Department of Health and Human Servces 

OFFICE OF 

INSPECTOR GENERAL 

FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENTS 

OF AFDC CLIENTS: 

Case Studies 

.. SERVICE 

t-\' 

"1 

;(b)cl:a 

Richard P. Kusserow 

INSPECfOR GENERA 

MACH 199 
OFFCE OF INSPECfOR GENERA 

The miion of the Ofce of Inpeor Genera (DIG), as mandate by Public La 95-452, as 

amended is to prote the integrty of the Deparent of Heath and Human Servce' (HS) progr as well as the heath and welfar of beneficiares served by thos progr. Th 

statutory miion is caed out thugh a nationwde netwrk of audits, intigations, and 

inpeons conduc by thee DIG operatig components: the Ofce of Audit Servce, the 

Ofce of Intigations, and the Ofce of Evauation and Inpeons. The DIG al inorm 

the Seeta of HI of progr and management problems and remmends cour 

corr them. 

OFFCE OF AUDIT SERVICE 

The DIG's Offce of Audit Servce (OAS) prodes al auditig servce for HI, either by 

conductg audits with its ow audit resurce or by oversing audit work done by others. 

Audits ermine the performance of HI progr and/or its grte and contrctors in 

cag out their repee reponsibilties and are intended to prode independent 

asments of HI progr and operations in order to reduce wate, abus, and 

mimanagement and to promote ecnomy and effciency thughout the Deparent. 

OFFCE OF INTIGATIONS 

The DIG's Ofce of Inestigations (01) conduct cral ci and admtrtie 

inestigations of alegations of wrongdoing in HHS progr or to HI beneficiares and of 

unjust enrchment by proders. The inestigatie effort of 01 lead to cral convictions 

admitrtie sactons, or ci money penalties. The 01 al ovrs State Medcad frud 

contrl unts which inestigate and prote frud and patient abus in the Medicad program 

OFFCE OF EVALUATION AN INSPECTONS 

The DIG's Offce of Evauation and Inpeons (DEI conduct short-term management and 

progr evuations (caed inpeons) that foc on isues of concern to the Deparent, 

the Congres, and the public. The fidigs and recmmendations contaed in thes inpeon 

report generate rapid, accte, and up-tote inormation on the effciency, wlerabilty, 

and effecivenes of deparenta progr 

Th report wa prepar in the New York Regional Ofce under the diecon of Regiona 

Inpeor Genera Thomas F. Tul and Deputy Regional Inpeor Genera Alan S. Meyer. 

Projec sa included 

New York Headauarters 

Renee C. Schlesinger (projec Leder) Sus E. Harck 

Demetr Arpakos (Ld Analt) 

Nancy Harn 

Concett Brucceri 
Department of Health and Human Servces 

OFFICE OF 

INSPECTOR GENERAL 

FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENTS 

OF AFDC CLIENTS: 

Case Studies 

.. SERVICE ~t-\' 

'0 

;(lflfcl30 

Richard P. Kusserow 

INSPECfOR GENERA 

OEI-0-901 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


PUROSE 

The purpose of this report is to present case studies of eight programs which appear 

to be helping functionally impaired clients of the Aid to Familes with Dependent 

Children (AFC) program. 

BACKGROUN 

AFDC aims to assist needy children and parents in moving from welfare dependency 

to self-suffciency. It is admiistered by States, but funded jointly by the Federal and 

State governments. Several recent studies have highlighted the existence of functional 

impairments in the AFDC population. 

The Family Support Act requires States to develop a Job Opportunity and Basic Skills 

(JOBS) program, an education, training and employment program intended to help

AFC clients avoid long-term dependence. Clients are assessed to determine their 

training needs and to develop an employabilty plan. 

DIG Stu 

The case studies in this report result from a recent Office of Inspector General (OIG) 

inspection, entitled "Functional Impairments of AFDC Clients" (OEI-02-90-00400), 

which studied whether and how States with JOBS experience are systematically 

identifyng and dealing with the functional impairments of AFC clients. The study 

identified some programs that are making special efforts to help the functionally 

impaired. These programs are presented as case studies in this report. 

METHODOLOY 

Durig the "Functional Impairments of AFC Clients" inspection, managers of State 

welfare offces and JOBS program directors recommended programs they believed to 

be particularly effective in helping the functionally impaired. The inspection team 

chose eight from those cited for further study; four were visited and four were 

contacted by telephone. The programs were chosen because they demonstrate a 

broad range of program practices and philosophies. 

Information for the case studies was derived from intervews with program managers 

staff, and clients, from literature obtained from the programs, and from the team 

own personal observations. 
FOUR PROGRA VIIT 

The Fam Independence Progr in Manchester, New Hampshire 

contracts with JOBS to provide intensive pre-vocational and vocational training to 

recipients who have been on AFC for more than one year so they may sustain fulltime employment. The program s key features include one-on-one attention 

supportive environment, continuing follow-up and client support groups. 

Key Education has its home offce in Shrewsbury, New Jersey. It is a private testdevelopment company that contracts with the State of Delaware to conduct JOBS 

client assessments. The company uses a computeried KEV AS (Key Education 

Vocational Assessment System) machie to measure skills, interests, and levels of 

functioning. The main features of Key Education are its thorough assessments, client 

profie reports and career counseling. 

The goal of the Literacy Progr in Bridgeton, New Jersey, is to have clients achieve 

their graduate equivalency degree (GED). The program is notable for its innovative 

teaching methods, individualied instruction, client support system and staff dedication. 

Clients feel the program is teaching them how to cope with their problems, gives them 

renewed confdence and will help them get jobs. 

The MOST/MS Progr located in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, works to reduce or 

eliminate dependency on the public welfare system by helping people to acquire skills 

to be competitive in the labor market and to earn a livig wage. Intensive 

assessments, financial assistance, a holistic approach and excellent staff coordination 

are the major contributing factors to the program s success. 

FOUR PROGRAS TElEPHONED 

The Fam Development Self-Sufciency Progr (FaDDS) in Iowa has support 

groups, self-esteem workshops and GED classes to "enable families to achieve a level 

of self-suffciency .. thus breaking the cycle of ADC (welfare) dependence from 

generation to generation. 

Let' s Help in Topeka, Kansas is an adult education program with the goal to "get 

everybody in Shawnee County work-ready, get everybody off of AFDC with love and 

kindness . It offers a specialleaming program where JOBS clients have an 

individualized schedule geared to achieving basic skills or aGED. 

New Diecton in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania tries to address a client s barriers to 

employment by working with the individual and the Office of Vocational 

Rehabiltation overcome functional impairments. 
Project Resolve in Omaha, Nebraska chooses clients with problems and supports them 

in their efforts to leave welfare. One-to-one counseling and a personal plan are 

special to the program. 

COMMNT 

The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation commented on the draft report. 

These comments included a few specifc questions about terms used. Appropriate 

changes have been made in this final report. 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS


EXECUTIV SUMMY 

INODUCI0N 

CASE STUIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4


Four Programs Visited


The Family Independence Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4


Key Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7


The Literacy Program .. 10


The MOST/MS Program. . . .. . . 


Four Programs Telephoned 

COMMNf 
INTRODUCTION€

PUROSE 

The purpose of this report is to present case studies of eight programs which appear 

to be helping functionally impaired clients of the Aid to Familes with Dependent 

Children (AFC) program. 

BACKGROUN 

AFDC 

When enacted in 1935, the AFC program s intent was to allow widowed mothers to 

stay at home with their children. As indicated in Title IV of the Social Security Act 

(Part A, Section 401), it was set up to encourage "the care of dependent children in 

their own homes on by enabling each State to furnsh financial assistance and 

rehabiltation and other servces to needy dependent children and the parents or 

relatives with whom they are livig. Its philosophy shifted with the Family Support 

Act of 1988; it now aims to assist needy children and parents in moving from welfare 

dependency to self-sufficiency. The program is administered by States, but funded 

jointly by the Federal and State governments. 

Several recent studies have highlighted the existence of functional impairments in the 

AFDC population. A 1988 study for the Assistant Secretary for Planning and 

Evaluation (ASPE) reported that nearly one in four women on AFDC under the age 

of 45 descn"bed themselves as functionally impaired, in contrast to only one in eleven 

non-AFDC women doing so. A study completed recently for ASPE by Child Trends 

Inc. found that most AFDC mothers have a limited education, score below average on 

verbal and math skills tests, and have little work experience. Some of the mothers 

report health problems, alcohol abuse and depression. Half are long-term welfare 

recipients. 

JOBS 

To promote self-sufficiency, the Family Support Act requires States to develop a Job 

Opportunity and Basic Skills (JOBS) program, an education, training and employment 

program intended to help AFDC clients avoid long-term dependence. States are to 

have enrolled seven percent of the eligible population by 1991, rising to 20 percent by 

1995. Clients are assessed to determine their training needs and to develop an 

employabilty plan. While all States have now implemented JOBS, some programs 

have been in operation longer than others. States and counties may contract out 

individual programs on a local level which provide training, education and other 

servces for AFDC clients. 
DIG Stu 

The case studies in this report result from a recent Offce of Inspector General (OIG) 

inspection, entitled "Functional Impairents of AFC Clients" (OEI-02-90-00400), 

which studied whether and how States with JOBS experience are systematically 

identifyng and dealing with the functional impairents of AFC clients. The study 

found that States recogne the existence of functional impairments, with learning 

disabilties and substance abuse being the most common. They do not, however 

collect aggegate data on these impairents. Participation in JOBS increases the 

chances of clients havig their functional impairments identified, but problems exist in 

dealig with these impairments. Finally, the study identied some local programs that 

are makig special efforts to help the functionaly impaired. These programs are 

presented as case studies in this report. 

MEODOWGY 

Durig the "Functional Impairments of AFDC Clients" inspection, the team conducted 

telephone intervews with managers of State welfare offces and with JOBS program 

directors in the 25 States havig a JOBS program in place since October 1989. When 

asked to recommend any programs they believed to be particularly effective or 

innovative in helping the functionally impaired, respondents cited 24 such programs.€

Eight were chosen for further study; four were visited and four were contacted by 

telephone. They were chosen because they reportedly exemplify some effective 

practices for identifyng and/or servng AFC clients with functional impairments and 

because they demonstrate a broad range of program practices and philosophies. All 

eight were found to be JOBS related. 

Two of the visited programs are in New Jersey, one is in Michigan and the other is in 

New Hampshire. At each site, discussions were held with the program director and/or 

staff to learn about the operations of the programs. Additionally, seventeen program 

clients, selected either by the program manager or by the visiting team, were 

intervewed on-site to obtain their views. The number of clients spoken to at each 

program ranged from three to ten. In all, the team conducted 26 intervews onsite. 

The four programs contacted by telephone are located in Pennsylvania, Iowa, Kansas 

and Nebraska. The team conducted a telephone intervew with each program director 

but not with clients. 

Inormation for the case studies was derived not only from the onsite and telephone 

intervews, but also from literature and other materials obtained from the programs, as 

well as the team s own personal observations. 

Following are individual reports on the four programs visited on-site. These reports 

discuss each program s operation, goals, client profies, key attributes and outcomes 

Lastly, a summary of the four programs contacted by telephone follows the onsite 
reports. It contains various descriptions of the various approaches taken by these 

programs to help the functionally impaired. 
FAMY INEPENENCE PROGRA Manhe New Hampshie 

Key Featues 

One-on-one attention 

Supportive environment 

Continuing follow-up 

Client support group 

Backgun 

The Family Independence Program (FIP) is located in the largely rural State of New 

Hampshire. FIP is a Job Trainng and Partnership Act (JTA) program which 

contracts with JOBS to provide intensive pre-vocational and vocational training to 

recipients who have been on AFDC for one continuous year or longer. It operates in 

several locations throughout New Hampshire to prepare AFDC recipients for jobs that 

pay wages adequate for long-term self-suffciency. Participants are counseled and 

guided through the program toward a personal goal of independence and sustained 

full-tie employment. 

In existence since December 1985, the program currently has 207 clients Statewide 

with approximately 120 new clients added each year. Between 10 and 15 clients are 

enrolled at each site. 

Program Operatin


Designed to serve the entire family, FIP is an individually tailored program which 

provides supportive servces, such as counseling, day care, transportation and medical 

servces, until the breadwinner maintains stabilty on a new job. 

The State AFC program refers lists of appropriate clients to FIP. During an 

intervew with the client in her home, the FIP counselor describes the program, goes 

over the mission statement, and ascertains the commitment level of the client. The 

counselor also assesses the home situation and identifies possible barrers to selfsuffciency. 

After the intervew, clients go through an initial pre-employment preparation (PEP) 

phase which lasts for 10 weeks and runs six hours a day. It is an intensive effort to 

motivate participants and increase their personal and vocational awareness. During 

this phase, the participant develops his/her own family independence plan and , if 

barrers are discovered, obtains help. Graduation occurs when the family has 

successfully composed a plan that meets the criteria and standards set by the program 

administrators, the case management team and the family itself. 
Aditionally within the PEP cycle, academic remediation takes place to prepare 

participants for the work-related training in the next segment of the program. Here is 

where a learng disabilty might be discovered. Special help is given if necessary. 

Afer PEP graduation, the client may participate in different kinds of training 

programs, such as on-the-job training, GED classes (if not completed during the PEP 

cycle), or a college program. 

If barrers such as functional impairments are discovered durig the initial home 

intervew or at any other time, the client is referred to the most appropriate servce 

for a full assessment. Ths might be vocational rehabiltation, sessions with a 

psychologist, a medical evaluation or treatment or a number of other servces. The 

participant remains in FIP as the primary servce and FIP works with the referral 

provider.

Pr Goals 

The FIP goals include: assisting a long-term welfare dependent family to achieve selfsuffciency through permanent employment; discovering the barrers that may hinder 

the participant's progress towards permanent employment and eliminating or 

modifng those barrers; and to providing a system of temporary support servces. 

These goals are achieved by: motivating participants to change their life style; 

encouraging them to improve and strengthen positive attitudes towards themselves and 

work; assessing clients' basic academic level, occupational skills and interests; 

preparing participants through education and training with continued support; and 

helping to ensure permanent employment with continued support for up to three years 

following enrollment in FIP. 

Cli Prfi


Clients in FIP have learning disabilities, substance abuse, hearing and visual 

impairments, physical problems such as low back pain, obesity, dental problems and 

emotional disorders. Many have multiple problems, often exacerbated by low selfesteem. One staff respondent estimates that 20 percent of clients have a learning 

disabilty which has never been addressed before. According to many respondents 

having either poor teeth or no teeth is a major barrer, since it makes it more difficult 

for them to find a job. 

Progm Attutes


Clients cite as special features that make this program work: the chance to meet other 

women in the program and have a support group, and the accessibilty of the 

counselors, who "will go out on a limb for you" and are "nice and caring and make you 

feel good about yourself." Clients consider the follow-up essential - the feeling of 

someone being there. Program support continues for up to three years after 

graduation. 
, 

, 

The staff feel that meeting program objectives and goals, within a supportive 

environment, and with constant one-to-one case counselor contact and continuing 

follow-up contributes to the success of this program. 

Oucome 

Intervewed clients all agree that the program is helping them. One reflects the 

feelings of all of those intervewed when she says It turned my whole life around. I 

was doing nothing, going nowhere. Now I have a pretty exciting future ahead of me. 

Another states It was a perfect opportunity for me." She said she had no skils, no 

teeth, no transportation, and now she has all of them. Another client became 

pregnant durig the beginning of the program so she would not have to continue, but 

then came back.


Contact Person:	 Maureen Johnson, Associate Director 

New Hampshire Job Training Council 

64B Old Suncook Road 

Concord, NH 03301 

603-228-9500 
KEY EDUCATION, lNe. 

Shrewsbur, New Jerey (home offe) 

Ke Featues 

Thorough assessments 

KEV AS machine 

Client profie reports 

Career counselig 

Backgun 

Key Education, a private test-development company, contracts with several State 

county, and municipal agencies to conduct client assessments for diferent programs. 

It is currently assessing JOBS clients in Delaware. Their home office in Shrewsbury, 

New Jersey was visited in order to find out about their work with the Delaware JOBS 

clients. 

In 1977, Key Education created KEV AS (Key Education Vocational Assessment 

System), a self-administered, computeried screening process which measures a variety 

of skils, interests, and levels of functioning. The company adapts its assessment 

system to the needs of the specifc group being tested. It can tailor the tests for 

iliterate clients and for those who have never succeeded in an academic setting. 

Depending on the contract, Key Education either provides certified examiners for the 

assessments or trains designated agency personnel to administer tests and interpret 

data. 

Prgram Opeatin 

The assessment process involves three parts: wrtten tests, personal intervews, and 

the KEV AS machine, a special computer program. It takes clients about two to three 

hours to complete the assessment. 

The wrtten portion of the assessment evaluates the client s word knowledge, language 

usage skills, reading skills, and arithmetic and spacial problem solving skills. 

The personal intervew portion focuses on health and psychiatric history, education 

work history and goals, barrers to employment, existing disabilties, social skills 

interests and hobbies, and home life. Key Education trains its examiners to assess the 

reliability of the intervew information because clients may lie or have misconceptions. 

Examiners also look for signs, such as physical coordination problems or the wearing 

of too much perfume which might disguise the smell of alcohol, suggesting a possible 

substance abuse problem. If a client does not dress correctly for the weather, or has 

poor hygiene, it may indicate emotional problems. 
The KEV AS machine, which lets the client work at her or his own pace, looks like an 

average tyewrter but is computeried. It guides the client through a battery of exercises and tracks the results on a computer disk. 

The tests are both language and non-language based and measure the followig 

abilties: to retain information gathered through auditory channels; to learn through 

observation and then perform effectively; to perform repetitive manual tasks; to follow 

directions; and to lead. The system also tests for hearig impairments and color 

blindness. 

Other KEV AS features include: a hand-strength test to indicate general physical wellbeing and development, and a test of the client s hand and foot response to light and 

sound to demonstrate upper and lower body functioning. 

The results of the wrtten tests and the personal intervews are input into to the


KEV AS machine to be scored. Each score is compared with the norm and placed on


a scale, ranging from superior to impaired performance, to generate a functional


profile of the client.


Key Education researches the local labor situation to ascertain which companies are 

increasing staff, which employers are downsizing, and what jobs are in the local want 

ads. The data is input into the KEV AS machine. Then, taking interest and function 

into account, the machine tries to match the client profile to a job or a related work 

area. The staff at Key Education then suggest possible training if needed. If no 

match is found, the client is probably not ready for competitive employment. 

When Key Education examiners identify an impairment, they inform the agency staff 

which handles it; Key Education does not itself refer clients or provide supportive 

servces. 

Prm Goals 

Key Education aims to successfully assess client strengths, weaknesses and level of 

functioning. Based on the assessments, it attempts to find the work environment to 

which the client is best suited. 

Cli Prfi 

The examiners at Key Education have identified many JOBS clients with impairments. 

One manager believes the most prevalent impairment in the JOBS population is 

learnng disabilties. She adds that "a disabilty rarely marches on its own - it is the 

nature of learning disabled people to have self-esteem problems because they have 

always been told that they are not tryng. This adds blame to the disabilty which 

compounds the problem. II The KEV AS tests also have shown that many JOBS clients 

are physically weaker than the rest of the population. 
Prm Attut 

At the end of the contract year Key Education produces a summary report for the 

agency givig all the testing results. It also provides aggegate statistical information 

about the assessed population, and highlights the tyical characteristics found. Key 

Education managers consider this data the most valuable part of their program 

because it allows agencies to better focus resources and to develop servces which 

respond to the needs of its population. It also assists in the development of local 

norms and other statistical material showig trends and changes in the population. 

Specific client profiles can be obtained from the data Key Education maintains. For 

example, an analysis of all clients who have been identified as substance abusers 

reveals a common functional profie different from the rest of the population. This 

profile may assist in identifng future clients with similar impairments. 

Oucome 

Key Education has been successful in matching clients with jobs they are most suited 

for. It has identified those clients who are not ready to enter the job market and need 

further servces. Also, it has provided aggregate data to help agencies better serve 

their client populations. 

Contact person: Roseann M. Conlon 

Vice President 

Key Education, Inc. 

673 Broad St. 

Shrewsbury, NJ 07702 

800-25RJV AS 

(201) 747-0048 (in NJ) 
LICY PROGRA 

Brgeton, New Jerey 

Key Featues 

Innovative teaching methods€

Individualized instruction€

Client support system€

Staff dedication€

Backgun 

Bridgeton is a small town of several thousand in Cumberland County, a rural region of 

southern New Jersey. The Literacy Program in Bridgeton provides servces under 

contract with the Job Training and Partnership Act (IT A) agency. Funded jointly 

with JOBS and IT A money, it has been in operation since March 1991. It currently 

has ten participants, all were chosen because they scored below a fifth-grade reading 

level during the JOBS assessment process. 

Prm Opetin 

Clients spend between 15 and 30 hours per week in a literacy class, where they will 

remain until they achieve their GED. The class uses several innovative techniques 

including voice-activated computer instruction and a bar-code reading device which 

allows the student to hear what a word sounds like. In the morning clients take part 

in classroom instruction; in the afternoon they receive individual training and tutoring. 

Their homework includes reading three magazine articles per week and learning a 

required set of vocabulary words. Clients also meet with a counselor each week. 

Prgrm Goals 

The primary goal of the Literacy Program is to have clients achieve their GED. They 

are encouraged to take pride in their achievements. The program also hopes to teach 

clients how to successfully handle their problems and how to depend on themselves. 

Upon attainng their GED, they are able to enroll in regular ITP A vocational training 

programs and, hopefully, find meaningful employment. 

Clint Prfi 

Most clients have some barrer, aside from their low reading level, preventing them 

from becoming self-sufficient. Several have learning disabilities, emotional problems 

or substance abuse problems or a combination of these. Others are victims of 

domestic violence. The classroom instructor cites their lack of self-esteem, selfmotivation and coping mechanisms as additional barriers. 
, 

, 

Presently, various means are used to deal with clients' functional impairments. Those 

with drug or alcohol problems are referred to substance abuse treatment programs. 

Clients with emotional problems receive counseling, and the learning impaired are 

given specialized classroom instruction. The program is considering sending clients to 

a local community college for formal learnng disabilty testing in the future. 

Al of the women in the program appear highly motivated. They feel that when they 

were in school, the educational system did not accommodate their particular needs. 

Now, as the program director states We offer them an alternative. 

Pr Attut 

Both staff and clients believe the key factor contributing to the Literacy Program 

success is the classroom instructor, who acts not only as teacher but also as confidante 

resource person and frend. All her students have her home phone number and she 

often helps them with their problems. 

They also attribute the program s success to innovative teaching methods 

individualized instruction and staff dedication. Clients mention that they now have 

support from women in simiar situations, and they find that very helpful. 

Oucome 

Al of the program s clients are very enthusiastic about the program. They feel that it 

is not only going to help them get a job, but also that it is teaching them how to cope 

with their problems and gives them renewed confidence. Several mention that they are setting a good role model for their children and can even help them with their 

schoolwork. One woman, who never finished school because of a learning disabilty, 

asserts 'Tis is a second opportunity for me. I'm not going to let it go. " All of the 

clients have specific goals for their future: getting a GED and leaving welfare. Many 

want to become nurses. 

Whle the Literacy Program has not yet graduated any clients, it has several women 

currently in the program who have particularly distinguished themselves. One has a 

laptop computer at home and puts in extra hours to complete her lessons and 

homework. She hopes to achieve her GED by the time her youngest child turns 18 

when she is no longer eligible for AFDC and the Literacy Program. 

Contact Person: Charles Thomas 

JT A, 72 N. Pearl Street 

O. Box 1398 

Bridgeton, New Jersey 08302 

TEL: (609) 451-8920 
MOST/M PROGRA 

Mt. Plean Michigan 

Key Featues 

Intensive assessments 

Financial assistance 

Holistic approach 

Excellent staff coordination 

Backgun 

Isabella County is a largely rural area approximately 60 miles north of Lansing. The 

Isabella County Department of Social Servces (DSS) administers AFC and does the 

initial intake for the JOBS component, Michigan Opportunity and Skills Trainng 

(MOST). DSS also contracts with Michigan Rehabiltation Servces (MRS) to refer 

clients who show signs of an impairment. These signs are identified either through the 

MOST orientation and assessment or through testing done in the local school system 

to MRS. About 300 people have since been served; currently 35 welfare recipients 

are enrolled. The program is fianced by a combination of local, State and Federal 

funds. 

The DSS created the partnership with MRS when they realized that many of their 

MOST clients were not equipped to find and stay with permanent employment. 

Although aware of some general employment barrers and impairments which might 

be immediately apparent during intake, DSS staff felt they did not know the clients 

well enough to identify and treat the barrers and impairments on an individual basis 

especially if the impairments were easily hidden. 

To help identify impairments DSS developed a contract with area schools to evaluate 

clients' aptitude, reading and math achievement, and personality through tests such as 

APTICOM, T ABE and 16PF. They discovered the most common impairment was 

emotional problems. Also, many clients had low intellectual functioning and learning 

disabilties. The DSS felt no community resource was adequately servng these clients 

because most agencies were "creaming" the best referrals, accepting only those with 

the greatest chance for success. 

Progm Opetin 

Clients referred to MRS go through another assessment so their impairments and 

strengths can be identified and an individual rehabiltation plan developed. This 

extensive assessment includes a face-to-face intervew with a counselor regarding the 

client s personal, educational, medical, vocational and social history. They also discuss 

existing psychiatric history and disabilties, if any. 
, 

, , 

The client undergoes a general medical examination, a psychological exam, evaluations 

by specialists when indicated, and evaluations of current work skills and psychological 

and emotional stamina testing. One counselor descnbes the assessment as 

comprehensive and adds We don t leave anything unlooked at. 

Pr Gols 

The program s goal is to reduce or eliminate dependency on the public welfare system 

by helping people to acquire skis to be competitive in the labor market and to earn a 

living wage. The staff feels that some individuals wi never be totally off welfare and 

wi always need some form of public assistance; they therefore try to "eliminate and 

reduce dependency. II They also believe a program lie theirs can foster an 

understanding of rehabiltation and habiltation in the welfare system because, contrary 

to common belief, the whole welfare population is not able-bodied. 

Clint Prfi 

The MRS program classifes client impairments into three groups: emotional (58 

percent), physical handicaps (24 percent), and mental retardation (18 percent). Once 

their impairments are identifed, the clients are referred to supportive servces such as 

mental health counseling and work skills trainig. Isabella County benefits from being 

a small community in that coordination is tight, with no blind referrals or duplication 

of effort occurrg. 

Prgrm Attut 

The MRS/MOST staff attribute their success to the belief that everyone has a right to 

work and looks for reasons both outside and within the client to see why they are not 

workig. One counselor says We studied and researched to get an idea of the 

direction we had to go. It is too simplistic to just put welfare clients into job training 

programs. They are on welfare for certain reasons that must be identified and 

addressed before they can be put in jobs." Another staff member adds We invest the 

greatest amount of nurturing energy to this group with impairments. 

Other reasons for the program s success are that the staff is close-knit, having ongoing, 

daily communication; it works closely with clients and takes a holistic approach to 

improving their quality of lie. Also, the program addresses the total needs of clients 

such as housing, transportation, and child care, and deals with the individual in her or 

his unique situation. 

The staff realizes there are no easy solutions and that the program s goals may only be 

achieved through long-term commitment, because some cases require effort over 

several fiscal years to be successful. Unfortunately, due to administrative and fiscal 

problems, this is the last year in which the special program between MOST and MRS 

will be operating. 
, 

Ouome 

For the most part, the clients who have gone through the MOST/MS process feel it 

has helped them in some way. They especially appreciate the financial assistance 

they receive to defray transportation costs, babysitting expenses, and school loans. 

One client expresses the views of many in saying, "The program helped me get on my 

feet." Another reports It pulled me out of my depression and gave me confdence in 

myself." However, another feels that although the program helped her get a job and 

find housing, it is too superfcial: it addresses current needs, but does not do enough 

to help clients maintain their confidence without the program s support. 

The program s success stories include one about a client who came to his intake 

intervew drunk but is now a counselor studying for his master s degree. Another is 

about a formerly homeless woman who completed college and achieved full-time 

employment. 

The program has been effective in that clients have been trained, employed, and 

moved off public assistance. Also, staff report that as a result of the program 

thorough assessment to reveal functional impairments, a substantial number of MOST 

clients have qualified for disabilty payments, particularly SSI. 

Contact Person: Ron Verhelle 

Rehabiltation Counselor 

Michigan Rehabiltation Servces 

2258 Enterprise Drive 

Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 

(517) 773-5925 
, 

FOUR PROGRA TEHONE€

We conducted telephone intervews with the directors of four additional programs as a 

way to learn about different approaches of helping functionally impaired clients. 

These approaches, highghted below, are other examples of special initiatives for 

identifng and helping functionally impaired clients. These are: the Family 

Development Self-Suffciency (FaDDS) Program in Iowa; Let s Help in Topeka 

Kansas; New Direction in Alegheny County, Pennsylvania; and Project Resolve in 

Omaha, Nebraska. Each of the four programs is JOBS-related. 

FAMILY DEVLOPMENT SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRA (FaDDS) 

Iowa 

The FaDDS program works on the premise that training and employment 

opportunities are not suffcient for clients who come from dysfunctional familes and 

who have functional impairments. They need additional help before they can avail 

themselves of these opportunities. The program manager states that the goal of the 

FaDDS program is to "enable familes to achieve a level of self-suffciency and family 

functioning (so that) they will remain independent from economic assistance for their€

lifetime, thus breaking the cycle of ADC (welfare) dependence from generation to generation. 

The program is under contract with the Iowa Department of Human Rights, which in 

turn subcontracts with various non-profit organizations, community action agencies and 

county social servces to run the program on a local level. The program targets longterm welfare recipients who have been on AFDC for two or more years. Once clients 

have undergone a thorough evaluation by a family development specialist in their 

homes, they may enroll in one or more program activities, including support groups 

self-esteem workshops and GED classes. Participation in FaDDS ranges from three 

months to three years. 

LET'S HELP 

Tope Kansas€

The goal in Let s Help is to "get everybody in Shawnee County work-ready, get 

everybody off of AFC with love and kindness . The program manager states There 

must be a goal for these people. Learning to read will help to support the family. 

Let s Help, an adult education program, gets its referrals from the Kansas JOBS 

program. Let s Help offers a special learning program where JOBS clients have an 

individualized schedule geared to achieving basic skills or a GED. During the 

program, clients may work with an individual tutor, usually a volunteer, on a one-toone basis, or they may work independently if they prefer. During the whole process 

the JOBS worker and teacher coordinate closely with almost daily phone calls and 

with monthly reports. Participation in Let s Help lasts as long as it takes for clients to 

complete their goals. 
, 

NE DlRcrON Allhe Coun, Penlvan 

New Direction tries to address a client s barrers to employment before that client 

begins job training. It works with the individual to move him or her towards selfsufficiency. Strong coordination exists with OVR to accommodate clients with 

functional impairents. 

New Direction, the JOBS program, is distinctive for its strong links with the Offce of 

Vocational Rehabiltation (OVR). In New Direction, an OVR counselor is actually 

part of the JOBS assessment team. This counselor evaluates clients for learning 

disabilties, illiteracy, psychiatric problems and substance abuse. If a client has one of 

these impairents, he or she is referred to OVR for an additional in-depth assessment 

and is then given specialized training and other remedial servces. 

PROJECT RESOLVE 

Omha Nebraka 

Project Resolve aims to assist clients in becomig self-suffcient. The program 

manager states We teach them to advocate for themselves." Despite their 

impairments, clients are encouraged and supported in their efforts to leave welfare. 

In Project Resolve, case managers choose AFC clients with personal problems 

and/or without a high school diploma to participate in the program. Many are longterm welfare recipients. Clients enroll for 10 weeks, for an average of 16 to 18 hours 

per week. They participate in a variety of different activities including: GED classes; 

one-on-one counseling to develop a personal plan for their future; resource 

management, chemical dependency and domestic violence workshops; and emotional 

and physical health programs. Follow-up occurs at 30, 60 and 90 day intervals. 
COMM 

The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation commented on the draft report. 

These comments included a few specific questions about terms used. Appropriate 

changes have been made in this final report.