Transitional Cash Assistance: Bridging Welfare-to-Work

Transitioning recipients of TANF cash assistance from welfare-to-work has become the focus of state welfare programs. Successful transitional assistance programs incorporate pre-employment and post-employment services to increase job retention and advancement to avoid welfare returns.

In the late fall of 2008, The Social Research Institute (SRI) was contracted by Utah’s Department of Workforce Services (DWS) to complete an evaluation of the Transitional Cash Assistance Program (TCA). The purpose of the evaluation was to determine how well TCA is bridging the financial gap often experienced by those moving from welfare-to-work. Administrative data were reviewed to evaluate program documentation and the extent to which TCA is being implemented and designed.

Focus groups with front line staff who have administered TCA, targeted workers’ hands-on experiences implementing TCA. Research questions focusing on DWS personnel included:1) How do you perceive the impact of the TCA program in general? 2) How has the budgeting booklet tool and discussion of budgeting with TCA customers been incorporated into your work? 3) What suggestions, questions or concerns would you like addressed in re-evaluating the TCA program for the future?

Read the report from this project

 

 

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