The National Practitioners Network for Fathers and Families joined with the Family and Corrections Network in this collaborative effort—the Second North American Conference on Fathers Behind Bars and on the Street. The conference presented an opportunity for practitioners, researchers, policy experts, and advocates who work on behalf of father—both those living in the community and those who are incarcerated in prisons, jails, and detention facilities—to come together to learn from each other in an unique event for this still young field of work. There were many excellent opportunities during the week to expand our own knowledge, gain new skills, and create networks with others who are working with fathers and their families. The program included plenary speeches, panel discussions, workshops, and seminars.

The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network sponsored this multi-State Roundtable event on November 19-20, 2003. The Roundtable showcased promising practices from around the country and provided an opportunity for participants to think strategically about how to design and implement these programs, as well as the occasion to learn about and discuss “what works” in serving this at-risk population. Participants included representatives from the States of Colorado, Virginia, and Wyoming. Roundtable speakers included State and local government agencies, service providers, practitioners, Federal personnel, and leaders of national  organizations.

To assist States in strategically and creatively utilizing their Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) dollars, while yielding better outcomes for low-income families, the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance (TA) Network sponsored a 1-day site visit to the Chicago Child-Parent Center (CPC) Program in Chicago, Illinois on Wednesday, April 2, 2003. The CPC program was designed in 1967 and is the second oldest federally-funded early childhood program in the United States. It is managed by the Chicago Public Schools, Office of Early Education, and targets children between the ages of 3-4. Furthermore, the CPC program is comprised of education sites or centers located within low-income areas with high concentrations of former Aid to Families With Dependent Children (AFDC) program participants.

The Alabama Department of Human Resources is exploring ways to promote Healthy Marriage Initiatives in the State of Alabama. Endeavoring to fulfill this mission, Alabama sought and received assistance from the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance (TA) Network to send a representative from the Family Assistance Partnership in Alabama. With the support of Ramona Warren, Team Leader for the Region IV Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Program and the financial support of the Welfare Peer TA Network, Alabama was able to send Program Specialist, Sharon A. Finklea, to Allentown, Pennsylvania to meet with several marriage stakeholders in the Pennsylvania area.

The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network coordinated this presentation as part of the Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF) Region VI Head Start Mid-Winter Leadership Conference in collaboration with the Region VI office. The conference featured regional representatives from both Head Start and various public assistance agencies. These agencies included the Administration for Children and Families, the Department of Labor, the Health Care Financing Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. The conference was sponsored by the ACF Dallas Region VI Office.

This report describes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Family, Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network meeting, Strengthening Communities Through Charitable Choice Connections. The workshop, jointly sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families, the Office of Community Services, and the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network, was held in Atlanta, GA on April 9, 2002.

This report describes the TA request from His Guiding Light Ministries (HGLM) in Plano, Texas on February 26, 2003. HGLM contacted the Welfare Peer TA Network because they required assistance in developing grants to gain funding for their organization. This short report provides a summary of the TA request, and the TA outcome.