This blogpost profiles Youth Support Partners, a program from the Allegheny County (Pennsylvania) Department of Human Services, which intends to give a voice to youth who engaged in the child welfare system in their relationship with assigned caseworkers. This voluntary program allows participating youth to set the frequency of appointments and is a less structured approach for youth to set self-care and personal development goals. Youth Support Partners also promotes a collaborative communication process between caseworkers and youth in assessment.

This case statement highlights the American Job Center in Central Pennsylvania (PA CareerLink®), which provides employment services to TANF (through the Employment Advancement Retention Network or EARN) and WIOA clients. With support from specialized staff at each step of the job seeking process, clients can access Job Connections workshops, assistance from job developers, and employer engagement opportunities. This PA CareerLink® also offers adult basic education services and a designated van to provide transportation assistance, among other services, for EARN clients.

Sections of the brief discuss joint service delivery, resource sharing, shared learning, and managing collaborative activities. Readers may also access links to the state TANF plan and funding information for more context and resources. This brief is part of the TANF Works! TANF/WIOA Collaboration Series, through which the Office of Family Assistance’s Integrating Innovative Employment and Economic Stability Strategies (IIEESS) initiative seeks to highlight innovative coordination strategies of TANF and WIOA programs to serve low-income or vulnerable populations.

The American Job Centers in Pennsylvania (called PA CareerLink®) offer workforce services to TANF clients through the Employment Advancement Retention Network (EARN). As described in this brief, the PA CareerLink® in Lehigh Valley has developed a strong team-based culture, with staff organized by function instead of by program. This structure helps clients navigate the job center and encourages programs to exchange ideas, expertise, and data. These team-based collaborations are facilitated by regular meetings, cross-training on all programs, and staff and leadership dedicated to working toward integrated service delivery.

Sections of the brief discuss joint service delivery, resource sharing, shared learning, and managing collaborative activities. Readers may also access links to the state TANF plan and funding information for more context and resources. This brief is part of the TANF Works! TANF/WIOA Collaboration Series, through which the Office of Family Assistance’s Integrating Innovative Employment and Economic Stability Strategies (IIEESS) initiative seeks to highlight innovative coordination strategies of TANF and WIOA programs to serve low-income or vulnerable populations.

This United States Interagency Council on Homelessness brief is a transcript of a set of interviews conducted with housing officials in Montgomery County (Pennsylvania), Columbus (Ohio), and Los Angeles (California). The discussion identifies their approaches and initiatives to stem eviction and divert persons from entering homelessness.

This U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored webinar will be convened on March 7, 2019, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. ET and will present the requirements and process for state agencies to request a waiver from Title I Wagner-Peyser regulations. The webinar will provide guidance on how states can prepare and develop quality waiver requests for review and approval. Speakers will include representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

This report from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund presents findings of a two-city (Nashville and Philadelphia) pilot that looked at how Financial Empowerment Centers inform their clients’ knowledge about financial literacy. It also reviews the ways that financial counseling expands low-income individuals’ saving outcomes and discusses how financial counselors work with these clients to meet financial goals.