Challenges to Employment/Special Populations
This section from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families offers key welfare information on addressing challenges to employment and special populations of low-income families.
Challenges to Employment/Special Populations: Substance Abuse/Mental Health
Cass County TANF/ JOBS/ and Mental Health Services Integration (and Shared Calendars) Pilot
Fargo, ND (Cass)
Type of Agency/Organization Coordinating/Operating the Program:
Funding Sources:
State and County Government
Clientele/Population Served:
Eligibile TANF Families residing in Cass Co., ND
Mission/Goal of the Program:
1) To reduce to zero the number of TANF applicants subject to JOBS program requirements who fail to appear for enrollment at the Contractor's local office. 2) To better identify the need for and more quickly engage families in mental health services via the use of more efficient screening tools, multiple observers, and on-site service providers; 3) to make transparent to TANF eligible families the inter-relationship of financial assistance, work opportunities, and mental health services.
Programs/Services Offered:
1) Caretakers of families approved for TANF [as well as those deemed presumptively eligible] meet with employment service staff co-located onsite with TANF for JOBS enrollment immediately following the TANF interview; 2) Services provided by a board certified, clinical nurse practitioner allow TANF and JOBS managers the opportunity to not only staff individual cases, but to refer for immediate assessment and services families in crisis. 3) Implementation of a system of Shared Calendars (supported by Lotus Notes) over which TANF, JOBS, and Mental Health staff have full view, create, and update capabilities allows: a) each entity to schedule appointments, enrollments, and assessments with one another; b: allows one JOBS counselor to provide services to all TANF applicants scheduled to meet with their Program Manager on any given day; c) extends full autonomy to each Program Manager to schedule interviews and meetings in a way that best fits their individual work-style.
Results and/or Performance Measures:
1) Failures to enroll in JOBS fell from the pre-pilot 25 - 40% to less than 3%; 2) JOBS Sanctions increased 16% as applicants who [we believe] never intended to engage with the work program were more quickly enrolled and their non-compliance more quickly evidenced; 3) The average number of months during which families received TANF while the caretaker was Sanctioned fell from 3.0 to 1.7 months; 4) TANF Families engaging in mental health services increased by 28%.
For more information:
Mr. Sidney Shock
TANF Supervisor, Cass County Social Services
(701) 239-6805
09schs@state.nd.us
America in Recovery Program
, Texas
Type of Agency/Organization Coordinating/Operating the Program:
Clientele/Population Served:
Mission/Goal of the Program:
Programs/Services Offered:
Results and/or Performance Measures:
A Houston manufacturing company is using the Internet to advocate for the hiring of those jobseekers typically avoided by employers, ex-offenders and those in recovery from substance abuse.
History
The web project, named America in Recovery, matches applicants' resumes with the small business owners looking to hire "America's unemployables." Five years ago, the company began hiring recovering substance users and ex-offenders, and as a result saw an improvement in their business. Employee morale and productivity increased, and employee turnover and training costs decreased.
The company wanted to spread the message so that other business owners could be aware of the mutual benefits of hiring those typically neglected by the job market. They invested $30,000 to $40,000 in starting up the America in Recovery Web site, which operates tax-free as a non-profit organization. The Web site is designed to be self-running, self-funded and easy to use.
Services
People who need a job just enter their resume information directly into the Web site. Employers may enter their information or not. Then, each side communicates with the other directly.
To learn more, visit www.americainrecovery.org.
Department of Social Services
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Type of Agency/Organization Coordinating/Operating the Program:
Clientele/Population Served:
Mission/Goal of the Program:
Programs/Services Offered:
Results and/or Performance Measures:
The Anne Arundel County, MD, Department of Social Services is a local office of the Maryland Department of Human Resources. Three years ago, the office changed the culture of welfare --under the AFDC program -- without any State legislation, without any Federal waivers, without additional staff and without an additional allocation of funds. The office operates primarily through a Job Center, open for walk-in service from Monday through Friday and offering customized employment services to any County resident, not just TANF recipients.
The following links provide further information on a number of programs in the Anne Arundel County model program.
- Job Center (PDF - 20K)
- Careers Program (PDF - 10K)
- Transportation Initiatives
- Programs for the Disabled (PDF - 5K)
- Domestic Violence Training (PDF - 5K)
Traveling Grannies/Grandpas Program
, Michigan
Type of Agency/Organization Coordinating/Operating the Program:
Clientele/Population Served:
Mission/Goal of the Program:
Programs/Services Offered:
Results and/or Performance Measures:
History:
The Traveling Grannies/Grandpas program was founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The program began seeking funding in 1992 and the first Traveling Grannie/Grandpas volunteer started serving teens in 1993. Since the inception of the program, 557 at-risk, pregnant, and parenting teens and their children have received in-home mentoring services.
Population Served:
Low-income older adults 60 years and over provide services to at-risk, pregnant and parenting teens and their infants. The Traveling Grannies and Grandpas were also involved with the Family Impact Project through the Grand Rapids/W.K. Kellogg Foundation Family For Kids Initiative. Through this project, 42 children ranging in age from 6 months to 15 year in the foster care/adoption system received hands-on mentoring/companionship.
Services Provided:
Low-income older adults volunteer 20 hours a week and earn a non-taxable stipend of $2.55/ hour along with other tangible benefits. The Traveling Grannies and Grandpas provide the following services which helps at-risk teens gain greater self-sufficiency and improve their well-being and that of their children:
- Decrease the occurrence of abuse, neglect and exploitation of teens and their children by:
- Teaching positive parenting techniques
- Promoting non-violent disciplinary approaches
- Building self-esteem by focusing on positive actions of teens
- Deterring additional pregnancies
- Promote positively life style choices
- Discouraging the use of alcohol and drugs
- Deterring gang involvement
- Promoting continuing their education
- Seeking gainful employment
- Demonstration of good health habits:
- Encouragement to secure pre- and post-natal care
- Assisting with keeping medical appointments for self and child
- Instructions on nutritious meal planning and preparation
- Provide needed transportation:
- To make applications for job openings
- To attend job interviews
- To keep all other necessary appointments.
The Traveling Grannies/Grandpas Program partners with several community organizations. The following list is a sampling of partnering agencies and is not meant to be all-inclusive: Catholic Social Services, Salvation Army Booth Services, Park School, Spectrum Health, St. Mary's Hospital, Family Independence Agency, Homeless Youth Services, Planned Parenthood, Kent County Health Department, One-Way House, Family Outreach, Arbor Circle/Project Focus, and Hope Community.