LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES GAIN SANCTIONS AND THE GAIN SANCTION HOME VISIT OUTREACH PROJECT (GSHVO) October 2012

INTRODUCTION To avoid sanctions, reduce the number of already sanctioned participants, and improve the WPR, Los Angeles County implemented the GAIN Sanction Home Visit Outreach Sanction (GSHVO) project. The project is designed to engage noncompliant participants.

BACKGROUND – GAIN SANCTIONS  Policy: Unless exempt, must participate in a WtW activity.  In 2005, GAIN sanctions hovered around 21,000, out of roughly 70,000 mandatory WtW participants.  There was no definitive process to assist GAIN participants resolve their sanction.  Two studies on sanctions were completed in 2005 and 2006.

BACKGROUND -GAIN SANCTIONS (CONTINUED) Some of the study findings:  Almost two-thirds of sanctions were for failure to attend orientation, the first GAIN activity;  The most prevalent reasons for failure to participate were lack of adequate transportation, child care, and failure to receive notices in a timely manner; and  Long-term sanctioned participants faced barriers that took priority over complying with work requirements.

BACKGROUND - GAIN SANCTIONS (CONTINUED) Responding to the sanction studies:  Developed two sanction action plans through a collaborative process involving internal managers and key external partners; and  Implemented program and policy changes, enhanced our computer systems, provided training, and implemented the (GSHVO) project.

GSHVO Details  Implemented in October  Goals: -Reduce sanctions -Increase the work participation rate  How Provide outreach to GAIN participants who are at risk of being sanctioned or who are already sanctioned.

GSHVO Details (continued)  63 full-time dedicated GSHVO staff;  Approximately 7,200 cases per month; (6,500 NC sanctioned)  Experienced staff;  Full time staff; and  A tracking and reporting system.

GSHVO – A T hree Step Strategy If calls are not not successful send outreach letter No response to the letter make a home visit Begin with Telephone calls

GSHVO When contact is made the GSHVO Worker:  Explains the reason for the contact, participation requirements, and services offered;  Begins the GAIN Appraisal process;  Conducts screening for mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence services, and other service needs; and  Negotiates to resolve the sanction.

GSHVO – Results Oct to June 2012

GSHVO - Results Oct to June 2012  Positive results for roughly 352,000 or 73% of 481,600 participants served through telephone calls, letters, and home visits. For example: Agree to participate 121,564 or 35%; Good cause 107,900 or 31%; Exemptions 35,783 or 10%; and Employment 28,200 or 8%.

GSHVO - Results Oct to June 2012  Initiated roughly 85,600 home visits and made contact in roughly 31,500 or 37%.  Reduced point-in-time sanctions by roughly 9,000 from 21,200 to 12,250 or 42%.  Reduced the % of mandatory WTW participants sanctioned from 29.9% to 21.5%.

GSHVO and Sanction Reduction

GSHVO Lessons:  The possibility of a home visit contributes to increased responsiveness by participants.  Ensuring staff are well trained and understand and support the goals of the project are essential for positive outcomes.  Full time and experience staff are more likely to support the project’s main engagement strategies.  Connecting GSHVO outcomes directly to WPR is challenging because the work flow involves multiple workers and computer programming does not support the level of tracking.