In 2010, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the first round of five-year Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG 1.0) to 32 organizations in 23 states; five were tribal organizations. The purpose of the HPOG Program is to provide education and training to Temporary…

Nebraska's Employment First (EF) program allows parents who receive TANF cash assistance to pursue education and training that improves their ability to secure employment and long-term economic success. A parent must negotiate and sign an Employment First contract, facilitated by a case worker, between the participating parent and the state of…

Workforce development programs provide training and education to welfare recipients to prepare them to obtain and retain employment in their communities. Federal, state, and local investments are made to develop and implement programs. But, do these programs have relationships with local employers to obtain their input to provide the education and…

This hearing before the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources focuses on national goals for employment and poverty reduction. Testimony was heard from government officials, union representatives, economists, and other interested persons. Excerpts from articles and publications were submitted for review. The testimony included the following…

Part I uses simulations of a model of welfare participation and women's fertility decisions, showing that increases in per-child payments have substantial impact on fertility. Part II uses estimations of decision rules of forward-looking women regarding welfare participation, fertility, marriage, work, and schooling. (SK)

A descriptive analysis was made of survey data collected on a sample of Work Incentive (WIN) Demonstration Program clients (i.e., mandatory welfare recipients who are required by law to register for employment and training as a condition of benefit receipt) participating in a special employment and training program called OPTIONS in Baltimore…

This publication is designed to alert local and state advocates to the presence of the National Coalition on Women, Work, and Welfare Reform. It shares the Coalition's perspective on the welfare employment issue and proposes several initial strategies local advocates or policymakers might use in considering proposed or ongoing welfare employment…

This digest examines community college welfare-to-work programs and the strategies employed to enhance program completion, job retention, and educational advancement. It begins with a discussion of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, and the implications of this "work-first" oriented legislation…

Presents the results of a national study examining effectiveness of employment- and education-focused welfare-to-work programs. Considers the implications for community colleges, particularly training for quick employment versus stable jobs that pay a living wage. Concludes that, compared with other institutions, community colleges have the most…

This report focuses on an effort by Los Angeles County to transform its welfare-to-work program, Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN), from one that emphasized basic education to one focused on speedy entry into the work force. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the original program; reasons for a shift to a work-first model and description of…

Since 1996, states have been responsible for moving people from the welfare rolls into jobs. The results have been mixed, and states are still struggling to find the right combination of programs to help individuals and families make that transition. Most people agree that it is best if they find jobs, but not everyone has the skills to land jobs,…

Presents remarks on welfare reform by Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services, at the National Job Opportunity and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) Directors Conference. Four basic principles that guide current work on welfare reform are (1) making work pay; (2) improving child support enforcement; (3) strengthening education and…

This paper reports on the state of welfare after the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) passed by Congress in 1996. The National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies (NEWWS) is a federally initiated study that explores the questions of what works best and for whom. NEWWS evaluated seven areas across the…

In the continuing search for skilled workers, employers are increasingly looking to community colleges as the primary training providers for welfare recipients, unemployed workers, and those seeking to increase skills and improve careers. Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) (North Carolina) provides individuals with the skills and education…

Successful welfare reform requires quickly moving welfare recipients into jobs. Components to this challenge include the following: a poor fit between where jobs are located and where many welfare recipients live; recipients who lack experience and skills and do not know how to seek, find, or qualify for jobs; childcare and transportation needs;…