The Office of Family Assistance will host a webinar on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) coordination. In this facilitated webinar, presenters will provide an overview of the structure of the LIHEAP block grant and the flexibility afforded to states in its administration and opportunities for coordination with TANF. Presenters from the states of Michigan and Pennsylvania will also discuss examples of different approaches to LIHEAP coordination with TANF and other supplemental funding streams, to maximize the reach of energy assistance to families in need.

This webinar has been rescheduled. An email alert will be sent when a new date is confirmed.

As a part of the Systems to Family Stability (SFS) National Policy Academy technical assistance efforts, the Office of Family Assistance hosted a webinar on Emerging Practices in Staff Training for TANF Programs on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 3:00 PM ET, for the SFS sites, as well as the entire TANF field. Many Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, and other programs serving low-income individuals and families, are seeking ways to better train their staff in the basics of providing public assistance benefits to needy families, which includes delivering curriculum on eligibility determination, data systems, developing comprehensive assessments and self-sufficiency plans, understanding executive functioning, and conducting motivational interviews. This webinar was designed to help the Systems to Family Stability National Policy Academy sites, the TANF field, and other human service system stakeholders understand how to assess their own training systems, become more familiar with components of effective training, and ultimately work to improve training systems in their state and local agencies. Presenters included: Lisa Washington-Thomas from the Office of Family Assistance; Carol Mizoguchi from the Office of Family Assistance, Bill Callahan from Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, and Charmaine Brittain with the Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver.

The Office of Family Assistance held a webinar on “Creating Tribal TANF and WIOA Partnerships to Connect Tribal Families to Employment” on July 20, 2016, from 2:00-3:15 p.m. ET. This webinar provided an opportunity to hear about partnerships between Tribal TANF agencies and local Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) providers. Tribal employment and training agencies often face job placement challenges common to many remote and rural areas – namely, a small pool of employers, few job openings, and limited education and training opportunities in high demand labor areas. For these reasons, it is critical that Tribal TANF participants have the skills necessary to compete for jobs that already exist or are growing within the region. Local WIOA providers can help build the skills of Tribal TANF participants by providing job training and adult education services targeted to in-demand jobs in the region. Speakers from four organizations—Department of Labor, California Indian Manpower Consortium, Southern California Tribal Chairman’s Association, and Cankdeska Cikana Community College—discussed the innovative partnerships they have formed between Tribal TANF and WIOA to help move families toward self-sufficiency.

Speakers included:

• Athena Brown, Division Chief, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Indian and Native American Programs
• Yvette Yazzie, Pala Site Manager, Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association
• Christina Arzate, CIMC Workforce Development Coordinator III, California Indian Manpower Consortium
• Larry D. Anderson, Job Development Specialist, Cankdeska Cikana Community College

The Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Family Assistance through the OFA Peer Technical Assistance (PeerTA) Network held a webinar on “Providing Effective Employment and Supportive Services to Low-Income Women with Criminal Records,” on July 22, 2015 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. EDT. This free webinar explored strategies utilized to overcome barriers to employment and to successful re-entry into mainstream society. The conversation was about understanding the effect incarceration has on the individual, her children, and the family, and centered on innovative uses of case management, education and training, and employment strategies. Speakers from the Office of Family Assistance, ICF International, College and Community Fellowship, Center for Employment Opportunities, and the STRIDE Program at Quinebaug Valley Community College in Connecticut discussed their experiences and strategies used to help low-income women overcome the barrier of a criminal record, find and maintain employment, and move their families out of poverty.

On Thursday, January 15, 2015, the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) hosted this webinar focusing on building partnerships between TANF and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) systems to improve outcomes for TANF recipients. The new WIOA law establishes TANF as a required one-stop partner and provides the option for states to submit a combined workforce development plan that includes TANF. In this webinar, a panel of experts and officials from states and local areas shared their experiences with TANF/WIA collaboration.