RICHMOND, VA ( 25de septiembre de 2025) - Tras un proceso de revisión federal altamente competitivo, la Commonwealth de Virginia fue seleccionado por el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de EE. UU. through its Administration for Children and Families (ACF) as one of just five states in the nation to lead the new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Pilot Program under the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023. 

El El piloto de seis años del Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) está diseñado para transformar la capacidad de servicios de TANF reestructurando los procesos existentes de gestión de casos en un enfoque coordinado de "un equipo, un plan, una puerta", alinear directamente con las prioridades federales de soluciones integradas y centradas en los participantes que eliminen compartimentos aislados, agilicen el acceso y generen resultados medibles en la movilidad económica familiar y la autosuficiencia.

Virginia’s TANF FRA Pilot will build on the VDSS’s ongoing Career Pathways Pilot, an initiative launched in 2024 with local departments of social services. The new effort will demonstrate how coordinated regional sector hubs, family-driven Personal Responsibility Plans, and industry-aligned, tuition-free training can accelerate families’ economic mobility and self-sufficiency — bringing together workforce boards, community colleges, local agencies and community partners to provide coordinated support.

“The Trump Administration is proud to partner with Governor Glenn Youngkin to pilot innovations that best serve families and lead to economic prosperity,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for ACF Andrew Gradison. “By blending career pathways, skills-based training and strong employer partnerships, Virginia is giving TANF participants real opportunities to achieve lasting independence. Outcomes from this ambitious pilot will be invaluable for other states hoping to replicate Virginia’s success.”

El proyecto piloto de Virginia abordará las barreras persistentes al avance familiar — integrando mentoría, coaching, cuidado infantil y apoyo al transporte, diseñados para garantizar que todas las familias tengan una oportunidad justa de movilidad económica y autosuficiencia.

“This initiative underscores our Commonwealth’s commitment to innovation in human services,” said Janet Kelly, secretaria de Salud y Recursos Humanos de Virginia. “By strengthening partnerships and addressing systemic barriers, Virginia is helping families thrive through meaningful work, stability and independence.”

Virginia aprovechará su Herramienta Benefits Cliff, ya empleada a través del Piloto de Trayectorias Profesionales, para ofrecer a las familias proyecciones claras y basadas en datos sobre cómo los cambios en el empleo pueden afectar sus beneficios. Los trabajadores sociales colaborarán estrechamente con los participantes de TANF para crear escenarios reales que empoderen a las familias para planear con confianza y tomar decisiones informadas a medida que avanzan en sus carreras. 

“Virginia is excited to be at the forefront of this national effort to reimagine how we can support families on their journey to self-sufficiency,” said El comisionado de VDSS, Kevin Erskine,. "Al alinear nuestro Piloto de Trayectorias Profesionales con el ambicioso diseño del Piloto TANF FRA, estamos construyendo un programa que ayuda a las familias a ir más allá de la asistencia temporal hacia empleos estables y bien remunerados y hacia una independencia económica duradera. Esto va más allá del trabajo de casos: se trata de empoderar a las familias con herramientas y confianza para moldear su futuro", agregó Erskine.

The TANF FRA Pilot begins October 1, 2025, with the first year devoted to program design finalization, establishing baseline performance measures, and negotiating targets. The program allows for up to five years for participating states to measure progress against these targets, with the goal of delivering stronger outcomes for TANF participants and their families. 

For more information about Virginia’s TANF program, visit dss.virginia.gov/benefit/tanf.

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Acerca del Virginia Department of Social Services

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), one of the Commonwealth’s largest government agencies, is comprised of approximately 2,000 state staff who proudly serve alongside more than 10,000 employees of 120 local departments of social services and community action agencies to deliver critical social services to Virginia’s most vulnerable citizens. VDSS is committed to ensuring Virginians have access to the high-quality human services and resources needed to enhance their individual and collective well-being, and shape strong futures for themselves, their families and communities. The agency provides a wide range of services and resources in the areas of food and energy assistance, foster care and adoption, child support, and abuse and neglect prevention, among others. For more information, visit dss.virginia.gov.