This panel discussion will include representatives from the Massachusetts Departments of Public Health and Transisitonal Assistance (state TANF agency) and will focus on Massachusetts' experience implementing welfare reform. There are profound distinctions in the mandates of the two primary agencies involved in this collaboration: the Department of Transitional Assistance is responsible for administering the state's TANF program, incorporating both federal and state laws and guidelines; the Department of Public Health seeks to provide all residents with the programs and services necessary to promote the health of families and communities. Presenters will discuss the concerns and issues which prompted them to establish a collaboration which supports welfare reform while at the same time linking eligible families with critically needed health and human services. Discussion will focus on common concerns, areas of potential conflict between agency mandates and their resolution and how the agencies are collaboratively addressing these challenges. The services of the home visiting program will be described with specific emphasis on transitional case management, the role of nurses and social workers, the assessement tool and severity levels. The challenges and conflicts with traditional case management services will be presented. Based on learnings from the collaboration and program services, there will be discussion about how the program's experience demonstrates that social, economic and cultural factors need to be included in discussions regarding the elimination of health disparities. There will be time for questions and answers and general discussion.
Learning Objectives: During this panel discussion participants will learn: 1. how mandates regarding welfare reform, maternal and child health factors influenced the need for interagency collaboration; 2. the ongoing process engaged in to develop a program model which incoporates the obligations and responsiblities of the two agencies (public health and welfare) to provide follow up, outreach and referral services to the client population (i.e., families whose TANF benefits are terminated due to time limit requirements); 3. about the complexities inherent in managing the relationship adminstratively and programmatically, potential areas of conflict, and expanding the collaboration to include related state agencies
Keywords: Welfare Reform, Home Visiting
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.