CalWORKs Homeless Families Project in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors established an interagency project to serve homeless families in which a parent had mental health problems (HCFP). Families must be eligible for CalWORKs.

The final evaluation report was published in June 2009 but should be read in conjunction with the December 2008 report as both summarized the final outcomes but use different data sources to do so.

• HCFP Co-occurring Final Report June 2010
• HCFP Final Evaluation Report June 2009
• HCFP Evaluation Report December 2008
• HCFP Evaluation Report January 2007
• Methodological Appendix January 2007
• HCFP Evaluation Report July 2005

Outcomes of MH/SA/DV Services In Los Angeles

In 2003 CiMH was asked by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to develop a system to monitor client outcomes in the CalWORKs program. The system developed focused on substance abuse (SA) treatment and domestic violence (DV) services as well as mental health (MH) treatment. The primary outcomes are completing services and finding employment. But transitional steps (such as job training) and clinical outcomes are also documented.

The most recent report, published in July 2007, proposes a large-scale demonstration project to test reforms that the study has indicated might improve outcomes.

Improving Mental Health Outcomes for CalWORKs Participants in Los Angeles County

The third set of reports was published in August of 2006; domestic violence services were not included.

• 2006 Outcomes of CalWORKS Supportive Services in Los Angeles County Substance Abuse Year Three
• 2006 Outcomes of CalWORKS Supportive Services in Los Angeles County Mental Health Year Three

Year Two. Four reports present the findings of the second year of monitoring the effects of providing MH/SA and DV services to CalWORKs participants in Los Angeles. There is a report on mental health, one on substance abuse, and one on domestic violence. A shorter Policy Implications report summarizes the results of all three domains for policy-makers. There is also a two page summary of the Policy Implications report.

• 2005 Outcomes of CalWORKs Supportive Services in Los Angeles County Policy Implications Report Year Two
• 2005 Outcomes of CalWORKs Supportive Services in Los Angeles County Policy Implications Summary Year Two
• 2005 Outcomes of CalWORKs Supportive Services in Los Angeles County Substance Abuse Year Two
• 2005 Outcomes of CalWORKs Supportive Services in Los Angeles County Mental Health Year Two
• 2005 Outcomes of CalWORKs Supportive Services in Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Year Two

Year One. Mental health, substance abuse and domestic violence each have a section in this initial report on Los Angeles outcomes of service. A detailed description of the methodology employed is also available.

• Outcomes of CalWORKs Supportive Services in Los Angeles County Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence (May 2003)
• Methodological Appendix: Outcomes of CalWORKs Supportive Services in Los Angeles County Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence (May 2003)

The Original Calworks Project: Consequences of MH/AOD/DV for Employment and Child-Well being.

Policy Briefs

• CalWORKs Policy and Practice Brief #1: Mental Health, Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse: Need for and Use of Services Among Adult Female TANF Participants (April 2002)
• CalWORKs Policy and Practice Brief #2: Impact of Alcohol and Other Drugs, Mental Health Problems and Domestic Violence and Welfare Tenure (May 2002)
• CalWORKs Policy and Practice Brief #3: Multiple Risk Threaten Children of TANF Recipients with Alcohol or Other Drug, Mental Health, or Domestic Violence Issues (June 2002)
• CalWORKs Policy and Practice Brief #4: Personal Stories of Four Women Who Have Faced Alcohol and Other Drug, Mental Health, and Domestic Violence Issues (July 2002)

Peer-reviewed publications

Three peer-reviewed articles describe the effects of MH/AOD and DV among CalWORKs participants in Kern County and Stanislaus County. These are the only reports in which findings from all three years of the research interviews are included.

Here are the citations:

Meisel, J., Chandler, D., & Rienzi, B. (2003). Domestic violence prevalence and effects on employment in two California TANF populations. Violence Against Women, 9(10), 1191-1213.

Chandler, D., Meisel, J., Jordan, P., Rienzi, B. M., & Goodwin, S. N. (2004). Substance abuse, employment and welfare tenure. Social Service Review, 78(4), 628-651.

Chandler, D., Meisel, J., Jordan, P., Rienzi, B. M., & Goodwin, S. N. (2005). Mental health, employment and welfare tenure. Journal of Community Psychology, Forthcoming.

Click on the links below to view pre-publication drafts of these articles.

• Domestic Violence Prevalence and Effects on Employment in Two California TANF Populations (January 2003)
  
  
• Substance Abuse, Employment and Welfare Tenure
• Mental Health, Employment and Welfare Tenure

Earlier reports regarding different aspects of the two-county study

• TANF Families in which there are Alcohol or Other Drug, Mental Health, or Domestic Violence Issues: Child Well-being Under Welfare Reform Full Report (January 2003)
• CalWORKs Project Research AOD/MH/DV Issues: Effects on Employment and Welfare Tenure After One Year (October 2002)
• CalWORKs Domestic Violence Survey Executive Summary (June 2002)
• Executive Summary
• General Report
• Technical Report

The report cover is also available as a separate download.

• CalWORKs Prevalence Report (September 2000)
• CalWORKs Prevalence Report, Executive Summary (September 2000)

Six County Study on Best and Promising Practices

• CalWORKs Six County Case Study Report #2 (Fall 2001)
• CalWORKs Six County Case Study Report Survey Results (April 2000)
• Title Page and Acknowledgements
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter One
• Chapter Two
• Chapter Three
• Chapter Four
• Chapter Five
• Chapter Six
• Appendix
• Executive Summary

Other CalWORKs Project Resources

• CalWORKs Screening Guide (March 2001)
  Tips on setting up a screening program and recommendations of validated screening instruments.
• CalWORKs Screening Technical Manual (March 2000)
  Technical Manual to accompany the CalWORKs Screening Guide.
• CalWORKs Screening Instruments (2000)
  Copies of the instruments found most useful in our tests. Available also in Spanish and Russian.
• Robert Landry, Ph.D. \'Doing Effectiveness Research at the County Level: Mental Health and AOD outcomes model and Yolo County results
• Joint CalWORKs Committee Initial Report (May 2000)
• CalWORKs Domestic Violence Survey Executive Summary (June 2002)

Newsletters

• Help Connections Newsletter, Vol. 1, January, 1999
  
  In this Issue:
  
  • Time & Distance Factors Substantially Affect Identification and Referral for AOD/MH/DV Services
  • Content/Environment and Attitude Appear to Have a Direct Effect on Identification of AOD/MH/DV Needs
  • The Variety in TANF Participants and in their AOD/MH/DV Issues Suggests that Different Approaches to Identification and Referral will be Useful
  • Successful Implementation of Supportive Services under CalWORKs Requires Attention to
• Help Connections Newsletter, Vol. 2, June, 1999
  
  In this Issue:
  
  • Flexibility in the Design and Delivery of Alcohol and Other Drugs, Mental Health, and Domestic Abuse (AOD/MH/DV) Services is Essential
  • Solving Specific Problems that Require Interagency Coordination Can Consume Much Time and Resources, But Is a Necessary Investment
  • More Attention Needs to be Paid to Job Upgrading and Job Retention
  • Working with Clients with Very Difficult Multiple Barriers Requires a More Comprehensive Approach
  • AOD and MH Agencies Need to Do More to Create Referrals
  • Better Linkages Need to be Paid to Job Upgrading and Job Retention
  • Working with Clients with Very Difficult Multiple Barriers Requires a More Comprehensive Approach
  • AOD and MH Agencies Need to Do More to Create Referrals
  • Better Linkages Need to be Forged Between CalWORKs and Child Welfare
  • Special Attention Needs to be Paid to Factors that Impede the Identification of AOD Problems
• Help Connections Newsletter, Vol. 3, December, 1999
  
  In this Issue:
  
  • Complexity of CalWORKs Rules and Regulations
  • Low Numbers of Referrals, Unspent Funds
  • Need to Learn More about Sanctioned and Exempt Populations
  • Engaging Recipients Appropriately
  • Providing Employment-Related Services to Participants who are Receiving Extensive MH, AOD, or DV Services
  • Serving the Whole Family
• Help Connections Newsletter, Vol. 4, August, 2000
  
  In this Issue:
  
  • AOD/MH/DV Program Staff Report that CalWORKs Clients Experience Positive Change with Services
  • AOD/MH/DV Clients Report that Services Are Helpful
  • CalWORKs Staff Report AOD/MH/DV Services are Helpful IF they are Completed
  • Special Efforts Are Needed to Keep Clients Engaged in AOD/MH/DV Services
• Help Connections Newsletter, Vol. 5, September, 2000
  
  In this Issue:
  
  • Perspective of CalWORKs Staff on How CalWORKs Has Changed Their Jobs
  • Training of CalWORKs Staff about AOD/MH/DV Issues
  • Influences on CalWORKs Referral Rates
  • Implications: How to Help Eligibility Workers and Employment Counselors Make More Referrals
• Help Connections Newsletter, Vol. 6, December, 2000
  
  In this Issue:
  
  • "Back-Door" Referrals from AOD/MH/DV Providers
  • Reaching Out to CalWORKs and CalWORKs-Eligible Participants: Media Campaigns and Outreach Workers
  • Co-locating AOD/MH/DV Staff -- What to Consider
• Help Connections Newsletter, Vol. 7, April, 2001
  
  In this Issue:
  
  • Many CalWORKs Participants Are Non-Compliant or Sanctioned
  • A Higher Percentage of the Sanctioned Face AOD/MH/DV and Other Hurdles
  • Counties Are Designing Programs to Reduce Non-Compliance and Sanctioning