Prepared by the Police Executive Research Forum, this report looks at the opioid epidemic from the perspective of police, sheriffs, and health agencies and how these agencies can step up their response to the crisis. City law enforcement officials detail specific actions that police chiefs and sheriffs across the country can take. The report looks at the role of the police in getting addicted people into treatment; identifies how to teach communities about addiction risks; and looks at a New York City data-driven collaborative model that brings together multiple agencies to look at specific opioid crisis issues and determine resolution for those issues with the ultimate goal of reducing drug overdoses.

This brief is part of the Parents and Children Together (PACT) evaluation and summarizes the experiences of fathers interviewed during the first two rounds of in-depth interviews for the project. Themes from the interviews are explored, as well as how fathers provide for their children outside the formal child support system, and implications for further research are given.

This report from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation examines the earnings of justice-involved men over the course of their incarceration and release. The study analyzed state administrative and survey data to compose a picture of the men's earnings, their involvement in child support, and how it affected their children and partners.

This article, from the director of the Office of Family Assistance (OFA), discusses OFA’s response to the opioid crisis. OFA is targeting the hardest hit communities and focusing on the economic impact on low- income families. They are hosting workshops on community-based solutions, collaborating with other agencies, and meeting with workforce development partners to help alleviate the barriers to family self-sufficiency that can be caused by opiate use and addiction.

This web article from Psychology Today looks at how we are falling short in treating trauma victims and what we can do to fix it. The article addresses how coping mechanisms for post-trauma are poorly understood even by those in the best situation to provide assistance, and that it is important to understand that victims of trauma might not always react or behave as one might expect. It further suggests that many factors including public education, early identification, and effective trauma treatment are necessary to break the cycle of violence, and that we need to intensify and expand the availability of trauma-informed care. Various examples of trauma are illustrated, along with how victims react differently and often unexpectedly to trauma, and that just because someone might not show a lack of emotion, it does not mean they have not been abused. Without shattering the myths that limit the understanding of trauma victims, providers will not be able to deliver assistance effectively.

This brief by the Center for the Study of Social Policy and supported by The Annie E. Casey Foundation is based on more than 80 interviews with organizations, their workers, and the youth that they support. The intent of the brief is to generate and share knowledge that is useful in dealing with youth that face serious challenges. Findings include that when youth face serious adversity, the relationship they establish with a worker is often incremental. The report looks at these “transitional relationships,” what workers actually do to forge successful relationships with the youth, and what their organizations do to create a culture for the workers to succeed. Interviewees for this report are between 16-25 years old and have faced serious challenges including child welfare involvement, substance abuse, and homelessness. Workers interviewed are leaders of organizations noted for their exemplary work and who have repeatedly formed bonds and relationships with such youth.

The Office of Family Assistance hosted a webinar entitled “Opioid Use Disorder, Treatment, and Barriers to Employment Among TANF Recipients” on March 29, 2018. Opioid use disorder in the United States has skyrocketed since 2010, yet little contemporary research has been conducted on this surge’s effects on the TANF population. Existing research about the opioid crisis primarily focuses on its impact on the general population, while TANF-centered studies almost exclusively examine general substance use. Moreover, research shows opioid and substance use disorders pose significant barriers to employment for low-income individuals. Such an information gap makes it difficult to properly address TANF recipients’ needs for effective opioid use treatment. This interactive webinar explored how opioid use disorder affects TANF recipients and TANF-eligible individuals, as well as emerging strategies for assessing and treating these populations.

This discussion paper from the Heritage Foundation examines how community institutions serve to build social capital within a community. Focus is given to charter schools, religious institutions, housing associations, and virtual networks as community institutions that promote social capital and foster a sense of opportunity within communities. Within these four types of institutions, numerous example programs are highlighted for their work in each area.

This working paper from the U.S. Partnership on Mobility from Poverty explores a variety of approaches to help move families out of poverty. One of the building blocks explored is community building and social capital (beginning on page 36). Relevant research is presented describing the importance and impact of social capital, and an overview of example programs is given. Additionally, the documented impact and funding for each example program is listed.

Based in Oakland, California, the Family Independence Initiative (FII) has focused on how low-income people have the capacity to construct their own pathways out of poverty. Recently after listening to families expressing their need to maintain and develop new connections across the country, the organization developed a community-building social networking Web site - UpTogether. The platform allows members to offer and ask for support to move their lives forward, reach goals, and improve their well-being leverage their initiative accelerates their mobility.