Coordinating Services and Support for Individuals Facing Complex Employment Challenges

Next Generation of Enhanced Employment Strategies

In 2021, the Next Generation of Enhanced Employment Strategies Project conducted a rigorous study of innovative employment programs for people facing complex challenges to employment. Snapshots of Work Success, Bridges, Families Achieving Success, and Placement and Support for Justice Involved Adults show how each program goes beyond traditional employment services and implements evidence-informed services. The study explores the populations, operations, costs, the effectiveness compared with other employment services, and outcomes related to economic self-sufficiency and well-being. The snapshots highlight the use of evidence-informed services such as one-on-one coaching, coordinated employment and mental health services, and collaboration with employers. 

Process Evaluation of the Integration of Title I & Title II Services Under the Workforce Innovation 

This study examines the degree to which services under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I (workforce development) and Title II (adult education and literacy) are integrated in 17 local areas of New Jersey. Researchers used a mixed-methodology approach to collect data for this study conducted from September 2019–2020. They found evidence of 10 promising strategies used to integrate WIOA Title I and Title II services for curriculum and service delivery. Strategies for integrating curriculum include adding career content into literacy education, aligning adult education with post-secondary program prerequisites, and linking non-credit workforce training content with literacy education. A common strategy for integrating service delivery is co-enrollment in Title I and II programs. 

Process Study of the U.S. Department of Labor's Pay for Success Pilots 

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) awarded two four-year grants for pilot projects of the Pay for Success (PFS) approach in Massachusetts and New York. In PFS, investors finance the initial costs of services and are repaid only if the projects meet the specified results. In Phase I of the pilot projects, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and New York State Department of Labor received DOL grants. The impacts of the projects’ approaches were determined by evaluations using randomized controlled trials. Findings for Phase I show that the pilot projects did not reach the targets to trigger payments, but their experiences offer insights relevant to PFS efforts. 

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• Posted by: Burak Yuksel
• Posted in: Workforce System Strategies