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Engaging Refugees in TANF Work Activities

Engaging Refugees in TANF Work Activities. Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Office of Refugee & Immigrant Assistance. Department of Social and Health Services. Mission: to improve the safety and health safety and health of individuals, families and communities

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Engaging Refugees in TANF Work Activities

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  1. Engaging Refugees in TANF Work Activities Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Office of Refugee & Immigrant Assistance

  2. Department of Social and Health Services • Mission: to improve the safety and health safety and health of individuals, families and communities • Nearly one out of every three Washington residents receive financial, medical, social, health, and rehabilitative services provided through DSHS

  3. The Office of Refugee & Immigrant Assistance • The Office of Refugee & Immigrant Assistance (ORIA) is located in the Economic Services Administration • ESA major programs include: • TANF (WorkFirst) • Medical Assistance • Washington Basic Food (Food Stamps) • General Assistance • Child Support Enforcement • Refugee Assistance

  4. TANF Program • TANF Grants: • The four-person grant standard is $661 per month • Earnings are prospectively budgeted • 50% earned income disregard • TANF Caseloads • In SFY 2009, the TANF caseload averaged 40,191 adults per month • Of these, an average of 3,496 (8.7%) were limited English proficient

  5. The Office of Refugee & Immigrant Assistance • ORIA Services: • Employment Services • English as a Second Language • Refugee Foster Care • Naturalization Services • Refugee Social Adjustment Services • Refugee Health Screening • Mental Health Services for Refugees

  6. The LEP Pathway • LEP Pathway Services: • Job search assistance • English as a second language • Job skills training • Work Experience • Community Service • Job retention services • A total of 5,685 LEP adults received employment services through the LEP Pathway in SFY 2009

  7. The LEP Pathway • A Comprehensive Evaluation (CE) completed after TANF case opening • The CE is a screening tool designed to gather information about the parent’s skills and abilities. • The CE covers such topics as: • Education • Work History • Barriers to Employment • Transportation • Child Care Needs • Labor Market Interests

  8. The LEP Pathway • CSO worker refers the parent(s) to a LEP Pathway service provider: • CASAS test conducted to assess English proficiency level • Parent(s) meet with service provider to develop an Employment Plan • The service provider provides employment services in accordance with the Employment Plan

  9. Stacking Strategies • Stacking TANF core and non-core work activities • Core Activities: • Job Readiness/Job Search Assistance • Work Experience • Community Service • Unsubsidized Employment • Subsidized Employment • Vocational Education • Non-Core Activities: • Job skills training directly related to employment, blended with ESL • Education directly related to employment, blended with ESL

  10. TANF Work Activities • Job Readiness/Job Search • Two-week Job Readiness workshop • Assist with job leads and application completion • Activities limited to 12-weeks/year • Work Experience and Community Service • Limitations in developing opportunities due to language capacity • Addition of Bilingual Site Supervisors

  11. TANF Work Activities • Vocational Education: The IBEST Program • Managed by local community and technical colleges • Available to those with higher English language proficiency • Subsidized Employment: The Community Jobs Program • Managed by the Washington State Department of Commerce • TANF funds used to subsidize employment • Limitations due to language capacity at worksite

  12. Engaging Refugees in TANF Work Activities Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Office of Refugee & Immigrant Assistance

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