Others Pick Up the Slack
Meanwhile, states and localities, which administer TANF funds, are finding innovative ways to drive success for their clients. One example comes from Washington, DC, where MAXIMUS, a nationwide company that helps health and human services agencies administer government programs, has been the city’s top-performing vendor of TANF services.
For more than a decade, DC followed TANF’s work-first approach, focusing on applicants finding a job, regardless of the position or the individual’s needs. Conversations between TANF participants and case managers were guarded because customers feared they would be penalized or lose their benefits. When MAXIMUS took on this work, the company’s case managers could see that things needed to change to better serve this population. They implemented new practices that coordinated efforts, shared resources, and promoted a family-centered approach to services.
MAXIMUS’ approach engages entire families, so the needs and critical services required by both parent and child are addressed through education, economic supports, and social capital. The company says that when opportunities for all family members residing in the same household are approached jointly, the benefits are greater than if they’d been addressed separately.