The Office of Family Assistance hosted a webinar on Wednesday, July 14, 2021 to explore the role Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs play in supporting mothers as they reenter their community after a period of incarceration. Reentering mothers must overcome unique and difficult barriers to ensure their well-being and reduce their chances of recidivism. In this discussion, a panel of researchers and practitioners provided an overview of the impact of incarceration on children, the needs mothers face upon their release, and various approaches that state TANF programs, Department of Corrections reentry programs, and local non-profit organizations take to support reentering mothers in addressing these needs. Presenters also highlighted success stories and lessons learned from their experience helping reentering mothers and discussed how TANF can partner with community reentry programs to help mothers succeed.

This Program Instruction (PI) identifies a change in Office of Family Assistance reporting requirements—specifically, that tribes that integrate TANF in a P.L. 102-477 plan are no longer required to submit quarterly reports. However, the PI notes the continuation of requirements of the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF), such as funds to be spent on non-recurrent, short-term benefits and grantees needing to request allotments and reallotments. The PI also provides guidance on use of funds, reporting forms, and reporting requirements for tribes under the PEAF.

The TANF Learning Community (TLC) is designed to help TANF agencies reimagine, develop, and implement innovative approaches and strategies to improve agency performance and outcomes for TANF recipients in a post-pandemic world. TANF agencies submitting self-nominations and selected to participate in the TLC will access and benefit from a compelling, comprehensive, and tailored set of TLC Training and Technical Assistance services. Self-nomination materials can be received by sending an email request to TANFLearningCommunity@blhtech.com. Questions about the self-nomination process can also be sent to the above email address. Additionally, materials from the June 2, 2021 TLC Interest Webinar are now available.

The deadline for nominations has been extended to June 28, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. ET.

The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation seeks applications for cooperative agreements to create an African American Child and Family Research Center. The proposed Center will lead and support research on the needs of African American populations that are served by ACF programs and will help identify promising approaches to promote social and economic well-being among low-income African American populations. Key topics of interest for the Center will include research on educational and employment experiences and outcomes, experiences with human services, discrimination, effects of criminal justice system involvement, program evaluation, and distinctive experiences in rural, suburban, and urban areas. Applications are due by July 12, 2021.

The TANF Learning Community (TLC) is designed to help TANF agencies reimagine, develop, and implement innovative approaches and strategies to improve agency performance and outcomes for TANF recipients in a post-pandemic world. TANF agencies submitting self-nominations and selected to participate in the TLC will access and benefit from a compelling, comprehensive, and tailored set of TLC Training and Technical Assistance services. Self-nomination materials can be received by sending an email request to TANFLearningCommunity@blhtech.com. Questions about the self-nomination process can also be sent to the above email address. Additionally, materials from the June 2, 2021 TLC Interest Webinar are now available.

The deadline for nominations has been extended to June 28, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. ET.

This blogpost is a compendium of resources and tips on practitioner-led adaptations for virtual remote service delivery that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include participant engagement, the shift to remote service delivery, what post-pandemic changes will be maintained, staff training and professional development, and process mapping. The blogpost also highlights specific programs and their adaptations.

In partnership with the Office of Early Childhood Development, the Office of Family Assistance will host an interactive webinar on Wednesday, May 26, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET. TANF staff and participants will discuss their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the innovative tools and practices they will use to help support themselves and their children during the next stage. Through the webinar registration process, registrants can offer insight and tools that they have used to navigate parenting during COVID-19, as well as post questions for the panelists. Speakers include representatives from the Hampton Roads Community Action Program and a parent from Washington State who is a former TANF funds recipient. ACF leadership will also cover American Rescue Plan Act funding that may be used to address child care and other family support needed for working parents.

In February and March of 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), held a series of three virtual meetings with state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) agencies and stakeholders. The series, Navigating New Pathways towards Building Thriving Communities, invited state TANF administrators and other staff to participate in cohorts by ACF Region (Regions I-IV, V-VIII, and IX and X). Each meeting focused on a specific topic related to supporting families through COVID-19 and beyond, and each took place three times (once for each cohort).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many TANF programs rapidly adapted their program delivery to ensure the continuity of client supportive services. In many instances, the necessity to pivot from “normal” day-to-day operations led to programmatic changes with great potential for improving client outcomes. The Adapting Client-Centered Approaches to a Virtual Environment meetings explored a broad range of topics, including creating a safe environment for coaching customers, rolling out new technical systems and platforms, addressing the need for broadband access, and using trauma-informed scripts with customers in the midst of the pandemic. The meetings emphasized how programs managed, executed, and intend to sustain these changes after the pandemic’s end. A video recording is available for viewing.

In February and March of 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), held a series of three virtual meetings with state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) agencies and stakeholders. The series, Navigating New Pathways towards Building Thriving Communities, invited state TANF administrators and other staff to participate in cohorts by ACF Region (Regions I-IV, V-VIII, and IX and X). Each meeting focused on a specific topic related to supporting families through COVID-19 and beyond, and each took place three times (once for each cohort). The Helping TANF Clients Achieve Long-Term Goals virtual meetings focused on how programs can incorporate strategies that foster lasting customer success. These meetings included best practices from programs around the country, success stories of former TANF customers, and discussions about partnerships.

This set of resources identifies toolkits, tip sheets, webcasts, and other guidance on how to address partnerships for specific youth populations under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. These resources cover several topics, such as employer engagement, serving homeless and runaway youth, collaborative opportunities for vocational rehabilitation, serving youth in foster care or with juvenile records, rural youth, and partnerships with TANF.