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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 comparison groups (the TWC versus comparison group contrast is available in a separate review, as is the STEP versus TWC contrast). The evaluation included one survey. 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.
Participants were randomly assigned between October 2004 and May 2006. Researchers assessed impacts for four years after random assignment.
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 STEP group, 84 percent of assigned participants were Black, 12 percent were Hispanic, 3 percent were White, and 1 percent reported another race or ethnicity. In addition, 25 percent of STEP participants reported having received Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for five or more years.
Jewish Employment and Vocational Service
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 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.
Participants in the comparison group were not required to participate in work activities. Instead, they were provided with a list of community resources and were encouraged to participate in work activities. However, given the challenges associated with tracking these exempt individuals through the TANF system, the authors suggest that some individuals might have been told incorrectly by program staff that they were required to participate in work activities at some point during the study.
People had to participate to continue receiving TANF, and they were sanctioned for nonparticipation.
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.
Physical health, Mental health, Substance abuse, Housing, Family formation, Child care, Job characteristics