This Office of Research, Planning and Evaluation report describes the design of the NextGen Project, which is evaluating the effectiveness of four programs that provide services for people with physical, mental, or emotional health challenges. Many of the people are potential applicants for Supplemental Security Income. The four programs highlighted are:
• Bridges from School to Work;
• Individual Placement and Support for Adults with Justice Involvement;
• Philadelphia Workforce Inclusion Networks; and
• Western Mass Mental Health Outreach for MotherS PartnershipSM.

The National Association of Counties will host a webinar on November 12, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. ET to discuss the latest guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regarding Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) services for youth detained in public institutions. Effective January 1, 2025, changes that stem from the Consolidated Appropriations Act (2023) will require states to amend their Medicaid and CHIP plans to provide essential medical, dental and case management services for eligible youth, before and after release. Presenters will discuss how these changes will impact county jails and how counties can collaborate with state health officials to ensure compliance and secure federal support.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual recognition of the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. In honor of this year’s theme, “Access to Good Jobs for All,” this resource by the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth highlights an innovative Massachusetts Commission for the Blind program that provides youth and young adults with disabilities access to high-quality employment experiences.

The National Youth Employment Coalition will host a virtual workshop on November 7, 2024 at 2:30 p.m. ET to discuss the challenges faced by youth and young adults re-entering society after incarceration, a population often overlooked and underserved. The discussions will explore the concept of social determinants of health, which significantly impact this group's well-being and reintegration. Through sharing lessons learned and best practices, the goal of the workshop is to empower youth workforce partners and members with innovative strategies to support those transitioning back into their communities. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the unique barriers faced by this population and learn about healing-centered engagement strategies to foster holistic well-being.

Beginning in April 2023, states began “unwinding” the pandemic-related continuous coverage requirement in Medicaid, which prohibited states from disenrolling Medicaid enrollees during the public health emergency. The unwinding process revealed that many states’ systems and renewal processes have been out of compliance with federal requirements, with many of the compliance issues disproportionately affecting children. This Urban Institute resource proposes that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services could provide stronger federal oversight and accountability for improving Medicaid eligibility and redetermination systems to ensure eligible children retain coverage.

In the U.S., 1 in 10 young adults experience homelessness each year, with disproportionate impacts on American Indian and Alaska Native, Black, multiracial, and Hispanic youth and youth who have been involved with the child welfare or juvenile justice systems. Current housing solutions for youth homelessness often lack flexibility or are not readily available, leaving many young adults waiting long periods of time without stable housing. However, the Cash Plus Model offers a promising alternative — pairing direct cash transfers with youth-driven supportive services to empower young adults in securing safe, stable housing. Chapin Hall has developed two briefs: one describing the Cash Plus Model and the second evaluating the Cash Plus Model implementation in New York City and San Francisco.

Many young people transition to adulthood without access to familial resources and struggle to meet their basic needs. Public benefit programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), housing subsidies, and Medicaid can help young people meet these needs at a critical time in their lives. Young people also need sufficient cash income to meet specific needs these in-kind programs do not provide, and some may receive this through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. However, many young people do not access programs they are eligible for. This Urban Institute report presents the results of a literature scan for evidence about what works to expand young people’s access to public benefits. This report highlights various promising approaches, including targeted youth outreach, benefit navigation, cross-organizational partnerships, simplifying or expanding eligibility, and enhancing administrative efficiency and effectiveness.

Child Trends partnered with Generation Work, an initiative that connects employers to young adults, especially young people of color and those from low-income families, with stable jobs. As a result, they developed a series of three case studies to explore how employers can use positive youth development practices to better support young workers. These case studies highlight discussions from focus groups at Generation Work sites in Chicago and Birmingham and interviews with workforce development practitioners.

In today's rapidly evolving job market, the importance of social capital, connections, and robust networks for youth career success cannot be overstated. Social capital plays a critical role in helping young people navigate the complexities of career development, and building it requires intentional effort and strategic planning. The National Youth Employment Coalition is hosting a webinar on September 26, 2024 at 2:30 p.m. ET to discuss the transformative power of social capital and potential strategies to help young people build it.

In 2016, the Annie E. Casey Foundation launched Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential (LEAP™), a national initiative that helps youth and young adults who have been involved in the foster care or justice systems or who have experienced homelessness succeed in school and work by building and expanding education and employment pathways. Through partnerships with public agencies, postsecondary education, housing, service providers and more, LEAP partners are working toward improving policies and practices that place more systems-involved young people on positive economic trajectories. This Annie E. Casey Foundation brief shares the key takeaways from an evaluation conducted to better understand their efforts in tackling the root causes of disconnection from education and careers with systems-involved youth.