The Peer Training and Technical Assistance (PeerTA) project is administered by MEF Associates and their subcontractor, The Adjacent Possible, on behalf of the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). PeerTA sustains and broadens a peer-based network that builds upon the promising employment, economic security, and family well-being strategies administered by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs and partners. The intent of PeerTA is to expand the capacity of TANF and Tribal TANF agencies and their partners to best support families who receive services. By identifying and disseminating the most promising and emerging practices, PeerTA assists TANF programs to adopt innovative approaches that strengthen service delivery and improve outcomes.
PeerTA supports this goal in a variety of ways. First, PeerTA provides targeted technical assistance (TTA) to any TANF agency or partner who requests assistance. The team facilitates regular conversations with each requester, develops a customized TTA plan, oversees the implementation and delivery of TTA, and evaluates the assistance received. Second, PeerTA provides group-based TTA designed to engage learners in expert-guided intensive learning, which includes multiple meetings and activities over a longer timeframe, designed to encourage cross-agency collaboration and learning. Third, the PeerTA team also develops a suite of written and audiovisual products of interest to the PeerTA community, including podcasts, issue briefs, webinars, and reports.