The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 amends Section 403 of the Social Security Act to create a new $1 billion Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF) for states, tribes, and territories to assist needy families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 15, 2021, the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Family Assistance (OFA) hosted an informative webinar for tribes to learn about the PEAF. Participants heard from OFA’s TANF policy experts on how they can use this fund, its requirements, and the process for applying for the funds. OFA speakers included Susan Golonka, Acting Director; Stan Koutstaal, Division Director, Tribal TANF Management and Regional Operations; Deborah List, Associate Deputy Director; and Peter Germanis, Senior Policy Advisor and National Expert. In addition to this webinar, OFA hosted a separate webinar for territories. Also, additional guidance will be published with more information about the allocations formulas, how to request funds, and other general policy guidelines.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 amends Section 403 of the Social Security Act to create a new $1 billion Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF) for states, tribes, and territories to assist needy families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 14, 2021, the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Family Assistance (OFA) hosted an informative webinar for territories to learn about the PEAF. Participants heard from OFA’s TANF policy experts on how they can use this fund, its requirements, and the process for applying for the funds. OFA speakers included Susan Golonka, Acting Director; Julie Siegel, Director, Division of State TANF Policy; Stan Koutstaal, Division Director, Tribal TANF Management and Regional Operations; and Peter Germanis, Senior Policy Advisor and National Expert. In addition to this webinar, OFA hosted a separate webinar for tribes. Also, additional guidance will be published with more information about the allocations formulas, how to request funds, and other general policy guidelines.

This Administration for Children and Families Program Instruction (PI) includes a description of the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF) Allotment Request Form that states, tribes, and territories must use to inform the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services whether they intend to use all of their PEAF allotment, and supporting instructions on how to submit the form.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 amends Section 403 of the Social Security Act to create a new $1 billion Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF) for states, tribes, and territories to assist needy families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 19, 2021, the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Family Assistance (OFA) hosted an informative webinar for states to learn about the PEAF. Participants heard from OFA’s TANF policy experts on how they can use this fund, its requirements, and the process for applying for the funds. OFA speakers included Susan Golonka, Acting Director; Julie Siegel, Director, Division of State TANF Policy; Peter Germanis, Senior Policy Advisor and National Expert; and Deborah List, Associate Deputy Director. In addition to this webinar, OFA hosted separate webinars for tribes and territories. Also, additional guidance will be published with more information about the allocations formulas, how to request funds, and other general policy guidelines.

Coaching is a person-centered, strength-based way of working with others that helps them direct the changes they want to make in their own lives. On March 31, 2021, the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) hosted a PeerTA webinar introducing a new free resource that OFA is making available to all State and Tribal TANF agencies and Native Employment Works (NEW) programs – a 14-module eLearning Curriculum called “Coaching for Success.” Based on Public Consulting Group’s Human Services Coaching Framework, the curriculum aims at training employment case managers in how to leverage coaching techniques to improve their case management skills. The curriculum includes self-paced learning modules that will cover topics such as active listening, powerful questions, emotional intelligence, praise, and other important techniques that can elevate TANF case management services.

Speakers included: Deborah Joffe, Public Consulting Group and Paul Lefkowitz, Public Consulting Group.

The Office of Family Assistance published data tables to illustrate the characteristics and financial circumstances of TANF recipients in FY2019 for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. These tables provide information about adults and children in the TANF program, including data regarding age, gender, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and employment status, as well as breakdowns by the average monthly dollar level of TANF received and other cash support received. There are also data tables on recipients who receive assistance under Separate State Programs Maintenance-of-Effort (SSP-MOE) funding and closed cases.