The Office
of Community Services (OCS) has released a new video shining a
light on the successes of the Whole Family Approach Pilot Project in Virginia.
The video highlights Hampton Roads Community
Action Program (HRCAP) and the impact the Whole Family Approach has had on
their clients. The video also features Erik Johnson, President and CEO of VACAP;
Matt Fitzgerald, Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity; and Kevin
Otey, Executive Director of HRCAP. The program is unique because it uses a
family coaching model providing support to adults and children alike to build a
strategy towards economic stability. The video features two families who have utilized
the program to make good decisions in their lives with the guidance of the coaches
and are now experiencing increased financial security.
The Whole Family Pilot Program
is a result of an initiative sponsored by The Office of Family Assistance (OFA)
and the Office of Community Services (OCS). Through the COVID and Safety Net
Innovation (CASI) TA initiative, several Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) agencies
in Virginia have a partnership with a federally funded state or local TANF
program received training and technical assistance to develop action plans that
focused on innovative and responsive strategies to support low-income families that
receive services from TANF and CSBG.