Welfare to Work Report

Section VI: Challenges, Strategies and Action Plans

Using the need matrix and the issue areas listed above, the committees developed their preliminary three-step action plans. These steps include identifying challenges, formulating strategies to meet these challenges and creating action plans to implement the strategies. The action plans also list representative community organizations involved in each category and cost estimates where available. Other community organizations will be identified and involved in the process as the plans are finalized. Although every plan is not complete, substantial progress is being made in this effort.

Summaries of the issue areas and categories are provided below. Each summary is followed by the page number of the planning matrix where more detailed information can be found.

Workforce Development:

Workforce development is a critical part of maintaining Austin’s strong and competitive economy in today’s marketplace. The most effective welfare-to-work programs in the country employ a balanced workforce development approach that combines job search, education, job training and job placement. In the Coalition Model, workforce development encompasses all of these components plus post-job placement. The purpose of workforce development is to move TANF-eligible recipients into sustainable employment with the goal of self-sufficiency.

The Austin/Travis County Welfare-to-Work Coalition complements the efforts of the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and the Texas Department of Human Services (TDHS). TWC and TDHS developed a Work First service delivery model with a primary emphasis on employing TANF recipients. Work First programs are designed to move participants into unsubsidized employment as quickly as possible through job search and short-term education, training, or work-experience activities.

The TWC/TDHS service delivery model has two central components: the TWC approved CHOICES program, which is administered by the Capital Area Workforce Development Board and the TDHS’s Texas Works program. Taken together, these programs offer work-related assistance and supportive services information to eligible TANF recipients who comply with employment requirements (see appendix for descriptions of these programs).

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Job Placement

The Welfare-to-Work Coalition will utilize existing job placement systems and direct participants through the Workforce Centers for specialized job development services. Each participant will receive caseworker assistance.

Outreach will be conducted by organizations such as DHS, HACA and ARC. DHS will recruit participants and provide them with employment information through the Texas Works Program. TANF recipients will be guided to the Texas Workforce Commission approved CHOICES program, which is administered by the CAWDB through One-Stop Workforce Centers. Eligible participant will receive the following services: Work First Orientation; job skills workshops; an employment planning session; individual job searches; basic assessments; and other activities. Depending upon eligibility, skill level and other factors, participants will be directed into jobs or job related training or activities.

After CHOICES, participants will be routed to Welfare-to-Work Coalition organizations and others for further assessment and referral. They will receive CASAS and WorkKeys job skills assessment administered by Austin Community College (ACC) and other educational service providers.

Upon completion of the assessment process, participants will be referred to the appropriate community organization (or organizations) to receive necessary services (e.g. supportive services, subsistence services, etc.). According to assessment outcomes, they will be placed in designated Work I jobs and/or education and training programs. Participants may be placed in a part time, unpaid placement to gain real work experience. During this placement, a stipend will be paid into an individual escrow account for each participant.

Local businesses and public agencies have committed to provide more than 650 jobs for participants, both subsidized and unsubsidized. These businesses include IBM, Samsung, Novell and Motorola.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Job Training

Federal law requires states to assess the literacy level of welfare recipients and help them prepare for and find work. Under the Coalition model, each participant will be assessed (using CASAS, TABE, WorkKeys, etc.) and placed in the appropriate training programs for continued employment. These programs include skills training, adult education and English proficiency courses. Participants will be routed to Coalition member organization or the appropriate community entity to receive training based on the assessment, skills, aptitudes and aspirations of the client.

Austin Community College, Huston-Tillotson College, the American Institute for Learning and other training organizations will help participants meet education and training needs. Additional occupational and skills training needs, including non-traditional jobs training for women, will be met by ACC, the American Institute for Learning, Austin Area Urban League, Goodwill Industries and other community organizations.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Literacy

Nearly 3% of all welfare recipients in Austin/Travis County have no formal education. This does not include caretakers ineligible for TANF benefits. Poor basic reading and writing skills present major barriers to lasting employment. Participants will be directed to community organizations and schools for basic adult education. Those with learning disabilities will receive specialized services. Once sufficient literacy skills are achieved, clients can move into occupational training that will lead to lasting employment.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Education

Lack of basic skills (defined as reading and math skills below the eighth grade level) does not mean a participant cannot find a job. It often means that participants will require basic education concurrently with job related activities. Reaching core competence, as identified by employers, increases access to jobs and the likelihood of sustainable employment.

The community must increase the number of optimal learning opportunities, improve learning environments and conditions, maximize the number of individuals prepared to enter the workforce and increase and diversify employers who are willing to hire participants. A collaboration of universities and colleges will provide a complete range of education services to participants. This collaborative includes the University of Texas, Huston-Tillotson College, St. Edwards University and Austin Community College.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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English as a Second Language (ESL)

Increasing numbers of individuals and families migrating to Texas do not speak or read English. Of the TANF recipients in Austin/Travis County, 42.4% are Hispanic. An estimated 21% of adults in east Austin are restricted in their access to employment due to language barriers. Without basic literacy, education and English skills, individuals will be unable to obtain or retain jobs that allow movement towards self-sufficiency.

ESL courses are essential to reducing these barriers and increasing employment options. However, ESL does not need to be a prerequisite for job search. ESL and part-time work are common among welfare-to-work programs.

The Coalition has identified several member organizations that provide ESL training. They include Austin Community College, Austin Independent School District and Communities in Schools.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Post-Job Placement

Many people leave welfare for work, only to return once again to welfare after they lose their job. With the TANF time limits in place, many welfare recipients will have no safety net to fall into if they lose their job. Consequently, post-job placement and retention are top priorities of the Welfare-to-Work Coalition. The Coalition’s continuum of service approach is designed to keep people employed and help them to find better jobs leading to self-sufficiency.

The Coalition will utilize job coaches, peer mentor groups and special services such as those provided by Austin Outreach and the Austin Academy to train and educate participants and to encourage continued employment and movement towards self-sufficiency (livable wage jobs or Work II). The job coaches and mentors will work to accommodate the schedules of the participants and ensure that the various needs of the participants are met.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Supportive Services

Supportive services include early education and care, mental health/substance abuse services, transportation, case management/mentoring. To gain and maintain meaningful employment, recipients need positive social support networks for assistance in times of need. Basic life management skills training play a critical role in this effort and must occur at the beginning of the process and throughout the welfare-to-work continuum.

An important part of the Coalition’s job retention effort will be the development of comprehensive social support networks. Case managers, peer-mentoring groups and community organization members plays important roles in supporting and encouraging participants to stay employed.

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Early Education and Care

In the transition into the workforce, many parents find it almost impossible to pay for child care. Without some child care arrangement many parents would be unable to keep working. Most families moving from public assistance to work will continue to need subsidized child care at least until their youngest child is in public school.

There are not enough child care slots for subsidized child care in Austin/Travis County. While there are child care resources in the community, the majority of these resources are already committed to low-income recipients. Members of the Coalition are committed to finding the necessary child care for the participants. Member organizations are identifying corporate and government resources to meet this need.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Transportation

The Secretary of Transportation, Rodney Slater, has referred to transportation as the "to" in welfare-to-work. Without access to convenient and reliable transportation, it is unlikely that participants will be able to move from welfare-to-work. The Welfare-to-Work Coalition identified steps to increase transportation availability and access with the assistance of employers, churches, community based organizations (CBOs) and volunteers. The Coalition is also working with the public transportation authority, Capital Metro, to develop viable public transportation for participants by increasing routes and route frequency in target service areas.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Mental Health Services/ Substance Abuse

Mental health and/or substance abuse problems are employment barriers that must be addressed through treatment, case management services and increased education of employers about the employability of persons with these problems. There is a shortage of mental health and substance abuse treatment service with wrap-around supportive services (e.g. transportation, child care and housing) for poor families in Austin/Travis County. The lack of available wrap-around supportive services translates into minimal to non-existing access of this service.

To ensure that behavioral health issues do not adversely impact productivity in the workplace, it is important to promote the identification of such problems and encourage individuals to seek treatment. However, since identification of such problems may jeopardize benefits due to the welfare contract signed by the recipient, it is also essential to ensure that individuals can seek such treatment without adverse repercussions (e.g. loss of benefits).

Assessments will be conducted by member organizations including the University of Texas School of Social Work student intern units and other entities. Once assessed, Coalition members will direct participants to treatment centers and other appropriate service providers such as the Push-up Foundation and Austin Family House. Both organizations provide transitional living for women (and their children) receiving substance abuse treatment.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Case Management/ Mentoring

Case management is a client-centered, goal-oriented process for assessing the need of an individual for a wide variety of services. The objective is to provide ongoing assistance to help participants obtain and maintain job skills and overcome barriers to transition into work and career opportunity.

Participants will have access to a specific case manager through community organizations that provide comprehensive case management geared towards client self-sufficiency. Efforts will be made to coordinate case management for continuity of services. Case managers will coordinate on-site service delivery at the public housing developments. Furthermore, student field intern units from the University of Texas School of Social Work will provide case management services. The intern units will be under the supervision of faculty and professional staff.

Mentoring is a volunteer-based support system specifically designed to meet the participants’ needs in a personal way throughout the continuum. Mentoring should begin at training and continue through post-job placement.

Other services to be provided by Coalition members include a volunteer crisis line for participants experiencing immediate problems that jeopardize employment or education; life skills training based on an employment model; and volunteer coaching for regular, ongoing problem solving; information and referral; and support.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Subsistence Requirements

Subsistence requirements encompass housing and shelter, food, basic needs/ emergency cash assistance and health care. Important to the Coalition’s job retention effort is the development of social support networks to assist participants as they move towards self-sufficiency. Equally important is the maintenance of self-sufficiency, as future access to TANF may be denied if all allocated time has been used.

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Housing & Shelter

Homelessness is a critical issue in the community at large. Austin has the highest housing costs in the state and an extremely tight and expensive rental market. Preventing individuals from becoming homeless is a key component of welfare reform. Unless lost welfare benefits are replaced with a system leading to self-sufficiency, the Austin/Travis County community will see a significant increase in its homeless population, exacerbating the current crisis.

The Coalition works closely (and shares members) with two Task Forces addressing housing and shelter issues. The CAN Homeless Task Force developed a comprehensive plan focusing on persons who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. It encompasses most individuals impacted by welfare reform. The plan graphs the community’s needs and strategies for homelessness prevention, outreach/intake/assessment, emergency shelter, transitional housing, affordable housing and special support services.

The Austin/Travis County Affordable Housing Working Group is in the process of developing a community housing policy that addresses the needs of the welfare-to-work population. Increasing affordable housing stock is primary to the success of welfare-to-work and homelessness reduction programs in our community

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Food

Access to nutritious food requires a concerted effort by Coalition members and other community organizations. The Coalition addresses the need for access to nutritious food by proposing the following: expand the use of food programs such as Woman, Infants and Children (WIC); create incentives for grocers to provide nutritional foods in under served areas; provide community cooking and budgeting classes; promote and expand existing community gardening; initiate or expand community-wide drives to increase food bank and food pantries’ non-perishable food item inventory; encourage the accessibility to pantries through other emergency programs.

The community at large has demonstrated a readiness to contribute through food drives, and numerous congregations as well as CBO’s maintain food pantries. As demand on these resources steadily increases, coordination of services between food distribution sites and with case managed programs may best serve welfare-to-work participants.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Basic Needs/ Emergency Cash Assistance

Access to the basic needs of life, particularly food, clothing and emergency assistance (bills and utilities) as well as adequate and affordable housing and transportation will be afforded through Coalition members including community based organizations and communities of faith. Increasing assistance for rent and utility payments is necessary for participants at all needs levels. Cash assistance can be especially preventive if immediate homelessness is diverted and the household is directed to case managed services that promote long-term stability.

Tied closely to Housing and Shelter needs, Basic Needs and Emergency Cash Assistance services would benefit as well from expanded information and referral, and more coordination of screening and intake. The Coalition is encouraging the development of a 211 system for comprehensive information and referral. This should not hinder use of the First Call for Help or the revival of the Homeless Help Line. These two services can integrate or coordinate with 211.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Health Care

A large portion of the low-income population lacks adequate health and dental care. Preventive steps are essential because the poor often use emergency rooms for the basic care needs of their families. The Coalition promotes the use of local health care and dental resources for prevention to reduce emergency room visits for primary health needs. Life Skills training and case management services are to educate the participants about preventive services such as Well Child Check-up.

The Coalition will develop participant links to health care and dental resources with the help of employers (through insurance benefits), community hospitals and clinics and government social service agencies. Increasing access to Federally Qualified Health Clinics and the Medical Assistance Program (MAP) is another important objective.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Special Needs

The special needs category includes teen parents, ex-offenders, participants with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, mental retardation, developmental disabilities or severely limited ESL. This group is among the hardest to educate, train and employ. Services are often more intense and costly for those with special needs.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Community Involvement/Fund Development

In the near future, the entire community will be directly or indirectly affected by welfare reform. Therefore, it is important to increase the community’s awareness of the issues and the challenges facing many residents in Austin/Travis County. It is also important to inform the community about the Coalition effort in order to foster support and generate additional resources.

With the help of a VISTA volunteer working at CEACO, the Coalition will produce a welfare-to-work newsletter. The newsletter will educate the community about welfare-to-work, describe the collaborative effort, inform welfare recipients of the requirements under the welfare reform law and familiarize welfare recipients with the services available in the community. The Coalition will also engage the private sector at every step of the continuum. Finally, the Coalition will continue to develop new relationships with other community organizations and strengthen the ties between its own member organizations.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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Participant Involvement

Without participant involvement in the effort, the Welfare-to-Work Coalition may be far less effective. No one understands the hopes and needs of welfare-to-work participants better than the participants themselves. Participants played an invaluable role in the planning phase of the Coalition effort and will continue to play an important part in the implementation phase of the effort.

The Coalition will form a "Participant Advisory Committee" to assist in all phases of the implementation effort. Former welfare recipients will serve as mentors to current participants.

For more information, see the Welfare-to-Work Planning Matrix

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	Welfare to Work Planning Matrix
Workforce Development	Job Placement and Job Training
Challenge	Expand participation in welfare to work activities by recruiting the target population. Conduct outreach, intake, assessment of clients' needs, abilities, skills, education, etc. Place participants in jobs or approved job activities.
Strategies	Utilize existing community systems/organizations for outreach. Utilize existing systems and bring participants through the Workforce Centers for specialized job development services, and provide each with caseworker assistance. Participants will be placed according to assessment outcomes in jobs and in education and/or training programs Pursue job development opportunities for participants (including people with disabilities) with national, state, and local industry/associations. Prioritize job placement efforts based on participants’ TANF time limit.
Action Plan	Actively recruit participants into the welfare to work program. The Department of Human Services, HACA, ARC, and others will conduct outreach. Focus will be on HACA residents and Austin Recovery Center client base, where ongoing contact with eligible populations occurs. Also, work with employers, Austin Interfaith, churches, Housing Authority residential councils, etc. Align intake for TANF recipients with the TWC CHOICES program, which is administered by the CAWDB at their One-stop Workforce Centers, where participants receive: Work First Orientation; employment planning sessions; job skills workshops; an employment planning session; individual job searches, basic assessments, and other activities. Direct eligible CHOICES participants to Welfare to Work Coalition member organizations to receive job skill assessments and screening for social support needs. Once the Employability Skills Core Certificate and sufficient literacy skills are achieved, clients can move into occupational training that will lead to lasting employment at a livable wage. Place each participant with a caseworker from the UT School of Social Work. Upon completion of the assessment process, participants will be referred for support services, subsistence services, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, etc. Place participants in jobs already committed by one of the partners or other area businesses, designated Work I jobs. Each participant will have training needed for continued employment, including skills training, adult basic education, etc. Meet education and training needs through programs administered by ACC, Huston-Tillotson, American Institute for Learning, and other training organizations. Participants who are not job ready (non-English speakers, non-readers, etc, or those requiring mental health services or substance abuse treatment prior to work) will be referred for services to become work ready. When appropriate, place participants in a part time, unpaid placement to gain real work experience. During this placement, a stipend will be paid into an individual escrow account for each participant. Provide computer training at local churches and area organizations (e.g. Unity Friendship Baptist Church).
Cost
Organizations	Housing Authority, City of Austin Travis County Housing Authority Local Chambers of Commerce Capital Area Workforce Development Board (CAWDB)/Workforce Centers Austin Recovery Center Unity Friendship Baptist Church Austin Interfaith Austin Metropolitan Ministries Catholic Diocese Texas Workforce Commission	Texas Dept. of Human Service UT School of Social Work Austin Community College Other Proprietary colleges Huston-Tillotson American Institute for Learning Austin Academy A/TC Mental Health Mental Retardation Communities in Schools City of Austin Travis County	Gateway Doubletree Samsung IBM Norell Motorola Sematech MCI Lucent HEB Other employers

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	Welfare to Work Planning Matrix
Workforce Development	Literacy, Education, and ESL
Challenge	Move clients into occupational training and/or education training that will lead to long-term employment that will increase earnings and promote self-sufficiency.
Strategies	Participants will be placed in appropriate training and/or education programs based upon the results of the WorkKeys assessment and the skills, aptitudes, and aspirations of the client. Regardless of skills level, participants will receive basic skills training, job readiness preparation, and job training. Participants will receive pre-employment and life skills training.
Action Plan	Provide ESL, Literacy, GED, and adult education classes will be provided where needed. Initial training objective will be to qualify clients to move towards lasting employment by meeting job competencies as identified by employers. Promote coordination of private and public resources to support residents through education, training, and supportive services through HACA’s agency-wide, Family Self-Sufficiency Program. Provide pre-employment workplace skills training and life skills training through ACC, Austin Interfaith, Urban League, AIL, CEACO and others.
Cost
Organizations	Austin Community College American Institute for Learning Austin Academy Austin Indep. School District Huston-Tilotson Austin Business College	Concordia University St. Edward’s University Other Proprietary colleges Austin Area Urban League Texas Dept. of Human Services	Housing Authority, City of Austin Travis County Housing Authority University of Texas Austin Interfaith Goodwill Industries Central East Austin Community Organization (CEACO)

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	Welfare to Work Planning Matrix
Workforce Development	Post-Job Placement
Challenge	Promote job retention among participants. Assist participants in job growth and advancement. Enhance participants’ well-being in the workplace. Find participants new jobs if they lose their old ones.
Strategies	Provide training and education services for participant development, to encourage continued employment and improvement towards self-sufficiency (livable wage job or Work II). Provide job coaching and mentoring. Provide reemployment assistance to those who lose their first job and need find another job quickly.
Action Plan	Provide job retention training on-sight at HACA residential developments, a centralized location, or at participant work sights, etc. Enlist the support of employers to serve as counselors, mentors, and career ladders for participants. Develop a program for re-employing participants who lose their first job. Establish a process for informing case managers about job placement opportunities for participants. Link new employees with employer-established continuing education programs.
Cost
Organizations	Housing Authority, City of Austin Austin Outreach Community Action Network	Austin Academy Austin Community College	Austin Resource Center for Independent Learning (ARCIL) Employers

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	Welfare to Work Planning Matrix
Supportive Services	Early Education and Care
Challenge	Increase child care slots, especially for infants and children of parents working non-traditional work hours. Increase funding including business and community support. Educate consumers about availability. Involve participants in planning and implementing strategies. Address the child care necessity of parents with special needs children Market the Welfare to Work effort to gain community support.
Strategies	Identify the available child care slots and determine need for additions. Expand the definition of "family" for subsidized child care. Increase after school care slots. Explore non-traditional day care strategies. Train participants to become child care providers, both in facilities and home settings. Develop relationships with the private sector to explore employer provided or subsidized child care. Identify and access child care resources for special needs children. Consult Participant Advisory Council to assist in identifying needs and possible solutions. Identify and leverage corporate, private and government resources. Expand current partnerships and create new ones to leverage resources. Pursue funding and in-kind donations to maximize support.
Action Plan	Research number and age of children and slots available to determine level of need. Educate the State Government on the necessity to appropriate adequate funds to maximize federal 4A dollars. Implement a community-wide initiative to address the need to increase the amount of childcare. Determine origin of policy (state, federal) defining family eligibility for subsidized child care and identify ways to change policy. Obtain funding to implement Registered Day Homes in the Housing Developments to respond to childcare needs and offer entrepreneurial opportunities to residents. Acquire supplemental funding to pay for the following: the difference between Child Care Management Systems (CCMS) maximum rate and the market rate to pay for quality (as defined by 4-star designated vendor status or NAEYC accreditation); the gap between transitional childcare and other childcare subsidies; a gradual decreasing amount of the families’ childcare costs for one year after they exceed the income eligibility limits for subsidized childcare; to extend CBO service hours for school-age children. Work with Chamber of Commerce and Austin Employers Collaborative to identify major employers to educate and encourage to provide day care or subsidies. Meet with Participant Advisory Council on a regular basis. Work with employers and providers to meet the child care requirements of special needs children.
Cost
Organizations	Austin Families Child Inc./Head Start Housing Authority, City of Austin Travis County Housing Authority Private Sector Texas Dept. of Protective and Regulatory Services	Child Care Management Services Higher education institutions Williamson Co. Steering Committee Austin Metro. Ministries Catholic Diocese CEACO	A/TC Health & Human Services Austin Community Nursery Schools Austin Employers Collaborative Austin Indep. School District Local Chambers of Commerce

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	Welfare to Work Planning Matrix
Supportive Services	Transportation
Challenge	Expand transportation options to support employment activities.
Strategies	Work with Capital Metro to develop viable public transportation. Develop dedicated transportation systems. Recruit volunteers to help with car pools, obtaining private vehicles and maintenance. Develop relationship with private sector to facilitate employer provided transportation. Involve private sector in efforts to ensure availability of transportation. Involve churches in efforts to ensure availability of transportation. Involve community based organizations in efforts to ensure availability of transportation. Involve participants in planning and implementing strategies. Help participants develop backup transportation.
Action Plan	Obtain dedicated, Capital Metro 15-passenger van for TANF recipients participating in pilot project. Develop van pools to specific employers. Identify and engage churches that will provide transportation and/or mechanic services. Link with current programs that provide free child safety devices. Utilize dealer-sponsored programs for vehicles, car parts, and safety devices. Develop car pools among participants. Recruit volunteers to help individuals/groups obtain and maintain private vehicles. Form committee to work with Chamber of Commerce to explore employer driven transportation solutions. Capital Metro will discount bus passes and provide vans and train residents to drive van pools.
Cost
Organizations	Housing Authority, City of Austin Travis County Housing Authority Capital Metro	CAWDB/ Workforce Centers Chamber of Commerce	Private sector Salvation Army LifeWorks

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Supportive Services	Case Management/Mentoring
Challenge	Remove barriers to sustainable employment. Provide ongoing assistance to participants to help them obtain and maintain job skills and employment. Procure appropriate clothing for the workplace.
Strategies	Improve coordination among case managers. Develop ongoing, comprehensive life skills training program for women. Organize a client advisory committee to ensure plans meet needs of target group. Develop a continuum of mentoring/case management services to address situational needs and participant preferences to support employment and education. Consolidate or develop a coordinated system to enable efficient recruitment and processing of donations, provide "store" services to distribute suitable work clothing. Improve coordination between state level case management providers and local level case management providers.
Action Plan	Conduct Pilot Project with HACA, CEACO and DHS to provide Survival Skills for Women training to residents of East Austin Housing Authority facilities. Evaluate pilot project and use findings to update the action plan and develop comprehensive life skills training program. Develop Volunteer Crisis Line for assistance to participants experiencing immediate problems that jeopardize employment or education. Develop Volunteer Coaching (telephone contacts) for regular, ongoing problem solving, I&R , support and encouragement for the newly employed and job seekers. Support and expand Family Pathfinders and other intensive mentoring programs. Develop a coalition of service providers to create a communication process between state and local case managers. Complete a comprehensive database and networking system of provider information to ensure reliable client intake and referral. Recruit residents/participants to serve on the Advisory Committee. Research I&R resources in Austin to ensure good referrals. Plan for ways to ensure state and local government employees participate. Develop a coalition among similar providers to maximize resources. Educate public housing residents about welfare reform requirements, time limits, and available services and train them educate others.
Cost
Organizations	Housing Authority, City of Austin Travis County Housing Authority Family Pathfinders UT School of Social Work Texas Dept. Human Services	Harvest League Foundation CEACO SafePlace Salvation Army Life-to-You Real Sisters	Austin Metropolitan Ministries Catholic Diocese First Call For Help (United Way) MHMR’s "Hotline for Help" Private sector St. Louis and others Identified but not confirmed

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	Welfare to Work Planning Matrix
Supportive Services	Mental health/Substance Abuse
Challenge	Mitigate the impact of mental health problems and substance abuse problems on the employability of participants.
Strategies	Remove child care and transportation barriers to Substance Abuse and mental Health Treatment. Create a continuos link of childcare services during and after treatment. Ensure the continuity of SA/MH services through the Welfare to Work process. Implement a comprehensive treatment modality including childcare, safe housing, and transportation. Develop out-patient day treatment for substance abuse. Promote identification of mental health and substance abuse problems without jeopardizing benefits. Create multi-tiered support services to help women identify mental health symptoms, ramifications and treatment resources.
Action Plan	Develop ways to provide SA/MH treatment prior to job training/placement. Conduct pilot project for Women’s Day Treatment program to utilize traditional child care resources during the day to eliminate need for 24-hour child care required for residential treatment. Recruit childcare providers to partner with substance abuse treatment facilities to provide short-term child care during treatment. Work with DHS to develop a policy that will promote identification of MH/SA problems without jeopardizing benefits. Educate employers and employees about the availability of MH/SA resources in the community Educate employers about the employability of people with these problems. Pursue a pilot van pool program to pick up women and their children, drop the children at a child care facility, and take the women to a Women’s Day Treatment program for substance abuse. Emphasize substance abuse, mental health issues, and parenting in life skills training. Provide training to crisis line workers, caseworkers, and mentors on MH/SA issues such as education, support, and relapse prevention.
Cost
Organizations	Austin Recovery Center YWCA ATC Mental Health Mental Retardation Austin Family House	Capital Metro Housing Authority, City of Austin Travis County Housing Authority Push-up Foundation	Phoenix House Austin Chemical Dependency Alliance LifeWorks Parents Anonymous Private sector

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	Welfare to Work Planning Matrix
Subsistence Requirements	Housing and Shelter
Challenge	Direct participants who become homeless to case managed programs that can support their return to self-sufficiency quickly as possible.
Strategies	Increase emergency shelter and transitional housing stock. Provide intensive case management.
Action Plan	Use the continuum of care model designed by the homeless task force. Implement the Mayor’s Homeless initiative. Reactivate the Homeless Help line. Develop an integrated and simplified screening, assessment and intake process. Expand a coordinated and comprehensive case management system.
Challenge	Help participants obtain and remain in permanent affordable housing.
Strategies	Increase emergency assistance available for rent, mortgage, and utility payments. Develop a community-wide information and referral system. Address non-income barriers to acquiring permanent housing. Develop service-enriched affordable housing. Increase tenet/landlord housing counseling/mediation services. Expand legal advocacy services to help (participants) stay in housing.
Action Plan	Implement a community housing policy which addresses needs of very low, low, and moderate income citizens (i.e. the Mayor’s affordable housing policy). Develop a housing information and referral system. Develop a network of property owners willing to rent to individuals and families with non-income barriers to housing (e.g. credit, criminal history, etc.).
Cost
Organizations	SafePlace LifeWorks Community Partnership for the Homeless Community Action Network Tenant’s Council Legal Aid Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Office, City of Austin (NHCD)	Texas Dept. Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) Housing Authority, City of Austin Travis County Housing Authority Caritas Salvation Army CEACO Austin Metropolitan Ministries	Ladies of Charity Catholic Diocese St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store & Societies Foundation for the Homeless First Call for Help (United Way) City of Austin, Health and Human Service Housing providers Federally subsidized, private developers

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	Welfare to Work Planning Matrix
Subsistence Requirements	Food
Challenge	Help participants access adequate and nutritious food. Transportation barriers prevent access to food. Location of grocery stores and convenient stores is an impediment. Dependents can create barriers for accessing food. "Stretching the food dollar" is difficult for many.
Strategies	Increase amounts of food available through existing networks. Improve coordination of distribution networks. Increase the number of grocery stores in under served areas. Improve access to transportation for grocery shopping. Develop and support back yard, community gardening projects. Increase services for budgeting and nutritional counseling.
Action Plan	Enhance support for the Summer Food Service Program (get more sponsors and sites). Expand the use of the WIC program in the community. Provide community cooking classes and budgeting workshops. Create incentives for grocers and convenient stores to provide nutritional foods in under served areas. Expand routes and frequencies of runs of Capital Metro grocery bus. City/County could provide land and waive water costs of developing the gardens. Expand the use of WIC at farmer’s markets. Initiate community-wide drives to increase food banks and food pantries’ non-perishable food inventory.
Cost
Organizations	CEACO Meals on Wheels Austin Metropolitan Ministries Catholic Diocese Capital Area Food Bank	Caritas Austin Community Gardens Salvation Army Foundation for the Homeless St. Louis Church NHCD	LifeWorks Neighborhood Centers A/TC Health and Human Services Texas Dept. Human Services Sustainable Food Center

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	Welfare to Work Planning Matrix
Subsistence Requirements	Basic Needs/Emergency Cash Assistance
Challenge	Intake, outreach, assessment – Help participants effectively access needed information and resources in times of crises. Prevent homelessness.
Strategies	Develop comprehensive info and referral system (211 system). Develop simplified/standardized screening and intake processes. Increase emergency assistance available for rent, mortgage, and utility payments. Coordinated network to provide emergency assistance. Develop a coordinated network to provide emergency assistance.
Action Plan	Involve churches more in order to increase services and available funding for services. The Texas Department of Human Services will have a Crisis Line for support calls on job emergencies. Develop a 211 system linked with First Call for Help, the housing information referral system, and the homeless help line. Place greater priority on prevention measures in the annual Austin/Travis County Consolidated Plan.
Cost
Organizations	NHCD First Call for Help (United Way) Caritas	CEACO Travis County Health and Human Service Dept. Foundation for the Homeless	City of Austin Health and Human Service Austin Metropolitan Ministries Catholic Diocese

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	Welfare to Work Planning Matrix
Subsistence Requirements	Health Care
Challenge	Link participants to community healthcare resources. Address physical health and dental needs.
Strategies	Identify and coordinate community resources. Reduce (costly) emergency room visits for primary care services. Educate participants about the availability of medical assistance and help them take advantage of it. Expand Medical Assistance Program (MAP) eligibility. Increase outreach of eligible participants. Increase access to health care facilities and resources. Increase the availability of primary care on the weekends. Expand acute care for walk-ins at clinics. Increase immunization of participant population and their families.
Action Plan	Increase access to Federally Qualified Health Clinics (FQHC’s) and MAP. Determine the availability of transitional Medicaid benefits. Utilize and expand community health and dental service providers. Encourage DHS to investigate each case before cutting off Medicaid benefits. Encourage new physicians and dentists to donate services as part of their training Explore possible incentives that could be provided to physicians and dentists for donating heir service (e.g. tax break, etc.) Open more city health clinics and mobile clinics. Publicize nurse triage programs. Educate the participant population about available health programs and resources. Encourage employers to provide participants, including the working poor, with health insurance coverage
Cost
Organizations	Federally Qualified Health Clinics Medical Assistance Program Seton Community Clinics Brackenridge Hospital	St. David’s Hospital Veterans Hospital Blackstock Hospital David Powell Clinic	El Buen Samaritano Clinic Peoples Community Clinic Texas Dept. of Human Service A/TC Health and Human Services

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	Welfare to Work Planning Matrix
All Issue Areas	Special Needs
Challenge	Address the needs of the following participants: teen parents, mentally retarded/developmentally disabled (MR, DD); physically disabled; learning disabled; and ex-offenders. Identify community resources to provide adaptive aids to individuals seeking and maintaining employment.
Strategies	Provide more specialized care to meet the special needs of these participants. Provide specialized assessments and support services. Educate employers about effective ways to utilize ex-offenders in the workplace. Identify employers who will employ participants with special needs. Promote the education of teen mothers by providing adequate childcare resources. Provide education assisted technologies and support services to prepare participants for the workplace Establish a peer-oriented approach to providing post-job employment services
Action Plan	Link participants with organizations and services through the Welfare to Work Coalition’s case management system. Develop a program for the employment and retention of ex-offenders. Empower participants to maintain their own network of supportive services and resources Expand resources to provide education assisted technologies and support services to prepare participants for the workplace Connect with organizations that provide mentoring and peer-support services for people with disabilities.
Cost
Organizations	Goodwill Industries ATC Mental Health and Mental Retardation ARC of Austin Texas Rehabilitation Commission	Austin Resource Center for Independent Living (ARCIL) Austin Independent School District LifeWorks	Community Change for Youth Development (CCYD) Other Community Based Organizations working with people with disabilities Employers

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	Welfare to Work Planning Matrix
General	Community Involvement/Fund Development
Challenge	Inform and involve community in the Welfare to Work Coalition. Commit to supporting change of the system. Expand resources.
Strategies	Develop a Public Relations Plan to increase the awareness of the critical role of support services in the success of welfare to work initiatives. Publish a newsletter. Continue to build on the established Welfare-To-Work Coalition of Austin/Travis County, to reduce duplication of effort. Coop with all segments of the community, leveraging resources and services to find and reduce gaps in services.
Action Plan	CEACO VISTA volunteer to be responsible for creating newsletter. Identify sponsor for mailing and printing costs Other marketing strategies as identifies by the plan. Work on coalition building, commit to expanding alliances with public and private sector. Seek additional funding sources, with grants, contributions, in-kind gifts, etc. Work to better identify the strengths of each community partner and organization, work to develop relationships which allow each partner to share in providing services and support, thereby reducing duplication of effort.
Cost
Organizations	Community Action Network CEACO Coalition Organizations Private sector
General	Participant Involvement
Challenge	Involve participants in all phases of planning and implementation.
Strategies	Form Participant Advisory Committee. Recruit former participants as mentors
Action Plan	Identify potential members from HACA complexes and other sources. Organize and support the Advisory Committee.
Cost
Organizations	Community Action Network CEACO	Housing Authority, City of Austin	Coalition organizations Private sector

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