An Evaluation of Financial Empowerment Centers: Building People’s Financial Stability as a Public Service

Record Description
The Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund released the results of an evaluation of a three-year investment in free, one-on-one financial counseling to residents in five cities. This project was based on a model that originated in New York City, in which individuals in financial trouble receive personalized help from a professionally trained counselor through their local government. Bloomberg Philanthropies partnered with Denver, Lansing, Nashville, Philadelphia, and San Antonio to see how they could replicate this model. In each city, the local government implemented the model and contracted with a nonprofit partner to provide counseling services. Over 22,000 individuals received financial counseling, and they were able to achieve positive financial outcomes like opening bank accounts, reducing debt, improving credit, and establishing emergency savings. Each city also found sources of public funding to sustain the program beyond the Bloomberg Philanthropies grant.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-07-12T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://cfefund.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/FEC-Evaluation.pdf
Publication Date
2017-07-13
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

New Findings on Programs Designed to Help Prevent Adolescent Pregnancy

Record Description
Mathematica Policy Research issued three new briefs to document lessons learned from implementing the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP), which educates youth on abstinence and contraception. These briefs are part of a multi-component evaluation on PREP that Mathematica is conducting for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. One brief focuses on a teen pregnancy prevention program in rural Kentucky, another details a boys-only teen pregnancy prevention program in Iowa, and the third brief examines how California, Maine, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina developed infrastructure to support PREP programming. Each brief includes findings on how PREP implementation differed at each site.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2025-01-01T00:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.mathematica-mpr.com/news/new-findings-on-programs-designed-to-help-…
Publication Date
2017-05-25
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Rescheduled OFA Webinar: TANF and LIHEAP Coordination

Record Description

The Office of Family Assistance will host a webinar on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) coordination. In this facilitated webinar, presenters will provide an overview of the structure of the LIHEAP block grant and the flexibility afforded to states in its administration and opportunities for coordination with TANF. Presenters from the states of Michigan and Pennsylvania will also discuss examples of different approaches to LIHEAP coordination with TANF and other supplemental funding streams, to maximize the reach of energy assistance to families in need.

This webinar has been rescheduled. An email alert will be sent when a new date is confirmed.

Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-02-27T19:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2017-02-28

Supporting statewide implementation of evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs: Findings from four PREP grantees

Record Description

This report documents the implementation infrastructure of Personal Responsibility Education Program evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs in four states--California, Maine, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. Analysis of the programs implementation infrastructure showed that the four states differed in size; the role grantees took in supporting implementation, resources, and the settings in which the program operated. Despite that, states had similarities in how they:

  • worked with providers before and in the early stages of implementation;
  • formed a pool of qualified trainers to train program facilitators and provide ongoing technical assistance;
  • went beyond federal performance measures requirements; and
  • established communication and feedback loops to facilitate data gathering, data sharing, and identification of lessons learned. (author abstract)
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2015-12-31T19:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/resource/supporting-statewide-implementation-evide…
Publication Date
2016-01-01

2016 OFA Regions I, II, III, and IV East Coast TANF Directors Meeting

Record Description

The 2016 Office of Family Assistance (OFA) Region I (Boston), Region II (New York), Region III (Philadelphia), and Region IV (Atlanta) East Coast TANF Directors Meeting was held on July 12‐14, 2016, in Providence, Rhode Island. The theme, Reflecting on the Past: Looking Forward to the Future, was an opportunity for TANF program directors and other key stakeholders to engage with peers about innovative ideas, strategies, and collaborations that promote economic and social well‐being for individuals, families, and communities. Meeting participants engaged with OFA leadership, their peers, and experts in the field to discuss some of the pressing challenges facing TANF participants and low‐income, vulnerable families today and ways that TANF programs can serve as a comprehensive support system for these families. Sessions focused on two‐generation approaches to breaking the cycle of poverty, TANF/WIOA coordination and implementation, career pathways and apprenticeships, targeting the hard‐to‐serve and executive functioning, and additional opportunities for TANF programs in 2016 and beyond. The context of these discussions was grounded in using data to measure program effectiveness and drive decision‐making.

Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2016-08-29T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2016-08-30
Upload Files
Attachment Size
Regions I-IV Meeting Report 2.03 MB
Regions I-IV Agenda 296.23 KB
Regions I-IV Speaker Bios 229.15 KB
Regions I-IV Participant List 259.2 KB
Regions I-IV Workbook 2.57 MB
Human Centered Design 702.38 KB
Human Centered Design 2 1.74 MB
WIOA Implementation_Rose Bud Thorn 443.19 KB
WIOA Implementation_Partnership Memo 124.24 KB
WIOA Implementation_WIOA Readiness Survey 383.74 KB
WIOA Implementation_TCA Youth Profile 162.12 KB
WIOA Implementation_TCA Profile 105.2 KB
WIOA Implementation_JobPro Games 2.35 MB
Interactive HCD Activity_Lab Design 524.8 KB
Lab One_2Gen in TN 3.99 MB
Lab One_2Gen in NC 1.24 MB
Lab One_2Gen at the Elizabeth Ministry (TEM) 6.58 MB
Lab Two_Job Opportunities Task Force 533.77 KB
Lab Two_Pennsylvania KEYS Program Guide 602.1 KB
Lab Two_Census Employment Data 3.92 MB
Interactive Activity_Empathy 425.86 KB
Working with Hard to Serve_PCG Human Services 2.75 MB

Industry Driven Sector Strategies Webinar Materials

Record Description
On April 28, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Employment and Training Administration's (ETA) Sector Strategies Technical Assistance Initiative, in conjunction with panelists from the Colorado Workforce Development Council, Philadelphia Works, National Fund for Workforce Solutions, and employer partners, presented a webinar that shared what it means to have a sector partnership driven by industry. From setting the agenda to helping design and deliver workforce services, watch the webinar to learn how broad and deep industry engagement can work at both the state and local levels, yielding great results for employers and workers.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2015-04-28T09:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://ion.workforcegps.org/resources/2015/09/18/16/09/Sector_Strategies_and%2…

Summary of Outreach to States on TANF Caseloads and Case Management Services: Jefferson County, Colorado Department of Human Services

Record Description
In December 2011, representatives from the Jefferson County Department of Human Services, Career and Family Support Services, Colorado Works and Child Care Assistance Program contacted the Welfare Peer TA (WPTA) Network for assistance in determining the optimal number of cases each TANF caseworker should maintain, so that an appropriate amount of time and attention can be paid to all participants to assist them in achieving higher levels of economic self-sufficiency. In response to Jefferson County’s TA Request, the WPTA team conducted information gathering outreach to 10 of the largest cities in the country (New York, New York; Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Phoenix, Arizona; San Antonio, Texas; San Diego, California; Dallas, Texas; and San Jose, California). This data provided Colorado and other States a greater understanding of optimal caseload sizes for TANF offices, and of caseload sizes per TANF eligibility workers versus case managers. The Technical Assistance Summary associated with this effort provides a high-level overview of TANF caseload sizes among the 10 highlighted metropolitan areas. It also provides insight into staffing structure, caseload size designation, characteristics of staff and participants, caseload manageability, caseload assignments, caseload demographic information, workload and responsibilities of staff, curricula and training, as well as barriers and challenges faced by the TANF programs.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2012-12-31T19:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2013-01-01
Upload Files
Attachment Size
Summary Report 1.12 MB
Innovative Programs

Keystone Education Yields Success (KEYS) Program

Mission/Goal of Program

The Keystone Education Yields Success (KEYS) program is operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW). The KEYS Program assists low-income individuals in earning a career-specific, credit-bearing certificate or an associate's degree to enable them to secure jobs that provide family-sustaining wages with benefits and greater opportunities for advancement.

Programs/Services Offered

This program is designed to provide an opportunity and the corresponding support for Pennsylvania's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to pursue a degree or credit or noncredit-bearing certificate at a Community College in Pennsylvania. Working in partnership with Pennsylvania's Commission for Community Colleges, KEYS was developed in response to growing research that demonstrates that TANF participants, who earn a certificate or degree, are better able to get jobs with family-sustaining wages, benefits, and opportunities for advancement.

Services offered include academic services, financial services (e.g., tax assistance, financial literacy), referrals to supportive services, coaching/counseling/mentoring, financial/material supports (eg. scholarships, emergency funds, computers).

A limited number of individuals enrolled in the SNAP program (20 percent of KEYS slots) and all TANF participants planning or currently attending one of Pennsylvania's 14 community colleges are eligible to participate in the KEYS program. Participants are provided with a KEYS student facilitator who assists with course scheduling and career guidance. Special allowances for supportive services are also available to support students' participation in KEYS. DPW's Special Allowances for Supportive Services can pay student registration fees for education and training programs and provide students with transportation and childcare assistance, books, and clothing.

KEYS participants have 30 months to complete their studies, though a range of shorter-term options, including one-year certificate programs, is also available. DPW has instituted a system for documenting and verifying KEYS students' work participation hours. Each student is provided with a schedule that includes classes, independent and supervised study hours, and all other countable activities. KEYS facilitators document and verify KEYS students' activities. This system of verification has increased the number of reported work participation hours.

The KEYS program reports that participants have shared that facilitators are the most crucial aspect of the program. Facilitators help in identifying careers with available jobs and assist in designing a course schedule that prepares students for these positions. Facilitators assist with financial aid applications, transportation and childcare arrangements, and maintain an open line of communication with DPW public assistance staff to ensure KEYS students are meeting requirements and receiving needed support services.

Start Date
Saturday, January 1, 2005
Type of Agency/Organization
County/Local TANF Agency
Geographic Area
Rural
Suburban
Urban
City
Harrisburg
State
Pennsylvania
Geographic Reach
Onesite
Clientele/Population Served
Participants enrolled in Pennsylvania's TANF and SNAP programs who are interested in obtaining a postsecondary certificate or associate's degree. KEYS currently serves approximately 1,100 TANF and SNAP participants.
Topics/Subtopics
Employment
Employment Advancement
Education and Training
Supportive Services
Post-employment Supports
URL
https://www.myccp.online/division-access-and-community-engagement-dace/keystone…
Innovative Programs

Center for Employment Opportunities

Mission/Goal of Program

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) began as a demonstration project of the Vera Institute of Justice in the 1970s to address employment barriers facing individuals after their release from incarceration. In 1996, CEO became an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, providing comprehensive employment services to people newly released from New York State prisons and detention facilities. CEO operates in 22 cities across eight states and have made more than 30,000 placements into full-time employment for individuals who were formerly incarcerated.

Programs/Services Offered

To offer work experience, CEO operates transitional work crews that provide supplemental indoor/outdoor maintenance and neighborhood beautification services to more than 40 customers across the U.S. CEO guarantees every participant who completes a one-week job-readiness orientation up to four days a week of transitional work on a crew and daily pay. In addition to work and daily pay, CEO provides a robust set of wraparound vocational support services: on days participants are not working, they receive job coaching to find full-time employment.

  • Job-Readiness Training: prepare people for success in the workplace
  • Transitional Employment: provide immediate paid work experience
  • Job Coaching & Placement: connect talented employees with quality employers
  • Retention Services: provide ongoing support to ensure our participants succeed

CEO's program was independently evaluated by the US Department of Health and Human Services, which found that for individuals recently released from incarceration, participation in CEO resulted in lower rates on all measures of recidivism, including arrests, convictions and returns to jail or prison. Convictions of a crime fell by over 22 percent and re-incarceration for a new crime fell over 26 percent.

Start Date
Monday, January 1, 1996
Type of Agency/Organization
Community-based Organization
City
New York
State
California
Colorado
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Geographic Reach
Multistate
Clientele/Population Served
100 Percent Former offenders
Topics/Subtopics
Employment
Job Readiness
Special Populations
Incarcerated and Individuals with a Criminal Record
URL
https://ceoworks.org/
Innovative Programs

JobShop Inc.

Mission/Goal of Program

JobShop, Inc., has been a workforce development provider for over 34 years, and is focused on providing affordable and effective job search information to job seekers. The company has had offices in Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina, providing job training and placement services to youth, displaced workers, and those eligible for the Disadvantaged Worker Program (unemployed adults, ex-offenders, welfare clients, Native Americans, etc.). In 2012, JobShop partnered with professional workforce development trainers and consultants to provide a series of online Workforce Learning Modules for both job seekers and workforce development staff. These online training modules can be used to satisfy the requirements for a number of state and national certification programs.

Programs/Services Offered

Services are accessed via TANF, OneStops, career centers, youth programs, public libraries, offender programs, community colleges, and Tribal workforce programs.

Job Seeker Resources

  • JobSearch Guides for Adults, Youth and Ex-Offenders
  • Online Training for Adult & Youth Job Seekers
  • “The Job Interview Simplified" DVD

Online Staff Training

  • Online Staff Training & Professional Certification Preparation
  • Virginia Workforce Certification Preparation & Business and Employer Services
  • Migrant & Seasonal Farmworker (AFOP) Certification Preparation Modules
Start Date
Thursday, January 1, 1998
Type of Agency/Organization
Other Public Agency
City
Shackelfords
State
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Geographic Reach
Onesite
Clientele/Population Served
Job seekers
Topics/Subtopics
Employment
Job Search
URL
http://www.jobshopinc.com