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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-8211
President Clinton and Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman today
announced that California has been approved for a Welfare to Work grant of
$190.4 million to help the hardest-to-employ welfare recipients get the skills,
work experience and resources they need to find and keep good jobs. California
has the largest number of welfare recipients, more than twice the number of any
other state and is getting the largest Welfare to Work state formula grant to
be approved this year.
"The U.S. economy is the strongest it's been in a generation and welfare
recipients across California are moving into the world of work and building
productive lives for themselves and their families," said the President. "But,
we still have to help California's long-term welfare recipients with multiple
employment barriers break the cycle of dependency by getting jobs, keeping jobs
and learning new skills so they can stay off of welfare for good."
"This grant will help California move people from dependency to
self-sufficiency," said Herman. "Too often those wanting to work face obstacles
that would keep them from being successful in a job. This money will help
California's new workers get the support services and work experience they need
to raise their incomes and give their families more secure and healthy
environments."
California joins Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode
Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington 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 adult recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Another
$711.5 million is being awarded on a competitive basis directly by the
Secretary of Labor to local communities for projects that emphasize innovation,
collaboration and sustainable strategies to attain quality employment, earnings
and other successful outcomes for welfare recipients. Several organizations in
communities across California were awarded a total of $35.6 million in
competitive grants last month as a result of the first round of competition.
California is receiving a state formula grant because its plan has been
approved by the department, enabling the Secretary of Labor to disburse its
welfare-to-work formula funds. Eighty-five percent of the funds will be sent to
Private Industry Councils that will design and operate collaborative,
integrated programs tailored to meet local labor market needs.
The grants may be used to fund unsubsidized and subsidized employment;
work experience; on-the-job training; mentoring and other post employment
retention and support services, such as child care and transportation
assistance. California plans to strengthen and build local partnerships through
the One-Stop Career Center system, and improving linkages between county
welfare departments, private industry councils, and other state and local
workforce preparation, education and human service programs. Service gaps will
be identified and local strategies will be implemented.
Editor's Note: The grant amount and state contact listed for California
follow:
FEDERAL FUNDS TO BE PROVIDED TO STATE: $190,417,247
STATE MATCH: $95,000,000
STATE AGENCY TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM:
Employment Development Department
800 Capitol Mall, Room 5000
Sacramento, CA 95814
Contact:
Ray Remy, Director (916) 654-8210
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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