DATE:
December 10, 2024
16
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
APPROVE THE CALIFORNIA WORK OPPORTUNITY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO KIDS OUTCOMES AND ACCOUNTABILITY REVIEW SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PLAN (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
Title 42, Chapter 7, Subchapter IV, Part A of the United States Code establishes the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families entitlement program known in California as the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program. California Department of Social Services (CDSS) provides oversight of the CalWORKs program, and all 58 counties administer the program on behalf of the State, within their respective jurisdictions. CalWORKs provides a wide range of services to some of the most vulnerable families living on lower incomes in San Diego County. In addition to providing essential cash, nutrition and medical benefits to families, CalWORKs also incorporates a Welfare to Work (WTW) (also known as Employment Services (ES)) component that provides additional supportive services including childcare, transportation, and housing services as required by the California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 11523. The purpose of participating in WTW activities is for families to gain the proper support, resources, job skills, training, and education to obtain full-time employment that leads to self-sufficiency.
As a proactive measure, the State Legislature established the CalWORKs Outcomes and Accountability Review system (Cal-OAR) in 2017, to identify an improved, more comprehensive approach to measuring outcomes and successes of the CalWORKs program. The Cal-OAR initiative was established to facilitate a local accountability system that fosters continuous quality improvement. Cal-OAR requires monitoring and reporting of specific data measures, including supportive service utilization and post-aid metrics, to determine the effectiveness of the various WTW activities in which participants engage.
The Cal-OAR consists o...
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