HPOG aimed to prepare participants for careers in health care occupations that paid well and were expected to experience labor shortages or increased demand.
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.
A local public human services agency and a community college collaborated to provide VISION services, which included job search assistance and post-employment services in a One-Stop Career Center. Job search assistance included job placement and workshops on job retention and career paths. To help participants prepare for a job that interested them, staff met with participants two to three times a week to help develop a Personal Development Plan (PDP), which described the participants’ career goals and necessary tasks to achieve those goals.
Texas ERA began with an orientation followed by a four-day job-search workshop. After the workshop, participants spent four to six weeks searching for jobs. Those that did not find employment during this time were assigned to community service or volunteer positions. Participants who did find jobs became eligible for a $200 monthly stipend, as long as they were employed for at least 30 hours per week, participated in a post-employment advancement activity, or left TANF.
VIDA supported full-time enrollment in educational programs, including certificate programs, associate’s degree programs, or the last two years of coursework to receive a bachelor’s degree related to occupations that pay a living wage and are in high demand in the program’s local area. Participants received intensive, mandatory weekly counseling services focused on developing life skills, such as time management and budgeting, as well as skills to support success in participants’ education programs.
YouthBuild programs provided four main categories of services: (1) a combination of educational services designed to lead to a high school diploma or an equivalent credential such as a GED; (2) vocational training in construction or another in-demand industry; (3) youth development services focused on leadership training and community service; and (4) supportive services to help individuals participate in training and employment, including case management, workforce preparation, life skills training, counseling, and stipends for participation.
Participants received rental assistance vouchers that could be used to rent a housing unit in the private rental market. Units had to meet U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standards and be priced similarly to other units in the area. Local housing agencies worked in conjunction with local TANF agencies to provide comprehensive work-related services that were available in the broader community to assist participants with financial self-sufficiency.
The PESD program was one of the demonstration projects made possible by Section 1115 waivers to the rules in effect at the time for the AFDC program. These Section 1115 waivers allowed states to test new approaches to advance the objectives of the AFDC program.
