STEP participants received home visits from community liaisons to identify and mitigate any barriers that might prevent participants from traveling to the program offices. In the program offices, participants were assigned a case coordinator, who conducted assessments to determine barriers to employment. Case coordinators worked with no more than 20 participants at a time. The case coordinator and specialized vocational rehabilitation staff developed a plan to address the barriers, and participants began activities tailored to overcoming their barriers.

WRTP provided short-term training programs—selected to match local labor market demand—that resulted in nursing assistant, medical assistant, and construction certificates. Participants also received soft skills training, case management, remedial education, job placement assistance, and post-employment services. Child care and transportation assistance were available for participants receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Training programs ranged from 40 to 160 hours and lasted from two to eight weeks.