This document offers information on substance use and co-occurring disorders through the lens of child welfare and child safety. Information on funding related to the Affordable Care Act is covered as well as understanding substance abuse data, direct practice concepts and evidence-based practices and promising interventions currently in use. State and local programs are highlighted for readers.

On June 27-28, 2012 the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance, Region X hosted a Tribal TANF Institute in Seattle, Washington bringing together Tribal TANF stakeholders throughout the Region to engage in dialogue and action planning on a variety of topics. The Institute featured presenters from the Tanana Chiefs Conference and their coaches from the Promising Pathways Initiative who led Institute attendees in sessions on data collection and TANF staff collaboration, developing process maps and logic models, and connecting Information Systems/Information Technology and TANF. Other sessions included: a facilitated conversation with the Tribes on work participation in rural areas; a panel on Child Welfare and Tribal TANF collaboration that included representatives from the Region X Child Welfare office, Mark Kimball from the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and Don Shircel from the Tanana Chiefs Conference; Pamela Panther from the South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency and Ilene Stohl from the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence who presented on the Family Violence Option and how to successfully develop and implement a comprehensive response to domestic violence; and Christy Finsel, a consultant, and Karen "Jack" Granberg who led a session on creating an Individual Development Account (IDA) program within Tribal TANF programs.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation released a working paper on the Federal child welfare financing system and its need to be supported by best practices in order to ensure that all children have the opportunity to grow up in strong families. This paper outlines a policy framework and recommendations to encourage best practices in four areas: permanence and well-being; quality family foster care; a capable, supported child welfare workforce; and better access to services.

The Department of Workforce Services for Utah released their second annual report discussing intergenerational poverty, welfare dependency, and the use of public assistance. This report offers data and analysis to address themes presented by policymakers represented by the Intergenerational Welfare Report Commission and the Intergenerational Poverty Advisory Committee. This report also offers detailed analysis on labor force attachment, public assistance programs from the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS), and a lifetime use of public assistance.