This presentation was given by Debra J. Rog, Ph.D at the Eleventh Annual Welfare Research and Evaluation Conference, which was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation. The Center for Economic Opportunity received an evaluability assessment, which measured the extent to which the program is ready for an implementation or outcome evaluation. This presentation outlines common themes that came out of the assessment.

From the Rand Drug Policy Research Center, this study reviews how outcome data can be used in measuring the performance of substance abuse treatment programs for teenagers. Researchers also identified barriers to performance measurement that raise questions about the practicality of using outcome data to assess substance abuse treatment programs.

From the Rockefeller Institute on Government, this report provides information on a policy forum held on performance management in New York State. The forum included presentations on Federal, State, and local performance management strategies. Specifically, the New York City Human Resources Administration highlighted the JobStat system, which is used to monitor 26 job centers in New York City for welfare and human services.

This report from the Government Accountability Office seeks to measure the success of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) in terms of helping low-income workers find jobs in a streamlined manner as well as engaging employers in the process. In 2005, GAO found that half of local employers knew about services provided at local one-stop centers. This report examines the extent to which employers utilize local one-stop centers and if these services are useful to employers.

The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network, funded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) coordinated this workshop in conjunction with the Office of Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), DHHS. Ms. Julia Isaacs, Director, Data and Technical Analysis Division, ASPE/HSP, led the planning and conduct of this workshop. It was intended for states or counties that were awarded specific ASPE grants in 1998 to study welfare “leavers.”