Sheltered workshops for severely disabled persons should be reformed to emphasize job placement, transition to more independent work environments, and retraining and replacement of workshop staff. A national policy on the employment of disabled persons focusing on supported employment, least restrictive work environments, and career development is…

Helping low-income families in rural areas find gainful employment and achieve economic self-sufficiency is an ongoing policy concern. The Rural Welfare-to-Work Strategies demonstration is using rigorous experimental designs to build knowledge about how to help low-income families in rural areas strive toward sustained employment and…

This site visit report reviews activities of Monadnock Developmental Services, Inc., a program serving people with developmental disabilities in one New Hampshire region. The report focuses on the development of employment services in the state and region, including system change strategies, practices being used to support people in jobs, and…

The effectiveness of Training for Work, which is the United Kingdom's main public program for helping long-term unemployed adults find jobs, was examined through interviews with training managers in 8 training and enterprise councils (TECs), 53 training providers, and 374 individuals who had joined Training for Work in spring/summer 1993 and left…

A study compared the effectiveness and cost of the New York Department of Labor's (NYDOL) major programs with those aspects of similar programs operated by the other 49 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. It reviewed NYDOL records, interviewed NYDOL managers, analyzed data from the U.S. DOL, and contacted officials in some other states.…

This brief discusses outcomes of a study that investigated the employment and job search practices used with individuals with mental retardation to those used with individuals with mental illness, sensory impairments, and physical impairments. Survey participants included 568 employment staff and 303 individuals with disabilities from community…

The 2-year evaluation of the Displaced Homemaker Program in Washington focused on the primary purpose of the program--to assist displaced homemakers in attaining independence and economic security. Approximately 2,042 eligible displaced homemakers completed the intensive instructional services component; the program served a total of 34,659…

A methodology is needed for comparing the needs and wants of the private sector, public sector, and client sector in order to increase the involvement of the private sector in youth employment programs. Because such a methodology has not been available, the client (unemployed youth) is often at the mercy of the private sector employer and the…

A study investigating institutional factors affecting the performance of the employment service (ES) focused on (1) organizational characteristics conducive to high performance in state ES agencies and their local operations and (2) the external linkages of the ES with state and local politics, other agencies, and the U.S. Department of Labor…

The Rand paper on programs facilitating the mid-life career redirection of unemployed aerospace professionals is 1 of 20 policy-related research reports commissioned by the Division of Social Systems and Human Resources in the Research Applied to National Needs Program of the National Science Foundation. It is based on the evaluation of some 300…

This report details the findings of a survey of supported employment directors in the 50 state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies, that sought to identify potential barriers to a variety of supported employment services for persons with severe physical disabilities. Key findings include: (1) 84 percent of the agencies provided services to…

Reported here is the oversight hearing on the Youth Employment and Demonstrations Projects Act to examine the problem of youth unemployment and the extent to which existing federal programs are addressing the problem. Major content is the testimony of four witnesses: Leon Anderson, Division of Human Resources, U.S. Forest Service, Department of…

In order to assist the Manpower Administration of the U. S. Department of Labor in the planning, development, and expansion of over a hundred computerized "job banks," located in nearly every State, field interviews were conducted with job applicants, employers, Employment Service staff, and community agencies to evaluate the current…

A random assignment study evaluated two welfare program case management approaches, traditional and integrated, and was conducted as part of the National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work (WTW) Strategies, an evaluation of 11 welfare-to-work programs in 7 sites nationwide. More that 7,000 single parent welfare applicants and recipients deemed…

A "Gateway to Success" Mock Job Fair Program was conducted at Federal Correction Institute, Terminal Island. Prior to participation, inmates and employers were administered a pre-program needs assessment questionnaire to determine expectations. Results of the program evaluations (completed by inmates and employers) documented a need for…