Joint CBPP/APHSA Conference Call Series FALL /WINTER 2007-08

Call #1: Worker Supplement Programs: Early Implementation Lessons - October 10, 2007

Since the passage of the DRA, more than a dozen states have authorized or implemented a program to provide TANF or MOE-funded supplemental cash "assistance” to employed families, usually TANF leavers. This strategy can boost the income of low-income working families as well as help states meet their TANF work participation rates.

This first series call will feature a discussion with agency staff from three states — Virginia, Utah, and Washington state — that have implemented such programs in the last year. Topics covered will include: the amount and duration of the supplemental cash assistance payment; enrollment and take-up rates in the program; the extent to which services other than cash assistance are provided in the program; how the programs are financed; the impact of benefit receipt on time limits, child support collections and food stamp benefit levels; verification of hours of work; enrollment and reporting systems; and the programs’ impact on work participation rates.

Call #2: Vocational Rehabilitation – December 5, 2007

What is vocational rehabilitation and how can the Vocational Rehabilitation system be used successfully to assist TANF clients with disabilities to move into employment? What are the challenges in establishing this partnership and how can they can be overcome? This call will highlight the Voc Rehab and TANF agency partnership in Vermont, how it assists TANF participants with disabilities, and the challenges related to establishing the partnership.

Call #3: More Than Just a Visit - A Home Visiting Curriculum that Teaches Skills and Improves Outcomes – January 9, 2008

Many states and localities use home visiting programs to reach out to families that are struggling. This call will discuss how TANF agencies can use home visits to build life-coping skills that boost engagement in work activities. The call will focus on a University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension program which has developed a curriculum to be used in home visits with TANF clients.

Call #4: Community Colleges and TANF – February 6, 2008

This call focused on partnerships between TANF agencies and community colleges. How can the TANF agency promote college education through the community college system? How have programs connected successfully, and what did it take to make the partnership successful for the agencies and for clients?

Note: For the confirmed schedule and materials for upcoming calls as well as information about the Spring/Summer 2007 Teleconference Series, including audio files and materials, go to http://www.cbpp.org/pubs/tanf.htm