This brief reviews how seven programs that combine substance use disorder treatment and recovery with employment services transitioned to meet service delivery challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The brief, part of the Building Evidence on Employment Strategies project, also reviews how the programs responded to increased substance misuse and overdoses during the initial months of the COVID-19 crisis.

This case study explores the employment programs for youth and services for families, housed at the Community Action Organization (CAO) of Scioto County (Ohio). Highlighting the Comprehensive Case Management and Employment Program (CCMEP) for youth and a behavioral health unit for adults and youth, the case study notes where it operates; what services the Employment and Workforce Division provides; how participants access CAO services; key CAO partners and their roles; how CAO is funded; and future plans to enhance services.

This set of recordings are from a three-day workshop convened on May 20, May 25, and May 27, 2021 which explored COVID-19’s effect on students’ learning and mental health. The workshop focused on the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on children of color, children who have special health needs and learning difficulties, and children who are living in poverty. Presentations included lived experience perspectives and experts who discussed learning loss, mental health, and social-emotional learning.

This brief reviews lessons learned by family treatment courts (FTCs) in the case of parental substance use disorder. FTCs can support positive outcomes such as improved recovery, increased child welfare involvement, timelier reunification for families, and permanency. The brief outlines approaches that FTCs deploy, such as early identification and timely access to treatment, peer recovery coaches, intensive case management and case coordination, building rapport and trust through supportive engagement, and face-to-face family time and reunification services when children are placed outside of the home. The brief also includes vignettes on how FTCs have been used in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin; Fairfield County, Ohio; and Tompkins County, New York.

Supportive services are one of 14 program elements of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) youth program that enable individuals to participate in WIOA activities. This first set of resources on providing supportive services to youth includes information on: Supportive Services Guides and Locators; the TANF Program and state contacts; the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and State CCDF contacts; the State Child Support Enforcement Program; guidance and support for individuals with disabilities; the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; the Foster Care to Success Education Training Voucher Program; and health, mental health, and substance abuse resources.

This June 29, 2021 Annie E. Casey Foundation webinar presented findings from a study of 26 young parents with foster care experience. The webinar explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their lives and covered multiple themes: employment disruptions, economic hardships, educational challenges, mental health challenges, insufficient resources, barriers to receiving services, and silver linings.

The New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) is helping TANF participants with opioid/substance involvement to obtain and maintain employment. Reflecting the belief that all participants are employable, four New York City providers have combined treatment and work activities to comprehensively address barriers so participants can move into both recovery and self-sufficiency.

This brief is part of the Emerging Practice Series of the Office of Family Assistance’s Integrating Innovative Employment and Economic Stability Strategies (IIEESS) initiative, which highlights the strategies of TANF agencies and their partners to help low-income individuals gain and sustain meaningful employment. Each brief describes an emerging practice that has been implemented in one site, an overview of the program model, and the results that have been achieved. Compelling stories of participants’ success and suggestions from TANF agency staff to their peers provide actionable insights and on-the-ground perspectives.

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program plays a key role in promoting strength and stability for families experiencing poverty. By helping families to meet their basic needs, obtain employment, and nurture healthy family relationships, TANF programs can foster long-term family wellbeing and economic independence. States have significant flexibility to use TANF funds to address unique family needs and accomplish any of the four purposes of TANF.

The Office of Family Assistance released a series of briefs that highlight innovative and strategic ways that states are leveraging TANF funds to strengthen families and communities by building capacity for self-sufficiency and economic independence. This brief highlights the Mental Health Outreach for MotherS (MOMS) Partnership which aims to meet the mental health needs of mothers and primary caregivers with low incomes. This partnership addressing the mental health needs of mothers and caregivers supports the first statutory purpose of TANF and can have lasting positive impacts on families and children. This brief looks at MOMS partnerships offered in Vermont and the District of Columbia.

This National Responsible Fatherhood video highlights the often-overlooked struggles of fathers, who face significant barriers in receiving the support and resources they need to be present and effective caregivers. Topics covered in this video include:

• The pervasive economic struggles that impact countless families across the state;
• The devastating effects of drug addiction, particularly opioids, on individuals and their loved ones; and
• The alarming number of children entering the foster care system due to familial instability and substance abuse.