The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network, with the CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Project, hosted a Roundtable entitled Establishing Linkages Between TANF and Child Welfare Programs May 31, 2002 in Sacramento, CA. This Roundtable was attended by representatives from four States (NC, NJ, WI, CO) as well as the State of California and ten of its counties currently working toward improving service coordination.

This report details the presentations given and questions, answers, and concerns articulated by members of the ACF Region V States at the June State Human Services Officials Meeting.

In 2003, the State of West Virginia submitted a Peer TA request form, asking for assistance in determining the most effective mental/emotional health screening instrument available to meet the needs of their TANF clients. This short report summarizes the technical assistance request, and provides information on screening and assessing the mental health of TANF eligible clients.

One of the most prominent roadblocks that Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) clients face to a successful transition to employment is substance abuse. In order to address these issues that TANF families affected by substance abuse face the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network held a conference entitled Effectively Serving Clients with Substance Abuse Problems: Making a Difference on the Frontline in Newark, New Jersey on February 19th and 20th. The purpose of this 2-day seminar was two fold: to provide participants with an opportunity to understand how TANF agencies and treatment providers can work together to better serve clients and to showcase New Jersey’s referral process for families struggling with substance abuse in order to meet work requirements and remain self-sufficient. The report provides a summary of this workshop.

The Olmstead Decision and Welfare-to-Work ACF Region IV Meeting was held on August 23-24, 2000, at The Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. More than 80 participants attended, including State Temporary Assistance For Needy Families (TANF) Directors, and Welfare-to-Work (WtW) administrators along with representatives from State Medicaid offices, and representatives of the Developmental Disabilities Network (State developmental disabilities councils, protection and advocacy agencies, and the university affiliated programs). The focus of this Regional meeting was to examine how the Olmstead Decision and Welfare-to-Work initiatives can be incorporated into each States’ Strategic Plan.

This short report describes the Roundtable entitled Developing Strategies to Address the Child-Only Caseload that was held April 8-9, 2003 in Colorado Springs (El Paso County). The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network conducted discussion with State TANF administrators around the country to assess their current policies and programs designed to meet the needs of the child-only caseload, and to gauge their level of interest in participating a Roundtable on this topic. The full report fully describes the meeting, attended by California, Colorado, Hawaii, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, and includes important highlights and lessons learned.

The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network conducted discussions with State TANF administrators around the country to assess their current policies around the child-only caseload. These States include Alabama, Florida, Idaho, North Carolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. As a result, eleven States participated in the first Roundtables entitled Developing Strategies to Address the Child-Only Caseload held April 8-9, 2003, in Colorado Springs (El Paso County), Colorado. In response to the positive feedback received following the first Roundtable, a second Roundtable was held in Trenton, New Jersey, on June 3-4, 2003. Participants at the second Roundtable heard presentations from New Jersey; El Paso County, Colorado; and Alabama about innovative practices in those locations.

During this Roundtable, participants heard presentations from El Paso County, Colorado, and the States of Alabama and New Jersey about innovative practices in those locations. South Carolina shared results of a large-scale research effort regarding the demographics and wellbeing of the TANF child-only caseload. The Roundtable also enjoyed sessions regarding economic security, presented by staff from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the AARP. Thanks to the hospitality of the State of Alabama Department of Human Resources, Roundtable participants were given a tour of Alabama’s Kinship Care (KC) program. Participants in the Roundtable were also able to speak with program specialists, staff, and clients of these child-only services.

Oklahoma requested that the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance (TA) Network sponsor a one and half- day site visit of two grandparent housing facilities in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition, representatives from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services expressed an interest in this unique issue that often presents itself among the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) caseload. Therefore, with collaboration from Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Regions I, V and VI, the Welfare Peer TA Network sponsored a visit to the Boston GrandFamilies House and the Franklin Field Grandparent Housing Development. The site visit took place on October 7th and 8th, 2003. A small delegation of participants also participated from the States of Ohio, Oklahoma and the ACF Region I Office.

The U.S. Administration for Children and Families (ACF), with support from the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network, sponsored the Uniting Incarcerated Parents and their Families workshop on May 21-22, 2002, in Orlando, FL . Participants included representatives from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), corrections staff, and child care staff from the following States: Alabama, Florida, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana. The purpose of this 2-day seminar was two fold: to provide participants with an opportunity to understand how TANF agencies and corrections staff can work together to better serve incarcerated parents and to showcase the Kairos Horizon’s faith-based program around parenting, anger management, conflict resolution, basic skills, and job readiness.