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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-8211
Vice President Al Gore and Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman today
announced that Indiana will receive a $14.5 million Welfare to Work grant to
help the hardest-to-employ welfare recipients acquire the skills, the work
experience and the resources they need to find and keep good jobs. The Indiana
grant is part of $2.2 billion being awarded to states over a two-year period to
fund local programs to help long-term welfare recipients enter the world of
work.
"Since this Administration came into office in 1993, welfare caseloads
have dropped by a record 5.2 million, but we continue to face the challenge of
helping people with poor work histories and other employment barriers to move
from welfare rolls to payrolls," Vice President Gore said. "Today's funds will
help long-term welfare recipients break the cycle of dependency for themselves
and their families."
"The goal is not just to get a job, but to keep a job,"said Herman.
"This grant will help long-term welfare recipients to become Indiana's newest
workers and get good paying jobs that will help them become self-sufficient."
Indiana will use the Welfare to Work grant to supplement IMPACT, the
state welfare program. Eighty-five percent of the funds will go directly to
local Private Industry Councils (PICs) to fund programs that will provide a
wide variety of support services to:
- Help absentee fathers get jobs so they can contribute child support
- Address the specific needs of families on assistance who face
multiple barriers to employment
- Assist long-term recipients who have exhausted their benefits with
occupational and career planning, job search workshops, job placement,
mentoring and coaching
- Support services for job seekers will include child
care,transportation, substance abuse and mental health care and clothing
allowances.
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development will use the remaining
fifteen percent of the grant to fund state efforts to establish Individual
Development Accounts and the balance will be shared among PICs with outstanding
records for job training and placement.
Indiana joins Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois,
Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin
in putting the Administration's Welfare-to-Work initiative into action.
Under the 1997 Budget Reconciliation Act, $2.2 billion is being
allocated by formula over two years to states based on their population of poor
people and the number of adult recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families. Another $711.5 million is being awarded directly by the Secretary of
Labor on a competitive basis to local communities for projects that emphasize
innovation, collaboration and sustainable strategies to attain quality
employment, earnings and other successful outcomes for welfare recipients.
The grants may be used to fund unsubsidized and subsidized employment;
work experience; on-the-job training; and post employment retention services,
such as child care and transportation assistance.
FEDERAL FUNDS TO BE PROVIDED TO INDIANA: $14,552,407
STATE MATCH:
$7,276, 204
STATE CONTACT:
Mr. Craig E. Hartzer, Commissioner, (317)
233-5661
Indiana Department of Workforce Development
IN Government
Center South, SE 302
10 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana
46204
INDIANA
The state of Indiana will use its Welfare to Work funds to enhance,
supplement and expand IMPACT (state Welfare program) and TANF services.
Amount of Grant: $14,552,407
Match Provided: $7,276,204
Total Investment in the State of Indiana: $21,828,611
TANF Caseload Numbers
Caseload Numbers:(50% decrease)
January 1993 73,115
March 1998 36,434
Recipient Numbers: (56% decrease)
January 1993 209,882
March 1998 92,551
Populations Served:
TANF Recipients
Noncustodial
Parents
Innovative Services:
Individual Service Strategy. In concert with a variety of other
state agencies, case managers will develop an Individual Service Strategy for
each recipient which will be intensive and individualized. Specialized
counselors will assess individuals with serious substance abuse, domestic
violence and mental health problems. Long-term case management is envisioned.
Case management won't be limited to the recipient, but will extend to the
family if the family is proving to be the barrier which is preventing success
of the parent.
Basic Services and Other Activities
PICs will coordinate with local planning councils to eliminate
duplication
Assessments
Occupational/career planning
Job search
workshops
Job development and placement
Post-employment services will
emphasize job retention,
increased skills and disposable income.
Mentoring and job coaching
Support services such as child care
assistance,
transportation services, substance abuse treatment,
mental
health care, and clothing allowances.
Emphasis on Supportive Services
Transportation. PICs may broker transportation services.
The special needs of TANF recipients my require the PICs to develop even
broader linkages with the transportation community, including car dealers,
automobile auction houses, and transporters not currently providing
services.
Housing. A referral process will be in place which will
alert housing agencies that a TANF client has gone to work so that his/her
income may be excluded for up to 18 months in public housing and for as long as
the family remains eligible for cash assistance in Section 8 housing.
Governor's 15%
Governor O'Bannon will concentrate on asset creation. The state will
encourage the development of Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) for
post secondary education, business investment and home ownership. The funds
will also serve noncustodial parents.
A portion of the 15% will also be used to reward PIC
performance.
Distribution of Funds to Localities
80% based on poverty level
20% based on the number of adults
receiving TANF assistance
State Coordination:
tnerships have been developed for the TANF/WTW programs which includes
the state's Workforce Development efforts, township trustees, School-to-Work,
the state's One-Stop Career Centers, private sector employers, labor
organizations, Indiana Department of Education, Public Housing Authorities,
Community Development Corporations, Transportation Agencies, faith-based and
disabled organizations, as well as educational institutions.
Measures of success:
Keeping TANF recipients employed for 18 months
Increasing their
skills
Achieving long term self-sufficiency and increased earnings
Indiana's Competitive Grants:
Indianapolis Indiana Private Industry Council
C.M. Corbin, Chief Operating Officer
17 West Market Street, Suite
500
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317/684-2398
Funding:
$5,000,000
The approach to services will emphasize family preservation and will
integrate workforce development services and family support services at
neighborhood sites. The goal is the continuing development of a more flexible
access and delivery network, which combines public and private resources to
promote more effective collaborations on behalf of citizens needing services. A
full assessment of family needs, work assets, and barriers will guide all
individual service strategies. A strong emphasis will be placed on the
integration of non-custodial parents into the process, with an expected outcome
of enhanced family income.
This project directly links with a $1 billion infrastructure and capital
improvement initiative (better known as Building Better Neighborhoods) launched
by the City. This is coupled with investments by private foundations (including
the Lilly Endowment, the Annie E. Casey, Rockefeller, Mott and Indianapolis
Foundations).
River Valley Resources, Inc.
Margo Olson, Deputy
Executive Director/Vice-President
1315 Clifty Drive
Madison, IN
47250
812/265-2652
Funding: $5,000,000
Each county's WtW Council and TANF Director will take a lead role to
define and prioritize the community barriers to be addressed. The project will
establish an area-wide 1-800-help-line for counseling or problem-solving
assistance. Employers have committed to hiring TANF recipients and allow "on
the clock" training and remediation for assessed barriers to job retention.
Training will be customized for each employer and participant.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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