Recent research has explored the delivery of human services programs in rural contexts, identifying promising models for service delivery and highlighting remaining needs. This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation research brief uses data from the National Evaluation of the 2nd Generation of Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG 2.0) to further examine human services delivery in rural areas. The brief explores variation in participant characteristics between programs in rural and non-rural areas; implementation strategies and challenges for programs operating in rural areas; and differences in impacts on participant outcomes between participants in rural and non-rural programs. The discussion of implementation strategies and challenges for programs highlights some service delivery challenges reported by both rural and non-rural program staff, but specifically focuses on strategies that rural program staff use to mitigate those challenges.

The Office of Family Assistance released a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for states seeking information on implementing the new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work outcome measure provisions in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. The FAQ resource is designed to respond to questions that the Office of Family Assistance has received that are not answered in existing resources and/or where language in the technical resource required additional clarification.

Social safety net programs can help low-income people afford necessities like food, health care, and utilities. However, many older Americans do not receive assistance from the government programs they are eligible for. Understanding where these gaps in eligibility and participation exist is an important step in reaching older adults and providing them with the resources to improve their economic security. This Urban Institute paper reviews information on US households from the American Community Survey to estimate how many people ages 65 and over are eligible for each of three programs that provide essential support to older adults: the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Medicare Savings Program (MSP).

Aligned Customer-Centered Ecosystem of Supports & Services (ACCESS) is a two-year initiative, led by the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) and the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, that aims to create a roadmap for aligning modernization efforts from agencies across the health, human services, and labor ecosystem in service of promoting truly customer-centered improvements to program design and delivery. This APHSA brief unpacks how core components of program and service design and delivery, funding models, and technical infrastructure impact systems’ ability to operate in alignment.

The Office of Family Assistance released a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for states seeking to pilot new program performance and accountability measures in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The FAQ resource is designed to assist applicants with the Request for Proposals for TANF Pilot Projects under the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance hosted the Regions I-IV East Coast Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Directors Meeting from July 16 to July 18, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. This meeting was designed to provide participants with an opportunity to engage and collaborate with peers about strengthening programs to better serve communities and support families to achieve better outcomes. Over the course of the meeting, participants engaged in peer-to-peer learning, group discussions, and networking among Federal and state colleagues.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance hosted the Regions V-VIII State Technical Assistance Meeting from July 9 to July 11, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. Themed “Reimagining Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Programs through the Lens of Program Participants,” this meeting was designed to inspire, support, and engage TANF program leaders and staff in evidence-driven change that improves programs and positively impacts the lives of the families they serve. Over the course of the meeting, participants engaged in peer-to-peer learning, group discussion and idea generation, and networking among Federal and state colleagues.