program snapshot: fadssthe impact of coaching on self-regulation skills, and the role of...

Employment Coaching for TANF and Related Populations

Evaluation ofMarch 2019

OPRE Report #2019-58

PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: FaDSS

By Kristen Joyce and Sheena McConnell

Evaluation of Employment Coaching for TANF and Related Populations

To learn more about the potential of coaching to help Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients and other low-income people reach economic security, OPRE awarded a contract to Mathematica Policy Research and Abt Associates to conduct an evaluation of employment coaching interventions. The evaluation will use an experimental research design to examine the effectiveness of coaching interventions that aim to help low-income individuals succeed in the labor market. It will also examine the implementation of the coaching interventions, the impact of coaching on self-regulation skills, and the role of self-regulation skills in generating any impacts on employment outcomes. Descriptive findings will be available in fall/winter 2019 and impact findings will be available beginning in 2021.

For more information visit the project’s web page or email us about receiving regular updates on the project.

Iowa’s Family Development and Self-Sufficiency (FaDSS) program is part of a select group of employment coaching interventions participating in the Evaluation of Employment Coaching for TANF and Related Populations, funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), within the Administration for Children and Families.

How does FaDSS implement employment coaching?

FaDSS provides

assessments, coaching, and referrals during home visits. FaDSS is

a voluntary program that serves only TANF recipients. The objective

of FaDSS is to help families achieve family stability and economic

independence. The coaches, called Certified Family Development

Specialists, visit families in their homes to complete both formal and

informal assessments and help develop their goals.

• Assessment. The coaches assess a family’s strengths and challenges using multiple tools. They also screen for domestic violence and assess child development. The findings from the assessments inform the goal setting process.

What is employment coaching?

Coaching involves a trained staff person or coach working with a participant to set personalized goals, as well as sup-porting, motivating, and providing feedback over time to the participant as he or she pursues those goals. The coach is not directive but works collaboratively with the participant.

https://humanrights.iowa.gov/dcaa/fadss

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/research/project/evaluation-of-coaching-focused-interventions-for-hard-to-employ-tanf-clients-and-other-low-income-populations

mailto:[email protected]

• Goal setting. Coaches work with families to set two types of goals: (1) family stabilization goals (considered short-term, in the areas of housing and transportation) and (2) economic self-sufficiency goals (considered long-term, in the areas of education and employment). The goal-setting process is family-driven, taking into consideration the needs of the family as a whole. All home visits are centered on goal setting and pursuit, tracking progress toward previously set goals, assessing whether new goals are appropriate, and identifying action steps to be taken before the next home visit. Action steps are developed to take advantage of a family’s assessed strengths.

• Coaching frequency. The coaches aim to meet with families in their homes six times during the first three months. Starting in the fourth month, the level of contact is determined by the needs of the family but at a minimum the coaches meet with families monthly, with two additional contacts each month.

• Coach characteristics. The coaches’ qualifications are determined by each local agency. Ninety percent of the specialists start the job with a bachelor’s degree from varied disciplines. All specialists across the state must be oriented to FaDSS procedures and policies upon being hired. In addition, specialists must receive the Family Development Certification training from the National Resource Center at the University of Iowa within one year of being hired.

• Other services. The coaches also provide families with one-on-one work readiness, life skills, and self-advocacy instruction and referrals to community resources.

How is FaDSS funded and whom does it serve?

Iowa’s Department of Human Rights implements FaDSS through subcontracts with 17 local agencies across the state in urban and rural counties. It is funded through the TANF block grant and state general funds and serves TANF recipients with barriers to self-sufficiency.

Where and when is FaDSS being evaluated?

Seven local agencies in Iowa are participating in the evaluation. Study enrollment began in June 2018 and will continue for about 12 months.

Project Officers: Hilary Bruck and Victoria Kabak

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre

Contract/Task Number: HHSP233201500035I / HHSP23337018T

Project Director: Sheena McConnellMathematica Policy Research1100 1st Street, NE, 12th FloorWashington, DC 20002-4221

Suggested citation: Joyce, Kristen and Sheena McConnell (2019). “FaDSS program snapshot.” OPRE Report #2019-58. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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Evaluation of

March 2019OPRE Report #2019-59

PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Goal4 It!TM





Goal4 It!TM in Jefferson County, Colorado is part of a select group of employment coaching interventions being evaluated under the Evaluation of Employment Coaching for TANF and Related Populations, funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), within the Administration for Children and Families.

How does Jefferson County implement employment coaching?

The Colorado Works

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in Jefferson

County is piloting Goal4 It!TM for work-eligible TANF recipients. Goal4

It!TM is a coaching approach developed by Mathematica Policy

Research in partnership with the Center on the Developing Child at

Harvard University, other experts in the field, and practitioners across

the country. It aims to improve participants’ executive functioning and

other self-regulation skills—such as the ability to stay organized and

control one’s emotions—in the short-term and increase economic

security and decrease reliance on public assistance in the long-term.

It uses three primary strategies: (1) strengthening core skills, (2) reducing external sources of stress, and (3) creating

responsive relationships within and beyond the program.

What is employmentcoaching?


https://www.mathematica-mpr.com/toolkits/goal4-it

https://www.jeffco.us/2687/Colorado-Works-TANF



• Assessment. During the first meeting with a participant, Goal4 It!TM coaches partner with participants to examine their strengths and needs in four life areas: (1) work and education, (2) family stability and well-being, (3) legal issues, and (4) financial health. Rather than focusing on the identification of barriers or challenges, this assessment approach is intended to jumpstart the goal setting process by clarifying what is most important to the participant.

• Goal setting. The coaches help participants set meaningful goals, break goals down into manageable steps, develop specific plans to achieve the steps, and regularly review goal progress and revise their goals or plans. The Goal4 It!TM approach to goal pursuit focuses on evoking the participants’ true motivation; creating strong implementation intentions (“if, then” plans) to overcome obstacles to goal achievement; and facilitating self-reflection about what the participant has learned and how to move forward.

• Coaching frequency. Coaches meet at least once per month with participants who are not working and more frequently with those who are experiencing a crisis, such as becoming homeless or being at risk of losing custody of their children. Coaches meet with participants who are employed at least once every two months. All participants meet with a coach as long as they are still receiving TANF benefits.

• Coach characteristics. The Jefferson County coaches have case management experience through either TANF or other programs. Most are TANF case managers who were trained in the Goal4 It!TM coaching approach. All of the coaches have at least a bachelor’s degree.

The evaluation will compare the effectiveness of Goal4 It!TM to that of Jefferson County’s traditional TANF case

management. The traditional case management, administered by Jefferson County career and family coordinators,

focuses on creating an individual plan that incorporates the federal TANF work requirements and monitoring recipi-

ents’ progress on and compliance with that plan. In contrast, Goal4 It!TM coaches focus on individual goal setting and

pursuit using Goal4 It!TM tools, such as documents to plan goals and determine goal action steps.

How is Goal4 It!TM funded and whom does it serve?

Goal4 It!TM is funded through the TANF block grant as part of normal program operations and serves TANF

recipients who are subject to work requirements.

Where and when is Goal4 It!TM being evaluated?

The evaluation is being conducted in Jefferson County’s TANF office. Study enrollment began in October 2018 and

will continue for about 12 months.






Suggested citation: Joyce, Kristen and Sheena McConnell (2019). “Goal4 It!TM program snapshot.” OPRE Report #2019-59. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.














PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: LIFT





LIFT is part of a select group of employment coaching interventions being evaluated under the Evaluation of Employment Coaching for TANF and Related Populations, funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), within the Administration for Children and Families.

How does LIFT implement employment coaching?

LIFT is a non-profit

organization that provides career and financial coaching, financial

support, employment and financial management workshops, and

social activities to parents and caregivers of young children. LIFT’s

goal is to help participants find a path toward goal achievement and

financial security by matching them with coaches.

Assessment. LIFT coaches use assessments to learn about participants’ aspirations in several areas in their life (for example, their career and asset-building), and to help participants identify resources and action steps to achieve their goals.



https://www.liftcommunities.org/



• Goal setting. Coaches work with participants to set short- and long-term goals and create action plans to achieve those goals. Participants often start with a long-term financial goal such as purchasing a home, saving for their child’s college, or increasing their income. Coaches then work with participants to identify milestones to reach the long-term goal and then short-term tasks to work on between sessions. The LIFT coaching approach is nondirective and allows participants to choose the goals and milestones they want to work on. LIFT conducts a formal review of progress toward goals every three months. During the progress review, participants reassess their goals and determine if ongoing coaching is still a priority.

• Coaching frequency. Generally, coaches meet with participants twice during the first month and monthly after that. Coaching sessions typically last about 60 minutes. Coaches also check in with participants between sessions by phone, text message, or email.

• Coach characteristics. LIFT coaches are primarily student volunteers pursuing master’s degrees in social work from area colleges. Most volunteers are required by their master’s program to work on average 21 hours per week, typically as a practicum.

• Other services. In addition to coaching, LIFT offers participants financial payments when they make progress toward meeting their goals. The payments, which are $150 each and can total up to $1,000 over two years, also serve as incentives to participate and share career and financial progress updates. The program also offers a variety of workshops on topics such as financial health and job readiness, as well as social activities to strengthen peer networks.

How is LIFT funded and whom does it serve?

LIFT is funded by grants from foundations and other organizations as well as individual donations. The program is

targeted to parents, expectant parents, and caregivers of children ages 8 and younger. Participants must have stable

housing, be employed at least part time or enrolled in school, and be ready and able to focus on their long-term goals.

Where and when is LIFT being evaluated?

LIFT operates in four cities: Washington, DC; New York, New York; Chicago, Illinois; and Los Angeles, California.

The Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York locations are participating in the evaluation. Study enrollment began in

September 2018 and will continue for about 12 months.






Suggested citation: Joyce, Kristen and Sheena McConnell (2019). “LIFT program snapshot.” OPRE Report #2019-60. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.














PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: MyGOALS





MyGoals for Employment Success (MyGoals) is part of a select group

of employment coaching interventions being evaluated under the

Evaluation of Employment Coaching for TANF and Related Populations,

funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE),

within the Administration for Children and Families.

How does MyGoals

implement

employment coaching?

MyGoals is a coaching

demonstration that provides employment coaching and financial

support to unemployed adults. MyGoals was designed by MDRC,

an education and social policy research organization. The program’s

objective is to help participants improve their overall economic

security and decrease their reliance on public assistance in the long

term. MyGoals uses a highly structured and nondirective coaching

process to assist clients in four main domains: (1) employment

and career management; (2) education and training; (3) financial

management; and (4) personal and family well-being.



https://www.mdrc.org/project/mygoals-employment-success#overview



• Assessment. During the initial meeting, MyGoals coaches assess participants’ interests, strengths, experiences, credentials, and self-regulation skills, such as the ability to stay organized and control one’s emotions. The results of the assessment can help inform goal setting.

• Goal setting. Through motivational interviewing, the coaches guide participants through a process for identifying long-term goals within one or more domains. They then develop highly specific short-term goals (to be achieved within as little as one or two weeks) and action steps that build toward their long-term goals, with continual review of progress and revision of strategies, as needed. If participants encounter situations in which self-regulation weaknesses interfere with goal achievement, the coaches help them choose effective responses, drawing on practices developed by behavioral psychologists.

• Coaching frequency. Coaches meet with participants every three to four weeks during the first two years and are encouraged to check in between sessions using phone calls, text messages, or emails. They will also meet during a third year, but less frequently.

• Coach characteristics. The MyGoals coaches have case management experience from previous positions. Several of the coaches formerly worked for the housing authority in different capacities. All of the coaches have at least a bachelor’s degree, and a few coaches also have a master’s degree.

• Other services. MyGoals offers participants a monthly stipend for engaging in the program and tiered financial incentives for obtaining and retaining employment. Participants have access to specially prepared and locally specific labor market information highlighting relevant job openings and employers, and directories that list training opportunities offered by partner organizations.

How is MyGoals funded and whom does it serve?

The MyGoals demonstration is being funded by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, the JPB

Foundation, the Weinberg Foundation, and the Houston Endowment. It is being implemented in Baltimore, Maryland, and

Houston, Texas, within the cities’ housing authorities. The program is targeted to unemployed adults between ages 18 and 56

who are receiving support from the housing authority, including Section 8 voucher holders and residents of public housing.

Where and when is MyGoals being evaluated?

Mathematica Policy Research, Abt Associates, and MDRC are evaluating MyGoals in both the Baltimore and Houston

sites. Study enrollment began in March 2017 in Houston and April 2017 in Baltimore and will continue for about two years

in both sites.






Suggested citation: Joyce, Kristen and Sheena McConnell (2019). “MyGoals program snapshot.” OPRE Report #2019-61. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.











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