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Implementation recommendations:
“To strengthen the reform’s message from the outset, we recommend that local offices adhere to the original design of having a public assistance caseworker hold the enhanced intake separate from the eligibility interview and expand the enhanced intake interview to include a careful review of the PRA with the client”(viii).
“Improved safeguards against exposing control group members to the reform are needed, especially at intake. Currently planned responses include: moving the ICES random assignment module to an earlier stage in applicant processing, assigning workers to specialize in serving control group members in each office, developing more written procedures, providing specialized training, carefully monitoring office procedures and providing ongoing reinforcement of these efforts”(viii).
“As the Central Office develops policies related to the upcoming modifications in the school attendance requirement, it should consider incorporating further policy guidance on verification procedures and on developing and monitoring attendance improvement plans”(viii).
“The State should take steps to strengthen case management. Resources are the key barrier to furthering this goal and increasing staffing is one possible response. If it is not feasible, the State should consider strategies for targeting case management on populations that are most likely to need or benefit from it, such as: former clients returning to welfare, individuals in sanction status, and clients nearing the time limit”(viii).
“As the State implements modifications to its original waiver, it would be beneficial to provide more detailed staff training on the new procedures both at the outset and on an ongoing basis”(viii).
“More attention should be given to providing clients a complete and detailed account of how time limits operate. In order to “bring home the reality” of time limits, additional efforts should be made to remind clients how many months of assistance they have used up (and how many months they have left) at every scheduled appointment with eligibility workers, IMPACT workers, and outside provider staff”(viii).
Impact Recommendations:
“After having done its best to help the most responsive clients achieve self-sufficiency, the State may face greater challenges as it works with the more disadvantaged clients who remain on welfare. On the other hand, recent policy changes increase greatly the number of clients exposed to Work First, time limits, and make work pay provisions. These changes suggest intriguing questions about the future relationship between welfare reform and caseload change, questions that will be addressed in upcoming reports”(xvi).
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