This report is part of the Congressional Research Services series that focuses on changes in programs affecting low-income children in light of the upcoming 30-year anniversary of the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA).

This report examines how Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for children with disabilities has changed over the past 30 years and what those changes mean for families with low incomes. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, it provides valuable context on how disability benefits can complement TANF services and support children with significant needs. TANF staff can use this resource to better understand how families may access multiple supports, strengthen referrals, and coordinate services that promote family stability and financial security.

Helping families achieve economic security requires more than employment services. This Child Trends brief examines Virginia's Comprehensive Health Investment Project, a comprehensive case management program that helps families with low incomes meet immediate needs, such as housing and other basic supports, while also working toward long-term education and employment goals. The findings show how a whole-family approach can improve employment outcomes over time. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners can use these insights to strengthen case management, build partnerships with community providers, and better connect families with the coordinated supports they need to achieve lasting economic stability.

With funding from the U.S. Department of Labor, Jobs for the Future (JFF) partnered with organizations across 24 states to expand pre-apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship programs that create career pathways for young people ages 16–24. This JFF resource explores what can help participants successfully transition from pre-apprenticeship into Registered Apprenticeships and where common barriers exist. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners can use these insights to strengthen career pathways for youth and young adults, build partnerships with apprenticeship programs, and connect participants to in-demand careers that lead to long-term employment and economic stability.

Approximately one in seven young people in New York City between the ages of 16 and 24 are not in school or not working. This MDRC brief examines the Advance & Earn program, which combines education, career coaching, and paid work experiences to help young adults build skills and prepare for employment. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs serving opportunity youth can use these findings to explore strategies for engaging young adults who face barriers to work, supporting them as they complete training and creating stronger pathways to long-term employment and economic independence.

Accurate reporting is essential for understanding program performance and meeting federal reporting requirements. This Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Feedback Report from the TANF Data Portal Knowledge Center explains how to use three key feedback reports to review the completeness and accuracy of program data and better understand how a Tribe's Work Participation Rate is calculated. Tribal TANF staff can use these reports to identify missing or inconsistent data, pinpoint reporting trends throughout the year, and address issues that may affect participation rate calculations. By helping Tribal TANF programs strengthen data quality and make informed improvements, this guide supports more accurate reporting and stronger program management.

Families participating in Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) may face challenges that extend beyond financial hardship. This guide helps Tribal TANF staff recognize family strengths, connect caregivers with supportive services, and respond early to concerns before they become crises. Tribal TANF programs can use the guide to strengthen case management, improve collaboration with child welfare partners, and better support families working toward long-term stability. It offers practical strategies that help TANF caseworkers build trust, keep children safely connected to their families, and reduce the need for more intensive interventions.

Proposed changes to work requirements and time limits can have significant implications for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs and the families they serve. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) outlines potential changes that would provide states with greater flexibility in how work requirements and term limits are implemented. While the proposal is not final policy, it offers insight into possible future directions and priorities that could affect program operations.

TANF administrators and policy staff can use this resource to better understand the proposed changes, assess potential impacts on their programs, and inform planning efforts. Reviewing proposed rules early can help programs prepare for future policy developments, engage in discussions about implementation considerations, and consider how increased flexibility could support families facing barriers to employment while maintaining progress toward self-sufficiency.

Families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) often rely on housing assistance as part of their overall support system. This Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) report examines work requirement policies in HUD-funded assisted housing programs and explores how those requirements are implemented across different housing settings.

For TANF practitioners, the report provides useful context for understanding the housing-related policies that may affect the families they serve. By learning how housing work requirements interact with employment expectations in other programs, TANF staff can better coordinate services, reduce participant confusion, and help families successfully navigate multiple systems while working toward economic stability.

Helping families achieve self-sufficiency often requires coordinated support across multiple programs and service systems. This Department of Housing and Urban Development guidebook provides practical strategies for designing, managing, and strengthening Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) programs, including participant engagement, case management, goal setting, and partnership development.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) administrators and frontline staff can use this resource to identify approaches that support long-term success for participants. This guidebook offers ideas for strengthening case management practices, improving participant retention, and building stronger connections between employment, education, housing, and other services. Programs looking to enhance family-centered approaches may find valuable lessons that can be adapted to their own work.

Many families receiving housing assistance are working toward the same goals that Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs support: stable employment, increased earnings, and long-term financial independence. The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program helps participants build assets as their income grows, creating opportunities to save money while working toward personal and professional goals.

For TANF practitioners, this Department of Housing and Urban Development webpage highlights a valuable partner program that can help families move beyond immediate assistance and build lasting economic stability. TANF staff can use it to identify referral opportunities, strengthen partnerships with housing agencies, and connect participants to supports that encourage employment, savings, and self-sufficiency.