Governor Chris Sununu and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released "Helping Business Thrive and Families Prosper", a paper on the impact of the “Cliff Effect” on New Hampshire’s families and employers. The paper examines how these “benefits cliffs” keep families from climbing up and out of poverty and into self-sufficiency, the resulting workforce challenges for employers, and action steps for policymakers, employers, and other stakeholders to work collectively to end the Cliff Effect.

The Office of Family Assistance hosted a GrantSolutions Online Data Collection (OLDC) Grant Recipient Training webinar on November 16, 2021. The GrantSolutions OLDC Grant Recipient Training provided insight on how to access the system, an overview of the system, and details on how to complete the 424M Report and the ACF-204 Form. In addition, the training included what to do when revisions are required on a form or report.

The National Staff Development and Training Association (NSDTA), incorporated as an American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) affinity group, aims to develop professional and organizational capacity at the local, state, or federal level. NSDTA will host a hybrid event from October 3 through October 6, 2021. With an “Embrace Agility & Advance to New Heights” theme, presentations cover six tracks: Workforce Development and Planning; Human Services Leadership; Curriculum Design and Instructional Technology; Organizational Development/Organizational Effectiveness; Training & Facilitation; and Evaluation & Research. The live event will take place in Spokane, Washington. A registration fee is required for participation.

The American Public Human Services Association and the National Association of Welfare Research Statistics will host a hybrid (in-person and virtual learning) conference from August 22 to August 25, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The conference will bring together policy, practice, research, and various programs to advance the collective goal of achieving economic mobility and well-being for everyone. Workshops are being developed to help health and human service leaders, policymakers, and researchers in developing human services programs through collaboration, integration, modernization, and guidance on effectively monitoring quality control and performance management. A registration fee is required.

Working families, administrators of public benefits, and grassroots service practitioners have been at the forefront of federal policy during the COVID-19 pandemic. This July 19, 2021 webinar recording examines challenges providing and receiving services within the federal safety net. The recording also identifies opportunities for federal benefits reform under the expanded child tax credit and other federal cash assistance programs, and includes discussions with Mary Bogle of the Urban Institute; George Jones of Bread for the City; Laura Zeilinger of the DC Department of Human Services; and Yamila Ruiz of One Fair Wage.

Program services, such as health care, nutritious food, housing, early care, and education, are often delivered in silos, creating access barriers for families. This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation blogpost presents an interactive map that documents 95 state and local coordinated service approaches nationally. The map is part of the Assessing Models of Coordinated Services project which promotes children’s healthy development.

The National Association of Counties will host a webinar on August 4, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. ET to discuss how state and local leaders can leverage American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds as part of their COVID-19 recovery plans to support the needs of infants, toddlers, and their families. The new ARPA funding provides an opportunity for collaborations across levels of government to maximize efficiency and return on investment. Representatives from Washington State, Skagit County, and the city of Seattle will make presentations.

The Office of Family Assistance will host a webinar on Thursday, July 29, 2021 from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. ET to engage TANF and tribal leaders and staff in conversation as they reimagine a post-pandemic TANF environment. This webinar will include a series of large group and small, rapid-fire break-out sessions. Each rapid-fire session will include questions that spark meaningful dialogue about TANF programs’ experiences during the pandemic and how they plan to transition back to in-person services. Participants will learn how TANF programs across the country are managing issues such as implementing safety protocols, balancing remote and in-person work, and reinstating TANF work requirements. Project IMPROVE will facilitate the session and capture and share lessons learned across the discussions.

The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation has issued a Call for Papers for the Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency (RECS) 2022, to be held in-person from June 1-3, 2022 in Washington, DC. The Call invites proposals for full conference sessions, individual presentations, and roundtables on the following topics: TANF programs, policies, and populations; employment and mobility in the labor market; youth well-being and the transition to adulthood; strengthening families, fatherhood, marriages, and relationships; evaluating social programs, building evidence, and using data; and approaches to alleviate poverty and expand opportunity. A virtual information session on preparing and submitting a proposal will be held on July 22, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. Proposal submissions are due by August 27, 2021.

This brief summarizes a May 2020 survey of State TANF administrators conducted by the American Public Human Services Association to determine how state agencies changed their TANF programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key changes included using or expanding short-term benefit programs for families impacted by COVID-19, utilizing waivers from TANF regulations, increasing opportunities for virtual learning activities and remote working opportunities, and changing income thresholds for eligibility or TANF benefit amount calculations.