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The Los Angeles Jobs-First Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) Program

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

Jobs-First Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN), which operated in Los Angeles from 1995-1998, was a welfare-to-work program for all two-parent welfare recipients, and all single-parent welfare recipients whose children were at least three years old. The program served the largest county welfare population in the nation - a welfare population larger than that of all states except for New York and California. It was a mandatory program, in that participation was required as a condition for receiving full federal welfare benefits.

Goal / Mission

GAIN is part of a large-scale, welfare-to-work initiative program operating in every county in California. In L.A. County, the initiative is under the supervision of the Department of Public Social Services. It helps local businesses and employers find and hire quality workers who seek meaningful employment. Prospective workers are participants in the state welfare programs known as California Work Opportunities and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKS) or General Relief Opportunities for Work (GROW).

Results / Accomplishments

In a random controlled study with a two year follow up, the following results were statistically significant (p<0.05) in the two-parent families entering the program vs a control group: 31% higher annual job earnings per person over the two-year period ($6,187 in annual earnings for the Jobs-First GAIN group vs. $4,721 for the control group), 28% more time employed per person over the two years (3.4 quarters employed for the JobsFirst GAIN group vs. 2.6 quarters employed for the control group), 12% lower welfare payments per person over the two years ($7,372 for the Jobs-First GAIN group vs. $8,394 for the control group), 13% lower annual food stamp payments per person over the two years ($2,967 for the Jobs-First GAIN group vs. $3,400 for the control group).

The following results were statistically significant (p<0.05) in the single-parent families entering the program vs a control group: 25% higher annual job earnings per person over the two-year period ($5,732 vs. $4,569), 23% more time employed per person over the two years (3.3 quarters employed vs. 2.7 quarters employed), 10% lower welfare payments per person over the two years ($6,505 vs. $7,200), 9% lower annual food stamps payments per person over the two years ($2,523 vs. $2,785).

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
County of Los Angeles
Primary Contact
Antonia Jimenez, Director
(877) 292-GAIN (4246)
https://dpss.lacounty.gov/en/jobs/gain.html
Topics
Economy / Government Assistance
Community / Social Environment
Education
Organization(s)
County of Los Angeles
Date of publication
Nov 2017
For more details
https://evidencebasedprograms.org/programs/the-los...
Target Audience
Adults, Families

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An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.
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