Ending Family Homelessness: An Opportunity for Pay-for-Success Financing

Record Description
This Urban Institute brief analyzes how a pay-for-success model could help solve family homelessness. Family homelessness remains high, and the authors believe that political will and arbitrary budget divisions stand in the way of solving this problem. Using a pay-for-success model allows state and local governments to overcome these challenges. In a pay-for-success project, an investor provides the upfront funding to a program, and if the program can achieve positive outcomes, then the investor can get their money back plus a potential positive return. The brief describes how such a model has been used for other housing interventions, such as housing vouchers and permanent supportive housing, and describes the benefits and complexities of a pay-for-success project.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-08-14T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.urban.org/research/publication/ending-family-homelessness
Publication Date
2017-08-15
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Perspective of Employers on Customized Employment

Record Description
This Lead Center brief details employer perspectives on customized employment for individuals with disabilities. In customized employment, the job candidate and employer create an individualized match between the candidate’s strengths and interests and the business needs of the employer. The brief includes the results of six focus groups of employers of various sizes, industries, and locations who had hired individuals with disabilities for customized jobs. Employers who had tried customized employment found it to be worthwhile and valuable, but many employers lack experience in working with individuals who have disabilities. The brief includes recommendations for employers, funders/policymakers, employment service providers, and trainers to inform the approach of customized employment programs moving forward.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2016-01-12T19:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://leadcenter.org/system/files/resource/downloadable_version/CE_Info_Brief_…
Publication Date
2016-01-13
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Financial Stability Improves Chances of Family Reunification

Record Description
This policy brief from the Center for Poverty Research at UC Davis highlights new research that demonstrates a connection between a parent being employed or receiving cash assistance and a higher likelihood of the parent(s) being reunified with their children after a child welfare interaction. It provides examples of how a parent may become economically disconnected once their child is removed and how this can significantly impact the chance of reunification. Suggestions for further supporting vulnerable families are given.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2015-10-13T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://poverty.ucdavis.edu/policy-brief/financial-stability-improves-chances-f…
Publication Date
2015-10-14
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Dual-System Families: Cash Assistance Sequences of Households Involved with Child Welfare

Record Description
This article from the Journal of Public Child Welfare explores the experiences of families involved in both the child welfare and public assistance systems. The study indicated that families who lose their TANF support or who have sporadic public assistance support are less likely to be reunified with their children who have been removed. It concludes that policies that support coordination for families across systems can be beneficial economically and promote family stability and reunification.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2016-06-29T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5336326/
Publication Date
2016-06-30
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Increase in Gas Prices Associated with Increase in Child Maltreatment

Record Description
This article highlights a study recently published by the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. The study examined income fluctuations for families using gas prices as an indicator and looked at maltreatment rates alongside these fluctuations. The article directs readers to the full text study to read more about the research.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-03-28T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://source.wustl.edu/2017/03/increase-gas-prices-associated-increase-child-…
Publication Date
2017-03-29
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)
Innovative Programs

DC Central Kitchen's Culinary Job Training Program

Mission/Goal of Program

DC Central Kitchen provides 14 weeks of Culinary Arts training to participants that leads to certifications, then helps them find employment in the culinary field so they can be self-sufficient. Founded in 1989, DC Central Kitchen’s mission is to use food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds, and build communities. For almost 30 years, DC Central Kitchen’s Culinary Job Training program has helped more than 1,700 men and women launch culinary careers. The program had 86% job placement rate from among 104 graduates from Culinary Job Training program in 2018.

Programs/Services Offered

There are two training options offered: 

  • Culinary Job Training at DC Central Kitchen:  Their renowned training program provides culinary arts education, career readiness training, and real-world internships for adults who have experienced barriers to employment.  They provide 14 weeks of training leading to these certifications:
    • ServSafe Managers License
    • National Restaurant Association/ Restaurant Ready Certification
    • Allertrain Certification
  • Culinary Job Training at DC Central Kitchen Cafe:  provides hands-on culinary training and career readiness training to young adults ages 18-24 who are not in school and not working.
Start Date
Sunday, January 1, 1989
Type of Agency/Organization
Community-Based Organization
City
Washington
State
District of Columbia
Geographic Reach
Onesite
Clientele/Population Served
Participants with multiple barriers to employment, including returning citizens, people in recovery, formerly homeless, and others.
Topics/Subtopics
Employment
Education and Training
URL
https://dccentralkitchen.org/
Innovative Programs

Solutions for Change

Mission/Goal of Program

Solutions for Change solves family homelessness, one family and one community at a time, delivering a permanent solution to family homelessness and deep poverty through social enterprise. Founded in 1999 by social entrepreneurs Chris and Tammy Megison, Solutions for Change works to transforms lives and communities by permanently solving family homelessness.

Programs/Services Offered

Solutions for Change delivers permanent solutions to family homelessness through an innovative academy-like experience where parents of families in the deepest of poverty are equipped with the skills, knowledge and resources needed to reclaim a contributory stake in society through jobs and by ending dependency. The model blends affordable housing, education, health services, servant leadership and workforce training to create a "work therapy" community.

Participants tripled their income in the first year through employment. 74% achieve the 500-day milestone of full-time employment and achieve their own rental housing. For those participants, TANF and Food Stamp benefits decrease by 62% at 500-day mark and 87% by end of engagement contract (1000 days). 850 families and 2200 children have moved permanently out of homelessness and obtained housing and employment, resulting in $51 million dollars in public support savings and $120 million in employment revenue generated into local economy. 

Start Date
Friday, January 1, 1999
Type of Agency/Organization
Community-Based Organization
City
Vista
State
California
Geographic Reach
Onesite
Clientele/Population Served
Homeless Families with Children
Topics/Subtopics
Employment
Education and Training
Supportive Services
Health/Behavioral Health Referrals and Supports
Housing Assistance
Special Populations
Homeless Families
URL
http://solutionsforchange.org/

Enhancing Promise Programs to Improve College Access and Success

Record Description
This issue brief from MDRC describes the Detroit Promise Path, a Detroit Regional Chamber initiative that allows Detroit high school graduates to attend college tuition-free. The Detroit Regional Chamber partnered with MDRC to add supportive services to improve the academic outcomes of students who earn free tuition. Those services include access to campus coaches, financial incentives to meet with those coaches, enhanced engagement to jobs and classes during the summer, and use of a monitoring information system that monitors program participation. Early findings from the first year showed that 95% of students responded to coaches’ outreach, 96% of students found the program valuable, and the program had a sizable impact on enrollment in the second semester.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-07-18T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.mdrc.org/publication/enhancing-promise-programs-improve-college-acce…
Publication Date
2017-07-19

Building a High-Performing State Workforce Board

Record Description
Under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), states have the opportunity to reset their state workforce boards so they oversee the entire publicly-funded workforce system. This report from the National Governors Association provides a framework for high-performing boards. That framework includes three critical roles: set and communicate the vision for the workforce system, model and manage strategic partnerships that achieve that vision, and use data to hold the system accountable to that vision. The report also includes examples of how states have implemented each role.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2016-12-13T19:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.nga.org/center/publications/building-a-high-performing-state-workfo…
Publication Date
2016-12-14

Connecting Justice-Involved Individuals with Health Homes at Reentry: New York and Rhode Island

Record Description
Justice-involved individuals have a high prevalence of mental health, substance use, and chronic health conditions. Connecting those individuals to health services during reentry could help improve their health and lower their risk of recidivism. This Urban Institute brief highlights how New York and Rhode Island have used Medicaid Health Homes to ensure that returning citizens have access to health care as they transition back into the community. Lessons learned from both states include the need for pre-release discharge planning so participants are immediately connected to health services upon release, and the value of having a liaison bridge the gap between the justice and health systems. Both states also needed creativity and commitment at the state level to fund the health home model, as well as formal structures for communication and collaboration across systems.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-02-14T19:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.urban.org/research/publication/connecting-justice-involved-individua…
Publication Date
2017-02-15