- Log in to post comments
At two welfare offices, evaluators randomly assigned Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) applicants eligible for welfare-to-work programs to either Valuing Individual Success and Increasing Opportunities Now (VISION) or to Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS), the state's typical welfare-to-work program, between May 2002 and May 2004. The study randomly assigned 1,504 single parents during the two years, 89.8 percent of whom were required to participate in a welfare-to-work program. At the time of the 12-month follow-up analysis, data on public assistance receipt were available only for the 977 participants randomly assigned by September 2003. The evaluation included a survey 12 months after random assignment that was administered to all participants who were randomly assigned between May and October 2003, who were 18 years old or older, and who spoke English or Spanish. In total, 418 participants were selected for the survey and 300 responded to the survey. A total of 316 participants from two-parent homes were randomly assigned but are included in a separate study.
The program was studied from May 2002 through 2007. This study reports impacts for participants one and three years after random assignment.
The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in ACF at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services funded the study, with support from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Participants were TANF-eligible single parents (though 4 percent reported not having any children). Most (90 percent) were female, U.S. citizens (98 percent), and native English speakers (98 percent). The majority of participants were White (70 percent) or Hispanic (15 percent). Forty-one percent had not received TANF before the study. The average age was between 29 and 30 years old, and 69 percent of participants had at least a high school degree or equivalent certification.
State TANF and a local community college
The Salem program, called VISION, was developed for the study. It began operation in May 2002 as a collaboration between the local welfare agency and a community college. The program operated out of the local one-stop career center.
The Salem VISION program provided job search assistance and post-employment services to unemployed TANF recipients. The program was run by the local welfare agency and a community college and operated out of a one-stop career center. Participation was typically mandatory and was enforced by sanctions. Job search assistance included job placement and workshops on job retention and career paths. Staff helped clients develop and regularly revisit a personal development plan to identify and prepare for a job that interested them. A case manager from the local welfare office could authorize supportive services. VISION staff reportedly devoted most of their time to preemployment services and helped clients gain access to public assistance. VISION also offered post-employment services that focused on promoting job retention and career advancement, including support in achieving the career goals set before employment. VISION intended to provide post-employment services regardless of continued TANF eligibility status but did not do so consistently.
TANF recipients assigned to the comparison group participated in the state's typical welfare-to-work program, JOBS, delivered by the local welfare office. Participation was typically mandatory. Case managers conducted intake assessments and authorized supportive services. Employment consultants delivered workshops on job search interviews and resume preparation. Participants enrolled in up to 45 days of job search and preparation workshops. Staff helped clients develop a personal development plan but rarely revisited it. The program ended when participants found work and were no longer eligible for TANF.
Participation in the intervention was mandatory for most of the sample and was enforced by sanctions.
Preemployment services were typically available for 45 days, but VISION staff could extend the time for clients with so-called promising prospects.
Oregon TANF
The study took place in Salem, OR. Salem's unemployment rate was 8.6 percent at the start of the study. According to study authors, most jobs in Salem were either entry-level or in the service sector. Because of budgetary restrictions, Oregon discontinued emergency assistance and some other public assistance programs at the time the study was being conducted.
Physical health, Job characteristics