The Urban Institute's HOST Demonstration is developing and testing the effectiveness of using two-generation "whole family" approaches to address the challenges of deeply poor, vulnerable families living in public and assisted housing. HOST services are intended to improve children's health outcomes and reduce risky behavior, helping to overcome some of the disadvantages of growing up in chronic disadvantage. HOST's core case management component helps parents in low-income neighborhoods confront their key barriers to self-sufficiency: poor physical and mental health, additions, low literacy, educational attainment, and a weak connection to the labor force, while integrating services for children and youth. This report discusses the implementation and expansion process of the HOST program.

Survey found 22.3 percent of children in families investigated for maltreatment were placed out of home at least once in the 18 months following the close of investigation.

The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse hosted a webinar titled "Working with Child Support: Effective Strategies from Model State and Local Partnerships." This webinar provided ideas and resources to help responsible fatherhood practitioners understand and meet the needs of non-custodial fathers and their families. It featured an overview of Federal, State and local policies, partnerships and initiatives; explained how fatherhood practitioners can partner with local child support offices; and generally explored strategies to help non-custodial fathers and their families.

The Office of Family Assistance provides guidance to states and is working in partnership with other agencies to combat family homelessness.

About 6 percent of the national child support caseload involves a veteran or an active military member.

MDRC released a policy brief describing an innovative program designed to target the psychological and social behaviors that contribute to pain, disability, and inactivity among veterans with disabilities. The goal is to help these veterans resume daily activities and get on a path to work.

The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) has released a guide for Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) in a report titled Navigating Federal Programs to Build Sustainable Career Pathways in the Health Professions. This report explains the requirements and performance accountability systems of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and the workforce and adult education programs supported under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Titles I and II. The report also discusses specific strategies that States can use to overcome potential barriers caused by the disparate requirements of these programs.

The Office of Family Assistance hosted a webinar, "Leveraging TANF Funds and Strategic Partnerships to Improve Housing Stability and Economic Outcomes for Low-Income Families." The webinar provided an overview of Federal regulations relating to the use of TANF and Maintenance of Effort funds, highlighted promising State and local program models for individuals at-risk, provided examples of allowable uses of TANF funds for homeless stability and employment services, and discussed strategies for choosing and implementing various program models and partnerships.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) released a SNAP chartbook. This chartbook highlights some of the key characteristics of the almost 47 million people using the program, as well as the data on program administration and use. It is divided into eight topic specific parts, and is intended to complement a more detailed analysis that the CBPP has released on particular aspects of SNAP.

The Urban Institute recently published an article discussing the Work Support Strategies Initiative. Work Support Strategies (WSS) is a multiyear, multi-State initiative to implement reforms that help eligible low-income families get and keep a full package of work support benefits, including Medicaid, nutrition assistance (SNAP), and child care assistance. This report summarizes the lessons learned from the nine planning grant States (Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina), just one year into a four-year project. The report includes what the States did, how they overcame challenges, and how the planning year changed their strategies and capacities for the future.