Content by Keyword: Welfare-to-Work

Yet another reason why TANF agencies who are not already doing so should consider screening and assessing is the prevalence of disabilities and barriers to employment among TANF recipients. A review of several studies with prevalence estimates for substance abuse, learning disabilities, domestic violence, and mental health problems, describe high

Title II of the ADA of 1990 "is intended to protect qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination on the basis of disability in the services, programs, or activities of all State and local governments." 8 The ADA defines "disability" as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activitie

While a few states have been screening and assessing clients for health conditions, disabilities, and barriers to work for several years, there are a number of reasons why there is a growing interest in identifying and addressing unobserved barriers to employment. The overarching motivation for uncovering barriers is to fulfill the employment obje

For the purposes of this report, screening and assessment fall within the broad category of approaches used to identify or uncover barriers to employment. Identification efforts may include the use of case management techniques to elicit disclosure of a barrier, the use of formal or informal screening and assessment tools (discussed in Questions F

TANF recipients continuing to be involved in the welfare system face a range of disabilities and barriers to employment and self-sufficiency. Some of these are barriers with which the TANF system has experience identifying (i.e., lack of transportation or child care, low educational attainment, lack of work experience).

Examining issues associated with identifying barriers to employment among TANF recipients is complex in part because there is little common use of terms. Fundamental confusion over the use of terms makes discussing barriers, identifying and designing identification approaches, and delivering services difficult. Clarifying how TANF and other system

This report reviews issues related to developing and implementing screening and assessment approaches and offers a review of tools that may assist in this process. Identification of the issues to be considered, as well as the tools currently being used to screen or assess for barriers, was primarily based on a series of semi-structured telephone i

With welfare reform it is now more important than ever to identify and address barriers to employment.

The issues raised in this paper suggest that states and localities face a number of decisions in selecting an approach to screening and assessing TANF clients for unobserved barriers to employment. The paper also offers examples of how some states and localities have answered questions related to screening and assessment. However, the issues and d

Pervading the questions of how, when, and by whom screening and assessment should be conducted are questions relating to staff training and privacy and confidentiality. Although these are two important additional questions, these are merely some of the many questions TANF agencies and their partners must answer. What training issues are related

Approaches to screening and assessment are largely defined by how the case management process contributes to identification of barriers, the use of screening or assessment instruments, the timing of identification efforts, and the staffing arrangements used to carry out screening and assessment. Questions Four through Seven address these approache

Before moving to the questions of how, when, and by whom TANF clients can be screened or assessed, there are important questions that must be asked that set screening/assessment in its appropriate context. This context is particularly important for TANF agencies just beginning to consider the challenges associated with identifying “unobserved” b

Changes to the welfare system brought about by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), and state and local welfare reform efforts, carry serious implications for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) recipients with disabilities and barriers to employment. Specifically, work participation and time limi

The Urban Institute

Rick Krauss WorkFirst Program Coordinator Region 4/King County Washington Department of Social and Health Services 400 Mercer Street, Suite 600 Seattle, Washington 98109 Phone: (206) 272-2160

Suzanne Eisner Division Director Economic Independence Division Arlington County Department of Human Services 3033 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 700-A Arlington, Virginia 22201 Phone: (703) 228-1350

Rota Rosaschi Chief of Benefits and Support Nevada State Welfare Division 1470 East College Parkway Carson City, NV 89706-7924 Phone: (775) 684-0610

Reese Erdner Acting Program Supervisor Children, Families, and Adult Services Department Vocational Services Program—IRIS 219 North Second Street, Suite 407 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 Phone: (612) 596-7589

Alayne White or Barbara Ramlow University of Kentucky Institute on Women and Substance Abuse Targeted Assessment Project 1151 Red Mile Road, Suite 1B Lexington, Kentucky 40504 Phone: (859) 257-6441

Katie Evans Research and Special Projects Manager Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Economic and Employment Support Division 681-West, Docking State Office Building 915 SW Harrison Topeka, Kansas 66612 Phone: (785) 296-6756