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Subgroups
Three Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) sites recruited eligible participants: individuals who had received cash assistance for 12 months since 1997 or who lacked a high school degree or equivalent. Participants were randomly assigned at the time of recruitment and eligibility determination to the Transitional Work Corporation (TWC) program, the Success Through Employment Preparation (STEP) program, or a comparison group. Between October 2004 and May 2006, 1,942 participants were randomly assigned as follows: 731 to the TWC, 725 to STEP, and 486 to the comparison group. This review focuses on the STEP and TWC groups, treating the TWC group as the intervention group and the STEP group as the comparison group. A separate review compares these study groups treating STEP and the comparison group and TWC as the intervention group. Contrasts of the TWC versus comparison group and the STEP versus comparison group are also available in separate reviews. The evaluation included two surveys. The fielded sample for the 18-month survey included all 312 comparison group members randomly assigned between January 2005 and mid-February 2006, as well as a random sample of 313 intervention group members randomly assigned during the same period. The sample for the 42-month follow-up survey included all 486 participants assigned to the comparison group and 486 randomly selected participants in the TWC group. The TWC sample included the 173 participants randomly selected for the 18-month follow-up survey (from among those randomly assigned between January 1, 2005, and February 15, 2006) and 313 randomly selected from among those ineligible for the 18-month survey (randomly assigned before 2005 or after February 15, 2006).
Participants were randomly assigned between October 2004 and May 2006. Researchers assessed impacts for the first six quarters.
The study was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Labor.
Among participants assigned to both groups, the average age was between 29 and 30. In the TWC group, 79 percent of assigned participants were Black, 17 percent were Hispanic, 3 percent were White, and 2 percent reported another race or ethnicity. In the STEP group, these percentages were 84, 12, 3, and 1, respectively. In addition, 24 percent of the TWC participants and 25 percent of STEP participants reported having received Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for five or more years.
Jewish Employment and Vocational Service implemented STEP and Transitional Work Corporation implemented TWC.
The STEP program was run by the Jewish Employment and Vocational Service organization and is based on the Maximizing Participation Project. The STEP program was discontinued after June 2007. The TWC's transitional work program was initiated in 1998 to provide transitional jobs to Philadelphia TANF recipients.
The TWC began with a two-week orientation and then placed participants in a government or nonprofit job (paid minimum wage by TWC) for six months, during which time they also received case management services, job mentoring, job search assistance, and GED preparation. Participants were also eligible for retention bonuses of up to $800 after six months of employment in a permanent job.
The STEP program supported TANF recipients in securing jobs. STEP participants received home visits from staff, followed by extensive assessment to determine barriers to employment. Participants were then assigned a case manager and began participating in activities tailored to overcoming their barriers. Activities included GED preparation, English classes, life-skills classes, professional development, and behavioral coaching. Participants then worked with job coaches and job developers to find permanent employment.
People had to participate to continue receiving TANF, and they were sanctioned for nonparticipation.
A typical participant in the TWC engaged in up to six months of transitional employment and was eligible to receive additional supports from the TWC for up to six months after finding or being placed in permanent employment. For STEP, the study reports three cases in which recipients received between 9 and 15 months of services but does not indicate whether this was typical.
The program was funded through TANF.
The study took place at three Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) sites in Philadelphia.
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