Common Goal: Reunification

Record Description

This plain-language page from Wisconsin outlines the shared expectations and milestones in the reunification process, and provides a clear look at what parents must do and what caseworkers are expecting. It is a practical primer for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) staff who do not come from a child welfare background but regularly work with families who are in this process. Understanding the roadmap parents are following helps TANF practitioners identify where support is most needed and frame their services in terms that connect directly to a family's reunification goals.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-06-01T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-06-01

Reunifying Families

Record Description

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and child welfare systems often serve the same families, but they don't always talk to each other. This Child Welfare Information Gateway webpage helps bridge that gap by explaining what the reunification process looks like from the child welfare side, including planning, timelines, and required supports. For TANF practitioners, this is essential context. When you know what families are being asked to demonstrate before a child can return home, you can align your services — employment support, financial assistance, case management — to help them meet those benchmarks, rather than working in parallel without connection.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-06-01T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-06-01

National Family Reunification Month

Record Description

Updated by the American Bar Association each June, this webpage pulls together events and family stories focused on National Family Reunification Month, offering practical resources on what helps families heal and reconnect after separation. This page is a strong reminder that reunification is an ongoing process that requires coordinated support. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, this webpage is a useful touchpoint to find useful materials and connect with national conversations and state events. These resources can reinforce to the families you serve that their goal of coming back together is worth the fight.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-06-01T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-06-01

ACF Announces $6 Million for States to Pilot Predictive Analytics in Child Welfare

Record Description

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced $6 million in funding for states to pilot the use of predictive analytics in child welfare programs. The initiative is intended to help child welfare agencies explore how data and technology can support earlier identification of family needs, improve service coordination, and strengthen decision-making processes. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, this announcement highlights the growing role data tools may play in supporting families across human services systems. TANF programs may find this resource useful as they consider how data-sharing partnerships, early intervention strategies, and cross-system collaboration can help better identify family needs and connect participants to supportive services before challenges escalate.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-05-28T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-05-28

OhioKAN Program Manual

Record Description

The Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigator (OhioKAN) Program Manual offers a practical example of how coordinated family support services can be organized to better meet the needs of children and caregivers. Developed by Ohio’s Department of Children and Youth, the manual gives Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners a useful look at how programs can streamline referrals, improve communication across partners, and connect families to services more efficiently. For TANF agencies working to strengthen case management or build stronger community partnerships to support children and caregivers, this resource provides real-world guidance on creating systems that are easier for families to navigate and easier for staff to coordinate.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-05-27T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-05-27

Honoring Native Kinship: A Brief on ICWA and Relative Caregivers

Record Description

This Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network guide helps ground your work in the importance of keeping children connected to family, culture, and community, an approach that closely aligns with the goals of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The guide explains how policies like the Indian Child Welfare Act support relative caregiving and why that matters for long-term stability. For Tribal TANF programs or TANF programs working with Tribal families, this guide also provides understanding on how to better support kinship caregivers who may not fit neatly into traditional program models. It offers context you can use to design more responsive services, strengthen family-centered approaches, and ensure that benefits and supports reflect the realities of the families you serve.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-04-15T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-04-15

Lost Boys: The Digital Revolution, the Retreat from Marriage, and the Decline of Men

Record Description

From the Wheatley Institute at BYU, this report examines how economic shifts, education gaps, and digital engagement patterns are influencing men’s participation in work, relationships, and family life. The resource connects broader structural trends to challenges in marriage formation and father engagement. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, it provides context for understanding barriers men face in employment and family roles, and it informs efforts to strengthen fatherhood supports, workforce engagement, and family stability strategies.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-03-26T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-03-26

Couples Around the World Who Met In Real Life Are Happier Than Those Who Met Online

Record Description

This research from the Institute for Family Studies highlights differences in reported relationship satisfaction depending on how couples meet, suggesting that in-person connections may be associated with stronger long-term outcomes. It adds nuance to how relationship formation pathways can shape family experiences. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs can use it to support discussions about healthy relationship development and the factors that contribute to stable partnerships and families over time.

Record Type
Combined Date
2025-10-13T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2025-10-13

Online Dating is Mainstream—But What Are the Consequences?

Record Description

This resource from the Institute for Family Studies explores how online dating is changing the way relationships begin and the potential implications for commitment and long-term family formation. It raises questions about how modern relationship patterns influence stability and partner selection. In Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) settings, it can be used to inform relationship education discussions that focus on intentionality, communication, and the broader context shaping the successful development of families today.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-02-20T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-02-20

To Boost Family Formation, Increase Stability for Men and Flexibility for Mothers

Record Description

This Institute for Family Studies resource looks at how job stability for men and flexible work arrangements for mothers influence decisions around forming and sustaining families. It brings attention to how work conditions shape family life in practical ways, not just financial ones. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, it can help frame policy and service discussions around employment supports that recognize caregiving responsibilities while also strengthening pathways to economic stability.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-03-04T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-03-04