P&P August 2015

DIRECTOR’S MEMO continued from page 3

A reauthorizedTANF programshould give states roomto innovate in thoughtful ways and respond to varying economic conditions. Career pathwaymodels hold great promise, but current policy andfinancing seemtoo static to fully realize their potential.

caseload typically signals that faster and more direct routes into sustained employment haven’t work for them. States, such as Utah, are using a variety of strategies to better engage families through intergenerational approaches as well as alliances with business and education that train students in high- demand skills. A compelling example of what we mean by “engagement that matters” is occurring in Washington State. There, they begin with a focus on stabilizing families in crisis by identifying what’s causing the instability (such as housing and domestic violence). Employment counselors then look at what is happening with the family—both strengths and challenges—and ask questions like: How are the kids doing in school? Are you caring for an elderly parent? Do you have a child with special needs? Are there substance abuse or mental health concerns in the home? Once stabilized, and the family dynamic is understood, the assessment evaluates work readiness through edu- cational levels and work history. This extended look at what is hap- pening with the family allows for “engagement that matters” —leading to better-informed interventions and early attention to barriers that might otherwise result in parents failing to secure a job or to achieve economic security. Let me be clear, engagement is not about ignoring sanctions or extending time limits—these remain important motivators. It is about getting to the core issues up front to help assure long-term success and prevent families from recycling on and off the roles. Accountability —I think it is a fair to say that our members are disappointed that TANF has now, for a decade, been subjected to an accountability scheme that tracks participation metrics that don’t use actual paid employment as an outcome measurement. As a result, the system directs energy to process and paperwork but tells us little about whether participants are truly moving toward greater self-sufficiency. States are hamstrung by arbitrary limits that

individuals with more complex needs—incorporating such strate- gies as learning from brain science on executive functioning, peer supports, and asset-building. These and similar innovations can build the social capital and indi- vidual capacity that are necessary to travel the pathway out of poverty. Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, thank you again for this opportunity. APHSA and its members look forward to continuing our work together with you on these critically important issues. We continue to encourage Congress to take up TANF Reauthorization, urging that they refashion and mod- ernize the program in the context of the broader workforce engagement systems. Following April’s hearing, we have provided additional guiding principles for TANF reauthorization and offered some preliminary recom- mendations for potential measures to modify or replace the WPR. As specific reauthorization language emerges, we will continue to ensure that our members’ voice is heard. If you have not had a chance to con- tribute ideas, please contact Mary Brogden, our assistant director of Strategic Initiatives, at mbrogden@ aphsa.org. /////////////////

prevent many in the caseload, who come with a wide variety of abilities and existing skill levels, from receiving tailored and appropriate supports aimed at getting them into long-term employment. Innovating and Testing What Works —So how, exactly, should we move forward? States are encour- aged by the opportunities that the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) offers them and urge an even more aggressive approach. A reauthorized TANF program should give states room to innovate in thoughtful ways and respond to varying economic conditions. Career pathway models hold great promise, but current policy and financing seem too static to fully realize their poten- tial. We urge you to: Š Š Give states the ability to opt in to per- formance measurements based on actual employment entry, retention, and advancement rather than the current process-focused activities of the Work Participation Rate (WPR). Š Š Examine additional ways to blend and braid funding from the multiple sources that exist in the workforce system and tie them to the perfor- mance measurements that I just mentioned—this could be similar to the Disconnected Youth Performance Partnership Pilots recently enacted for that population, which leverage the existing resources of Health and Human Services, Education, and Labor Š Š Support partnerships and demon- strations to design and test enhanced career pathways models to serve

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