View Research by Author - Michael Egner

Citation URL: http://www.urban.org/MichaelEgner

The Jobs for Veterans Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-288) has the overall objective of "revising and improving employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans." One provision of the Act requires workforce development programs funded in whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to provide priority of service to veterans and, under certain circumstances, spouses of veterans. DOL's Employment and Training Administration contracted with The Urban Institute to synthesize information about service delivery for veterans among some programs that are already providing veterans with priority of service. Through hands-on exploration of electronic tools, discussions with experts, and site visits, various strategies were identified that can be applied to a broad range of programs.

This is one of several reports based on the national evaluation of the Welfare-to-Work grants program. Congress established the Welfare-to-Work (WtW) grants program as part of the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997. The three billion dollar initiative was intended to support programs, especially in high-poverty communities, to assist the least employable, most disadvantaged welfare recipients make the transition from welfare to work. These funds were also available to help low-income noncustodial parents increase their earnings and better support their children. The purpose of this report is to document how grantees have adapted as they approach or reach the ends of their WtW grant periods and how other conditions in 2002 and 2003--particularly the slow economy and any state policies related to TANF or the Workforce Investment Act (WIA)--have affected their programs. The report discusses the legacy and lessons of WtW from the perspective of grantee agency administrators in the study sites.

This is one of several reports from the congressionally mandated national evaluation of the WtW grants program. The report presents findings from the process and implementation analysis component of the evaluation, and describes the service delivery operations of programs funded with WtW grants in eleven study sites. These findings are based on information collected through two rounds of site visits in 1999 and 2001, and management information system data maintained by the programs on participants and services. Topics covered include institutional arrangements, targeting and enrollment, service delivery models, and job placement.

Welfare reform became a major priority in New York City in the 1990s. Policies were work-centered throughout, but the focus and programs evolved over time. This report describes the work components of welfare as of late 2001, but does not analyze the quality of services provided or the effect on individuals or services. Various perspectives are incorporated, including HRA administrators, managers and staff, contractors, and community representatives.

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