y. 
WORKING TOWARD JOBS

The County of San Diego 
Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) Program 
EIlVICE$.

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OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 
OFFICE OF EV ALUA TION AND INSPECTIONS 
MAY 1990  _lti 
I8" 
The County of San Diego 
Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) Program 
Richard P. Kusserow

INSPECTOR GENERAL

OEI-12-89-01329 
MAY 1990
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INTRODUCTION 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
PROGRAM PROFILE. 
THE COUNTY OF  . . . . . 2

SAN DIEGO. 
THE SAN DIEGO AFDC PROGRAM  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

THE SAN DIEGO AFDC WORK PROGRAM  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

General Background. 

Administrative Issues 
. 3

Participation Issues. .  . . . . . . 6

Program Activities  . . . . . . . 8

Appendix A 
PROGRAM OVERVIEW STATEMENT  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-
Appendix B

SAMPLE DOCUMENTS 
. . B- 1
 :::,::::.":::::.:::",:::::::. ::::'.::;:.:::::.::::".:::::;:,::::.::::.:"::::;:::.:::::::.:::::::::.:::::;.::::::::
This technical report is par of a series of 
profies on the Aid to Familes with Dependent 
progrs 
Chidrn (AFC) work  parcipating 
project. 
in the  Working Toward JOBS 

categorized
Each profie begis with a 
descrption of the subject AFC work program, 
which is based on mai 
guides submitted by the 
progr. Appendi A includes an overvew 
statement wrttn by the program manager. It 
progr, 
descrbes the  its goals, philosophy and 
lessons leared. Appendix B is a sample of 
documents used to conduct the program. Each 
progr 
adinistrtor was asked to submit 
sample documents which they felt would be 
useful to States and counties developing JOBS 
progrs. 
Data collection for ths study was done from 
Apri to September of 1989. The inormation in 
the overvew and techncal report 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 
progr 
administrtors anticipated at the time 
of our data collection. 
The County of San Diego  INTRDUCTION  THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO 
Population: 2 327 684

Major industres: services, retail trde, Government

First quarer 1989 unemployment rate: 3.8 percent 
Average annual income for a family of four: $36,700 
Number of people living below the poverty line: 38,
932 familes 
THE SAN DIEGO AFDC PROGRAM 
(F) 
For Fiscal Year  1988:

Tota costs: $304 650,802

Fedra shar: $151,925 248; State share: $132,355,552

AFC 
cases: 42 241 monthly average

41,130 live in urban settngs; 337 in 

Total case closurs: 46,540 
THE SAN DIEGO AFDC WORK PROGRAM 
General Background 
Name:  Greater Avenues for Independence (GAI). Thughout this technical report the 
term GAI wi be used to apply only to the GAI program in the County of San 
Diego. 
October 5, 1987 
Operating Since: 

The underlying philosophy of the GAIN program includes the following 
Philosophy: 
basic assumptions: (1) AFC recipients desire to work and will do so if 
provided with the opportnity, (2) able-boded AFC recipients 
ar expected to 
work and to share responsibilty for meeting this expectation; and (3) the State 
and the counties have a responsibilty to provide a sufficient level of services to 
meet the need of parcipants. 
progr 
The stated  goals in San Diego GAIN plan are: (1) to make maximum 
use of available community resoures in providig the ary of GAIN services in 
the most effcient and cost-effective manner, (2) to enable parcipants to attain 
the highest level of self-esteem, self-confidence and employment prepartion
which ensures the maximum benefits of GAIN and the achievement of 
self-suffciency; and (3) to develop whatever 
additional resources are necessar to 
The County of San Diego 
PROGRAM PROFILE  maxum 
ensure  parcipation rates and the availabilty of the full range of 
services needed by GAIN parcipants to achieve the full employment goal. 
Program Administrator:

Richard W. Jacobsen, Jr.

Dirctor, Deparment of Social Services

County of San Diego, California

1255 Imperial Avenue

San Diego, CA 92101

(619) 338-2888 
Administrative Issues 
GAI 
The  program is admnistered by each county welfare deparment under 
Strcture: 
reguations developed by the State Deparent of Social Services (State DSS). 
See the Offce of Inspector General "Working Toward JOBS: The California 
Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) Prgram" inspection repon for 
information on how GAIN works at the S tate level. 
Program costs totaled $13,022 903 for FY 1988. Supportve services 
Funding:  costs in 
FY 1988 were $1,443,895. Tota costs for FY 1988 were $ 14,466,798. These 
figues include some sta up costs and reflect  in of the parcipant 
grdual phase-
progr 
caseload. They do not reflect full, on-going  costs. 
Staff:  Social worker - 144 who perform case maagement, trning brokering, job 
servces, PRE (GAIN's community work experience program), slot development 
and monitoring, job placement services, job development services, and 
employment counselig.

Intermediate clerk tyist - 7 who act as receptionists. 
Intermediate account clerk - 16 who act as payment clerks (for emergency 
trsponation and ancilar 
costs). 
All of the above work full-time on duties supportng the GAIN program. These 
staf figures reflect the number of frnt line personnel. The GAIN program 
supervisors, additional clerical staf and admnistrtors are not included. 
San Diego measures the success of its GAIN progr
Success Measurements: 

trcking the 
number of parcipants (overall and by component), number who 
enter employment, and AFC grt savings. 
progr 
The GAIN  belongs to a consortum of counties in California 
Recordkeeping: 
who receive computer services through the Welfare Case Data System. The 
The County of San Diego 
PROGRAM PROFILE  Welfare Case Data System has developed and implemented the GAIN 
Informtion System. This is an on-line data system that provides support for 
AFC 
eligibilty technicians and GAIN service workers. An automated interface 
between eligibilty and GAIN staf provides an effcient communication link with 
a corresponding reduction in paper work. The GAIN Infonnation System 
supports GAIN sta by providing: 
on line collection of paricipant personal data;

employment history and GAIN test results;

automated scheduling of GAIN activities;

parcipant tracking;

county plan control; 
futu 
a tickler system with alerts for  review;

automated notices and corrspondence;

a HELP featue that allows expansion by the county;

an ongoing interface between eligibilty and GAIN staf;

a supportve services payment system; 
caseload management reports; 
management and statistical reports; and

financial and claiming reports.

GAI, 
GAI progr 
The  also uses  a data base management informtion 
system that was developed by the San Diego County Deparent of Social 
Servces (county DSS) workig in cooperation with the adult education providers. 
The system tracks the individual client s attendance and progress at the learing 
center, durng the client s parcipation in the basic education component of
GAI. 
The contrctor s clerks ar responsible for entering referr, attendance, 
and progress information into the system from 
GAIN  attendace and test score records. 
The  aggregates this information into time specific 
report of the 
activities of the specific learing center and/or other adult education providers. 
progr 
The GAIN  also uses GAIN ASSESSMENT, a data base, 
telecommunication, management information system that was developed by the 
county DSS working in cooperation with four community colleges 
' assessment 
contrctors. This management information system trcks the individual clients 
thugh 
the assessment process. The assessment contrctors enter 
the referral 
information, the time and  completed, assessment results and 
tye of assessment 
assessor s vocational recommendations. The GAIN ASSESSMENT system 
allows the information for individual clients to be aggrgated into time specific 
reports by individual and/or by contrctor. 
The County of San Diego  PROGRAM PROFILE  State guidelines for the development of the county GAIN plan 
Provision of Services: 

mandated that existing publicly funded resoures be utilized before any GAIN 
funds could be alocated to create additional resources. Also, for any GAIN 
service to be contrcted out, the first option should be a public agency that is 
already providing the same or a similar service. 
In San Diego, it was decided to continue the successful model developed under 
the previous Employment Preparation Program (EPP) by continuing to provide 
job services using co-located State Employment Development Deparent (EDD) 
staf and county GAIN staf. Moreover, community work experience (which 
GAIN calls PREP) would contiue to be operated diectly by county GAIN staf. 
Other servces such as education, assessment and vocational traiing were not a 
par of EPP and would be contrcted out. Meetigs were held with numerous 
public agencies includig school distrcts, community college distrcts, and tpe 
local Job Trang Parership Act (ITA) Service Delivery Ara (SDA). A 
consortum of school distrcts emerged who were willng to take on provision of 
GAI 
education services. Simiarly, a group of community college distrcts 
agreed to perfonn GAIN assessment services, and the SDA agreed to admnister 
GAIN funded trning services. 
Although under EPP child car services were provided dictly by county staff, 
progr 
the complexity of the GAIN  caused San Diego to look at service 
delivery alternatives. State guidelines requird coordination with the local child 
care resoure and referr agency. Contacts with the Young Men s Chrstian 
Association (YMCA) Child Resource Servces  RS) developed into an excellent 
relationship and a contract to provide GAIN child car services. The CRS staff 
are co-located at each GAI offce to provide effcient and effective child care 
servces beginning with the parcipant s initial contact with GAIN and continuing 
thughout GAIN activities. 
The GAIN contrcts with the State EDD for job search and job club 
Outside Resources: 

servces. The EDD job searh/job club workers are co-located at GAIN site 
progr 
offces with the  case managers. 
GAIN contrcts with YMCA CRS for child day-car development, child care 
provider contracting, and payment of "out of home" child care services. Further 
infonnation on this contract is included in the Program Activities section. 
GAIN contrcts with six school distrcts to provide adult basic education, high 
school equivalency, and English as a second language instrction in contrcted 
learing centers throughout the county. These distrcts, with county DSS 
cooperation and parcipation, have also fonned a consortium for sharng ideas, 
experiences and technical knowledge. The GAIN Remediation Adult Delivers 
The County of San Diego  PROGRAM PROFILE  (GRA) consortum also provides the schools and county DSS a forum for 
communication and uniform dissemination of information. 
GAIN contrcts with four community colleges to provide vocational assessment 
at community college sites located throughout the county. 
The Manpower Demonstrtion Research Corporation (MDRC) is 
Evaluations: 
conducting an evaluation of the California GAIN program. San Diego is a
priar 
researh county. No report for San Diego has been completed. 
Participation Issues

Partcipant Descriptors: 
 Curntly, 18,324 AFC recipients and applicants 
GAI. 
registered for  In FY 1988, 12 774 parcipated beyond registrtion. All
GAI 
parcipants live in urban settgs. Of GAIN parcipants 
43.9 percent do not have a high school diploma or equivalent; 
61.8 percent were employed for more than one out of the past 
24-months; 
13. 8 percent are working; and 
8 percent ar under twenty, 33 percent are in their twenties, 40. 
percent ar in their thes, and al others ar 40 or older. 
AFC 
Target Groups:  Al non-exempt  reipients and volunteers ar targeted by the
GAI progr. 
However, specialed servces have been developed for teen-age 
learg 
parents and for parcipants with  disabilties. 
As a result of the cooperative effort of a consortum of adult school and 
communty college disttcts, the Prvate Industr CounciIlegional Employment 
and Traig Consortum and county GAI sta, GAI is able to provide special 
education servces to those parcipants identified as having learing disabilties. 
hi 
With fundig frm the ITA, a psychometrst has ben  to trvel via a mobile 
testig van to any of the 19 GAI learg centers thughout the county. The 
psychometrst can test those parcipants who ar expriencing diculties makg 
prgrss at the learg cente for spc learg disabilties. The GAI students 
deteined to be in nee of spal education serces can attnd the Alternative
Learg 
Cente locate in the metrpolita San Diego ara. For any learing 
disabled parcipant who is unable to attnd the Alterative Learg Center beause 
of trspotion baners, the testig wi serve to identi the learg disabilty and 
learg 
alow the existig  center to individualze the curculum in order to improve 
the student s chances of reachig the educational goal. 
The County of San Diego  PROGRAM PROFILE  The GAI progr has also tageted specialze servces to pregnant and parntig 
teens who ar on AFC. The goal of the ten parnt progr is to provide positive 
intervention and supportve servces to assist ten parnts in completing their high 
school education. The GAI social workers designate as teen specialsts conduct 
outrach activities to pregnant and parnting teens who are AFC recipients. 
Speialze orientation and enrollment tae place at schools, community agencies and 
even at the teen s home if necessar. The specialsts work with the teens to develop 
chid care plans, provide for transporttion and ancilar needs, monitor attendace 
and progress in school, and provide counseling, encourgement and refeITs to 
nee 
communty resources as 
Once these teen-age parnts complete high school, they are encouraged to 
parcipate in other GAIN activities in order to obtan marketable job skills. 
Thugh 
early intervention of intense, specially. targeted services, it is expected 
that many teen parnts can break the cycle of povert and dependence before it 
becomes fully established in their lives. 
Mandtory  All non-exempt clients are required to register and 
Activities/Sanctions: 
receive orientation and appraisal. In FY 1988, 303 sanctions were imposed on 
clients who did not comply with the mandatory activities of the program. 
There are 1,409 volunteers, who  all parcipants.
Volunteers:  tota 11 percent of 
The GAIN progr has taen the followig steps to encourage volunta 
parcipation:. (1) a GAIN marketing campaign was conducted by State DSS in 
Apri and May of 1988, using radio and television ads, bilboards and magazne 
and newspaper ads; (2) income maitenance eligibilty staf are I.egularly 
informed about the avaiabilty of GAIN servces to exempt recipients who wish 
to volunteer; (3) outrach effort are maintaned though presentations at 
community groups and parcipation in community activities such as job fais and 
community pride celebrations; and (4) adult schools, community colleges and 
private school and training providers are regularly informed of the availabilty of 
GAIN services for their recipient students who wish to volunteer. 
In calenda year 1988 GAIN mae 8, 166 full-time and pan-time 
Employmem Placemems: 

placements; 725 of these resulted in the closur of the AFC case. Typical work 
ar 
placements  clerical, sales and servce industr, with an average stang wage 
GAI 
$5.59 per hour. A study of  parcipants who entere employment in June 1988, 
showed that 1 year later 59 percent ar off AFC, 11 percent ar on AFC but 
sti 
employed and 30 peent ar on AFC and no longer employed 
The County of San Diego  PROGRAM PROFILE  Program Activities 
The San Diego progr adstrtor identied group job searh (job club) as the 
Models: 
most effective activity overa, and most cost-effective component. (See the 
progr 
descrption in the  activities section. 
Each of the programs profied was asked to describe two model practices. The 
GAIN model practices ar described below. 
GAIN/YMCA CRS: Though a process of community meetings held durng the 
planning phase of GAI, there emerged an innovative contract with the YMCA 
CRS. The CRS is the local child care resource and referral agency and, therefore, 
contrbutes both expertse and commtment to the ideal of qualty child care 
thughout the county. Innovative and effective featues of the GAIN child care 
contrct with CRS include the following: 
car 
The CRS is responsible for recritment and development of child  resources, 
argements 
provision to each parcipant of a choice of child care providers,  and 
monitoring child care agreements and payments to child car providers. 
Assigned CRS staf are co-located at each GAIN offce working along side case 
managers and other county staf as par of the "GAIN team  . Co-location also 
emphasizes the importce of child care while providing for one-stop service 
delivery for GAI parcipants. 
uti 
The CRS sta  on-site compute temrals lied vi modm to a mater 
resoure and referr ditory. Ths on-lie system alows GAI parcipants to 
reeive accurte, updted inontion about the availabilty of child car resources. 
THE GAI LEARNG CENTER MODE: Major featues ar: (1) computer 
assisted instrction using state of the ar technology and softwar programs; (2) 
individualzed education plans which utilize a combination of workbooks, 
computer exercises, self-diected activities, classroom instrction, and personal 
attention diected towar the achievement of specific educational goals; (3) off 
campus "store front" locations to promote the image of a frsh opportnity rather 
than being forced to go back to school; (4) psychometrc testing and specialized 
services for parcipants identied as having learing disabilties, and (5) a 
cooperative relationship among the parcipating educational institutions, the local 
JTA SDA, and the county. Preliminar experience operating the learing centers 
indicates that parcipants are reaching their educational goals in as little as half 
the time they would spend in trditional classrom settngs. 
Figure 1 shows the usual sequence of activities followed by GAIN 
Sequencing: 
parcipants. 
The County of Son Diego  PROGRAM PROFILE  s

k
r
o
w
N 
AI
G
 s how  VII 
e
r
e
H progr 
What follows is a descrption of each of the GAIN 
Program Activities Listing: 

activities. The cost and parcipation numbers in this section are from Fiscal Year 
1988. The FY 1988 cost figues include some star-up costs. Costs per 
parcipant wil be lower in later year. 
Orientation 
The GAIN staf (1) inform parcipants of services available, parcipant 
Activity: 
and definitions of exemption and deferral 
responsibilties and appeal options, 
crteria; (2) help parcipants complete self-appraisal form; (3) provide an 
overvew of chid car services avaiable; (4) adinister the GAI apprasal test, 
(5) conduct one-on-one appraisals to determine readess to parcipate, needs for 
supportve servces, and referr to service providers. Parcipants then intervew 
sta 
with CRS  to identiy chid care needs and make arangements with selected 
providers. 
Done by GAIN and CRS sta. Orentation includes group activities, 
How Provided: 

testig, and one-on-one interviews. 
12,774. Al AFC applicants and recipients must parcipate in this 
Partcipants: 
activity. At ths time some parcipants will be excluded from the GAIN program 
in order to meet the need for a control group (a group not receiving services 
whose outcomes can be compard to those of program parcipants) for the 
GAI. 
MDRC study of 
$2,494 593; $195.29 per parcipant 
Costs: 
progr 
Mior changes wi be made in descrption of  services, 
Anticipated Changes: 

exemption and deferral crteria and parcipant responsibilties. In addition 
motivation and self-esteem buildig activities wil be added. 
Assessment 
A comprehensive evaluation of the parcipant s work history, job skills, 
Activity: 
educational competency levels, aptitudes, interests, needs for supportve services 
and chances of achieving employment goals. 
This service is contracted to four community college distrcts. The 
How Provided: 

assessment is conducted using paper and pencil tests and inventories, work 
sampling and one-on-one interviews. Formal scheduled appointments are made 
with the assessor. Most assessments ar completed within a 2-day period. 
The County of San Diego  PROGRAM PROFILE  830. Assessment is parcularly appropriate for long-term recipients with 
Partcipants: 
litte or no work history, or the margially employed or underemployed recipients 
who go on and off aid with frequency. 
Costs:  $980, 164; $1180.92 per paricipant. 
par of orientation. 
Note:  See information on preliminar assessments conducted as 
Employabilty Planning

GAI cas  reeivig 
The  manager, upon  the assessment report, schedules an 
Activity: 
appointment with the parcipant to review the results and recommendations of 
the assessment and negotiate an employment plan. 
This is done thugh one-on-one meetings between GAIN case managers 
How Provided: 

and parcipants.

GAI 
The 830  parcipants who completed the assessment component, 
Partcipants: 
planning. 
went though employabilty 
Included in assessments.
Costs: 
Supportive Services 
Activity:  Include chid car, transporttion, and ancilar expenses for such items as 
tools, books, necessar clothng, etc. Supportve servces ar provided as needed 
to support clients ' parcipation in any GAIN activity. 
How Provided: 
 Supportve servces ar provided via individual interviews with 
parcipants. Child car services including identification of providers, 
argement of child care, payments to providers and resoure recruitment and 
development ar provided by a contractor, the YMCA CRS. Trasportation and 
ancilar expenses ar provided by county sta. 
Over 60 percent of GAIN parcipants receive supportve services. In FY 
Participants: 
1988, 4 340 parcipants received CRS child car. 
Costs: $1,443,895. 
The County of San Diego  PROGRAM PROFILE  Language 
Basic Education, High School Equivalency, English as a Second 
Basic education, prepartion for the high school equivalency (GED) exam, and 
Activity: 
English as a second language. 
Provided by a consortum of high school and community college
How Provided: 

distrcts. Computer-assisted instrction using state of the ar technology and 
softwar programs; individualized plans which utilze a combination of 
workbooks, computer exercises, self-dicted activities, classroom instrction; 
and personal attention dicted toward the achievement of specifc educational 
goals. Loated in off campus, "store-frnt" locations. Psychometrc testig and 
specialzed services for parcipants with learing disabilties are available. 
810. Appropriate for parcipants who lack basic skills in reading or 
Partcipants: 
math, who lack English language proficiency, and who lack a high school 
diploma. 
Tota of $3,426, 118; of that total JTA pays $984 842 (8 percent), the education
Costs: 
parcipant 
system pays $639,975 and GAIN pays $1 800,301. Expenditures per 
in ths activity equal $1,892. 
Post Secondary Education 
Th component consists of (1) parcipants in approved self-initiated progrs, 
Activity: 
and (2) those who have been referrd to ths component after assessment, in order-
to progrss withn employment plans negotiated between the clients and their case 
managers. 
Prvided by community colleges, State universities, and private 
How Provided: 

universities and colleges. Classrom instrction. 
Number unkown. This service is needed by those clients who 
Partcipants: 
determined at assessment to be in need of additional education in order to achieve 
career goals.

No county GAIN funds are spent on this service. Avaiable community resources 
Costs: 
are suffcient to meet the need. 
The County of San Diego  PROGRAM PROFILE  Group Job Search/Job Club 
Group job searh, caled job club under GAIN, is a 3 week activity. One week 
Activity: 
is followed by 2 weeks of supervised telephone job 
of classroom instrction 
search. In the classroom, parcipants lear job- application techniques, labor 
market charcteristics, and employer expectations concerning personal grooming 
and behavior in the work place. They take par in exercises designed to identify 
their skills and interests. They lear and practice interviewing skills and utilize 
group dynamics and other exercises to improve self-awarness and build 
self-esteem and confidence. Using a script in the telephone job search phase, job 
arge 
club parcipants contact employers on a daly basis to  interviews. 
Classrom instrction followed by both one-on-one supervision and 
How Provided: 

group activity durg job searh. Job club is jointly operated by county GAIN 
sta and State EDD sta. The county has contrcted with EDD to provide this 
GAI sta. 
servce in tadem with 
664. Clients with some work history or job skils but who have been out 
Partcipants: 
of the labor market for a signifcant period of time would benefit most from this 
service. Clients in need of education services may choose to parcipate in job 
search fit. 
Costs:  118,381; $795.19 per parcipant. 
Individual Job Search 
Activity: Individual job searh occur under the supervsion of a job servces worker 
who provides employment counseling and job referrs. Parcipants also utilize 
the telephone ban and EDD job orders. 
This is a parcipant drven activity. However, the parcipant s efforts 
How Proyided: 

are bolstered thugh one-on-one meetigs with county GAIN staf and 
sta. 
contrcted EDD 
437. Clients with goo recent work history and marketable skills are best 
Partcipants: 
suited for individual job searh. 
$1,001 619; $2 292.03 per parcipant. 
Costs: 
The County of San Diego  PROGRAM PROFILE  Job Skils Training 
GAI 
The  parcipants determned via assessment to be in need of vocational 
Activity: 
skils traiing ar referred to the training development unit which is responsible 
for matching each client s training needs with an appropriate training provider. 
Some GAIN parcipants have enrolled in vocational skils training prior to GAIN 
registration and are allowed to continue their self-initiated program with GAIN 
approval and supportve services as needed. 
tring 
Job skils  is provided by adult schools, regional occupation 
How Provided: 

tring 
progrs, communty colleges, JTA funded  providers and private 
schools in classroom settgs. 
Partcipants:  The number of parcipants is unkown. Clients with no marketable skills 
or with minal skis reuig upgrde wil benefit most frm these servces. 
Costs:  No county GAI funds ar spent on traiing. Avaiable community resources are 
suffcient to meet the need. 
Job Developmentl Job Placement 
Activity:  The GAI job development sta work dictly with private employers and
GAI parcipants to match job opportties with job-ready clients. Job 
developers utize ta crt progrs, fre applicant screning servces and quick 
hi 
response as incentives to employers to  parcipants. Job placement services 
thugh EDD ar also used to augment al GAIN job services and job 
development activities. 
How Provided:  These servces ar provide though one-on-one meetings. County
GAI staf 
provide both servces. Job placement services ar also provided 
sta. 
contrcted EDD 
Unkown. Clients determined at assessment to be job ready and likely to 
Partcipants: 
fmd employment though addtional job search activity benefit most from these 
services. 
The County of San Diego  PROGRAM PROFILE  On-The-Job Training 
The GAI job developers work diectly with private employers to meet their 
Activity: 
needs by providig job-ready, pre screened job candidates. One incentive for 
employers is the on-the-job training (OJT) program which reimburses employers 
up to 50 percent of the parcipant s wage for a training period of up to 3 months. 
At the end of the traiing period, it is expected that the trnee wil be retained as 
a regular employee. 
One-on-one counseling is utilized to screen and refer appropriate clients 
How Provided: 

to employers. The OIT component is supported by contracted ITPA funding. 
Partcipants:  234. OIT is of most value to parcipants who have some job skils and 
work history but nee a period of "brush-up
" training to faciltate re-entcy into the 
labor maret or to upgre old skills. 
$840,00 in JTA fuds; $3,589.74 per parcipant. 
Costs: 
Community Work Experience Program/PREP 
Communty work experience under GAI is caled pre-employment 
Activity: 
prepartion (PRE) and consists. of non-salared work experience in a public or 
prvate non-profit agency. The purose of the PRE assignent is to develop 
basic work behavior skils and a reference for futue employment opportnities. 
PREP assignents ar for 3 months (short-term PRE) or for up to 1 year 
(long-tenn PREP). 
How Provided: 
 Scheduled one-on-one meetigs ar used to match avaiable PREP slots 
with client need for specifc  The PRE slot 
tyes of work experience. 
development, assignment and monitoring are conducted by county GAIN staff. 
59. Clients with little or no employment history or who have been out of 
Partcipants: 
the labor market for an extended period wil benefit most frm PREP activities. 
Long-tenn PRE is designed for GAIN parcipants who fai to find employment 
after skils training and job searh and who need more extensive work experience 
to enhance their skis. 
Costs:  $146,872; $2,489.35 per parcipant. 
The County of San Diego  PROGRAM PROFILE  Post-Placement (Follow-Up) Services 
For each GAIN parcipant who enters employment, the GAIN case manager 
Activity: 
conducts a 30-day follow-up to determine if the client has retaned the job. This 
activity may involve a direct contact with the client, the employer, or both. Those 
GAIN clients who go off of AFC due to employment are reminded of the 
availabilty of trsitional child care and Medi-Cal benefits. 
How Provided: 
 Dirct contact via telephone or mai by case manager with the client 
and/or the employer. Prvided by county GAIN staff. 
Unkown. 
Partcipants: 
Included in case management. 
Costs: 
Case Management 
Activity:  When a GAI parcipant attends the initial GAIN apprasal, they ar assigned
GAI 
case manager who wi work with them while they parcipate in the 
progr. 
Case managers are s  ia workers assigned by the GAI division to 
monitor and faciltate the parcipation of GAI clients. For each parcipant, the 
case manager is responsible for the followig 
functions: appraisal, scheduling, 
monitorg, cause determation/concilation, counseling, maitaiing case 
argig 
records,  for supportve services. 
Case management is, for the most par, conducted though one-on-one 
How Provided: 

GAI sta 
interviews between county 
and parcipants. 
Partcipants:  12,774. Case management is essential for al parcipants thoughout 
enrollent in GAI. 
$3,541,473; $277.24 per parcipant 
Costs: 
The County of San Diego  PROGRAM PROFILE  Appendix A

Program Overview Statement for the 
Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) Program 
operated by 
as 
County of San Diego, Department of Social Services 
Welfare Reform In Son Diego County 
refor 
welfare  efforts in San Diego County began in 1979. The Board of 
Supervsors, respondig to staggerig growth in public assistace caseloads, 
placed an advisory intiative on the balot askig the county electorate, "Should 
repients of  requird to work in exchange for their 
public assistace be 
benefits?" The overwhelmingly favorable response from San Diego voters (89. 
percent) reinorced the Board's diection to the Deparment of Social Services to 
seek legislative authority and initiate actions to create employment service 
progrs 
which would reduce welfare dependency. 
The Board's action engendered the Foo Stap Workfare Demonstrtion Project 
progr. 
in 1980 which proved the feasibilty of a "work for benefits" tye of 
1982, the county in conjunction with the State EDD implemented another Federal 
demonstrtion project, taetig AFC applicants and recipients, known as the 
Progr 
Employment Prparation  (EP). Although termed "modestly 
successful " the rigorous evaluation of EPP drew national attention and 
progr 
demonstrted that it is possible to operate a cost-effective employment 
for the AFC population. Furermore, EPP proved the efficacy of a substatial 
intial investment in order to achieve signcant, long-term gais in reducing 
welfar dependency 
In 1985, the EPP was expanded in the San Diego metropolitan area and became 
the Satution Work Initiative Model (SWI). SWIM was a Federa 
demonstrtion project testing the feasibilty and impacts of a "satuted" AFC 
progr  progr 
work  which requird contiuous parcipation for all  eligibles. 
Although the final evaluation report has not yet been published, an interim report 
progr 
indicates that a satution  is both feasible and significantly beneficial to 
progr 
parcipants. Moreover, the fmal report is expected to indicate that
SWI  progr 
was also cost beneficial to  operators. 
The design of California s Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) program, 
passed by the State Legislature in 1985, was to a large extent based on the EPP 
The County of San Diego  OVERVIEW STATEMENT  A - 1  SWI 
and  models developed in San Diego County. Planning for San Diego
GAI progr 
involved utilizing the experience and incorporatig the success 
SWI. 
enjoyed with EPP and  At the same tie, the expertse of other 
community agencies was sought to help plan for those elements of GAIN that 
were new. Within the somewhat flexible design strcture allowed by the State, 
GAI 
the County  Plan was developed, tailored to meet the specific needs of the 
county. 
The plan is not static, however, but continues to change and adapt to the needs 
and influences of the community includig the target population, the labor market 
and numerous cooperatig agencies and service providers. 
Gols and Expetations 
The basis for GAI' s overall goal of unsubsidized employment for 
parcipants is an underlying philosophy and expectation that AFC recipients 
desir to work and wil do so if provided with the opportunity. Responsibility for 
meetig the goal is shared by the State and the county, who must provide a 
sufcient level of servces to meet the needs of the parcipants, as well as by the
AFC 
recipients who ar expected to utilize the available services and steadily 
progrss towar self suffciency. 
The GAI progr s objectives for its parcipants include the provision of 
endutrgr agbi lties though an individualy taored mix of education, job search 
skis 
and work experience. Every achievement on the path to self 
sufciency is celebrated in order to reinorce newly acquired values as self 
confdence and determation gradualy replace hopelessness and dependency. 
For the AFC communty in genera, GAI' s objective is to engender a 
progr 
perception that welfar is a short-term assistance  that, via GAIN 
provides neeed and meanngf servces and trats al parcipants with faiess 
and respect while re4ucing the overal level of welfare dependency. For the 
progr 
community at large, GAIN strves to reflect the positive image of a  that 
helps people and is a cost-effective use of their tax dollars. Among the county 
private sector employers, the progr s goal is to be perceived as a good source 
of educated, trned, motivated and job-ready employees. 
Approach and Attitudes 
The GAIN program is designed to serve all non-exempt employable AFC 
recipients along with volunteers from the exempt group. The GAIN is a 
progr 
satuation" program which requires continuous parcipation for all 
eligibles until they become employed, exempt, or ineligible for AFDC. 
The County of San Diego  OVERVIEW STATEMENT  A - 2  GAI provides a comprehensive menu of services including basic education, job 
search, assessment, vocational trning, OJT, and work experience. The specific 
pathway among these components for each parcipant is determined by 
individual needs and allows for maximum client choice within the basic program 
strcture. The basic GAIN strategy is to provide a graduated level of services 
from the least to the most expensive in order to reserve high cost services for 
is the provision of 
those most in need of them. An exception to this policy 
education services (adult basic education, GED preparation and ESL) early in the 
progr. 
Basic competencies in readg, mathematics and English speakng ar considered 
priary essential to success in al subsequent GAIN activities. 
GAI  , and 
also provides the supportve services (child care, trsportation
ancill expenses) necessar for parcipation thoughout each enrollee s activity 
in the program. The GAI clients with parcipation problems are provided with 
progr 
ample opportties to overcome their barers and cooperate with 
requirements before sanctions are imposed. 
There also exists an on-going commitment, initiated durng the program planning 
phase, to involve the community in GAIN policy and planning decisions. To be 
progr 
successful, the  must work cooperatively with numerous other agencies 
both with and outside the county strctu. The program must be responsive to 
the needs of the communty whie remaig vigiant for opportnities to develop 
collaborative efforts to better serve mutual taget populations. 
Challenges and Solutions 
Among the chalenges faced by San Diego  GAI program are several that, 
whie not necessary unque to San Diego County, required unque measures 
achieve resolution. For example, the provision of remedial education and ESL 
instrction to adults presented the problem of overcoming the clients' reluctace 
to go "back to school." Furermore, the relatively large group of GAIN eligibles 
in need of ESL instrction presented adtional problems of identifying and 
talorig resoures to meet this special need. The unique solution in San Diego 
County was the development of the GAI Learing Center model, the result of a 
pilot project conducted by the local JTA Administrtor, local school distrcts and 
GAI sta. 
county  The Learing Center model featues individualzed education 
plans, computer-assisted instrction, and off campus, "store frnt" locations. 
Psychometrc testig and speciald servces for parcipants with learing 
disabilities ar also provided. Early outcome data is encourging and indicates 
that many parcipants achieve their education goals much more quickly than they 
would in traditional classrom settngs. 
The County of San Diego  OVERVIEW STATEMENT  A - 3  progr 
Another unique effort being conducted in San Diego s GAIN  is the Teen 
Progr 
Parnt  which provides specialized GAIN services to pregnant and 
parenting teens who ar on AFC. The GAI Teen Specialists conduct outrach 
activities and orientations, develop child care plans, provide for transportation 
provide counseling and encouragement to teens to stay in 
and ancilar needs and 
distrcts and 
or re-enter high school. The program works closely with school 
other adolescent parent projects to provide the comprehensive range of services 
needed to conduct positive interventions and break the cycle of poverty and 
dependence before it becomes fully established in these young lives. 
In San Diego, we have also experienced a growing recognition of the important 
role that self-esteem plays in determining both individual and overal success. 
The components that are most successful in terms of both parcipation rates and 
outcomes seem to be those that attend to the issue of self-esteem and include 
self-esteem buidig exercises in their curcula. A curent challenge for San 
GAI progr 
Diego  is to fmd ways to build in more self-esteem enhancing 
activities thoughout al GAIN components whether operated dictly or by 
contrctor. It is only by dictly tackling the problems associated with low self 
esteem among welfar recipients that we can help those individuals to overcome 
their fear of faiure, their hopelessness and dependency. 
Outcomes 
GAI stad  thugh 
Since  in San Diego County in October 1987,  June 1989, 
the progr has had signcant impacts on the employable AFC population. 
22,667 parcipants have been oriented and enrolled into GAIN. 
922 parcipants have enrlled in GAIN Learing Centers. 
Of these, 1,302 have achieved their educational goals: 539 obtained aGED, 700 
obtaed basic skis and 63 completed ESL classes. 
GAIN job searh services and are 
089 parcipants have received 
better prepard to compete in the labor market. 
prior to moving on into 
767 parcipants have completed assessment 
vocational training, OJT, work experience or additional education. 
172 teen parents have been enrolled into a specialzed program which 
dependency. 
helps young parnts complete high school and avoid long-term welfare
12,346 GAIN registrts have entered either full-time or par-time 
AFC 
employment and have generated a projected $29,67,901 in  grant 
savmgs. 
The County of San Diego  OVERVIEW STA YEMENT  A - 4  In adtion, the program has produced imeasurable positive impacts on the lives 
of thousands of parcipants who, because of their experience in GAIN, feel better 
about themselves and their future, provide a more positive role model for their 
childrn, and ar severa steps closer to their goal of self-suffciency. 
Lessons Learned 
The single most importt lesson leared from San Diego County s experience is 
the critical importance of in eragency coordination and cooperation. We have 
Diego to have a community of public agencies and 
been fortnate in San 
educational institutions who share with us a high lefviel  of commtment to the 
philosophy and goals of the GAI program and a  belief that, together, we 
can overcome bureaucrtic obstacles and make GAIN succeed. No single agency 
can operate alone and separately and also be successful in reducing the negative 
impacts of povert, ignorace and despai. The clients we serve, the problems we 
must overcome, and the resources we must draw frm all overlap and, in many 
cases, ar diectly shared. What is required is an integrated collaboration 
involving multiple agencies which wil produce a more comprehensive service 
delivery system that can set cooperative priorities, share information, avoid 
duplication, and provide an appropriate and effective mix of services at the right 
ties. 
places and at the right 
maita 
To crate and  such a cooperative interagency network requirs strong 
commtment at the highest levels within each agency. Furermore, that spirt of 
commtment and cooperation must be trsferred downward and continually 
reinforced. Signficant efforts and attention ar required to develop and maintain 
the linkages, but the potential payoffs are wort the price. Examples of what can 
result from interagency collaboration include the GAIN Learing Center model 
Progr 
and Teen Parnt  (descrbed earlier) along with the effective co-location 
of contrcted Job Servces and child car service staf with county GAIN staf at 
each GAIN offce. The interagency parership is strengthened though the 
sharg of physical space while service delivery to GAIN parcipants is enhanced 
by providing a one-stop service location. All sta on site are par of the "GAIN 
team" and quickly develop common goals, mutual respect and improved 
communications. 
countr 
With the implementation of the Federal JOBS program, every State in the 
progr 
is facing a mutual chalenge to get the  up and running and to keep it 
running. Critical to this process is the progr s fundig level. Will JOBS be 
funded at suffcient levels for a suffcient period of tie to have a fai and 
reasonable chance to prove itself worthy of continued public support? Given the 
opportnity, the JOBS program, like GAIN in San Diego, can be demonstrated to 
be an effective and worthwhile investment and a productive tool for reducing 
welfare dependency. 
The County of San Diego  OVERVIEW STATEMENT  A - 5  Appendix B

B-1 
The County of San Diego  SAMPLE DOCUMENTS  . - '
COUNT' OF SAN OIE'::O 
OF SOCIAl. SERVICES 
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY 
NAME: 
LAST  FIRST  MIDDLE  SSA .: 
ADDRESS. 
STREET  CITY  ZIP  PHONE ,. 
WORK HISTORY - Start with last jOb and work back - include Military 
, From ! To i Highest  Employer Duties  Reason 
I Wages  For Leaving 
Licenses/Permits/Certificates 
Special Skills (Language - EQuipment Oceration) 
What you liked about your last job: 
What you disliked about your las job: 
Problems that affec you working (health. drugs. family. work experience) 
Felony convictons?  If yes, what for? 
Highes school grae campleted:  E.D, or H.s. Diploma? 
If ye. name the year  Trade school or college? 
What proram? 
Dere or Certificae?  What year? 
SIGNATURE  DATE 
la' os  mil'  SAN DIEGO COUNTY - DEPT. OF SOCIAL SERVICES

GAIN SELF-APPRAISAL

NAM:	 CASE NAM:  CASE 
PRIOR GAIN  Yes  IF YES 

REGISTRATION  WHT COUNTY:  OFFICE:  DATE:

MA 
HAVE YOU WORKED IN THE PAST 24 MONTHS?  Yes	 HOW  MONTHS? 
AR YOU WORKING NOW?  Yes	 EMF LOYE R I S NAM

ADDRESS

HOURLY WAGE  START DATE

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN CONTINUOUSLY ON AFDC?  HAVE YOU GONE OFF AID IN THEY LASeT s3  YEARS

APPLICANT	 BECAUSE YOU WENT TO WORK? 
MONTHS

YEARS  HOW MANY TIMES?

AR YOU IN SCHOOL OR TRAINING  Yes 
VOCATIONAL :  EDUCATIONAL: 
NAM OF SCHOOL  NAM OF COURSE 
TYPE OF TRAINING  TYPE OF COURSE 
START DATE  END  START DATE  END 
NO. HOURS PER WEEK  NO. OF CREDITS 
I HAVE A CAR THAT RUNS.  Yes	 I CAN USE THE BUS.  Yes 
I HAVE A DRIVER'  LICENSE.  Yes 
I NEED CHILD CARE  Yes	 MY CHILDRENS AGES: 
I HAVE OTHER PROBLEMS:

REGISTRAT:	 DATE: 
FOR COUNTY USE ONLY

DEFERRA CODE  1==1  REVIEW DATE  VERIFICATION GIVEN  C=I

CONTRACT # 1=1  SCHEDULED TO  APPOINTMNT DATE

c= 
r= IMMD 
REFERR TO CRS	 I F NOT t  REASON
DEFER 
1::1 
REFERRA TO COUNSELING  WHO: 
COMMNTS: 
CASE MAAGER	 DATE  ))
,,"

- -
- - 
(..) 
() 
Sa I8CM 
CotJ of S8  of 
DG1 -l CH au 
Seion 
Ca  Regisrat Nam: 
Nam: 
Mess 
-M/  Telephne ,.:  It: 
Ca No.
ddr: 
Re-Regisered  Referred Fro GAI Site 
WI. It:  Telepbone It: 
CM: 
Seion 
Birte 
Nam of Chldr  Scbol Na  Hours 
La, Fir  To - Fro  Day & Hos 
SeiOD 3:  lI: 
Calft  t Co: 
Pacty:  (!d) 
(Pb 
Tn:  En 
..il' 
Orentati Date: Date:  Date:
() Bu 
() Ca 
IIY  tUY  WIAY.  THAY  FRY  Sl'l1Y  SlJlY 
re 
pr,
Seon aut 
be  ar8Dth  raeu an exc: of inOSnBoC D  lI atteo,  Re 
bet1 th  of  Seca 8Z th Chd Ca  Sece. 
ch ca 

Signatur :  Date: 
Section 5:  ReltiP:
Caiver: 
Pbo 
Acss :  It:

Effecive Date:  Ty of Cae:

CR:  Phone It: 
06-129 DSS (7/89) REV
 SAN DIEGO COUN-DEPARTMEN 
OF SOCIAL SERVICES

GAIN Attendance and Progress Report

Par 
cipant Name  From: 
Case Manager

SSA Numer 
Report for the month/quarter

Case Numer  ending 
oo 1 
Class/Subject
The above-
named participant in the GAIN Program is responsible

for obtaining this verification in order to receive benefits

and to continue 
 the current program.

Failure to providin e this information could mean the loss 

benefits to the client and removal from your 

appreciated.  program. 
cOoperation 
is  Your 
AUTORIZATION FOR 
RELEASE OF INFORMTION 
I hereby authorize the release and/or exchange of information

regarding my attendace, 

ment in the educational copmrpoognreensts/,A spsaerstsimceinpta tCieonnt aenrd /or assess

the Departmnt of 
provider.  Social Services and the authorized,  sbeertvwieceens 
Signa ture 
Date
Is participant enrolled?

Yes 
Date 
Please comlete this 

exlai  ng any makinsgesc otithoen r by checking the appropriate box and

than "
Satisfactory" in the
section.  coments 
Needs 
Satisfactory 
Improvement 
Attendance  Unsa tisf actory 
Puctuali ty 
Progress 
Cooperation 
Conuen ts 
Instructor 
tion:  Date 
Distr ibu 
-School: Yellow-Case: Pink-Participant:
Whi te 
GOlden-Case.
06-115 (9-88 Rev.