National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies

Evaluating Two Approaches to Case Management:

Implementation, Participation Patterns,
Costs, and Three-Year Impacts of the Columbus Welfare-to-Work Program

Submitted to:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children and Families
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

U.S. Department of Education
Office of the Under Secretary
Office of Vocational and Adult Education
June 2001

Prepared by:
Susan Scrivener and Johanna Walter with Thomas Brock and Gayle Hamilton
Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation

This report is available on the Internet at:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/NEWWS/columbus01/index.htm

Obtaining a Printed Copy


Contents

Executive Summary

List of Tables and Figures
Acknowledgments

Chapters:

1. Introduction

2. Implementation of the Integrated and Traditional Programs

3. Participation Patterns in the Integrated and Traditional Programs

4. Cost of Employment-Related Services in the Integrated and Traditional Programs

5. Employment and Welfare Impacts of the Integrated and Traditional Programs

Appendix A: Supplementary Tables to Chapter 2

Appendix B: Supplementary Tables to Chapter 3

Appendix C: Supplementary Table to Chapter 5

References

Funder & Selected Publications from NEWWS Evaluation

List of Tables and Figures

Tables

1. Description of Staff Duties in the Traditional and Integrated Programs

2. Two-Year Gross and Net Costs of Employment-Related Services (in 1993 Dollars)

3. Program Impacts on Employment and Welfare Over a Three-Year Follow-Up Period

4. Program Impacts on Employment and Welfare Over a Three-Year Follow-Up Period for Educational Attainment Subgroups

1.1 Characteristics of the Program Environment

1.2 Selected Characteristics of Sample Members

2.1 Description of Staff Duties

2.2 Characteristics of Program Staff

3.1 Rates of Participation Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period

3.2 Length of Participation Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period

3.3 Sanction Activity Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period

3.4 Two-Year Impacts on Participation in Job Search, Education, Training, and Work Experience

3.5 Two-Year Impacts on Participation in Job Search, Education, Training, and Work Experience, by High School Diploma/GED Status

4.1 Estimated Unit Costs for Employment-Related Activities, by Program and Agency (in 1993 Dollars)

4.2 Estimated Cost per Program Group Member for Employment-Related Services Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period, by Program and Agency (in 1993 Dollars)

4.3 Estimated Support Service Costs Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period, by Program (in 1993 Dollars)

4.4 Estimated Total Gross Costs and Net Costs for Employment-Related Services Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period, by Program (in 1993 Dollars)

4.5 Estimated Total Gross and Net Costs for Employment-Related Services Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period, by Program and High School Diploma/GED Status (in 1993 Dollars)

5.1 Program Impacts on Employment and Earnings

5.2 Program Impacts on AFDC Receipt and Payments

5.3 Program Impacts on Employment and Earnings for Sample Members with a High School Diploma or GED

5.4 Program Impacts on AFDC Receipt and Payments for Sample Members with a High School Diploma or GED

5.5 Program Impacts on Employment and Earnings for Sample Members Without a High School Diploma or GED

5.6 Program Impacts on AFDC Receipt and Payments for Sample Members Without a High School Diploma or GED

A.1 Selected JOBS and Integrated Staff Survey Measures

A.2 Selected Income Maintenance and Integrated Staff Survey Measures

A.3 Selected Client Survey Measures

B.1 Rates of Participation Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period, by High School Diploma/GED Status

B.2 Length of Participation Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period, by High School Diploma/GED Status

B.3 Sanction Activity Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period, by High School Diploma/GED Status

B.4 Two-Year Impacts on Participation in Job Search, Education, Training, and Work Experience, by Program, Based on Client Survey Data Only

C.1 Three-Year Impacts on Employment, Earnings, and AFDC

Figures

1. Two-Year Participation and Sanction Rates, by Program

2. Average Quarterly Earnings and AFDC Payments Over a Three-Year Follow-Up Period

1.1 Steps Leading from Income Maintenance to Random Assignment

2.1 Employment Preparation Strategy

2.2 Staff Training, Supervision, and Evaluation

2.3 Personalized Attention and Encouragement

2.4 Participation Monitoring

2.5 Rule Enforcement and Sanctioning

2.6 Perceptions of the Effectiveness of JOBS

3.1 Assignment Patterns Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period

3.2 Distribution of Sample Members by Descriptive - Not Causal - Activity Sequences Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period,by Case Management Approach

3.3 AFDC and JOBS Statuses Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period,by Follow-Up Month

3.4 Proportion of JOBS-Mandatory Months in Various JOBS Statuses Within a Two-Year Follow-Up Period

4.1 Major Components of Gross and Net Costs for Employment-Related Services


Acknowledgments

This evaluation could not have been conducted without the dedication and cooperation of administrators and staff from the Ohio Department of Human Services and the Franklin County Department of Human Services (now part of the Department of Job and Family Services). State and county administrators embraced the idea of testing two case management approaches and remained committed to operating two separate welfare-to-work programs and subjecting them to intensive study. Staff were willing to comply with the rigorous requirements of the complex research design, including keeping the two programs distinct. In addition, they facilitated access to research sample members' case files, created the automated AFDC and Food Stamp payment files and unemployment insurance files used in this and other reports, and candidly discussed their experiences during field research visits.

The following key staff deserve special thanks: in the Ohio department, Michael Haas, Joel Rabb, Richard Deppe, Michael Koss, Scott Kozlowski, Nancy Mead, and Brenda Newsome; and in the Franklin County department, John Hahn, Mary Lou Langenhop, Leila Hardaway, Annette Mizelle, Toni Smith, and Georgianna Hayes.

In addition, gratitude is owed the research sample members, who went through the random assignment process, granted researchers access to confidential information about themselves, and participated in surveys. Without them, the research would not have been possible.


How to Obtain a Printed Copy

To obtain a printed copy of this report, fax or mail the title and your name and mailing address to:

Human Services Policy, Room 404E
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20201

Fax: 202-690-6562


Where to?

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Home Pages:
National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies (NEWWS)
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Last updated July 31, 2001