Earnings

Earnings

Family Rewards had the largest effects on long-term annual earnings (an average of $6,342 per year). The Family Rewards program provided cash incentives to families with low income for completing activities related to children’s education, family health, and parents’ work and education, with the goal of reducing immediate hardship and long-term poverty.

Employment

Employment

Jobs-First Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) Program had the largest effects on long-term employment (an average of 6 percentage points). Jobs-First GAIN emphasized a rapid employment strategy to help recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) improve their earnings and employment outcomes. 

Public benefit receipt

Public benefit receipt

Prenatal and Infancy Home Visiting by Nurses had the largest effects on long-term benefit receipt (decreasing the amount of public benefits received by $2,278 per year). Prenatal and Infancy Home Visiting by Nurses provided home visits intended to promote family economic self-sufficiency by improving maternal life-course outcomes. The program focused on increasing employment, decreasing public benefit usage, and improving family planning.

Effects on long-term benefit receipt

$2,278

Decrease long-term benefit receipt

Education and training

Education and training

Good Transitions had the largest effects on education and training (increasing the attainment of a degree or credential by an average of 15 percentage points). Good Transitions served noncustodial parents with low income by providing subsidized employment combined with case management and training to help them connect to stable employment.

The San Diego Saturation Work Initiative Model (SWIM)

The sequence of required activities began with a two-week job search workshop. Next, participants completed three months of unpaid work experience (typically 20 to 30 hours per week) with concurrent job club sessions every other week, followed by assessments and referrals to outside education or training programs, if necessary. Part-time employment could substitute for some SWIM activities. People were placed in SWIM if they were applying for or receiving AFDC benefits from participating AFDC offices and met criteria for required participation.