. ,

WORKING 
TOWARD JOBS 
The Delaware

First Step Program

tlWICES' 
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OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 
OFFICE OF EVALUATION AND INSPECTIONS 
MAY 1990  OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 
The mission of the Offce of Inspector General (DIG) is to promote the efficiency, 
effectiveness, and integrty of programs in the United States Depanment of 
Health and Human Services (HS). It does this by developing methods to detect 
and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. Crated by statute in 1976, the Inspector 
Secta 
General keeps both the  and the Congress fully and currently infonned 
progrs 
about  or management problems and reommends corrective action. 
The DIG perfonn its mission by conducting audits, investigations, and 
sta 
inspections with approximately 1,400  strategically located around the 
countr. 
OFFICE OF EVALUATION AND INSPECTIONS 
This report is produced by the Offce of Evaluation and Inspections (DEI), one of 
three major offces within the DIG. The other two ar the Offce of Audit 
Services and the Offce of Investigations. Inspections ar conducted in 
accordance with professional standards developed by DEI. These inspections are 
typicaly short-tenn studies designed to detennne program effeCtiveness, 
efficiency, and vulnerabilty to fraud or abuse. 
This technical report was prepared to describe the operation of the Delaware First 
Step program. This technical report is pan of a larger study which was conducted 
to describe the operation of a sample of matue, well-regarded and comprehensive 
work programs for AFC recipients and the insights of the admiistrators of 
those programs. 
This report was prepard under the diction of Emilie Baebel, Chief, Public 
Health and Human Services Brach. This project was lead by Suzanne Murn of 
that branch.  The Delaware

First Step Program

Richard P. Kusserow 
INSPECTOR GENERAL 
OEI-12-89-01322  MAY 1990
 . . . ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  .....     .....     ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ........        ...... .     . .....  .    ... ...    .  .... ..    .  ..... .      .......       .......       .......       ....    ....    .. 
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
INTRODUCTION 
. . . . . . . . . . . 2

PROGRAM PROFILE. 
THE STATE OF DELAWARE  . 2

THE DELAWARE AFDC PROGRAM  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

THE DELAWARE AFDC WORK PROGRAM  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

General, Background. . 

Administrative Issues 
. 3

Participation Issues. .  . 4

Program Activities  . . . 5

Appendix A 
A -
OVERVIEW STATEMENT. 
Appendix B

SAMPLE DOCUMENTS  . B "', ... .., .""""
This technical report is pan of a series of 
profies on the Aid to Famlies with Dependent 
Childrn (AFC) work progrs panicipating 
project. 
in the  Working Toward JOBS 

Each profie begins with a categorize 
AFC 
descrption of the subject  work program, 
which is. based on mail guides submitted by the 
progr 
Appendix A includes an overview 
statement wrtten by the program manager. It 
descrbes the program, its goals, philosophy and 
lessons leared. Appendix B is a sample of 
documents used to conduct the program. Each 
program admnistrtor was asked to submit 
sample documents which they felt would be 
useful to States and counties developing JOBS 
progrs. 
Data collection for this study was done from 
Apri to September of 1989. The infonnation in 
the overview and technical reports is based on 
pre-JOBS work programs for AFC recipients. 
progrs 
As these  have converted to JOBS, 
they may have made some changes to meet 
JOBS legal and regulatory requirments. 
Where possible, we have noted the changes the 
program admnistrators anticipated at the time 
of our data collection. 
Delaware  INTRODUCTION  THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
Population: 649,

Major industres: services, manufacturng, 
retal trade

Firt quaner 1989 unemployment rate: 3.6 percent

1986 average annual income for a famly of four: $35,766 
Percent of the populaiton living below the povery line: 11.3 
THE DELAWARE AFDC PROGRAM 
-For Fiscal Year (F) 1988:

Total cost: $24 210,072

Federa shar: $12,463,008; State share: $11 747,064

Average monthly caseload: 7,434

Client descriptors:

grt: 
Average number of children in  1.8

AFC: 
Average length of spell on  30 months

Case closures: 6,095

THE DELAWARE AFDC WORK PROGRAM 
General Background 
First Step 
Name: 
April 1, 1986. Delaware has been operating a Work Incentive 
Operating Since: 

Demonstrtion project 
since 1982. 
The underlying philosophy of First Step is "People have the potential for 
Philosophy: 
self suffciency, and given the appropriate resources can succee in reaching that 
goal." The mission of the Deparent of Social Services (DSS) is to provide an 
integrted system of opportunities, services and income supports that enables 
recipients to develop self suffciency and achieve and maintain independence. 
Employment and training services are offered though the Division s First Step 
program. The ultimate goal of the program is two-fold: 
Delaware  PROGRAM PROFILE  The placement of individuals in public or private sector employment 
that enables them to become self suffcient. 
The interrption of the intergenerational public assistance dependency 
cycle working through parents to promote education and skill training 
for their children, rather than the continuation of public assistance. 
Program Administrator: 
Rebecca R. Varlla

Chief Employment and Training Administrator 
Division of Social Services 
P.O. Box 906

New Castle, DE 19720

(302) 421-6776 
Administrative Issues 
Structure:  The DSS admisters the program s three local offces throughout the State. 
In FY 1988: 
Funding: 
Federal  State  TOTAL
Program Costs 
$314 618  $676 732  $991 350 
Supportive Services  124 223  184 226  308,449
TOTAL 
438,841  860 958  299 799 
There are six case managers who perfonn assessments, counseling and referral 
Staff: 
services, and offer support services and case management. There are two 
supervisors who oversee the case managers
, compile reports, relay administrative
instrctions and coordiate al First 
Step activities. 
Delaware measures First Step 
Success Measurements: 
 s success by tracking the number
of clients who: parcipate in First Step; panicipate in Job Training Pannership
Act (JTPA) programs and other educational and training programs; become 
employed; leave welfare; receive their General Equivalency Diploma; and/or 
make grade level improvements. 
The DSS is in the process of developing a comprehensive automated 
Recordkeeping: 
monitoring/trackig system which enables service providers to directly link with
the employment and 
traiing system for referral infonnation, status reporting and
expenditure reportng.

Delaware 
PROGRAM PROFILE  - .
Prov The DSS contracts with community based agencies to provide 
ision of Services: 
basic life skills (academic and life management) and self-
diected job search 
instrction. As pan of the selection process competitive bids/proposals are 
solicited from community agencies and a committee reviews and rates proposals 
based on established criteria. 
The DSS works closely with the State Depanments of Education and 
Outside Resources: 

Labor in order to provide education and job placement services to First Step 
parcipants. 
An internal evaluation is being conducted to detennne retention rates for 
Evaluations: 
parcipants entering employment in 1986 and 1987. This evaluation should be 
completed in April 1990. 
Participation Issues

All AFC recipients are registered for First Step. However 
Participant Descriptors: 

WI 
only the  mandatory parcipants and those who choose to volunteer are 
referred for active parcipation in First Step. There are approximately 1 600 
registrants each year. Seventy-nine percent of parcipants test at third grade or 
below in math skils. Fify-two percent of parcipants test at fifth grade or below
in reading. In addition, they are deficient in life management skills. 
First Step targets long-tenn welfare recipients (defined as receiving 
Target Groups: 

AFC 
for 60 months or more) and the hard to serve. Targeted groups receive 
priority service in the program components and supportive services. 
All non-exempt AFC recipients must paricipate in 
Mandatory Activities/Sanctions: 

appraisal and assigned program components. In FY 1988 the State imposed 160 
sanctions on AFC clients who did not comply with the mandatory activities in 
First Step.

Eighty-the exempt AFC clients volunteered for First Step in 1988. The 
Volunteers: 
DSS encourages voluntar panicipation by: distrbuting literature; holding 
recognition ceremonies; encouraging current panicipants to contact potential 
parcipants; having eligibilty workers infonn clients of First Step services and 
the future benefits of panicipation; aing a public relations tape on seven local 
television stations; showing a video tape at community organization meetings; 
encouraging newspaper coverage; and emphasizing First Step in the case 
management project. 
In calendar year 1988 First Step placed 128 panicipants into 
Employment Placements: 

pan-time employment and 319 parcipants into full-time employment. 
Delaware  PROGRAM PROFILE  Seventy-four of those pan-time placements resulted in a case closure, while 191 
of the full-time placements resulted in a case closure. Typical placements were in 
the service, clerical and admnistrative support positions. The average staning 
wage is $4.52 per hour. 
Program Activities 
progr 
Models:  Each of the  admnistrtors was asked to describe a model activity or 
service. The First Step program admistrator chose to describe the Brown Bag 
Club. 
Some Firt Step panicipants belong to co-op club, called the Brown Bag Club. 
These clubs help parcipants lear decision-makng skils and budgeting 
techniques. P  cipants contrbute $3.00 per month to their group s "purchasing 
power ban." Products are generally available by the case and include such items 
as dish detergent, spaghetti, fruit juice, and personal care products. Each Brown 
Bag Club group reviews a list of products available, evaluates their personal 
needs, calculates the cost savings of products, and democratically detennines 
what are the most cost-effective product purchases for the group to make for the 
month. A number of the groups have expanded this activity to include reviewing 
supennarket and bread thrft store circulars to detennne additional purchases of 
items not included in the official Brown Bag Club list. If necessar, they wil 
contrbute a few more dollars to make these purchases. 
Panicipants enjoy being a pan of this activity and consider their experience to be 
extrmely beneficial. 
Sequencing:  Figure 1 shows the tyical sequence of activities for First Step panicipants. 
What follows is a listing of the program services of First 
Program Activities Listing: 

Step. Costs and panicipation figures ar for FY 1988. 
Delaware  PRORAM PROFILE  ;:;::;;.::; :;,:; :",:::;:::!:!;!:;! ~~~~ !.j:~j~:~::::~~:;~j:j~j~!~~~~~::: ~::~:;~:;::;!:!;::;:;: :;:;: :;:
Figure 1

AFDC EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING

Iii!!!!!JI!R!!!!j,j  !iv; v;l;,!: !.:!::m::j KJ:ijE  j,!iB  .lCj;Uf: UEr!.N::rj:! :1::::L!:l::"!!,:! !: 
:::r:::  :;:;:;:;:;:ff 
DayCare 
Worker! 
Client 
Contract  JTP A Training  Other Education
 CWEP 
E & T 
or Training

705 Jo Enry 
Delaware  PRORAM PROFILE  Assessment 
Activity:  Within a reasonable time period prior to parcipation the DSS case manager
must make an initial assessment of employabilty based on: 
(1) the parcipant
educational, child care and other supportve services needs; (2) the panicipant 
proficiencies, skills deficiencies and prior work experience; (3) a review of famy
cirumstances, which may include the nees of any child of the 
parcipant; and
(4) other factors that DSS determnes are relevant in developing the employabilty 
plan. 
How Provided:  Individual meetings between case managers and panicipants. Provided 
by DSS and community based agency contrctors. 
Participants:  Approximately 1 500; al First Step parcipants receive assessment. 
Employabilty Planning

Activity:  Consists of instrction in self-assessment, self-image improvement, decision 
makng, networking, peer counseling, communication skills, affective 
development and appropriate work place behavior. These skills 
wil enable the 
client to make more realstic decisions in the employabilty planning process. 
Employabilty planning also includes evaluation of the panicipants intrsic 
abilties, cognitive functioning, motivation and vocational interests. 
The employabilty plan must: conta an employment goal for the parcipant;
describe the services to be provided by DSS, 
includig child car and other 
supportve services; describe the 
Firt Step activities that wil be undertaken by
the panicipant to achieve the employment goal; describe any other 
nees of the 
famly that might 
be met by Firt Step; and emphasize placement in a component
which wil assur the panicipant s success. The employability plan shall take into 
account: avaiable progr resources; parcipant s supportive services needs;
parcipant s skill levels and aptitudes; local employment 
opportnities; and, to
the maximum extent possible, the preferences of the panicipant. 
Provided by DSS staff in one-on-one meetings. 
How Provided: 

Appropriate for all parcipants. 
Participants: 
Delaware  PRORAM PROFILE  Supportive Services 
Activity:  Transportation, child care, supplementa non-medical benefits (i.e., hard hats, 
goggles or other supplies required for training or work under safety regulations), 
remedial medical (optical and dental services). 
How Provided: 
 Need for assistace detennined on an individual basis by case manager. 
The DSS may utiize van service. Clients using public transportation or 
Transportation: 
their own vehicles are generally limited to $65.00 per month. 
Child Care: 
 The DSS wil arange care through purchase of service contracts, in-home 
care, or car provided by a caretaker relative, or child care center. 
Done on a one time only basis. Generally limited to $100. 
Supplemental non-medical: 

The DSS wil provide up to $100 on a one-time-only basis for an eye 
Remedial medical: 

examnation and glasses. The DSS can waive the $100 limit if a panicipant has a 
vision problem and the necessar correction costs more than $100. Authorization 
for a dental exam can be granted by a First Step supervisor. All remedial medical 
payments are issued 
diectly to the vendor. 
On average 132 panicipants receive child care services each month. 
Participants: 
Cost:  Trasportation costs were $43,539 and child care costs were $264,910. Cost 
figures on the other services are not avaiable. 
Self Directed Job Search Training 
Designed to equip the client with life-long job hunting skills. These skils 
Activity: 
include resume constrction, resume updating, career planning, and appropriate 
work behavior. Self-directed job search develops intrnsic abilties for individuals 
to avoid relying on outside support during job 
trsitions, thus preventing the 
possibility of recycling into the public assistance system. 
Provided in a classroom setting through contracts with community based 
How Provided: 

agencies. 
435; appropriate for panicipants who lack job seeking skills. 
Participants: 
Costs: $588,626 
Delaware  PROGRAM PROFIE  Post Secondary Education 
Activity:  Upon reaching a mutually agreed upon carer goal that involves post-secondar 
education, DSS wil fully substantiate the client s skil level. These predictive 
success qualifications, along with support services, 
wil enable the client to 
pursue and qualify for outside fmancial aid. 
The DSS wil offer management and support services in conjunction 
How Provided: 

with financial and educational services provided by the 
post-secondar education 
institution and outside sources. 
Appropriate for those whose employment goal requires post secondar 
Participants: 
eduction. 
Vocational Skils Training 
Training designed to prepare a parcipant for a specific vocation. 
Activity: 
The training is generally provided by ITA contractors. The DSS will 
How Provided: 

provide case managed referrals and monitor clients progress while in training. 
Appropriate for those who lack specific vocational skills. 
Participants: 
Community Work Experience 
A work experience in a public non-profit organization which enables a 
Activity: 
parcipant to explore their interests and abilties. 
Arranged by DSS in one-on-one meetings with clients. Employment is 
How Provided: 

in public non-profit agencies. 
5; appropriate for those needing a work experience setting to enhance their 
Participants: 
job skils. 
Delaware  PROGRAM PROFILE  On-the-Job Training 
Provides clients with specific job 
Activity:  skils training in a work place setting. Length
of time that a client may remain in on-the-job trining (OIT) is detennined by the
contractor and the employer. An OIT panicipant 
wil receive the same 
compensation as a provider s regular employees. 
Provided by DSS though an interagency agreement 
How Provided: 
 under which the 
Delaware Depanment of Labor refers clients dictly to 
OJT providers who may
be funded by ITPA. 
Recommended for job ready individuals. 
Participants: 
Job Development/Placement 
Contracted job developers work with prospective employers to create or modify 
Activity: 
a position to meet a panicipant s skils. Job developers also refer clients to job
openings appropriate for their work skills. 
How Provided: 
 Delaware s Depanment of Labor JTA programs provide this service
though their contractors. 
Recommended for panicipants who are job ready. 
Participants: 
English As A Second Language 
Training in the English language for literate and non-
Activity:  literate Spanish speaking
parcipants. 
One community based organization works to help clients gain 
How Provided: 

proficiency in both languages, while parcipating in work related trning.
Another community based organization offers a submersion approach to English 
speakng. English as a second language (ESL) training is provided by DSS 
contracted services through community based educational and social services 
organizations. The ITPA funded providers offer ESL to panicipants with 
relatively high literacy functioning. 
Recommended for those with low English proficiency. 
Participants: 
Delaware 
PROGRAM PROFILE  Basic Life Skils Enrichment 
The priar purose of this activity is to provide individualized academic 
Activity: 
instrction to individuals with academic and life management skills deficits. 
These deficits pose a significant barer to employment and/or prevent access to 
other training programs due to the panicipant s inabilty to meet minimum 
entrance standards. 
Provided in classroom settings through contracts with community based 
How Provided: 

organizations. Instrction is based on the individualized and smal group 
approach. 
Recommended for panicipants with academic and life management skils 
Participants: 
deficits which pose a significant barer to employment or education. These 
deficiencies include: iliteracy, mental health, specific learing disabilities, social 
and emotional developmenta lag, lack of motivation or work ethic, personal time 
management and chemical dependency. 
Self-Initiated Education Or Training 
Post-secondar or vocational training which was begun by the panicipant 
Activity: 
outside of First Step. Such programs must be at least half-time, and the 
parcipant must be making satisfactory progress. The panicipant must undergo 
First Step assessment and employabilty planning. Self-initiated education or 
training is funded by outside sources, but First Step wil provide supportve 
services as appropriate. 
Outside agencies wil provide classroom training. The DSS staff wil 
How Provided: 

arange for supportive services. 
High School Diploma/General Equivalency Diploma 
This component involves panicipation in general equivalency diploma classes 
Activity: 
in conjunction with skills training. 
These services are provided by DSS 
How Provided:  contrctors. Additionally, through 
fonnal agrements, JTPA, and the Depanment of Public Instrction s Adult Basic 
Education program provide services. 
Recommended for any client in need of high school certfication. 
Participants: 
Delaware  PROGRAM PROFILE  Case Management 
Activity:  Applying a competency based approach, benefit assistance eligibility staff 
identiy client s strengths, chalenge self doubts and, workig with the client 
establish action steps leading toward self-sufficiency. Utilzing the competency
based approach enables staff to instil a sense of empowerment in the parcipant.
At this point, the client is referred to First Step. 
First Step employment and training case managers combine the competency 
based philosophy with a holistic approach in their efforts to foster employability 
development as a means to achieve self-sufficiency. 
Provided by DSS staff in one-on-one and group meetings. 
How Provided: 

Participants:  All parcipants receive case management. 
Delaware 
PROGRAM PROFILE  Appendix A

DELAWARE' S FIRST STEP 
Delawar has operate a WI Demo Progr  , 1982. Though a 
since April 1
contrct with the Deparent of Labor, employment and trning services were 
provided to "job ready" AFC recipients. In the fal of 1985, the Deparent of 
Health and Social Services, Division of Economic Services (renamed Division of 
Social Services effective 2/16/89) contracte with James Bell Associates to study 
welfare dependency in Delawar. The  Gaining Ground 
study entitled 
documented that approximately 29 percent of Delaware s welfare recipients are 
long-term dependent. These recipients spend an average of9 years on welfar 
and ar charcterize as persons with two childrn, who have never worked or 
worked very little, have never been mared, have less than 9 years of schooling, 
have severe basic skils deficiencies and began to receive assistace as teenagers. 
Included in the study was the recommendation to design an employabilty 
development program to meet the needs of the long-tenn, hard to serve recipient. 
WI  progr 
In Apri of 1989, as a result of the Bell study, the  Demo  was 
restrcturd. After tennnating the contract with the Deparent of Labor, the 
program design reflecte an approach to providing employment and trning 
services for reipients which centered around the holistic concept of dealng with 
the whole person. This encompasses improving basic skills perfonnance and life 
management skills, without which there is a negative impact on the client 
abilty to attan self suffciency. The new employment and trning initiative was 
titled First Step (the hardest step to tae) and includes such services as: 
Pr-assessment 
Community AcademiclLife Skils Development 
Basic AcademiclLife Skils Development 
Self-Directed Job Search Training 
Vocational Training Referral 
Other Education Referral 
Delaware  OVERVIEW STATEMENT  A.1  Basic AcademiclLife Skils and Self-Dircted Job Search Training services are 
provided though contracts with community based agencies. Support services are 
provided and include child care, trsportation and remedial medical for denta 
and eye care servces. 
Progr 
The ultiate goal of the First Step  is two-fold: 
The placement of individuals in public or private sector employment 
that enables them to achieve self-suffciency. 
The interrption of the inter-generational public assistance dependency 
cycle working though parnts to promote education and skill training 
for their children, rather than continuation of public assistance. 
Because of Delawar s strong economic development in the 1980's, our 
unemployment rate is approximately half of the national rate. Most people are 
under the assumption that welfar recipients  prefer  to stay on welfar, since job
opportnities are abundant and the recipient is still reeiving benefits. 
Counter-acting this assumption was extremely chalenging. The Division of 
Social Services contracted with Susan Gray, M.Ed, Beehwoo Consultants to 
conduct a pilot diagnostic testing program. The results indicated that more than 
60 percent of the clients tested ar perfonning below a 5th grade level. The 
Deparent of Labor  report included the following as future
Workforce 2000 

labor market trends which curently ar evident in Delawar: 
Majority of new jobs  the servce industres and wil 
wil be created in 
demand high skills. 
Those who cannot read, follow 
diections and use mathematics wil 
have fewer employment opportunities. 
The most educationally advantaged will benefit 
signifcantly, since 
many of the new jobs wil require post seconda education. 
With the support of Governor Michael N. Castle, the Division of Social Services 
accepted the chalenge of intensively working with our 
population. Coupled with 
this challenge was the task of influencing the rethinng of traditional 
assumptions related to the welfar population. 
Delaware  OVERVEW STATEMENT  A.2  , We have leared that through the continuum of services model involving a 
client choices on an individual basis being the 
strctured approach with infonned 
s abilty to move off and 
foundation, we are able to significantly enhance a client 
remain off welfare. 
States need to be well aware of the impact of the generally accepted assumptions 
s abilty to design quality 
related to the welfare population on their agency 
programs that are geard toward individual client needs. 
A - 3 
Delaware  OVERVIEW STATEMENT  Appendix B

Delaware 
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Center  enter
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E. St, Servce Center 624 Jessup St. Wilmington 19802
571-3101  16th & Thatcher Sts. Wilmington 19802
3170 571- 1715 W. 4th St.
Wilmington 19805
360571- IOI Suite L-32 loockerman St.Dover 1990 736-5633 Service Georgetown St. 546 S. Bedford St.
' 9947
Georgetown 5450 856- Bridgeville St. Service CSts.
N, Cannon & Mill Bridgevile 19933
5350 856- ELAWARE HEAL TH ND SOCIAL SERVIC vision of Social Service
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St. Servce Center Porter, 509 W. 8th St.	Wilmington 19801	340	571- DeLaWarr St. Service Cente500 Rogers Rd.
19720 New Castle 3813 571- Hudson St. Service Center 50 I Ogletown Rd. Newark 19711
368-6770  Wiliams St. Service Center	805 River Road Dover 1990 	736-3351  Laurel St. Service Center	St,	III Mechanics Laurel 19956
856-5223	 pyle St. Service Center	Rd. 2
Frankford 19945 9501	732-
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 who First Step staff You wil meet with the 
refer wil help determine your needs and you to the program which best meets your needs.  First Step Those who have completed the Clerks, program are working as Account Clerk Typists, Mail Sorters, and Machine inOperators. They are on their way to dependence from welfare.  Food AFDC or Only people who get Stamps.  learn more Social Worker to Call your enroll. Soon Step and how to about First you can get help to be independent. to be successful.  u  d  e k 
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elp  ew   en et s. 
hirst Step wil  ow to intervi Wilxrience
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deal with Supportive Services help you ome of the problems that keep you from oing to education and training programs.  We offer:  We can help with the cost . Day Care -of care for your children while you go to school and, maybe, after you have found a job.  . Transportation - We cover the cost of transportation to and from education and training programs.  . Eye Care - If you are getting AFDC, you get a free eye exam and glasses.  Improve your reading, math and verbal GED or high skils which may lead to a school diploma. If you choose to continue improving your skils. you can be referred level program. to a college  Through referral to Job Training Partner-training pro-
ship Act pTP AI and other 
skill. Many kinds of grams you wil learn a training programs are available including office skils, construction trades, and banking. 
sg
many The First Step Program offers you employment and training choices to help you obtain the skils you need to get and work First Step staff wil keep a job. The is true that with you to reach your goal. It taking the first step is the hardest but once you do, you wil be on your way to getting off welfare.