised by their parents. This report includes the latest findings on grandfamilies facing high rates of hunger and food insecurity, as well as policy recommendations to help feed grandfamilies.

This white paper uses a novel dataset from CareerWise Colorado, one of the U.S.'s most widely cited youth apprenticeship models. During the program, CareerWise students split their time between a traditional classroom and the workplace, allowing apprentices to earn a wage while accessing meaningful work experience and debt-free college credits. The paper presents research findings on the extent to which CareerWise apprentices achieve the program’s stated goal of serving as an “Options Multiplier” – they transition on to postsecondary education, employment, or both. Supportive supervisors, job match, industry type, and Registered Apprenticeship status all have a significant impact on retention and completion. Better understanding of these factors means that employers can structure programs that lead to apprentice success, teaching students the skills they need for a good job and generating a high return on investment for employers.

Young adults facing homelessness are a growing demographic in need of greater economic stability—before the COVID-19 pandemic, one in ten young people experienced homelessness annually. In response to that need, MDRC and Covenant House entered into a learning partnership to explore the perspectives and experiences of those young people as they navigate the workforce amid a changing and often precarious labor market. (Covenant House is a nonprofit organization which provides housing and supportive services for young people facing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking.) Through surveys and interviews, the study team sought to learn about young people’s aspirations, reflect on their strengths and obstacles, and identify which supports they need as they navigate the workforce. The research findings shared in this brief will be used to help Covenant House develop new strategies to address youth employment needs.

Across two rounds of grants, the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Program aimed to provide education and training to TANF recipients and other adults with low incomes for occupations in the healthcare field that pay well and are expected to either experience labor shortages or be in high demand. The Administration for Children and Families awarded the first round of five-year HPOG grants (HPOG 1.0) in 2010. The second round of five-year grants (HPOG 2.0) was awarded in 2015, with grant funds disbursed annually to 32 grantees in 21 states, including five Tribal organizations. This Final Annual Report describes results over the entirety of HPOG 2.0 (September 30, 2015, to September 29, 2021) and summarizes the HPOG 2.0 Program participants’ activities, outcomes, and characteristics.

This brief describes how two-generation initiatives participating in the Next Steps for Rigorous Research on Two-Generation Approaches (NS2G) project developed and refined a two-generation logic model to help them identify the right mix of services for primary caregivers and their children. The brief is intended for practitioners who provide two-generation services and seek to develop a logic model. The two-generation logic model describes the characteristics of the families served, the core services offered to each generation to support family economic security and child development, and how those services are intentionally coordinated and mutually reinforcing. Appendix A in the brief includes a blank logic model template designed to help practitioners identify core components for their own initiative.

Young adults are invaluable members of our labor market and bring critical talent, capacity, skill, and innovation to the workforce. However, many young adults—especially those ages 16-24 from low-income communities—face significant barriers in the labor market. This fact sheet provides resources, key metrics, and information about how Registered Apprenticeship can support young adults.

To better understand the impact of the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) on Black, Latinx, and other families of color, and whether it was effectively redressing longstanding and interrelated racial and economic inequities, the Center for the Study of Social Policy conducted a survey in the winter of 2021-2022. This brief summarizes findings from the survey and complements previously published qualitative analysis of the impact of the expanded CTC on families and communities.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) will host a webinar on December 15, 2022 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET which will discuss how Job Centers can successfully place individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) in employment through Individual Placement and Support (IPS). IPS is evidence-based supported employment for people with behavioral health conditions and places them in job opportunities that interest them and play to their strengths.

Most people working in human services accept that gathering and using family input improves direct service programs. However, this approach is still emerging and has a limited evidence base. Some human services programs already engage families in program improvement regularly, but this practice is less common in TANF and child support programs. This brief summarizes available literature and practice wisdom on gathering and using family input in program improvement across the human services field, with a particular focus on TANF and child support programs. It provides concrete examples and considerations for practitioners and administrators of child support, TANF, and other human services programs interested in engaging families in program improvement.

Successful reintegration into society following engagement with the criminal justice system depends on being able to meet basic needs including those for food, shelter, and medical care, as well as having access to employment and training programs. According to this brief, TANF and SNAP are critical programs that help people meet their basic needs. However, people who have been incarcerated usually face significant challenges and are frequently disqualified from receiving benefits from these programs. Public assistance such as TANF and SNAP consistently reduces recidivism, while banning access to assistance has been linked to increases in recidivism. Lifting the ban on safety net supports reduces material hardship for formerly incarcerated people, who are exceedingly paid low earnings, and also helps their families. The brief includes a discussion of which states have lifted or modified the ban and highlights one state that had previously lifted the ban and then partially reinstated it.