This study, conducted in 2000-01, investigated young mothers' experiences with the receipt of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), focusing on whether changes in the TANF application process for teen parents were needed, whether the TANF system inappropriately led to teen exits, and whether local welfare offices were effectively engaging teen parents in the TANF system. This report presents findings from Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago. Surveys of young mothers within each community found that teen mothers had trouble accessing and keeping TANF benefits, many teen parents were not staying on-track in school, and teen parents were not accessing assistance programs. Recommendations for the federal TANF reauthorization efforts include helping teen parents meet TANF requirements by providing a traditional compliance period and training local TANF office caseworkers as teen specialists; extending the focus on education to older teen parents by not starting the time-limit clock for teen parents participating in education or training; and increasing access to TANF and other assistance programs, particularly for needy teen parents, by requiring state plans to include outreach programs. (Contains 18 footnotes, 4 charts, and 2 tables.) (SM)