In recent years, there has been a deliberate shift to move our public systems that support child and family well-being upstream. These efforts reflect the growing consensus that true and lasting progress toward a nation where everyone can thrive requires we get to the root of the barriers that keep people and communities from achieving their potential. A foundational building block of this effort is the work happening to advance prevention strategies within child welfare agencies. In this brief, we focus on the challenges and opportunities that the Family First Prevention Services Act (Family First) offers to accelerate the shift toward a prevention-oriented child well-being system.
American Public Human Services Association (APHSA)
This interactive dashboard allows users to explore Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation and household characteristics by U.S. congressional district using American Community Survey data.
This guide explores intersectionality and why it is essential for advancing equity. It explores strategies for planning and conducting research with an intersectional lens, describes quantitative measures and methods to examine differences across groups of people with intersecting identities, and provides key considerations for using qualitative data to better understand intersectionality.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
Policymakers, program administrators, federal leaders, researchers, and advocates are increasingly focused on using administrative data to build evidence for improving government programs. Achieving this goal requires accessible data sources and the capacity to use them, yet stakeholders have little information about the baseline level of state capacity in these areas. How does one measure concepts such as “effective data use” and “analytic capacity?” This brief reports findings from a pioneering and comprehensive needs assessment that examined the capacity of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs in 54 U.S. states and territories to analyze data used for program improvement, monitoring, and evidence-building. The needs assessment provides a foundation for technical assistance and continued improvement for the TANF program and may also provide valuable insights and frameworks for other state-administered human services programs.
Post-Medicaid continuous enrollment's end in March 2023, states faced renewal challenges through August 2024, seeing improved auto-renewals but persistent procedural disenrollments despite outreach and intervention.
This study examines how the 2021 expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) influenced housing affordability and living arrangements for low-income families.
Michigan's UIA director, Julia Dale, is leading the agency through transition by prioritizing lived experience, hope, grit, and values. Virginia's SNAP Program Manager, Michele Thomas, highlighted the success of Sun Bucks, a summer EBT child nutrition program that fed over 700,000 kids in its first year.
The report evaluates the 2023 Newborn Supply Kit pilot program, highlighting its effectiveness in reducing maternal stress, alleviating financial burdens, and increasing trust in government services among new parents, especially in low-income communities.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
This section of the Department of Labor’s Building Resilience plan focuses on improving customer experience across unemployment insurance (UI) systems by promoting timely, accessible, and equitable service delivery for all claimants.
This panel discussion from the Academy's 2025 Policy Summit explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and public benefits, examining how technological advancements are influencing policy decisions and the delivery of social services.
The article examines the participation of adults aged 50 and older in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in 2022, highlighting the program's role in reducing food insecurity and poverty among older adults, especially those with disabilities.
