This playbook, developed in collaboration between the National Community Action Partnership and the American Public Human Services Association, explores how Community Action and human services agencies partnered together in response to the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis. It presents opportunities for alignment in providing whole family supports, making career pathways possible for SNAP recipients, and tackling structural inequities in accessing services. Examples of these alignments include western Maryland and Virginia (whole family supports), Minnesota and Oregon (SNAP Employment & Training), and rural Ohio and Montgomery County, Maryland (dismantling structural inequities).

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated housing instability for families with low incomes and created an even greater need for affordable, stable housing. Two-generation programs, which strive to end intergenerational poverty by supporting both parents and children living in the same household to improve life outcomes for the whole family, are one model of effective collaboration to increase housing stability. This blogpost, based on research on multiple two-generation partnerships, identifies four key elements to using two-generational programs to promote housing stability.

These briefs are blueprint fact sheets showcasing the accomplishments of peers and stakeholders in implementing a whole family approach at seven Community Action Agencies: Aroostook County Action Program (Presque Isle, Maine), Blueprints (Washington, Pennsylvania), Community Action, Inc. (Topeka, Kansas), Community Action Project of Tulsa County (Tulsa, Oklahoma), Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County (Santa Rosa, California), Mahube-Otwa Community Action Partnership (Detroit Lakes, Minnesota), and People, Inc. (Abingdon, Virginia). Each brief details the agency, its area demographics, its whole family approach with a highlight of the program’s innovation story, successes, a profile of a program participant, challenges, wisdom (lessons learned), the program’s building block focus, and a timeline for implementation.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA) conducted the 2021 National TANF Directors’ Meeting from September 20 - 24, 2021. During this panel-style session comprised of “success snapshots,” speakers presented innovative strategies that enable programs to link people to jobs, to better communicate and respond to participant needs, and to provide training and skills development to the community. Presenters shared various strategies for finding employment opportunities, including work activities that are culturally relevant and responsive to the needs of their participants. This session also explored the option of Tribal TANF and NEW programs partnering with local organizations to fulfill community needs.

This case study describes the Family Assessment Centers (FACs), which provide emergency shelters for families experiencing homelessness in Honolulu, Hawaii. The FACs represent an initial initiative under the `Ohana Nui service delivery framework, which is used across the Hawaii Department of Human Services (DHS) to support multigenerational families. The case study covers this program in detail, including where FACs operate and their context; what FACs offer; whom FACs serve; how they are staffed and funded; what services are provided by FACs; and how FACs measure program participation and outcomes. The case study also highlights accomplishments, challenges, and future plans.

This case study examines the Community Caring Collaborative (CCC), the lead organization within a network of 45 nonprofit and state government organizations that support low-income individuals in Washington County (Maine). The case study describes CCC operations and identifies its key features: where it operates and its context; who it serves; what services the CCC provides; how it is organized and funded; how it assesses its performance; and promising practices and remaining challenges. The case study includes a spotlight on Family Futures Downeast, a two-generation program that was developed by CCC and its partner organizations.

This blogpost draws upon assessments of the Housing Opportunities and Services Together Initiative and the Family Centered Community Change program and presents four key elements that made their two-generation initiatives successful. These elements include employing engaged coaches or case managers to help families, providing “glue” money to support service partnerships and staff time for program coordination, developing strong partnerships focused on a common goal of supporting families, and selecting an effective backbone organization to provide for or raise funds to ensure the two-generation initiative’s sustainability.

This report, a review of the current state of the two-generation model, explains the components for two-generation approaches, including physical and mental health, early childhood development, K-12 education, postsecondary education and employment pathways, economic asset building, social capital, and the assumptions behind designing programs that simultaneously improve outcomes for children and families. Also, the report identifies the impacts of implementing two-generation approaches, lessons learned, and recommendations for future action.

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program plays a key role in promoting strength and stability for families experiencing poverty. By helping families to meet their basic needs, obtain employment, and nurture healthy family relationships, TANF programs can foster long-term family wellbeing and economic independence. States have significant flexibility to use TANF funds to address unique family needs and accomplish any of the four purposes of TANF.

The Office of Family Assistance released a series of briefs that highlight innovative and strategic ways that states are leveraging TANF funds to strengthen families and communities by building capacity for self-sufficiency and economic independence. This brief highlights the work of Family Support Centers (FSCs) towards preventing child welfare involvement. FSCs serve as a single-entry point for families to access a range of free or low-cost services. Although FSC services may support all four purposes of TANF, the brief focuses specifically on their role in strengthening families and preventing CPS involvement in support of TANF’s first statutory purpose: to provide assistance to families so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives.

This National Responsible Fatherhood video explores the community's interest and openness to change, reflecting on insights from leadership, staff, and family members about anticipated improvements and expectations. Topics covered in this video include:

• The collective commitment to enhancing the well-being of all families in West Virginia;
• The overwhelming desire to encourage and provide services specifically for fathers, ensuring they receive the support needed to be actively involved in their children's lives;
• The perspectives from leaders, staff, and family members about the future of social services and the changes they hope to see; and
• The efforts to create programs that foster stronger community connections and remove barriers that fathers face.