Building an Employment Focused Welfare System: Work First and Other Work-OrientedStrategies in Five States. Executive Summary

摘要

This report reviews the policy choices and experiences of six sites in fivestates that are engaged in making the transition from the more traditional welfare focus on cash assistance to the new transition from the more traditional welfare focus on cash assistance to the new Work First focus on employment. Work First programs in Indiana, Massachusetts, Oregon Virginia, and Wisconsin exemplify a range of strategies being used to achieve increased employment among welfare recipients. Among these states there are two distinct Work First models in place. The Work First, Work Mandate model (Massachusetts and Virginia) mandates employment participation as a require for continuing to receive cash assistance only a few months after the initial receipt of benefits. The Work First, Participation Mandate model (Oregon, Indiana, and Wisconsin) includes job search, education, and training as allowable forms of participation throughout the period of cash receipt.