RELATED LINKS

Welfare related links have been divided into four categories - State, Federal, Policy & Research and Association - to facilitate your search.

This list does not reflect our endorsement of the organizations, their products, or services. The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network has no control over the content of these sites and cannot guarantee the appropriateness of these sites from day to day. If you identify other useful Web sites not currently included, please contact us at peerta@calib.com with your suggestions.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
HHS is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.
http://www.hhs.gov

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Through public and assisted housing programs, HUD provides vital housing assistance to our nation's poor. HUD's community and economic development activities focus on rural and urban areas that represent untapped labor markets with large numbers of unemployed persons, including welfare recipients, seeking work.
http://www.hud.gov

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
ACF, within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is responsible for federal programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov

Administration on Aging (AoA)
An agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Administration on Aging is one of the nation's largest providers of home- and community-based care for older persons and their caregivers. AoA's mission is to promote the dignity and independence of older people and to help society prepare for an aging population.
http://www.aoa.gov/

Office of Family Assistance (OFA)
OFA, within the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, oversees the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program created by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/

Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE)
Child support enforcement is essential to help promote family self-sufficiency, both for TANF recipients and those who do not receive cash assistance. OCSE, within the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, oversees a variety of programs, including Federal certification of State child support systems.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/index.html

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
ASPE is the principal advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on policy development, and is responsible for major activities in the areas of policy coordination, legislation development, strategic planning, policy research and evaluation, and economic analysis.
http://aspe.hhs.gov/

Office of Community Services (OCS)
Part of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the mission of OCS is to work in partnership with States, communities, and other agencies to provide a range of human and community development services and activities.
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ocs/

Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)
Part of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), ORR’s mission is to assist refugees and other special populations, as outlined in ORR regulations, in obtaining economic and social self-sufficiency in their new homes in the United States. ORR funds and facilitates a variety of programs that offer cash and medical assistance, employment preparation and job placement, skills training, and English language training.
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/orr/

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE)
OPRE serves as principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families (AS/ACF) on increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of programs designed to improve the economic and social well-being or children and families.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/

Division of Tribal Services
The DTS, within the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, is responsible for assisting in the creation and enhancement of working partnerships among Tribal, State, and Federal government agencies in implementation and administrative issues relating to TANF and JOBS related issues.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/dts/

Administration for Native Americans (ANA)
Part of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) works to promote the goal of social and economic self-sufficiency of American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native American Pacific Islanders, including Native Samoans.
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ana/

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), formerly known as the Food and Consumer Service, administers the nutrition assistance programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These include both the Food Stamp Program and the National School Lunch Program.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Comprised of the 27 Institutes and Centers as well as the Office of the Director, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the steward of medical and behavioral research for the Nation. It is an Agency under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
http://www.nih.gov/

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Formerly titled the Health Care Financing Adminstration (HCFA), the CMS administers major national health care insurance services such as Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
http://www.cms.gov/

HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH)
The mission of the Office of Minority Health (OMH) is to improve and protect the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that will eliminate health disparities. OMH was established in 1985 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It advises the Secretary and the Office of Public Health and Science on public health program activities affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders.
http://www.omhrc.gov/omhhome.htm

ACF Healthy Marriage Initiative (HMI)
The mission of the ACF Healthy Marriage Initiative is to help couples, who have chosen marriage for themselves, gain greater access to marriage education services, on a voluntary basis, where they can acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain a healthy marriage.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/healthymarriage/

Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) Compassion Capital Fund (CCF)
The Compassion Capital Fund helps faith-based and community groups build capacity and improve their ability to provide social services to those in need.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccf/

Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Welfare to Work (WtW) Site
OPM works with the President, Congress, departments and agencies, and other stakeholders to implement human capital policies that work to build a high-quality and diverse Federal workforce based on merit system principles.
http://www.opm.gov/wtw/

Department of Labor (DOL), Welfare to Work (WtW) Site
The U.S. Department of Labor is charged with preparing the American workforce for new and better jobs, and ensuring the adequacy of America's workplaces. The DOL Welfare-to-Work program is designed to provide employment assistance to the hardest to employ welfare recipients to help them achieve long-term unsubsidized employment and self-sufficiency.
http://wtw.doleta.gov

Department of Labor, Working Partners for an Alcohol-and Drug-Free Workplace
The US Department of Labor's Working Partners for an Alcohol-and-Free Workplace Program is a one-stop source for workplace alcohol and other drug abuse information and resources.
http://www.dol.gov/dol/workingpartners.htm

Administration for Children and Families: U.S. Welfare Caseloads Information
This link provides tables, graphs, and other materials on U.S. welfare caseload numbers for January-September 2000.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/stats/newstat2.shtml

HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) Resource Center
The OMH Resource Center was established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health in 1987. OMH-RC serves as a national resource and referral service on minority health issues. The center collects and distributes information on a wide variety of health topics, including substance abuse, cancer, heart disease, violence, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and infant mortality. The Resource Center also facilitates the exchange of information on minority health issues.
http://www.omhrc.gov/omhrc/

HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) Family and Community Violence Prevention Program (FCVP)
The Family and Community Violence Program (FCVP) was developed in fiscal year 1994 under a cooperative agreement between OMH and Central State University (CSU), Wilberforce, Ohio. The purpose of the FCVP Program is to impact the increasing incidence of violence and abusive behavior in low income, at-risk communities through the mobilization of community partners to address these issues. The FCVP coordinates and directs the activities of Family Life Centers (FLCs) at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other Minority Institutions in across the United States and in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
http://www.fcvp.org/

Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) Map of State and Local IV-D Agencies
OCSE maintains a comprehensive map of all State child support enforcement web pages. The link to the map can be found here:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/extinf.htm#exta

Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Welfare-to-Work (WtW) (Job Access and Reverse Commute Initiative)
The FTA, WtW initiative provides leadership, technical assistance and financial resources for safe, technologically advanced public transportation which enhances mobility and accessibility, improves communities and the natural environment, and the strengthens the economy.
http://www.fta.dot.gov/wtw/

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), National Mental Health Information Center
This comprehensive information center offers a wealth of resources related to substance abuse and mental health. In addition to a wide variety of resources and publications, it also includes a Calendar of Events, a What's New feature, and a section on current funding opportunities.
http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/

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Policy & Research Web Sites

Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)
The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) is the nation's oldest and largest membership-based child welfare organization. The league is structured as an association of almost 1,200 public and private nonprofit agencies that assist over 3.5 million abused and neglected children and their families each year with a wide range of services.
http://www.cwla.org

Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
CLASP is a national non-profit organization that seeks to improve the economic security of low-income families with children through education, policy research and advocacy.
http://www.clasp.org

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP)
CBPP is a nonpartisan research organization and policy institute that conducts research and analysis on a range of government policies and programs affecting low- to moderate- income individuals.
http://www.cbpp.org

Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP)
IRP is a national, university-based center for research into the causes and consequences of poverty and social inequality in the United States.
http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/irp/

Institute for the Study of Homelessness and Poverty
The Institute for the Study of Homelessness and Poverty is a non-profit, non-partisan research and policy organization focusing on poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, inequality, and more. The Institute is an information resource of data, statistics, websites, and research. It offers a catalog of over 5000 publications, websites, and organizations; weekly information listserves regarding homelessness and poverty; research briefs and other Institute publications.
http://www.weingart.org/institute/

Joint Center for Poverty Research (JCPR)
JCPR is a national and interdisciplinary academic research center that seeks to advance our understanding of what it means to be poor in America. JCPR concentrates on the causes and consequences of poverty and the effectiveness of policies aimed at reducing poverty.
http://www.jcpr.org

National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP)
NCCP is a nonprofit research institution whose mission is to identify and promote strategies that reduce the number of young children living in poverty, and to improve the life chances of the millions of children under age six who are growing up poor.
http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/nccp/

National Governors' Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices
The mission of the NGA Center for Best Practices is to help Governors and their key policy staff develop and implement innovative solutions to governance and policy challenges facing them in their states.
http://www.nga.org/center/1,1188,C_FAQ,00.html

National H.I.R.E. Network
Established by the Legal Action Center, the National "Helping Individuals with criminal records Re-enter through Employment" Network is both a national clearinghouse for information and an advocate for policy change. The goal of the National H.I.R.E. Network is to increase the number and quality of job opportunities available to people with criminal records by changing public policies, employment practices and public opinion. The National H.I.R.E. Network also provides training and technical assistance to agencies working to improve the employment prospects for people with criminal records.
http://www.hirenetwork.org/

Research Forum on Children, Families and the New Federalism
The Research Forum on Children, Families, and the New Federalism facilitates the development of rigorous, policy relevant research about the effects of the new federalism on poor and vulnerable populations and promotes strategies that protect and enhance the well-being of poor children and their families.
http://www.researchforum.org

State Policy Documentation Project (SPDP)
SPDP, a joint project of the Center for Law and Social Policy and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, tracks policy choices on TANF cash assistance programs and Medicaid in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
http://www.spdp.org

The Finance Project's Welfare Information Network (WIN)
WIN is a clearinghouse for information, policy analysis, and technical assistance on welfare reform.
http://www.financeprojectinfo.org/win/

The Future of Children
The Future of Children seeks to promote effective policies and programs for children by providing policymakers, service providers, and the media with timely, objective information based on the best available research. To sign up for their free newsletter, please visit: http://www.futureofchildren.org/feedback2833/feedback.htm The Future of Children is a publication and Web site of The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and The Brookings Institution.
http://www.futureofchildren.org

Welfare to Work Partnership
The Welfare to Work Partnership is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit effort of the business community to help move people on public assistance to jobs in the private sector.
http://www.welfaretowork.org

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Association Web Sites

American Public Human Services Association (APHSA)
APHSA seeks to develop, promote, and implement public human service policies that improve the health and well-being of families, children, and adults.
http://www.aphsa.org

Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA)
CTAA is a national, professional membership association of organizations and individuals committed to removing barriers to isolation and to improving mobility for all people. It conducts research, provides technical assistance, offers educational programs, and serves as an advocate as part of a broader effort to make coordinated community transportation available, affordable, and accessible.
http://www.ctaa.org/

National Association of Counties (NACo)
The National Association of Counties works to improve public understanding of counties, acts as a liaison with other levels of government, serves as a national advocate for counties and provides them with resources to help them find innovative methods to meet the challenges they face.
http://www.naco.org

National Association for State Community Service Programs (NASCSP)
NASCSP’s mission is to assist states in responding to poverty issues.
http://www.nascsp.org/

National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
NCSL's mission is to improve the quality and effectiveness of state legislatures to foster interstate communication and cooperation, and to ensure legislatures a strong, cohesive voice in the federal system. The Conference is a source for research, publications, consulting services, meetings and seminars.
http://www.ncsl.org

National Governor's Association (NGA)
NGA is the only bipartisan national organization of, by, and for the nations' Governors. The association's mission is to provide a forum for Governors to exchange views and experiences among themselves; assistance in solving state focused problems; information on state innovations and practices; and a bipartisan forum for Governors to establish, influence, and implement policy on national issues.
http://www.nga.org

New America Foundation's AssetBuilding.org
AssetBuilding.org is an online clearinghouse of ideas, policies, and programs to broaden asset ownership in the U.S. and around the world. Asset Building refers to public policy and private sector efforts to enable persons with limited financial resources to accumulate, preserve, and control long-term, productive assets, such as savings, investments, a home, post-secondary education and training, a small business, and a nest-egg for retirement.
http://www.assetbuilding.org/AssetBuilding/

U.S. Conference of Mayors
The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of the nation's 1183 U.S. cities with populations of 30,000 or more. Each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. The organization seeks to strengthen Federal-city relationships, ensure that Federal policy meets urban needs, and create a forum in which mayors can share ideas and information.
http://usmayors.org/uscm/home.asp

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