**MODULE 1:**

**Introduction**

**FACILITATOR NOTES**

***What you need to say/do***

1.  Introduce yourself to the seminar participants. Include your agency,
    title, and your responsibilities. Tell participants that you will be
    facilitating the seminar but that the seminar depends almost
    exclusively on their participation in groups. The class includes
    very little lecture material. Assure them that this is an
    opportunity for them to identify ways to help all three agencies to
    improve their performance and working interactions.

2.  Briefly explain where participants can find water, food, restrooms,
    and phones.

3.  If high-level officials are kicking off the session, introduce them.

4.  Facilitate a short ice breaker. There are many types of icebreakers,
    and the facilitator should use his or her discretion. One option is
    to ask each participant to "interview" another
    participant---preferably a person he or she does not know\--and then
    report the information to the full group. Ask three questions: name,
    agency, and what he or she hopes to get from this seminar.

5.  Ask participants to turn off their mobile phones, or switch them to
    vibrate mode.

6.  Begin the slide show. Display PowerPoint slide **1-1: Collaboration
    Seminar: Introduction**

    ***What you need to know***

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1.  The time for this introduction module depends on whether it is part
    of a working lunch (Schedule 1). If so, it should take 1 hour, 15
    minutes. If not, it should take 40 minutes. In both scenarios, you
    will need to go through slides quickly.

2.  The introduction module is the only module that has PowerPoint
    slides.

3.  Participants will have a 15-minute break after this module
    (Schedule 1) or will move directly into Module 2 (Schedule 2).

**Seminar Equipment/Supplies**

-   Laptop or PC loaded with PowerPoint 97 or above

-   LCD projector and screen

-   Module 1 slide show

-   Flipcharts (one for the facilitator and one for each group) and
    markers or whiteboard, markers, and eraser

-   Masking tape (to post the flipchart pages)

-   Attendance roster

-   Name tents (with names completed prior to the seminar)

-   Facilitator guide

    **Handouts/Exhibits**

-   PowerPoint Slides -- Module 1

![](media/image1.wmf)**Collaboration Seminar**

**Slide 1-1 Introduction**

**Better Outcomes Through Collaboration: A Seminar for Managers of TANF,
Child Support, and Workforce Investment**

**FACILITATOR NOTES**

***What you need to say/do***

1.  Display slide **1-2: Seminar Background.**

2.  Explain that three federal agencies partnered to develop the seminar
    on improving program outcomes through collaboration: The Office of
    Child Support Enforcement, the Office of Family Assistance, both
    within the Department of Health and Human Services Administration
    for Children and Families, and the Employment and Training
    Administration within the Department of Labor. In addition, an
    advisory group comprised of state and local representatives from
    each program had input into the structure of the seminar and
    reviewed drafts of the curriculum.

3.  Explain the reason for creating an interactive seminar: Child
    support, TANF, and workforce investment have undergone changes. The
    programs share goals and clients. Collaboration can benefit both
    agencies and clients.

4.  Display slide **1-3: Seminar Background (cont'd).**

5.  The target audience are agency staff who can make program
    changes---office and regional managers. The ultimate goal of the
    seminar is the development of a collaboration action plan.

6.  Note that the seminar is 10 hours in length and consists of five
    distinct modules: introduction (this module), overview of the three
    programs, understanding the operations of each program, envisioning
    collaboration, and establishing an action plan. Note that each
    module builds on the previous one.

    ***What you need to know***

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1.  The seminar was designed for regional and/or office managers and not
    line supervisors. It targets the staff who are most likely to have
    the ability to make changes to program operations and procedures.

2.  Slide 1-16, at the end of the first module, depicts how each module
    builds on the previous one.

3.  A teamwork approach is fundamental to improving outcomes and should
    be considered a routine part of the job and not an extracurricular
    activity.

![](media/image2.wmf){width="3.4027777777777777in"
height="2.5694444444444446in"}

**Slide 1-2: Seminar Background**

-   Three federal agencies partnered to create this seminar.

-   The child support, TANF, and workforce investment programs have
    undergone considerable change. There are potential payoffs to all
    three programs and their clients if they collaborate.

![](media/image3.wmf){width="3.4027777777777777in"
height="2.5694444444444446in"}

**Slide 1-3: Seminar Background (cont'd)**

-   The seminar is designed for managers from child support, TANF, and
    workforce investment from the same geographical area of a state.

-   It aims to help agencies improve program and client outcomes by
    collaborating.

-   The goal of the seminar is the development of an action plan.

-   The seminar is 10 hours in length and is comprised of five modules,
    each which builds on the previous one.

    **FACILITATOR NOTES**

***What you need to say/do***

1\. Display slide **1-4: Module 1---Introduction to Key Issues**

2\. Explain that Module 1 will describe a number of key issues,
including the authorizing legislation for each program, the clients
served by each program, the benefits of collaboration, and evidence that
collaboration could be improved.

3\. The module also will describe the structure of the seminar.

***What you need to know***

1\. A number of studies are cited in the following slides. A reference
list is attached at the end of the module.

![](media/image4.wmf){width="3.4131944444444446in"
height="2.5694444444444446in"}

**Slide 1-4: Introduction to Key Issues**

-   The first module in the seminar will explore a number of issues that
    will provide a basis for the seminar. These include:

    -   The legislation that authorizes the child support, TANF, and
        workforce investment programs.

    -   The clients served, including overlap among the programs.

    -   How collaboration benefits clients and programs.

    -   Recent studies that suggest collaboration could be improved.

-   This module will also address the overall structure of the seminar
    and the remaining modules.

    **FACILITATOR NOTES**

***What you need to say/do***

1\. Display slide **1-5: Three Systems Undergoing Change: Focusing on
Similar Goals**.

2\. Discuss provisions of the Personal Responsibility and Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA).

3\. Display slide **1-6: Three Systems Undergoing Change (cont'd)**.

4.  Discuss provisions of the Child Support Performance Incentive Act
    (CSPIA).

    ***What you need to know***

1\. The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation
Act overhauled the welfare system. It replaced Aid to Families with
Dependent Children, an open-ended entitlement program, with Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which places a five-year limit on
federally funded benefits. TANF recipients are required to work after
two years, or earlier at state option.

2\. The federal government has paid incentives to state child support
enforcement agencies since 1975 to encourage agency improvements. Prior
to the 1998 Child Support Performance and Incentive Act, the amount of
incentives paid was determined by the cost-effectiveness of each state's
agency. Now cost-effectiveness is one of five performance measures.

![](media/image5.wmf){width="3.3444444444444446in"
height="2.5006944444444446in"}

**Slide 1-5: Three Systems Undergoing Change: Focusing on Similar
Goals**

-   The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
    (PRWORA)

    -   ![](media/image6.wmf){width="3.4131944444444446in"
        height="2.5694444444444446in"}Passed in 1996, PRWORA created the
        Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. TANF
        time-limited welfare and specifies four goals: (1) provide
        assistance to needy families; (2) end dependency by promoting
        job preparation, work and marriage; (3) prevent and reduce the
        incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies; (4) encourage the
        formation of two-parent families.

**Slide 1-6: Three Systems Undergoing Change (cont'd)**

-   Passed in 1998, the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act
    (CSPIA) aims to promote family self-sufficiency and child well-being
    by tying incentive payments to five performance measures: paternity
    establishment, child support order establishment, collections on
    current support due, collections on past-due support (i.e.,
    arrears), and cost-effectiveness.

    **FACILITATOR NOTES**

***What you need to say/do***

1.  Display slide **1-7: Three Systems Undergoing Change (cont'd)**

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7.  Discuss provisions of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).

    ***What you need to know***

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1.  The 1998 Workforce Investment Act provides a more coordinated,
    locally-driven workforce investment system. One-Stop centers provide
    core, intensive, and training services, as well as access to partner
    services. WIA requires certain One-Stop partners for participation
    (e.g., employment-related providers). They must identify the
    mandatory partners in their state. According to WIA, TANF and child
    support enforcement are not mandatory partners. In some states, TANF
    is a mandatory partner.

![](media/image7.wmf){width="3.3444444444444446in"
height="2.5006944444444446in"}

**Slide 1-7: Three Systems Undergoing Change (cont'd)**

-   The 1998 Workforce Investment Act (WIA)

    -   Replaced the Job Training Partnership Act

    -   Created different levels of services at One-Stop centers

        -   Core services, aim to increase employment, retention,
            earnings, and skills and include intake, orientation, skills
            assessment, job search and placement counseling, labor
            market information, and support services information.

        -   Intensive services are available for unemployed individuals
            who are unable to obtain jobs through core services and
            those who are employed but need additional services to reach
            self-sufficiency. These include in-depth assessment,
            counseling, case management, and short-term pre-vocational
            services.

        -   Training services are available for those who meet intensive
            services eligibility, but were unable secure employment
            after receiving those services.

            **FACILITATOR NOTES**

***What you need to say/do***

1.  Display slide **1-8:** **Three Systems Provide Services to a Variety
    of Clients.**

2.  Tell participants that TANF's client population is comprised
    primarily of single-parent families.

3.  Note that child support serves custodial parents and non-custodial
    parents and that many clients are current or former welfare
    recipients. Over 60 percent of child support clients nationally are
    current or former TANF recipients; in some states, the proportion
    exceeds 80 percent.

    ***What you need to know***

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1.  In order to receive assistance, families must assign to the state
    all rights to current child support paid on their behalf while they
    are on TANF. In addition, when families apply for TANF, they must
    cooperate with the child support enforcement program and sign over
    to the government their claim to support. State TANF agencies must
    impose at least a 25 percent sanction for failure to comply; they
    have the option of a full family sanction. Given this link between
    the agencies, it is not surprising that there is considerable
    overlap between the agency populations.

![](media/image8.wmf){width="3.3444444444444446in"
height="2.5006944444444446in"}

**Slide 1-8: Three Systems Provide Services to a Variety of Clients**

-   TANF provides cash assistance, training, work opportunities, and
    work supports to low-income, predominantly single-parent families.

-   TANF clients must cooperate with child support; if they do not,
    their cash grants are reduced at least 25 percent.

-   TANF clients must assign to the state the rights to all current
    child support collected on their behalf to be eligible for
    assistance.

-   Child support serves custodial parents and their children, as well
    as non-custodial parents. Nationally, in 2001, most child support
    clients were current or former welfare recipients (18 and 46
    percent, respectively).

    **FACILITATOR NOTES**

***What you need to say/do***

1.  Display slide **1-9: Three Systems Provide Services to a Variety of
    Clients (cont'd)**.

2.  Discuss One-Stops' client population and how these clients may also
    be served by child support or TANF.

    ***What you need to know***

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1.  The workforce investment system often offers the only services
    available to non-custodial parents. One-Stops can help these parents
    find and retain employment, thus increasing their capacity to pay
    support to their children.

2.  In addition to individuals, non-custodial parents and employers,
    One-Stops also might provide employment services to TANF clients.

![](media/image9.wmf){width="3.3319444444444444in"
height="2.501388888888889in"}

**Slide 1-9: Three Systems Provide Services to a Variety of Clients
(cont'd)**

-   One-Stops in the workforce investment system serve individual
    clients, many of whom are low-income. Other clients include
    employers.

-   One-Stops are also a source of employment services for non-custodial
    parents affiliated with child support and/or TANF families.

    **FACILITATOR NOTES**

***What you need to say/do***

1.  Display slide **1-10: Benefits to Families and Agencies if Systems
    Collaborate**.

2.  Explain how clients can benefit if the three agencies collaborate.

3.  Display slide **1-11: Benefits to Families and Agencies if Systems
    Collaborate (cont'd)**.

4.  Explain that the three agencies may benefit if they collaborate and
    that these benefits will be discussed at length during the seminar.

    ***What you need to know***

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1.  Children benefit when child support is paid. In Fiscal Year 2001,
    child support enforcement agencies distributed \$5.2 billion in
    current support to former welfare recipients. This represented
    roughly half (52.5 percent) of current support due to this
    population.

2.  Studies have found that child support reduces poverty. One found
    that in 1995, among poor women who received child support, 21 to 23
    percent were brought out of poverty by child support alone. Research
    also suggests that fathers who pay support are more likely to visit
    their children.

3.  Parents benefit when there are a improved opportunities to obtain
    and sustain employment. Self-esteem is bolstered through
    self-sufficiency.

![](media/image10.wmf){width="3.3444444444444446in"
height="2.5006944444444446in"}

**Slide 1-10: Benefits to Families if Systems Collaborate**

Client Benefits Include:

-   Quick processing of cases and access to services

-   Increased money to children

-   Reduction in poverty

-   Increased father involvement

-   Fewer months on TANF (thus preserving lifetime months)

-   Increased self-sufficiency

![](media/image11.wmf){width="3.4131944444444446in"
height="2.5694444444444446in"}**Slide 1-11: Benefits to Agencies if
Systems Collaborate (cont'd)**

-   Improved performance

-   Savings in resources and worker time

-   Funding

    **FACILITATOR NOTES**

***What you need to say/do***

1.  Display slide **1-12: Despite Common Goals, Collaboration Efforts
    Could Be Improved**.

2.  Explain that a Department of Health and Human Services Office of the
    Inspector General (OIG) report explored the process child support
    agencies use to transfer collections to TANF leavers (as noted
    earlier, TANF recipients must assign rights to child support
    collected on their behalf to the state). The study was based on
    interviews with child support and TANF officials in 50 states and
    case studies in five states.

3.  Explain that an OIG report found that child support staff depend on
    information collected by TANF in order to perform some of their
    functions.

4.  Explain that child support could benefit by gaining access to
    information collected by TANF.

5.  Display slide **1-13: Despite Common Goals, Collaboration Efforts
    Could Be Improved (cont'd)**.

6.  Discuss the difficulties with computer and automated systems
    interfaces and information sharing between agencies.

7.  Explain that child support agencies could benefit from overseeing
    the transfer of collections to TANF leavers.

    ***What you need to know***

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1.  Failure to collaborate can affect the timely processing of child
    support orders and can also affect distribution of collections to
    families that leave TANF. Current support in most states is retained
    by the state government as reimbursement for the costs of providing
    welfare grants. When families leave TANF, current support is
    supposed to be distributed to the family. However, the OIG report
    found that over half of all states lack policies requiring
    systematic oversight of child support distribution to TANF leavers.

    ![](media/image12.wmf){width="3.4131944444444446in"
    height="2.5694444444444446in"}

**Slide 1-12: Despite Common Goals, Collaboration Efforts Could Be
Improved**

TANF/Child Support: A DHHS Office of the Inspector General report found:

-   Child support staff use information collected by TANF to locate
    non-custodial parents and to establish and enforce orders; sometimes
    it does not contain the necessary detail.

-   TANF staff often lack access to databases (e.g., motor vehicle
    records) to verify information gathered at intake (e.g.,
    non-custodial parent addresses).

![](media/image13.wmf){width="3.3444444444444446in"
height="2.5006944444444446in"}

**Slide 1-13: Despite Common Goals, Collaboration Efforts Could Be
Improved (cont'd)**

-   Often state and local computer systems do not allow workers from one
    agency to access potentially useful information from another agency.

-   Child support agencies generally have no systematic oversight of the
    process to transfer collections to TANF leavers. Thus, child support
    collections may be retained by the state even after a family leaves
    TANF.

-   Automated interfaces between TANF and child support have often been
    problematic.

    **FACILITATOR NOTES**

***What you need to say/do***

1.  Display slide **1-14: Despite Common Goals, Collaboration Efforts
    Could Be Improved (cont'd)**.

2.  Explain the OIG report findings (on the slide) about non-custodial
    parents. Non-custodial parents can often benefit from job services
    referrals from the child support agency.

    ***What you need to know***

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1.  Although the linkages between the two systems often are not well
    defined, child support and workforce investment are natural
    partners. One-Stops can provide employment assistance to
    non-custodial parents. Increased employment and earnings can
    facilitate payment of child support orders.

![](media/image14.wmf){width="3.4027777777777777in"
height="2.5694444444444446in"}

**Slide 1-14: Collaboration Efforts Could Be Improved (cont'd)**

Child Support/Workforce Investment

An OIG report found:

-   Many non-custodial parents are poor and in need of job services.

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-   Child support agencies refer non-custodial parents to job programs,
    but arrangements are frequently informal.

-   Child support staff have limited knowledge of jobs programs.

-   Child support staff have limited ability to follow-up on referrals.

    **FACILITATOR NOTES**

***What you need to say/do***

1.  Display slide **1-15: Structure of the Seminar**.

2.  Note that the seminar is 10 hours in length and divided into five
    modules---this introduction and four others.

3.  Explain that the seminar activities will be conducted in both large
    and small groups.

4.  Make clear that much of the program content will be provided by the
    participants themselves. They will educate staff from the other two
    agencies about their programs, clients, and processes.

***What you need to know***

1.  The seminar is for the participants. The facilitator will guide the
    discussion, but ultimately the participants are responsible for
    educating each other and developing an action plan.

![](media/image15.wmf){width="3.3444444444444446in"
height="2.5006944444444446in"}

**Slide 1-15: Structure of the Seminar**

-   The 10 hour seminar spans two days and is divided into five modules.

-   Some modules have large-group brainstorming activities. Most
    activities, however, occur in small-group discussions. Small groups
    will make reports to the larger group.

-   The seminar *is not* lecture style. Rather, it is interactive,
    requires active participant engagement, and builds on participants'
    knowledge and experiences to identify potential areas of increased
    collaboration.

    **FACILITATOR NOTES**

***What you need to say/do***

1.  Display slide **1-16: Structure of the Seminar (cont'd)**.

2.  Review the seminar modules briefly.

3.  Emphasize that each module builds on the previous one:

-   *Module 1* provides the context for the seminar. As the participants
    have seen, this module identifies the three systems involved and
    their clients and services, the benefits of collaboration, and
    evidence that collaboration could be improved.

-   *Module 2* is a high-level overview of the individual programs,
    including their activities, funding sources, and performance
    measures. It will also help participants understand how these
    elements in one agency can affect the other agencies.

-   *Module 3* describes agency processes in detail, including goals,
    clients, areas where agencies intersect, and current areas of
    collaboration.

-   *Module 4* provides tools and exercises to help program managers
    visualize what an ideal collaboration would look like, including
    desired outcomes.

-   *Module 5* helps participants develop an action plan.

***What you need to know***

1.  It is important to stress that the modules are interconnected and
    build to the final goal of developing an action plan. Participants
    should not lose sight of the ultimate goal as they work through the
    activities in each module.

![](media/image16.wmf){width="3.3444444444444446in"
height="2.5006944444444446in"}

**Slide 1-16: Structure of the Seminar (cont'd)**

-   There are four remaining modules. Each builds on the previous one.

    -   Module 2 is a high-level overview of the activities, funding
        sources, and performance measures. Participants first discuss
        how these affect a single agency (e.g., how performance can
        affect funding). Then they discuss how these elements in one
        agency can affect another (e.g., how one agency's performance
        can affect another's funding).

    -   Module 3 is an opportunity for participants to describe their
        agencies in detail, including clients, processes, areas of
        intersection with other agencies, and collaboration efforts to
        date.

    -   Module 4 begins the discussion of a strong collaboration.
        Participants brainstorm about elements of an ideal
        collaboration, then discuss how these elements could be applied
        to the intersections discussed in the previous module.

    -   Module 5 uses the information gathered in the previous module to
        develop an action plan.

**Sources:**

Koball, Heather L. and Desiree Principe. (2002). "Do Nonresident Fathers
Who Pay Child Support Visit Their Children More?" Urban Institute Policy
Brief. http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=310438.

Meyer, Daniel R. and Mei-Chen Hu. (1999). "A Note on the Anti-Poverty
Effectiveness of Child Support Among Mother-Only Families." *Journal of
Human Resources* 34(1): 225-234.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector
General. (2001). "Distributing Child Support to Families Exiting TANF."
OEI-05-01-00220. October.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector
General. (2000). "The Establishment of Child Support Orders for
Low-Income Non- Custodial Parents." OEI-05-99-00390. July.