AG 2007 05 21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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2. Barriers to employment: criminal backgrounds, mental health issues, substance abuse issues, and domestic violence issues 3. Transportation issues: weekend transportation and reliable transportation after case is closed. Bus system does not run around the clock. 4. Committee learned of and was interested in Rowan-Cabarrus Community College's new Career Readiness program, where individuals can take a self paced program that measures "real world" skills that employers believe are critical to job success. This program is being tested here, and will go statewide next year. It is intended to be one of the basics for a Work First Demonstration Grant to increase the participation rate. Cabarrus County Transport Service will provide transportation to clients to this program during the day and evening. III. Outcomes and Goals for the County A. Statewide Work First Goals 1. Employment 2. Meeting Federal Participation Rates 3. Providing Employment Services 4. Benefit Diversion 5. Staying off Welfare 6. Job Retention The methods for achieving the above goals are described in Section IV below. B. County Developed Outcome Goals 1. Prevention of Welfare Dependency: It will continue to be the goal of Cabamrs County DSS to provide necessary services when feasible to prevent welfare dependency. This should occur in 65% of the cases where an able bodied adult requests Work First cash assistance, and is seen by an Employment Social Worker through the New Focus diversion. Efforts will continue to be made to strengthen and effectively use short-term assistance programs, coupled with family and financial counseling to prevent an application for ongoing cash welfare. 2. Use of Wage Supplementation (Grant Diversion) to encourage employers to hire Work First recipients: Work First cash assistance will be frozen and diverted to supplement salaries when it is determined that recipients receiving employment services need this option to encourage employers to hire them. Lack of or poor work histories and the status of the economy can contribute to the need for wage supplementation. It is the goal to have 6 of these wage supplementation positions created during each fiscal year. 3. Providing Optimal Living Situations for Children in Child-Only Work First Cases: Depending on staffing, Cabarrus County DSS will work when possible with children in child-only Work First cases to best assure that they are living in the most secure and caring situation possible. This will be through working to secure adoptions, guardianships, and legal custody arrangements, as well as ~"