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Summary

Ethics, Discipline, Goals, Employment (EDGE) - Enhanced Community College Services (ECCS) group provided intensive case management to new and current SNAP work registrants, focusing on able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs), requiring participants to enroll in a four-week career readiness course followed by a choice of three pathways—academic (basic education, post-secondary education, or occupational skills training), work (subsidized or unsubsidized employment), or life skills (work or behavioral skills).

Ethics, Discipline, Goals, Employment (EDGE) - Enhanced Community College Services (ECCS) group provided intensive case management to new and current SNAP work registrants, focusing on able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs), requiring participants to enroll in a four-week career readiness course followed by a choice of three pathways—academic (basic education, post-secondary education, or occupational skills training), work (subsidized or unsubsidized employment), or life skills (work or behavioral skills). The four-week EDGE class included completing the Test of Adult Basic Education and WorkKeys assessments, career readiness workshops, and an individual career plan that informed which of the three pathways participants would enter. Participants also received intensive case management and support services from career navigators at EDGE colleges.

The duration of the education and life skills pathways varied by program selected; the work pathway provided up to 320 hours of subsidized employment. Career navigators met with participants weekly during the EDGE class phase and monthly during the pathways phase and provided up to 90 days of employment retention services to participants who found employment.

The study was conducted in 29 counties in Mississippi.

101036.08-Study of Ethics, Dis
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 favorable $911 per year 0.025 1472
Long-term Supported favorable $1,567 per year 0.043 1472
Very long-term No evidence to assess support
Increase employment Short-term Little evidence to assess support favorable 3% (in percentage points) 0.067 1472
Long-term Little evidence to assess support favorable 2% (in percentage points) 0.053 1472
Very long-term No evidence to assess support
Decrease benefit receipt Short-term Not supported unfavorable $172 per year 0.050 1472
Long-term Not supported favorable $-7 per year -0.002 1472
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

EDGE - ECCS enrolled participants between March 2016 and February 2019 with a follow-up period of at least three years after enrollment.

Organizations implementing intervention

The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) developed and administered EDGE. Mississippi State University’s National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center was contracted by MDHS to develop and monitor data collections systems for EDGE. Jobs for Mississippi Graduates was contracted by MDHS to provide case management and conduct outreach to enroll participants. MDHS contracted with five community colleges to provide case management, the EDGE class, and pathways services.

Populations served

EDGE - ECCS was targeted to ABAWD SNAP work registrants. The average participant was Black (70 percent), male (51 percent), and had a high school diploma or equivalent (70 percent). Most participants were unemployed (94 percent).

Description of services implemented

EDGE - ECCS provided intensive case management combined with a two-phase program:

  • EDGE Class. In the first phase, participants completed an intensive 4-week job readiness class. Participants first completed the Test of Adult Basic Education and WorkKeys assessment, followed by career readiness workshops, with content including computer skills, personality assessment, work readiness skills, financial literacy, and mock interviews and communications skills. This phase culminated with an individual career plan that aligned with one of three program service pathways.
  • Academic, work, or life skills service pathways. The academic pathway consisted of choosing basic education courses, GED preparation, academic classes at a community college, or occupational skills training. The work pathway consisted of subsidized employment for up to 320 hours at $9 per hour. The life skills pathway included work readiness and behavioral skills classes.
  • Case management and support services. Career navigators at the participating colleges provided case management. Meetings with participants focused on barriers to employment and available supports, which could include transportation, training or personal needs, or items needed for work.

Service intensity

The EDGE job readiness class lasted four weeks. The duration of the academic, work, and life skills pathways varied by program selected and provider. In the work pathway, subsidized jobs lasted up to 320 hours. Case management meetings were weekly during the 4-week EDGE class and then monthly. Additionally, participants who found employment could receive up to 90 days for retention services.

Comparison conditions

The comparison group was eligible for eligible for existing SNAP E&T services and any other employment and training services available in the community. Mississippi offered limited services through its mandatory program; the control group received 30 days of up-front job search followed by workfare, plus transportation support. Tuition assistance and GED classes were available in some counties.

Partnerships

Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) developed and administered EDGE -ECCS along with three key partners:

  • Mississippi State University’s National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center. Contracted by MDHS to develop and monitor data collections systems for EDGE.
  • Jobs for Mississippi Graduates. Contracted by MDHS to provide case management and conduct outreach.
  • Five community colleges. Contracted by MDHS to provide case management, deliver the EDGE job readiness class, and provide the pathways services.

Staffing

Community colleges provided the career navigators who conducted case management activities. Information about the staff who delivered the EDGE classes and pathways services was not available 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

EDGE - ECCS was implemented in 29 counties across Mississippi The Mississippi Department of Human Services has multiple offices statewide with its headquarters located in Jackson, MS. Mississippi State University’s Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center is located in Starkville, MS. Jobs for Mississippi Graduates has locations statewide and is affiliated with the Foundation for the Mid South, which has headquarters in Jackson, MS.

Characteristics of research participants
Black or African American
70%
White, not Hispanic
28%
More than one race
1%
Hispanic or Latino of any race
1%

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

The Pathways Clearinghouse refers to interventions by the names used in study reports or manuscripts. Some intervention names may use language that is not consistent with our style guide, preferences, or the terminology we use to describe populations.