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TANF, Child Support and Employment Program Partnerships. Promoting family self-sufficiency through coordinated service delivery. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS?. Title IV-A: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).
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TANF, Child Support and Employment Program Partnerships Promoting family self-sufficiency through coordinated service delivery
Title IV-A: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) • To provide assistance to families so that children may be cared for in their own, or a relatives’ home, by promoting job preparation and work, and by encouraging the formation and maintenance of two-parent families
Title IV-D: Child Support Program (CSP) • To ensure that both parents financially (and emotionally) support their children • Focus on obtaining financial support from the non-custodial parent (NCP)
Employment and DOL job programs • To make job search, work activities, including education, skills and job-readiness training, available to clients who require assistance
WHAT IS THE COMMON GOAL OF TANF, CSP, AND EMPLOYMENT/JOB PROGRAMS?
Common Goals • Empowering families to achieve self-sufficiency through regular employment, and when necessary, paying child-support • The combination of regular job earnings, and regular child support payments, helps low-income families to become, and remain, self-sufficient
Common Goals • Reducing dependency on government benefits, which allows governments to provide benefits to other families and children in need • Providing services leading to self-sufficiency through education, job search assistance, job-skill training and education and support services (transportation, childcare, counseling, medical insurance)
Why is it important that IV-A and IV-D have good partnerships? • To ensure families receive the optimum benefits from all the services that are available • To maximize resources by ensuring programs are not providing duplicate services • To ensure the programs meet heir respective objectives efficiently and effectively
Program Services • Is each program aware of the services available under the other programs? • If so, how is that information shared with clients? • Are referrals made to other programs, and if so, who is responsible for follow-up?
Maximizing Resources • Are programs providing timely and/or similar services? • If so, which program is in a position to provide the most comprehensive service? • Can programs pool resources and personnel to achieve shared-goals?
Meeting Program Requirements • How can the actions of one program affect the responsibilities and performance of another program? • How can programs ensure they support the responsibilities and performance of another program?
Why is information-sharing important? • To accurately identify the legal custody of children and the services needed by CP’s, NCP’s and relative care-givers so no one falls “between the cracks” • To accurately track court-ordered and required program activities for clients that are receiving services • To identify fraudulent activities
Information-Sharing continued… • Prompt assessment and opening of cases to ensure timely services • Sharing of information and providing education on the services a client may qualify for under other programs • Joint-efforts to support family needs
Communication • How does each program identify a “case” (parent, child, relative)? • How does each program make, and track, referrals to other program (is their a central point of contact, by case number)? • Is input from the other programs requested when taking action on a case (how is this accomplished)?
Best Practices • Co-locating staff in the same building or in close proximity • Teaming of the respective program staff that works the same caseload • Creating a Coordinator Position to facilitate IV-A/IV-D links • Cross-training and shared-training to facilitate a better understanding of the respective programs
Best Practices • Formation of a team, with representatives from each program, to review the shared cases and determine the best course of action for the family • Manual and systems development to expedite referrals and case-management activities
Clients with Special Needs • Identify clients with shared- needs that the programs can not address: - Physical disabilities - Alcohol and Drugs - Mental and Emotional Health - Domestic Violence
Special Needs • What State/Tribal programs can address these needs? • Who qualifies for services? • How can you create better relationships with these programs? • If a referral is made, how does he referring agency inform other IV-A/IV-D/Employment programs of the referral?