Using Evidence to Move Welfare Recipients into Work Act

Bill: 115-s-961
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]
Introduced: 2017-04-27
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Employment and training programs

Government information and archives

Performance measurement

Poverty and welfare assistance
Latest action: action_date: 2017-04-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-04-27
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Using Evidence to Move Welfare Recipients into Work Act</b></p> <p>This bill amends title IV&nbsp;(Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of the Social Security Act to direct the Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Department of Labor,&nbsp;to develop a database of projects that have used a proven or promising approach in moving TANF recipients into work. The database shall be called the "What Works Clearinghouse of Proven and Promising Projects to Move Welfare Recipients into Work." </p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 961 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 27, 2017 Mr. Young introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To develop a database of projects that are proven or promising in terms of moving welfare recipients into work.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Using Evidence to Move Welfare Recipients into Work Act . 2. What Works Clearinghouse Section 413 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 613 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (k) Development of what works clearinghouse of proven and promising approaches into move welfare recipients to work (1) In general The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall develop a database (which shall be referred to as the What Works Clearinghouse of Proven and Promising Projects to Move Welfare Recipients into Work ) of the projects that used a proven approach or a promising approach in moving welfare recipients into work, based on independent, rigorous evaluations of the projects. The database shall include a separate listing of projects that used a developmental approach in delivering services and a further separate listing of the projects that used an approach in delivering services that was proven to be ineffective in achieving positive outcomes. The Secretary shall add to the What Works Clearinghouse of Proven and Promising Projects to Move Welfare Recipients into Work data about the projects that, based on an independent, well-conducted experimental evaluation of a program or project, using random assignment or other research methodologies that allow for the strongest possible causal inferences, have shown they are proven, promising, developmental, or ineffective approaches. (2) Criteria for evidence of effectiveness of approach The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and organizations with experience in evaluating research on the effectiveness of various approaches in delivering services to move welfare recipients into work, shall— (A) establish criteria for evidence of the effectiveness of the approaches used in the demonstration projects; and (B) ensure that the process for establishing the criteria— (i) is transparent; (ii) is consistent across agencies; (iii) provides opportunity for public comment; and (iv) takes into account efforts of Federal agencies to identify and publicize effective interventions, including efforts at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the Department of Justice. (3) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Approach The term approach means a process, product, strategy, or practice that is— (i) research-based, based on the results of one or more empirical studies, and linked to program-determined outcomes; and (ii) evaluated using rigorous research designs. (B) Proven approach The term proven approach means an approach used in a demonstration project conducted under this section that— (i) meets the requirements of a promising approach; and (ii) has demonstrated significant positive outcomes at more than 1 site in terms of increasing work and earnings of participants, reducing poverty and dependence, or strengthening families. (C) Promising approach The term promising approach means an approach used in a demonstration project conducted under this section— (i) that has been used in the project or elsewhere for at least 3 years; (ii) that meets the requirements of subparagraph (D)(i); (iii) that has been evaluated using well-designed and rigorous randomized controlled or quasi-experimental research designs; (iv) that has demonstrated significant positive outcomes at only 1 site in terms of increasing work and earnings of participants, reducing poverty and dependence, or strengthening families; and (v) under which the benefits of the positive outcomes have exceeded the costs of achieving the outcomes. (D) Developmental approach The term developmental approach means an approach used in a demonstration project conducted under this section that— (i) is research-based, grounded in relevant empirically based knowledge, and linked to program-determined outcomes; (ii) is evaluated using rigorous research designs; and (iii) has yet to demonstrate a significant positive outcome in terms of increasing work and earnings of participants in a cost-effective way. (4) Funding Of the amounts made available to carry out section 403(b) for fiscal year 2018 and each succeeding fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve such funds as are necessary to carry out this subsection. . 3. Effective date The amendment made by this Act shall take effect on October 1, 2017.