Innovative Programs

Arkansas Department of Human Services - Division of County Operations

Mission/Goal of Program

In September 1998, the Pulaski County DHS offices entered into on-the-job training (OJT) agreements with three Little Rock hotels to provide intensive training and job coaching services to Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) recipients who are referred to the project. (TEA is Arkansas’ TANF program.) Under the OJT agreements, the hotels contract with a training provider who works on an individualized basis with the recipient during the actual job training phase, and then also serves as a mentor or job coach for up to six months.

Programs/Services Offered

The TEA Program is a time-limited assistance program to help needy families with children become more responsible for their own support and less dependent on public assistance.  In addition to monthly cash assistance, employment-related services are provided to parents, including job-readiness activities, transportation assistance, childcare assistance, and other supportive services so that the parent can engage in work or education and training activities.

The purpose of the continued services after the initial job training is to help the employee resolve problems which may arise during the first months of employment such as breakdowns in child care, so that s/he will have better success at retaining the job. The OJT trainer and job coach provider is contracted by the hotel rather than the TANF and Welfare-to-Work (WtW) agency. DHS, though, is requiring that these additional OJT services be provided by the hotel as part of the OJT agreements between DHS and the three hotels. It is hoped that by working directly with the hotels, the trainers should be able to provide more meaningful training, job coaching, and job retention services to the individual TEA recipient.

Start Date
Tuesday, September 1, 1998
Type of Agency/Organization
State TANF Agency
City
Little Rock
State
Arkansas
Geographic Reach
Onesite
Clientele/Population Served
TEA recipients
Topics/Subtopics
Employment
Education and Training
On the Job Training