Thresholds IPS involved an integrated treatment approach in which an employment specialist worked with a team of clinicians and support staff to combine treatment of clients’ underlying mental and physical health issues with employment services. The employment specialist created individualized job searches with clients that reflected their employment preferences and conducted an initial vocational assessment to guide an accelerated job search process.

The Jobs-First GAIN program began with a six-hour motivational meeting followed by job clubs, which were classroom sessions focused on participants’ job application techniques and a supervised job search. Participants were encouraged to take any job offer received, including low-wage positions. Job clubs lasted three weeks, but further job development services were available until the recipient found work, exited the welfare system, or both. Jobs-First GAIN focused on AFDC recipients. The Jobs-First GAIN evaluation took place in Los Angeles County, CA.

For participants with low educational attainment or low math, reading, or English language skills at program entry, GAIN began with adult education or job search assistance. For all other GAIN participants, the program began with job search assistance, including job clubs and supervised job searches.

Reach for Success revolved around case managers who recruited participants for the intervention, connected them with services, and helped them navigate through life crises and job loss. Case managers contacted participants at least once a month and provided individualized counseling to help them navigate new job responsibilities or interpersonal issues (at work or at home) that presented a challenge to their continued employment. Case managers were given a reduced caseload of 40 to 85 cases compared with the typical 100 to 120 cases per case manager.

NYCJC participants progressed through three phases of services: Phase 1 (about 3 weeks) provided job-readiness and life skills training, Phase 2 (minimum of 3 months) expected participants to partake in community service, and Phase 3 (minimum of 6 weeks) provided paid internships in public or private organizations or placement in a job or educational program. Participants could continue to receive work-readiness services during Phases 2 and 3, and, in all phases, participants could receive job coaching, counseling, and education services.

FAST provided extra services to participants who qualified for FSS. FAST integrated the IPS supported employment model into the FSS program to provide participants with individualized job search assistance, job development services, and related supports based on their preferences and abilities. FAST also integrated motivational interviewing and a vocational assessment into the FSS program alongside IPS. To better support FAST participants, the caseload of FAST case managers was reduced to 50 active cases from an average of 75 to 100.

Next STEP participants received 2 weeks of work-readiness training and then worked with a job developer to search for a private job with subsidized wages. The subsidized job lasted for 16 weeks, with a full subsidy for 8 weeks and a half subsidy for the subsequent 8 weeks. All employers agreed to retain participants if they did well, and hired participants were invited to quarterly job retention meetings. In addition to subsidized employment, participants had access to case management, mental health services, financial incentives, and legal assistance.

PSI participants attended a job-readiness course, called Learning Expectations and Developing Employment Readiness Skills (LEADERS), course for two weeks. In addition to providing information about the program services and its expectations, LEADERS included conflict resolution, work readiness, mock interviews, and help preparing resumes. LEADERS was intended to prepare participants for the National Work Readiness assessment, which they took at the end of the course to be placed on a work crew.