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Eligible Tier 1 recipients were randomly assigned from January 2002 to April 2003 to enroll in Tier 2 or remain in Tier 1; half were randomly assigned to each condition. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients who had been assigned to a Tier 1 employment services provider for at least 12 months, had not worked in the previous 3 months, were unemployed at the time of random assignment, were not participating in an education or training program, and were not under sanction were eligible for assignment to Tier 2.
2002 through 2008
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.
All sample members were unemployed single parents who had received TANF benefits for at least 12 months. The vast majority of participants were female (93 percent), and most were African American (68 percent). Nearly 70 percent had received Aid to Families with Dependent Children or TANF benefits for more than two years, and roughly one-third described themselves as suffering from health problems.
Contractor agencies provided services under the supervision of Hennepin County's Office of Training and Employment Assistance (local workforce agency).
The Tier 2 program grew out of Minnesota's pre-existing Tier 1 program, which was introduced in 1998 to expedite employment for welfare recipients. Tier 2, a more intensive version of Tier 1, was implemented starting in 2000 as part of Minnesota's ERA grant.
The program was built on the services provided by Tier 1, the existing welfare-to-work program. Long-term TANF recipients who had participated in Tier 1 services for 12 months, were currently unemployed and had not worked in the prior three months, were not participating in education or training, and were not currently being sanctioned were randomly assigned to the Tier 2 condition. They worked with case managers whose caseloads had been reduced to 25 to 30 cases. Participation in Tier 2 was mandatory and could be enforced by sanctioning TANF benefits. Case managers performed detailed assessments of clients to identify the underlying challenges affecting them and their families and then referred clients to services that addressed those challenges. Clients had access to education or job training programs but were required to work 20 hours per week concurrently with participation in such programs. Clients searched for jobs for up to six weeks, and those still unemployed at the end of that period were placed in either unpaid employment or supported employment in which their paid employment was paired with job coaching or on-the-job training.
Clients randomly assigned to the comparison condition participated in Minnesota’s existing Tier 1 welfare-to-work program, which assigned TANF recipients to a caseworker for assessment. Caseworkers often managed 75 to 100 cases. For up to four weeks, clients searched for jobs and attended an optional job-readiness seminar; if they did not find work within that period, they began an unpaid work placement or forfeited a percentage of their TANF benefits. Participation in job search was mandatory and could be enforced by sanctioning TANF benefits. Education and training activities were also available but not required.
Clients were required to participate in work-related activities to remain eligible for TANF.
Clients engaged in focused job search activities for up to six weeks, and those who could not obtain employment were placed in an unpaid work experience program. The study does not specify the length of the placement or the point at which services were discontinued.
Minnesota Department of Human Services
Hennepin County, MN (primarily Minneapolis). Contractor agencies provided services under the supervision of the county's Office of Training and Employment Assistance.
Mental health, Physical health, Job characteristics, Child care, Transportation