TANF recipients participating in the Transitional Community Jobs Program worked with staff at program intake to assess employment barriers and completed a drug test and basic education assessment. Those with substance use disorders were referred for substance use treatment before resuming the program. After intake, participants attended mandatory job-skills classes, which addressed work-appropriate soft skills. They also participated in weekly meetings with program staff to develop a plan to obtain employment and pursue opportunities identified by job developers.

Child support and workforce staff were co-located and communicated regularly to quickly connect noncustodial parents to employment services and to modify child support orders. These staff also worked closely with the court system to require noncustodial parents to participate in Parents to Work, review participation, and impose incentives and sanctions when appropriate.

New Hope participants who worked at least 30 hours per week could receive low-cost health insurance (if not provided through their employer) and child care subsidies (if they had a child younger than 13).

FTP was one of the demonstration projects made possible by Section 1115 waivers to the rules in effect at the time for the AFDC program. These Section 1115 waivers allowed states to test new approaches to advance the objectives of the AFDC program.