1

A Tale of

Ten Cities

Creating Welfare R eform Programs T hat M ake a Differen c e

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Administration for Children and Families
2
1

The purpose of this publication is to showcase the 

outstanding efforts of ten cities that implemented 

groundbreaking programs to meet the needs of families 

receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 

(TANF). We want to demonstrate how these innovative 

efforts can be applied in other urban areas throughout 

the Nation. The goal is to make TANF program staff 

in cities across the United States aware that tools are 

available to help with the implementation of their own 

groundbreaking programs that will enable their city to 

write their own success story during the next decade of 

welfare reform. 

With the passage of the Personal Responsibility and 

Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) 

in 1996, the role of the States and the Federal 

government, and in particular the U.S. Department 

of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration 

for Children and Families/Office of Family Assistance 

(ACF/OFA), shifted significantly as OFA began 

providing States with TANF block grants through the 

TANF program. These grants gave States a new level of 

flexibility in program design and operation. Working 

closely with State programs, OFA is well positioned to 

assist States in making effective programmatic changes 

as a result of Federal legislation.

With the allocation of TANF block grants to the 

States, welfare reform introduced two new themes: 

empowerment and achievement. The block grants 

provided a new flexibility that empowered States 

and communities to support families in achieving 

positive outcomes and enact programs that met their 

own needs. Many States created “work-first” systems, 

changed the rules to allow more earned income, 

reduced lifetime limits, and adopted tougher sanctions 

for noncompliance with work requirements.1

 This led 

to a significant reduction in caseloads, which allowed 

many States to shift TANF resources to work supports 

and other systems, such as transportation, marriage 

incentives, and individual development accounts.

Welfare Reform—

A New Beginning

1 The Urban Institute. (2006). A Decade of Welfare Reform: Facts and Figures. 

http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/900980_welfarereform.pdf.
2

“The ladder of success is best 

climbed by stepping on the rungs of 

opportunity.”

–Ayn Rand

The story of welfare reform is, for the most part, a 

story of success. Since the passage of welfare reform, 

thousands of families have been presented with new 

opportunities that they have used to climb the ladder 

of success toward self-sufficiency. This success is 

reflected in numerous statistics from the past decade:

•	 From 1996 to 2002, the national TANF caseload

declined from 4.6 million to 2.1 million families, 

as TANF clients were able to secure stable 

employment.2

•	 More than 63 percent of never married single

mothers are employed, up from 49.3 percent in 1996.

•	 Child poverty rates have declined from 20.5 percent

in 1996 to 17.8 percent in 2004, with 1.4 million 

fewer children in poverty.

•	 The percentage of single mothers working

outside the home increased from 49.3 percent to

63.1 percent.3,4

•	 The median income for TANF participants has

increased from $7,196 to $11,820.5,6

•	 The source of income for female-headed families

has reversed. In 1993, 30 percent of the income of

low-income, female-headed families came from 

earnings, and approximately 55 percent came from

welfare and payments from other sources. By 2000, 

female-headed households were earning 60 percent 

of their income and receiving only 23 percent of

their income from welfare.7

•	 In 2003, 56.4 percent of single mothers8 with 

children under 18 that had incomes below 200 

percent of the poverty level were employed.9

2 ASPE Research Brief: Indicators of Welfare Dependence (2005). http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/indicators05/rb.pdf.

3 From 1996 to 2004.

4 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. (2006). Reauthorization of the Temporary 

Assistance for Needy Families Program: Interim Final Rule. National Archives and Record Administration. 

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ofa/tfinrule..pdf. 

5 From 1997 to 2002.

6 The Urban Institute. (2006). A Decade of Welfare Reform: Facts and Figures. 

http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/900980_welfarereform.pdf. 

7 U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means. Testimony of Ron Haskins, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; Senior 

Consultant, Annie E. Casey Foundation. July 19, 2006.

8 “Single mothers” refers to all never-married, widowed, separated, and divorced mothers.

9 Office of Family Assistance. (2006). Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Seventh Annual Report to Congress. http://acf.hhs.gov/

programs/ofa/annualreport7.ar7index.htm.

A Novel Success 
3

“What we call results are 

beginnings.” 

–Ralph Waldo Emerson 

While ACF/OFA and many others were pleased with 

the results of welfare reform, they also realized that 

these results were just the beginning, and more work 

was needed to support families. The Deficit Reduction 

Act (DRA) of 2005 reauthorized welfare reform and

also refocused attention on improving employment 

outcomes among participants and on engaging all 

participants in appropriate work activities. In addition, 

the DRA focuses funding and support to States and 

communities for the development of healthy marriage 

and fatherhood initiatives. 

The DRA will carry on the success story of welfare 

reform started in the mid-1990s. Working families 

also have access to support services to help foster 

their economic independence, such as the Earned 

Income Tax Credit. After participating in an 

employment-focused TANF program, attaching to 

the labor force, and beginning to build financial 

assets, families are well-situated to remedy other 

circumstances associated with poverty including 

food insecurity, housing instability, and transience.

Reauthorization: 

The Sequel to Welfare 

Reform
4

A Tale of Ten Cities 

The purpose of the Urban Partnerships Initiative 

is two-fold. First, the Initiative convenes National 

Academies of key stakeholders from urban areas to 

develop strategies to meet the needs of TANF families. 

Second, the Initiative provides follow-up technical 

assistance to cities to support the development of 

relationships between systems, identify and remove 

barriers to collaboration between those systems, and 

develop strategic plans to address the needs identified 

during the National Academies.

The next section of the publication introduces profiles 

of the original ten cities involved in the Urban 

Partnerships Initiative. Each profile includes a success 

story, along with lists of lessons 

learned, tips, or advice about how to 

implement programs or take advantage 

of the assistance provided through ACF/OFA and the 

Urban Partnerships Initiative. 

Each of these ten cities worked on addressing the 

challenges that were most pressing to them. Because 

of the Urban Partnerships Initiative, they were able to 

realize substantial outcomes: 

Atlanta

•	Increased work participation rate from 2003 to

2006 from 9 percent to 60 percent, and TANF 

adult cases have been reduced from 5,975 to

1,800.

Baltimore

•	Increased engagement rate from 50 percent to

90 percent.

Boston

•	Reduced the food stamp error rate.
5

Dallas- Fort Worth

• Reduced caseload by 50 percent.

Detroit

•	Strengthened system-wide accountability and

more recipients retain employment.

Minneapolis

•	Reduced TANF caseload by 22 percent; reduced

food stamp error by 50 percent; increased work

participation rate to 43 percent.

Oakland

•	Eliminated $3 million worth of overpayments

by implementing a tracking system.

Omaha

•	Increased engagement in TANF populations

from 40 percent to 87 percent.

•	Increased EITC uptake to $51 million returned

into the community.

Seattle

•	Utilized the GMAP process to monitor and

improve program outcomes.

•	Developed a transportation initiative for the

WorkFirst participants in partnership with 

faith-based organizations.

St. Louis

•	Successfully partnered with community- and

faith-based organizations to support recipients 

in finding and maintaining employment.

The ten cities profiled in this volume have been the 

leading lights of this Initiative. They have exceeded 

even the highest expectations for communication, 

sharing, and partnership development. The success 

stories described in a Tale of Ten Cities began with a 

commitment from these ten cities to

 exemplify the objectives of the Urban 

Partnerships Initiative, and they have 

done nothing less.
6

City Background Information

Agencies in two counties—Fulton and Dekalb—

administer most of the TANF programs and services for 

the City of Atlanta through their Departments of Family 

and Children Services. Both counties provide temporary 

cash assistance and other support services, with a 

48-month time limit, to needy families with dependent 

children who are deprived of the support of at least one 

parent and whose family income is below the State’s 

Standard of Need. The grant amount depends on family 

size and income. The counties also provide temporary 

cash assistance with a 48-month time limit for twoparent families as long as the assistance unit meets the 

definition of a two-parent household.

Success Story 

In recent years, Atlanta has implemented several 

innovative and successful programs. In particular, 

Fulton County implemented the Performance 

Management Report Card in 2003. This system

generates monthly reports that show each caseworkers’ 

performance and holds workers on all levels 

accountable for the outcomes of their cases and for 

meeting specific participation rates. The original 

goals set by Fulton County for its caseworkers were 

structured so that Atlanta could meet a 40-percent 

work participation rate. Fulton County later changed 

their goals so Atlanta would comply with the 

50-percent Federal standard.

Caseworkers who achieve their monthly goals are 

inducted into the “50-percent club,” treated to lunch

at a local restaurant, and presented with certificates of 

achievement and other gifts. Workers who fail to meet 

their goals must attend a meeting with management, 

where the caseworker discusses why they were unable 

to meet their goals and what support management can 

provide in the future.

In addition to the report card system, several other 

innovative programs are underway in the Atlanta 

City Profile

Atlanta 
7

area, including the implementation of a performance 

measurement data system to monitor work participation 

rates, and a program that monitors vendor work 

participation rates. If vendors fall below expectations, 

the contracts are either terminated or not renewed. 

Program Impact

Atlanta’s innovative programs have had the 

following effects:

•	 Management initially met with some resistance

when it started sharing the monthly report card 

with all staff. Over time, however, the report card 

system has created a friendly competition between 

case managers, supervisors, and service centers, and 

created an incentive for caseworkers to work harder 

to meet their monthly goals. 

•	 As a result of these innovative programs, Atlanta’s

work participation rate increased from 9 percent to 

60 percent, and TANF adult cases fell from 5,975 to

1,800, from December 2003 to January 2006.

•	 Because caseloads have declined, Fulton and Dekalb

County are now able to provide more intensive 

services to the recipients who need them most. 

Looking to the Future

Due to declining caseloads, Fulton and Dekalb 

Counties are now focusing some of their efforts on 

providing new types of programs, such as healthy 

marriage services and programs to reunite fathers 

with children. In addition, Atlanta is moving toward 

an integrated system that addresses both employment 

and family issues. The State has already conducted 

two pilots with this type of system. 

Contact Information

William Cook

Program Director

Fulton County Department of Family and Children 

Services

1249 D.L. Hollowell Parkway

Atlanta, GA 30318

404–206–5660

wpcook@dhr.state.ga.us

Atlanta’s recent experience has led to the following lessons learned:

•	 Systems that hold staff accountable for their efforts are

instrumental in making personnel changes, developing 

leadership, and improving the overall effectiveness 

of an agency. These types of systems enable poor

performance to be addressed through transfers or

terminations, and good performance to be rewarded

through incentives and promotions. For example, in 

2005, Fulton County promoted five case managers

based on their performance as documented through the

report card system.

•	 Atlanta’s innovative programs have been successful

because they are shaped around the following principles

1) TANF is a work program; 2) TANF is not good enough 

for any family; 3) excellence is expected from all staff;

and 4) all staff on all levels are accountable.

•	 The representatives from all of the agencies that support

TANF programs in Atlanta, including staff at both the

State- and county-level, have found the onsite visits

conducted through the Urban Partnerships to be helpful.

This includes both their visits to other cities, and when

representatives from the around the Nation have visited 

Atlanta. These visits provided opportunities for staff to 

see programs and people in action.

LessonsLearned

“ Fulton County fully supports the 

Urban Partnership, which is why 

we send such a large team to each 

Urban Academy. These teams 

include not just management, but 

staff from all levels, because at 

the end of the day, it is staff from 

every level that are responsible for 

making our programs a success.”

William Cook

Fulton County Department of Family and Children Services
8

City Background Information

The city of Baltimore accounts for approximately 

53 percent of Maryland’s total assistance payment

expenditures. These expenditures, as well as all TANFrelated programs in Baltimore, are administered by 

the Baltimore City Department of Human Services, in 

conjunction with the Maryland Department of Human 

Resources. 

The city’s TANF program is characterized by a fullfamily sanction. If a family receives a sanction, 

it can only be cured by 1 day of work program 

compliance for the first violation, 10 days of program 

compliance for the second violation, and 30 days of

program compliance for the third and all subsequent 

violations. 

Baltimore’s full-family sanction along with other 

efforts have helped the city’s TANF program succeed 

over the past few years. For example, in July 2006, 

the caseload of persons receiving temporary cash 

assistance and who were mandated to work was 

4,995, the lowest since the inception of the TANF

program. Also impressive is Baltimore’s improvement 

in their work participation rate, from a low of 5 percent

in January 2004 to 23.4 percent by July 2006. In

addition, the average number of people receiving 

TANF benefits each month in Baltimore has declined 

by more than 25 percent in recent years, from a

monthly average of 47,873 in 2000 to 35,680 in 2005.

Success Story 

Several years ago, after a visit from Turner 

Government Operations (TGO), a consultant for

the Urban Partnerships, Baltimore implemented a 

universal engagement program for all work-eligible 

TANF recipients from the day they submit their 

applications. Prior to this, Baltimore focused on a 

City Profile

Baltimore
9

24-month program, where people received cash for 

24 months and were not required to participate in 

work activities or search for jobs until the end of the 

24-month period. Universal engagement, which is the 

first part in Baltimore’s 3-step strategy to improve its

work participation rate, now requires every applicant 

to become engaged in work activities from the first 

day they apply for assistance. Baltimore implemented 

this program because their goal is to be at 50 percent

workforce participation by October 2007. 

Program Impact

Due to universal engagement, more than 98 percent 

of recipients in Baltimore currently are engaged in 

work activities, which is an increase of 45 to 50

percentage points from the level before Baltimore met 

with TGO.

Looking to the Future

In the future, Baltimore plans to implement a work 

program for pregnant women, an idea they received 

from Seattle’s Urban Partnership team. Baltimore 

will implement the program in partnership with the 

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and 

the Baltimore City Head Start Program. Baltimore also 

is actively searching for partners who can provide 

employment services to its disabled population. 

Contact Information

Tracey Paliath

Assistant Director

Baltimore City Department of Social Services

1510 Guilford Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21202

443–423–4300

tpaliath@dhr.state.md.us

After participating in the Urban Partnerships for several

years, Baltimore has this advice for getting the most out of

an Urban Academy:

•	 When attending the Academies or other events, be

open and honest about what is working and what is not

working. You have to be willing to let other people help

you solve problems.

•	 Recruit people beyond your TANF office to join your

Partnership team. In January 2004, Baltimore asked

representatives from State agencies to join their team

because State support is critical to the City’s success.

For example, the State controls all of the data systems

needed to operate and improve Baltimore’s work program,

and only the State can make changes to the system.

•	 Bring staff to the Urban Academies from throughout your

organization so everyone can get a feeling for the big

picture. In particular, Baltimore has brought field office

staff with them because they actually implement the

welfare-to-work program and interact with customers. 

LessonsLearned

“ While you can learn a lot from the 

other people when attending the 

Urban Academies, and from the 

Urban Partnerships in general, let 

other members of the Partnerships 

also remind you of what you are 

doing right because it’s easy to get 

bogged down in the day-to-day 

details and always focus on what 

you’re doing wrong. This attitude 

has helped us realize a 30-percent 

caseload reduction since joining 

the Urban Partnerships.”

Tracey Paliath

Baltimore City Department of Social Services
10

City Background Information

TANF services in Boston are delivered at the 

Commonwealth level via the Massachusetts Department 

of Transitional Assistance’s (DTA) Temporary Assistance 

to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) program. 

Suffolk County (Boston) is home to approximately 

20 percent of the State’s TANF caseload and, as with 

many other urban areas, trends in caseload and work 

participation are very similar in Boston and the entire 

State. The maximum TANF grant available to families 

equals approximately 50 percent of the Federal Poverty

Level (FPL), and the standard for case closure for 

earnings is 82 percent of FPL. 

Success Story 

The Boston city team joined the Urban Partnerships 

Initiative with a firm commitment to improving 

collaboration and systems integration. This 

commitment is evidenced in their success around 

reducing the food stamp error rate – without increasing 

staff at the TAFDC case manager level. 

Boston has also made improvements in their 

contracting process by moving to a performance 

based system that is fully cognizant of the program 

realities mandated by the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA). 

For example, Boston has embraced the universal 

engagement model and changed contracts to require 

vendors to provide screening, assessment, and 

program services to formerly exempt populations (e.g. 

individuals with disabilities).

City Profile

Boston
11

Program Impact

•	 In addition to the significant change in moving

toward a universal engagement model, Boston has 

had to learn a new way of doing business after 

time spent under a Federal waiver. This change to 

understanding that all program participants are 

included in Federal work rates has been a paradigm 

shift for the city. 

•	 Related to these changes, Boston continually

reviews their TANF caseload for accuracy of 

participation data and “lives the idea” that all 

participants can be engaged in meaningful work 

activities. This idea is supported at all levels 

through staff training, service design, program 

requirements, and a constant feedback loop.

Looking to the Future

As Boston grapples with transitioning out of wavier 

status and faces the new requirements associated 

with the DRA, they are committed to developing and 

implementing a management information system 

(MIS) that allows them to capture and report highquality, verifiable data. This will support them in 

increasing countable work hours and establishing 

appropriate work activities.

Contact Information

Yasmin Otero

Regional Director

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Department of Transitional Assistance

600 Washington St., 4th Floor

Boston, MA 02111

617-348-5725

yasmin.otero@state.ma.us

Boston offers the following as important lessons learned

from their experiences:

•	 Performance based contracting is an important tool

for ensuring vendor services are aligned with agency

directions.

•	 A streamlined sanction process improves customer

service and supports improved data reporting with 

respect to the Federal work participation rate.

•	 Industry-based skills training is critical to developing a

stable workforce.

LessonsLearned

“ The Urban Partnerships Initiative 

has helped to clarify and illustrate 

our goals and objectives. We have 

been able to connect with our 

partners, find commonality among 

the participants, and learn some 

valuable new ideas.”

Yasmin Otero

Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance
12

City Background Information

In the Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW) area, the State of 

Texas Health and Human Services Commission 

is responsible for eligibility determination for 

TANF programs. Employment programs, however, 

are delivered locally by two separate workforce 

development boards: WorkSource for Dallas County 

and Workforce Solutions of Tarrant County. The 

population receiving TANF benefits has decreased 

over the years in the DFW area and local agencies are 

now working with the hardest-to-serve clients, many 

of which are child-only cases. 

Success Story 

The staff in the DFW area responsible for TANF 

programs have had tremendous success with their 

Business Access Distance Learning Project, which 

originated in Dallas County under welfare-towork funding. The County designed the program 

as a retention project for welfare recipients who 

had accepted entry-level employment and offered 

participants an in-home computer so that they could 

access additional training from home, without afterhours daycare and travel expenses. Once participants 

complete their assigned curriculum, they earn 

ownership of the computer equipment. 

So far, Dallas County has enrolled more than 

3,000 participants using a variety of funding sources,

including a National Emergency Grant for Katrina

evacuees, Welfare-to-Work funding for welfare 

recipients meeting certain criteria, and funding from 

the Workforce Investment Act for Youth. 

The Business Access program offers training on 

numerous subjects, including basic accounting 

and banking; basic computer literacy, business 

Dallas-Fort Worth

City Profile
13

communication, an introduction to healthcare, and 

sales. Participants also can access remedial assistance 

in various subjects, including English as a second 

language and job search skills.

The staff that administer the Business Access program 

in Dallas have established relationships with various 

area employers to train participants for specific job 

openings. These companies include Microsoft, Neiman 

Marcus, Texas Instruments, and the Raytheon Company.

Program Impact

The program has had a significant impact on the 

participants’ lives in the DFW area. For example, 

86 percent of the TANF participants who have 

received training through the program are no longer 

receiving TANF benefits. Due to its success in Dallas 

County, the project has been expanded into other 

areas of Texas. In total, the State of Texas has 

1,453 participants.

Looking to the Future

Dallas’ goal for the future is to provide universal 

access to its Business Access program and distance 

learning opportunities. Dallas also would like to 

continue improving its programs for recipients with 

multiple barriers and re-focus its goals toward serving 

the disabled population.

Contact Information

Amy Cuellar

Lead Program Manager

Office of Eligibility Services

Health and Human Services Commission

909 W. 45th Street

Building 2, 9926

Austin, TX 78751

512–206–4539

amy.cuellar@hhsc.state.tx.us

Since 2005, the DFW area has faced numerous challenges, as 

evacuees from Hurricane Katrina have sought employment

and housing services in the region. Even faced with this 

challenge, DFW has continued to reach out to those in need 

through the Business Access Distance Learning Project. The

project has been a success because it relies on the following

principles to help move clients toward self-sufficiency:

•	 Communication is key.

•	 Change management is necessary to adapt to new

challenges and embrace new opportunities.

•	 Coordination with partner agencies is absolutely necessary.

•	 Networking can be eye-opening and offer new insights

and lessons.

•	 Flexibility enables staff to reach out to those people

who they have not reached out to before.

LessonsLearned

“ I have been off welfare for about 

5 months now with no intention of 

getting back on public assistance. 

I would like to open my own 

daycare. The [Business Access] 

computer is a big inspiration in 

my life as well as my home.”

Recent Participant

Business Access Distance Learning Project10

10 Source: http://www.business-access.com/learning/user_feedback.asp
14

City Background Information

The Michigan Department of Human Services (DHS) is 

the State agency responsible for administering TANF 

programs. Under the directive of DHS, the Wayne 

County Department of Human Services is charged with 

overseeing the TANF operations for Wayne County, 

which includes Detroit. As of July 2006, Wayne 

County had 34,947 Family Independence Program

cases, 165,663 food assistance cases, 246,490 medical

assistance cases, and 19,403 child day care cases.

Success Story 

The Work First program has been Detroit’s most successful 

welfare reform initiative and instrumental in getting 

thousands of Detroit residents off welfare. The Work First 

program helps TANF recipients, non-custodial parents, 

and recipients of non-cash assistance with support, such 

as child day care, Medicaid, and food stamps, establish 

and maintain a connection to the labor market.

In collaboration with DHS, the Michigan Department 

of Labor and Economic Growth administers Work First.

Funding for Work First is allocated to 25 Michigan

Works! agencies that contract with local organizations 

to deliver services. 

In Detroit, the Detroit Workforce Development 

Department (DWDD), a Michigan Works! Agency, 

administers the Work First program. DWDD uses its 

funds to provide job search services, education and 

training programs, and employment-related supportive 

services, such as transportation allowances, uniforms, 

tools, and automobile repairs. Participants enter the 

program after being referred by the Wayne County 

Department of Human Services.

With the assistance of the Urban Partnerships, multiple 

agencies across the Detroit region were involved in 

team meetings to address and resolve barriers faced by 

TANF recipients. Team partners included representatives 

City Profile

Detroit 
15

from the following agencies: Wayne County 

Department of Human Services, Detroit Workforce 

Development Department, Michigan Department of 

Labor and Economic Growth, Michigan Department

of Human Services, Detroit Regional Chamber, City of 

Detroit Department of Human Services, and the Detroit 

Housing Commission. This partnership approach created 

opportunities to discuss effective ways to introduce and 

improve services that each agency provides to Detroit 

TANF recipients.

Program Impact

The partnership formed between the Detroit TANF 

program and local community partners has helped 

enhance service delivery. Specifically, Detroit has 

started to implement a pilot Jobs, Education, and 

Training (JET) program (see below), which has enabled 

the City to join with community colleges and faithand community-based organizations. In addition, 

Detroit has successfully worked with several partners 

to increase systemwide accountability and upfront 

client engagement. Through these strategies, Detroit 

has increased job placement and retention among its 

TANF population.

Looking to the Future

Michigan’s newest welfare reform initiative is the JET 

program, which will replace the Work First program. 

So far, Michigan has run pilot JET programs at four 

sites, including a district office in city of Detroit. 

The JET program provides a blended approach to 

helping welfare recipients become self-sufficient and 

permanently attached to the labor force. This approach 

is based on the workforce needs of Michigan’s current 

emerging economy. The components of the JET 

program include:

•	 A joint and coordinated planning process to ensure

that participant needs are met using all available 

Federal, State, and community resources. 

•	 A comprehensive intake process and orientation to

help determine the readiness of FIP applicants and 

recipients to effectively engage in employment and 

training services. 

•	 Individual family self-sufficiency plans that

describe explicit steps for each family and 

case manager(s), and expected time frames for 

completion of these actions. 

•	 Post-employment support for a minimum of 180

days after initial placement. 

Contact Information

Deborah Watson 

Manager I

Detroit Workforce Development Department

A Michigan Works! Agency

707 W. Milwaukee Avenue

Detroit, MI 48202

313–664–2202

dwatson@detroitmi.gov

Staff from the various State and local agencies in Michigan 

has attended several Urban Academies, each of which proved

extremely valuable by:

•	 Providing technical assistance to help the city develop a

plan to determine its needs. 

•	 Helping staff learn unique ways to maximize limited

resources. 

•	 Helping to bring new partners to the table.

•	 Giving staff the time to get to know each other and talk

about, brainstorm, and modify ideas.

LessonsLearned

“ Participating in the Urban 

Partnerships has helped us realize 

that Detroit’s problems are not 

unique, and that many other cities 

have overcome the same problems 

we face and are willing to help us 

solve our challenges.”

Deborah Watson

Detroit Workforce Development Department
16

City Background Information

In Minneapolis, the Hennepin County Human Services 

and Health Department administers TANF, including 

the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), 

the State’s welfare reform program for low-income 

families with children. 

Through MFIP and other initiatives, Hennepin County 

serves approximately 29 percent of Minnesota’s TANF 

cases. More than one-third of these participants are 

non-citizens or naturalized citizens. 

In recent years, TANF cases in Hennepin County 

have fluctuated, but now appear to be shrinking. 

From about 2000 to 2003, total unduplicated TANF

cases went from 20,290 to 21,452. Since then,

however, these numbers have declined, with just 

18,985 TANF cases reported in 2005.

The Federal work participation rate also has varied 

over the past several years in Hennepin County, from 

a high of 40.5 percent in 2002 down to 25.2 percent

in 2004. This decrease is due in large part to the loss 

of a Federal waiver that previously allowed Hennepin 

County to disregard exempt participants from 

inclusion in the participation rates.

Success Story 

Minnesota is responsible for introducing the highly 

successful Diversionary Work Program (DWP). 

Implemented in July 2004, DWP is a work-focused 

initiative that enables families to meet employment 

goals quickly through a short-term, intensive effort. 

The purpose of DWP is to move people immediately 

to work, thereby diverting families away from ever 

enrolling in MFIP. 

For families participating in DWP, all adults in the 

family are considered jobseekers and must focus on 

obtaining immediate employment. Before families 

receive any benefits, jobseekers must work with 

counselors to develop employment plans that focus 

City Profile

Minneapolis
17

on employment skills, strengths, and barriers. If 

a jobseeker does not meet DWP requirements, the 

family will be disqualified through a 100-percent 

sanction and may return to the program only after 

complying with all requirements.

Families can participate in DWP for 4 consecutive 

months in a 12-month period. These 4 months do not 

count toward the 60-month lifetime assistance limit. 

During the 4-month period, families receive limited 

cash benefits based on need. Even after Hennepin 

County has approved a family to participate in DWP 

and a jobseeker begins working, DWP cash benefits 

remain unchanged during the DWP period. Families 

also may receive other services, such as health care, 

child care, transportation, and food.

Program Impact

Since its implementation, Hennepin County’s DWP 

has had numerous positive impacts:

•	 From July 2004 when DWP was implemented

through December 2005, the average employment

rate was nearly 42 percent and the average wage 

rate was $10.26 per hour. 

•	 After 4 months, more than 26 percent of DWP

recipients are ineligible for continued cash assistance 

due to their increased income, and more than 

42 percent do not go onto MFIP in the month 

following the end of DWP. 

•	 Through this Diversion Program, Hennepin County

solidified partnerships with other agencies and 

programs, including those that control child 

support collection, child care, employment services, 

and income maintenance programs. 

Looking to the Future

In the future, Hennepin County plans to study the 

effect of DWP on MFIP participation rates, implement 

longitudinal studies to evaluate the success of DWP, 

and evaluate what engagement strategies from DWP 

can be used in MFIP to help document formalized 

activities and meet the Federal participation rate.

Contact Information

Joe Gaspard

Human Services Area Manager/Eligibility and 

Work Supports

Hennepin County Human Services and 

Public Health Department

Century Plaza

330 South 12th Street

Minneapolis, MN 55404

612–348–8188

joseph.gaspard@co.hennepin.mn.us

Through their experience implementing DWP, Hennepin 

County has the following insight to offer to cities who want

to implement a similar program:

•	 DWP works very well when you need to engage

participants quickly.

•	 DWP is especially effective for individuals who have

suffered a recent job loss.

•	 For many clients, the diversion payment can help reduce

barriers to employment and provide the foundation to

foster and maintain employment.

LessonsLearned

“ Hennepin County has benefited 

immensely from the Urban 

Academy, and we hope that other 

Academy members and cities have 

learned from some of the successes 

that Hennepin County has shared 

and will continue to share at 

Urban Academy events.”

Lee Berger

 Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department
18

City Background Information

In Oakland, CA, the California Department of Social 

Services supervises and the Alameda County Social 

Services Agency administers the California Work 

Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)

program, California’s version of TANF. The State sets 

overall policies, makes rules, determines eligibility 

criteria, and sets benefit levels. State agencies 

also monitor local practices and provide technical 

assistance to counties to ensure State policies are 

followed. Within these parameters, counties have 

varying amounts of administrative flexibility. 

Success Story 

The Urban Partnerships Initiative’s focus on tracking 

performance management provided Alameda County 

with new insights to solve a pressing problem in a 

related area—child welfare. In 2003, the Alameda

County Social Services Agency developed and 

implemented an award-winning automated voice 

response system after realizing that the agency had 

overpaid its foster care providers by millions of 

dollars. This error was largely due to the inability of 

the agency to accurately track payments. The agency 

also had difficulty recovering funds when they 

discovered overpayments. 

Working directly with their telephone and computer 

vendors, Alameda County developed the new foster 

care tracking system, which requires case workers 

to report any change in the placement of a child via 

telephone. In addition, foster care providers must use 

either the telephone tracking system or the related 

web site option to report on each child’s status during 

the prior month before the agency will issue any 

payments. 

City Profile

Oakland
19

This system enables caseworkers and care providers 

to file reports about changes in the placement of 

children anytime, day or night. After reports are filed, 

the system activates the changes and automatically 

issues payments that are accurate and timely. Costing 

just $157,000 to develop and implement, Oakland’s

automated voice response system can be easily 

replicated, is inexpensive, and helps reduce fraud.

Program Impact

In 2005, Oakland’s automated voice response system

was a winner of the California State Association of 

Counties Award because of the system’s outstanding 

impact. For example, 

•	 The system saved Oakland $1.7 million in

overpayments in the first 2 years.

•	 In 2001, the monthly high was $242,000 in

overpayments. In May 2005, the monthly

overpayment was just $7,500.

•	 The system saved thousands of dollars in

administrative costs because it has kept Alameda 

County from needing to hire additional staff to deal 

with the overpayment problem.

Looking to the Future

Oakland also implements a similar voice-activated 

system with a web-interface system to help administer 

its Workforce and Benefits Administration programs. 

Through this system, callers are able to determine the 

status of their benefits, aid, and payroll. Oakland also 

is looking into other uses of the current system and 

ways to enhance its capabilities.

Contact Information

Don R. Edwards

Assistant Agency Director

Agency Alameda County Social Services Agency

2000 San Pablo Avenue

Oakland, CA 94612

510–763–6898

don.edwards@acgov.org

While developing and implementing its voice response 

system, Oakland learned two important lessons:

•	 Look at your current technology to see what you can

do with it. Oakland was able to develop a relatively

inexpensive, but highly effective system by examining

the technologies already available, and integrating

them into a new system. This helped Oakland avoid

purchasing entirely new equipment and technology,

saving thousands of dollars.

•	 Don’t be afraid to apply private sector technologies at

public agencies. By identifying what was being done in

the private sector, Oakland was inspired to develop its 

phone system. They learned that technologies used in

the private sector are not necessarily too expensive or

complex for use by public agencies.

LessonsLearned

“ In the past, Oakland’s payments 

were often slow and inaccurate. 

With the automated voice system, 

foster care parents can spend less 

time worrying about when their 

payment is coming, and more time 

caring for the county’s children 

who so desperately need their love 

and affection.”

Don R. Edwards

Alameda County Social Services Agency
20

City Background Information

The City of Omaha accounts for more than 50 percent

of the TANF cases in Nebraska. This caseload is served 

through Omaha’s Employment First program. The 

goal of Employment First is to provide temporary, 

transitional support for Nebraska families so that the 

provision of training, education, and employment 

preparation will assist the families in attaining their 

maximum level of economic independence possible.

With this mission, Omaha is dedicated to improving 

the standard of living and quality of life for every 

family that turns to public assistance. Omaha 

accomplishes this by promoting personal 

responsibility and empowering parents to support 

their families.

Over the past 10 years, Omaha’s historic caseload 

has declined from a high in 1996 of 6,912 families, 

to 4,672 families in 2007. Similarly, the State’s work 

participation rates have risen, from just over 28 

percent in 2002 to nearly 33 percent in 2005. The

2006 targeted work participation rate is 32 percent.

Success Story 

After attending an Urban Partnerships Academy 

several years ago, Omaha, with support from the 

United Way, developed a program to ensure that 

families involved in the Employment First program 

were receiving their Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). 

Prior to implementing the program, the tax credit 

money was previously sitting untouched, and families 

were not receiving the money they deserved. 

To implement the EITC program, Omaha formed 

a coalition with various organizations, including 

the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, local chambers 

of commerce, Goodwill Industries, and others, to

disseminate information to targeted areas regarding 

City Profile

Omaha
21

the EITC. This was done through a marketing program 

in which the coalition partners came together to 

publish articles in local newspapers and advertise the 

program on local cable access television. In addition, 

United Way distributed packets in January 2004 to 

targeted areas on child care tax credits and advanced 

EITC. The Omaha Chamber of Commerce also created 

a link on its website to EITC information. 

After implementing the Omaha program, staff in 

Omaha’s central office brought together a committee 

on EITC to spread the program throughout Nebraska. 

Program Impact

Since its inception, the EITC program has had an 

enormous impact in Nebraska. For example, in 2002, 

there was an increase of 13 percent, or more than

$6.2 million, in the amount of money claimed under 

the tax credit in Omaha over the previous year, before 

the campaign was started. The specific number of 

households affected is unknown.

Looking to the Future

In the future, Employment First participants will be 

engaged in a countable work activity within the first 

30 days after the initiation of the intake process.

Other facets on the horizon for Omaha include the 

reengagement of sanctioned participants within 30 to

45 days; total engagement of all TANF participants

including two-parent families and exempt participants; 

and continuous monitoring and tracking to quickly 

move participants after 6 weeks of job searching or job 

readiness training to other countable activities.

Contact Information

Dianne Stewart

Administrator I

Nebraska Health & Human Services

1215 South 42 Street

Omaha, NE 68105

402–595–3780

dianne.stewart@hhss.ne.gov

Omaha has found participation in the Urban Academy to

be valuable in numerous ways. For example, the Urban

Academy has:

•	 Helped Omaha learn to better manage contracts, and

each service area now reports the same statistics to the 

central office on a monthly basis. This enables Omaha to

compare the service areas and provides a starting point 

for evaluating programs.

•	 Afforded staff an opportunity to share and gain

knowledge of innovative approaches to engaging 

participants in countable work participation activities.

•	 Enabled Omaha and other citiesto learn about best practices

and choose the most applicable ones to bring home.

LessonsLearned

“ Omaha’s EITC program has led 

to numerous stories of hope and 

encouragement. In particular 

is the married couple with four 

children, who used their EITC of 

approximately $3,000 in 2005 to 

buy a family van, which enabled 

the mother to seek employment 

and allowed the family to come 

off TANF.”

Dianne Stewart

Nebraska Health & Human Services
22

City Background Information

In Washington State, the Department of Social and 

Health Services (DSHS) is responsible for issuing 

TANF benefits, case management, and social services. 

The responsibility for administering the State’s 

welfare-to-work program, known as WorkFirst, is 

in the hands of a joint partnership between several 

State agencies, local employers, tribal governments, 

workforce development councils, and community 

organizations. Implementation and coordination 

of the WorkFirst program is handled at the local 

level by 32 local planning areas (LPAs), 3 of which

cover the City of Seattle. The LPAs are comprised 

of representatives from State and local agencies, 

community and technical colleges, nonprofit 

organizations, tribes, and contractors.

Until recently, Washington State did not track its 

workforce participation rates at the local level. It 

did, however, keep historic caseload data and trends 

for Seattle and surrounding King County. These data

show that the WorkFirst program has been a success 

in the region over the past several years, as caseloads 

have dropped from a high of 8,374 cases in October

2005 to 7,319 cases in June 2006, a reduction of more

than 12 percent in less than a year. 

Success Story 

Several years ago, Seattle started the Food Stamp 

Employment & Training (FSET) pilot program, after 

receiving related technical assistance funded by the 

Urban Partnerships. The FSET project is a partnership 

of community organizations and colleges that use 

private grants, State and city funds, and partner 

revenues in an innovative way to draw matching 

Federal monies. For the pilot project, Seattle used 

these funds to expand job search, employment 

training, and job placement services to recipients of 

City Profile

Seattle 
23

Food Stamps living in White Center, an economically 

depressed community in Seattle that faces high 

unemployment and few coordinated resources. 

Program Impact

Currently in its fourth quarter of operation, the 

pilot project has led to a consistent increase in 

workforce participation levels in White Center. To 

date (July 2007), more than 1,507 people have

received services that they would not have been 

eligible for without the FSET project. In addition, 

South Seattle Community College has seen an 

increase in the numbers of Food Stamp recipients 

enrolled in vocational training and adult basic 

education classes. The Seattle Jobs Initiative, the 

Port Jobs organization, Goodwill, and YWCA also

have continued to increase enrollments in their job 

readiness training classes.

The FSET program has enabled more than 299 

participants to be placed into jobs through July 

2007. In February 2006, a program audit found that 

the pilot also had increased referrals for Basic Food 

benefits to DSHS as a result of coordinated outreach 

efforts. More food benefit referrals means that the 

FSET program is extending the safety net available 

to working families, while simultaneously providing 

services to help families achieve self-sufficiency. 

Looking to the Future

While Seattle has accomplished a lot in recent years, 

there is still work to be done. Some of Seattle’s 

upcoming efforts include:

•	 Expanding the FSET program to serve a broader

population in King County and across the State.

•	 Continued implementation of the State’s redesigned

WorkFirst program, including implementation of a 

comprehensive evaluation process.

•	 Overcoming the challenge of engaging the harderto-employ populations in Seattle. 

Contact Information

Rick Krauss

WorkFirst Program Coordinator

Washington Department of Social and Health Services, 

Community Service Division, Region 4 Office

400 Mercer Street, Suite 600 

Seattle, WA 98109

206–272–2160

krausr@dshs.wa.gov

Seattle, which has received much value from their 

participation in the Urban Partnerships, offers the following

advice for other cities:

•	 Participate in the Urban Partnerships with an open mind.

•	 Creative approaches that include public-private

partnerships, such as the FSET project, can be very

successful at resolving poverty issues and lack of access

to employment opportunities in vulnerable communities.

•	 Joining the Urban Partnerships gives representatives

from your organization a chance to think outside the

box and meet face-to-face with representatives from

other cities who are solving similar problems.

LessonsLearned

“ Seattle’s FSET program has helped 

many people. One young man, 

for example, enrolled in training 

provided by the program shortly 

after being released from prison. 

This training led to two job offers 

with proposed starting wages of 

more than $13 per hour.”

	 Rick Krauss

Washington Department of Social and Health Services
24

City Background Information

In Missouri, the employment and training component 

of the TANF program is administered by the Missouri 

Division of Workforce Development, per executive 

order of the Governor in 2003. The Missouri

Department of Social Services’ Family Support 

Division, however, retains the role of the State 

TANF agency, and therefore continues to determine 

eligibility and make initial decisions on whether or 

not an individual is a mandatory work participant 

according to the Federal and State TANF laws. 

In St. Louis, the local workforce investment board, known 

as the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment 

(SLATE), is responsible for administering the TANF 

program for the City through a contractual agreement 

with the Missouri Division of Workforce Development. 

In St. Louis, the total number cases and recipients 

have declined in recent years. In 2001, St. Louis had 

a total of 16,980 cases and 49,983 recipients. By

2005, these numbers had gone down to 12,668 cases

and 33,376 cases, a reduction of 25 percent and

33 percent, respectively.

Success Story 

In fiscal year 2005, TANF recipients and other lowincome individuals began participating in a new pilot 

initiative called the Career Pathway Life Sciences 

program. Designed by Better Family Life, Inc. (BFL) 

and the Metropolitan Education and Training Center, 

in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 

the program offers an innovative approach to creating 

educational “stepping stones” for the advancement of 

workers and job seekers, including those with basic skills 

deficiencies, to provide a qualified workforce to local 

employers. Participants in the program receive training 

for entry-level careers in the life sciences, including 

biotechnology, biomedical devices, pharmaceuticals, 

health care, and food and beverage industries.

City Profile

St. Louis 
25

The program offers four training cycles annually. The 

class sizes are reasonably small to assure participants 

receive the individual attention necessary to be 

successful. Through St. Louis Community College/BFL, 

the program integrates targeted technical, academic, 

and experiential training, focused career mapping/

planning, retention and advancement support as well 

as life skill development, thereby ensuring that both 

employer needs and workforce issues are appropriately 

addressed for the professional development of the 

students and the growth of the industry. 

Program Impact

A pilot of the Career Pathway Life Sciences program 

was successfully completed over a 2-year period. More 

than three-quarters of the participants in the pilot 

graduated, and more than half of the graduates found 

jobs almost immediately. The participants who went on 

to entry-level positions are expected to make anywhere 

from $25,000 to $30,000. Of the participants who did

not pursue immediate employment, several decided, 

instead, to continue on to college to pursue degrees in 

the life sciences. 

Another great success for the program has been the 

ability to leverage dollars and create new partnerships 

and collaborations. For example, the Missouri Division 

of Workforce Development contributed over $100,000 

to the program, while the East-West Gateway Council

of Governments has provided transportation services

with a value of more than $300,000. In addition, the

Workforce Strategy Center, a national consulting firm, 

provided technical assistance to develop the career 

pathway ladder to sustainable employment. Finally, 

the Annie E. Casey Foundation has acted as a primary 

sponsor of the program and has provided funding and 

numerous other supportive programs. 

Looking to the Future

As St. Louis looks to the future, officials would like 

to adopt a diversionary strategy similar to that being 

implemented in Minneapolis. St. Louis also is moving 

toward policy changes that will enable them to 

implement more innovative strategies. Officials also 

would like to move to a full-family sanction.

Contact Information

Mary Bell

TANF Liaison

St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment

1017 Olive Street

St Louis, MO 63101

314–552–7656

mbell@stlworks.com 

Through their participation in the Urban Partnerships,

officials in St. Louis have learned the following lessons:

•	 The Partnership has given St. Louis the ability to look

at new and improved ways to reach out to people and

increase workforce participation rates.

•	 The Partnership enables St. Louis to draw upon other

proven strategies.

•	 After an Academy, the St. Louis team was able to go

back and make changes to the TANF Training and

Employment program.

•	 St. Louis has appreciated the technical assistance from

HHS and learning from HHS about the changes that will

be coming under reauthorization.

LessonsLearned

“ I had never been a fan of math 

and science, but the program made 

science or biotechnology more userfriendly. It gave me the opportunity 

for a type of employment that I had 

never considered.”

 T’Lisa Muhammad

Participant in the Career Pathway Life Sciences program.11

11 Pathway to success in life sciences,” Meliqueica Meadows, The St. Louis American, 10/5/05, www.workforcestrategy.org/inthenews/

st_louis_american_10.5.05.pdf
26

As Urban Partners, the participants have been change 

agents in their home cities. Over the course of their 

participation in this Initiative, great progress has 

been made in serving TANF families and supporting 

their journey to self-sufficiency. Urban Partnerships’ 

Academies foster the peer-to-peer methodology of the 

Initiative and support TANF stakeholders in large 

urban centers from around the country. The following 

include key lessons learned that have helped advance 

the Urban Partnerships cities implement innovative, 

successful work-first TANF programs. 

•	 Institute change at all levels – empower staff 

to implement new programs. Moving in new 

directions can be challenging. It is critical to clearly 

articulate programmatic directions and empower 

staff with the training, skills, and information 

necessary to effectively carry out the agency vision. 

•	 Promote universal engagement and develop 

programs and policies that support staff to do 

the same. The Urban Partners recognize that all 

recipients have the capacity to work in a rewarding 

and meaningful placement. Universal engagement 

at the front end operationalizes this commitment. 

Ten Cities,

Ten Lessons 
27

•	 Innovate, innovate, innovate. Don’t be afraid 

to try new things in response to the needs of 

your city. The DRA provides a great opportunity 

to change policies to enhance your program’s 

ability to serve recipients. Taking risks can lead 

to positive, identifiable changes.

•	 Embrace partnerships; bring new partners 

to the table; avoid turf wars. Remember that 

anyone can be a potential partner to help support 

families in the path to job attainment and 

retention. Keep the common goal in mind.

•	 Meet recipients where they are. Collaborate 

with your vendors to learn about recipient 

needs and develop programs that meet them.

Even the most well-planned and articulated 

strategies will fail if they are not targeted to the 

needs of your population. 

•	 There is always something more to do. The 

work is never done and it is important to 

maintain your momentum. Collaborate together 

to meet the changing needs of your caseload. 

Initiate new programs to better serve families. 

•	 Respect the cultural diversity of your clientele 

and empower them to make positive change 

in their own lives. A well-organized business 

process can help meet diverse needs in a timely 

and efficient manner.

•	Hold contractors accountable for high standards 

and outcomes. Don’t be afraid to cut ties with 

groups who do not meet performance measures.

•	 Draw on the resources of your community to 

provide stabilizing services to families. Use the 

EITC and partner with your employers for the 

benefit of recipients. The EITC and other tax 

credits make work more attractive than welfare 

and can help families move above the poverty 

line to reduce intergenerational poverty.

•	 Always remember that your families are very 

often involved in more than one system. If you 

can’t work successfully across agency boundaries, 

how do you expect recipients to navigate the 

system? Streamline your assessment process 

and utilize a “no wrong door” strategy to help 

recipients access all appropriate benefits. 

•	 Keep your eye on the prize. Remember that you 

are trying to support people in finding stable 

employment opportunities. Wraparound services 

can help support employed recipients and reduce 

the risk of recidivism and foster economic 

stability. 

The Urban Partnerships Initiative has been built 

upon successful communication and collaboration 

from large urban centers around the country. 

Through such projects like the Urban Partnerships 

Initiative, ACF is committed to supporting the work 

of stakeholders around the country to improve 

outcomes for children and families. 
28

For Additional 

Information 

Atlanta:

William Cook

Program Director

Fulton County Department of Family and Children Services

1249 D.L. Hollowell Parkway

Atlanta, GA 30318

404–206–5660

wpcook@dhr.state.ga.us

Baltimore:

Tracey Paliath

Assistant Director

Baltimore City Department of Social Services

1510 Guilford Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21202

443–423–4300

tpaliath@dhr.state.md.us

Boston:

Yasmin Otero

Regional Director

Department of Transitional Assistance

600 Washington Street

Boston, MA 02111

617–348–8450

yasmin.otero@state.ma.us 

Dallas-Fort Worth:

Amy Cuellar

Lead Program Manager

Office of Eligibility Services, 

Health and Human Services Commission

909 W. 45th Street

Building 2, 9926

Austin, TX 78751

512–206–4539

amy.cuellar@hhsc.state.tx.us 

Detroit:

Deborah Watson 

Manager I

Detroit Workforce Development Department

A Michigan Works! Agency

707 W. Milwaukee Avenue

Detroit, MI 48202

313–664–2202

dwatson@detroitmi.gov

Minneapolis:

Joe Gaspard

Human Services Area Manager/Eligibility and

Work Supports

Hennepin County Human Services and

Public Health Department

Century Plaza

330 South 12th Street

Minneapolis, MN 55404

612–348–8188

joseph.gaspard@co.hennepin.mn.us

Oakland:

Don R. Edwards

Assistant Agency Director

Agency Alameda County Social Services Agency

2000 San Pablo Avenue

Oakland, CA 94612

510–763–6898

don.edwards@acgov.org 

Omaha:

Dianne Stewart

Administrator I

Nebraska Health & Human Services

1215 South 42 Street

Omaha, NE 68105

402–595–3780

dianne.stewart@hhss.ne.gov 

Seattle:

Rick Krauss

WorkFirst Program Coordinator

Washington Department of Social and Health Services, 

Community Service Division Region 4 Office

400 Mercer Street 

Suite 600 

Seattle, WA 98109

206–272–2160

krausr@dshs.wa.gov 

St. Louis:

Mary Bell

TANF Liaison

St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE)

1017 Olive Street

St Louis, MO 63101

314–552–7656

mbell@stlworks.com 

U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services:

Al Maurice Fleming

Senior Program Specialist

Division of State and Territory TANF Management

Office of Family Assistance

Administration for Children and Families

370 L’Enfant Promenade, SW

Fifth Floor East

Washington, DC 20447

202–401–4977

al.fleming@acf.hhs.gov
This document is a product of the Urban Partnerships 

Initiative and the U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services, Administration for Children 

and Families (ww.acf.hhs.gov), Office of Family 

Assistance under contract with Caliber, an ICF 

International Company, Contract No. 233-02-0094. 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Family Assistance

370 L’Enfant Promenade, SW

Washington, DC 20447

www.acf.hhs.gov