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Summary

Paths to Promise (P2P) provided intensive team-based case management and extensive support services, including basic adult education, occupational skills training, work-based learning opportunities, and job search and placement assistance, targeting new and current SNAP work registrants.

Paths to Promise (P2P) provided intensive team-based case management and extensive support services, including basic adult education, occupational skills training, work-based learning opportunities, and job search and placement assistance, targeting new and current SNAP work registrants. After an initial intake process, a career navigator either worked directly with individuals pursuing immediate employment on job search and placement assistance or referred them to a provider for education and training aligned with their goals. Education and training activities options included basic education, short-term education or occupational skills training, or shorter certification programs. Work-based learning opportunities were available for participants who needed additional work experience. Case management was provided used a team-based approach with a career navigator coordinating with staff at other providers to ensure effect service coordination.

Case management meetings included biweekly team meetings and individual meetings could occur as frequently as daily to weekly for those involved in basic education Work-based learning opportunities could last up to 320 to 480 hours. Education and training activities were designed to last two semesters, on average, with the exception of the shorter certification programs.

The study was conducted in 8 counties in Kentucky.

101036.07-Study of Paths to Pr
Populations and employment barriers: Public benefits recipients, Unemployed

Effectiveness rating and effect by outcome domain

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Outcome domain Term Effectiveness rating Effect in 2024 dollars and percentages Effect in standard deviations Sample size
Increase earnings Short-term Little evidence to assess support unfavorable $-401 per year -0.011 2536
Long-term Little evidence to assess support favorable $401 per year 0.011 2536
Very long-term No evidence to assess support
Increase employment Short-term Supported favorable 4% (in percentage points) 0.090 2536
Long-term Little evidence to assess support favorable 1% (in percentage points) 0.024 2536
Very long-term No evidence to assess support
Decrease benefit receipt Short-term Not supported favorable $-7 per year -0.002 2536
Long-term Little evidence to assess support favorable $-76 per year -0.022 2536
Very long-term No evidence to assess support
Increase education and training All measurement periods No evidence to assess support
* This intervention was assessed as supported for this domain, meaning it achieved one or more statistically significant, favorable effects. However, the intervention has an average effect size that is unfavorable because the average includes all effects in this domain - both statistically significant and favorable effects and statistically insignificant but unfavorable effects.

Effectiveness rating key:

  • Well-supported Well-supported   
  • Supported  Supported   
  • Not supported  Not supported   
  • Mixed support  Mixed support   
  • Insufficient evidence  Insufficient evidence   
  • No evidence  No evidence
Effectiveness rating terms?

Studies of this intervention

Study quality rating Study counts per rating
High High 1
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Implementation details

Dates covered by study

P2P enrolled participants between April 2016 and August 2018 with a follow-up period of at least three years after enrollment (through August 2021).

Organizations implementing intervention

The Kentucky Department for Community-Based Services (DCBS) coordinated with existing services providers in pilot communities. It partnered with the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP), Kentucky Adult Education (KYAE), and Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), in conjunction with local community action agencies (CAAs). EKCEP managed contracting with local CAAs which in turn were responsible for recruitment, intake, assessments, case management, support services, and work-based learning placements. KYAE provided adult basic education services. KCTCS provided education, occupational skills training, and work study placements. KYAE and KCTCS also recruited participants and referred them to CAAs for intake and case management.

Populations served

P2P was targeted to new and current SNAP work registrants. The majority of participants were White (94 percent), had a high school diploma or equivalent (76 percent), and female (59 percent). Most participants were unemployed (84 percent).

Description of services implemented

P2P offered team-based case management to all participants and identified whether participants were initially interested in immediate employment or in education or training opportunities. Key services included :

  • Education and training. KYAE provided adult basic education services, KCTCS provided short-term education or occupational skills training, and other local training providers provided shorter-term certification programs. P2P covered all tuition and fees.
  • Work-based learning. P2P opportunities included internships, work experience, on-the-job training and work study. Work experiences were provided through a CAA at minimum wage. Success coaches at KCTCS coordinated work study and internship opportunities.
  • Job search and placement assistance. Career navigators worked with participants to develop job search strategies and provide job placement services.
  • Team-based case management and support services. Career navigators at CAAs were the primary staff for delivering team-based case management that included coordination with success coaches at KCTCS and KYAE staff. Navigators also led provision of support services, which were delivered through a monthly check of $50-$200 depending on participant need and level of engagement with P2P.

Service intensity

P2P service intensity varied by the education or employment services to which participants were referred. Education and occupational training programs typically lasted up to two semesters. Work-based learning opportunities could last up to 320 to 480 hours. For case management, the career navigator met biweekly with the case management team to coordinate services. KCTCS success coaches met regularly with participants. KYAE staff met as frequently as daily to weekly with participants during their enrollment in basic education.

Comparison conditions

The control group was eligible for any employment and training services available in the community. Kentucky did not offer a SNAP E&T program in any of the study counties at the time of the study.

Partnerships

Kentucky DBCS partnered with multiple existing education and training providers in the state to implement P2P, including:

  • Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program. Oversaw contracts with local CAAs to provide program services.
  • Kentucky Adult Basic Education (KYAE). Provided adult basic education services and assisted in program enrollment.
  • Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). Provided education, occupational skills training, and work study placements and supported program enrollment.
  • Community Action Agencies (CAAs). Local providers for Work Innovation and Opportunity Act programs who provided case management and coordinated enrollment, intake, and assessment processes as well as support services provision through contracts with KYCEP.

Staffing

Career navigators at CAAs provided primary case management and support services. Navigators led team collaboration with partner agencies, including success coaches based at KCTCS and adult education staff at KYAE who also regularly met with and provided guidance to participants enrolled in their programs. Other staff were involved in direct service provision at their respective providers (e.g., KYAE, KCTCS, CAAs), but specific roles or requirements for these staff were not discussed in the study.

Fidelity measures

The study did not discuss any tools to measure fidelity to the program model.

Funding source

The program was funded by federal SNAP E&T Pilot demonstration funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The information contained here reflects how the intervention was implemented at the time of the evaluation.

Local context

P2P was implemented in 8 counties in Kentucky. Kentucky DCBS has multiple locations statewide with the central office in Frankfort, KY. The Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program is located in Hazard, KY. The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is headquartered in Versailles, KY. 

Characteristics of research participants
Black or African American
3%
White, not Hispanic
94%
Another race
1%
More than one race
2%

The race and ethnicity categories may sum to more than 100 percent if the authors reported race and ethnicity separately; in these cases, we report the category White, rather than White, not Hispanic.

State(s) where implemented

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY Canada

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