Coordinating Employment Services Across the TANF and WIA Programs – Issue Brief

Publication Date: February 2, 2015
Current as of:

Introduction

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs provide employment and training services to a targeted population of low-income individuals. The similarities between the TANF and WIA programs have generated interest in the coordination and integration of services across the two programs since their inception in the late 1990s. Nonetheless, it remains unclear how and to what degree the programs are coordinating at the state and local level. The Study of TANF/WIA Coordination, initiated by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation explored the supports, strategies, and considerations that influence coordination within selected locations across the country.

The information presented in this brief - which accompanies a full report — comes from interviews with state and local respondents in 8 states and 11 localities.  Authors describe 12 strategies for TANF/WIA coordination that the study sites use and that other locations may choose to replicate. The strategies fall under six program components: (1) administration and management; (2) funding; (3) policies and procedures; (4) program missions and knowledge; (5) services for customers; and (6) accountability and performance measurement. Using the practices of the study sites, the report defines levels of coordination for each of the 12 strategies.  The report also includes a postscript addressing key TANF-Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act coordination points.