COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio has been selected as one of five states to participate in a new federal pilot program designed to help welfare recipients overcome employment barriers and achieve self-sufficiency, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services chose Ohio to test approaches aimed at promoting work and reducing government dependency, according to a news release from DeWine.
The pilot program will be administered by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and will focus on participants in the state’s Ohio Works First program, which provides short-term assistance to low-income families through federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant funding.
Under the pilot, Ohio will gain greater flexibility to provide individualized services tailored to participants’ specific needs.
Many Ohio Works First recipients live at or below 50% of the federal poverty level and face significant employment barriers including lack of transportation, limited education, unstable housing or health challenges. The federal poverty level varies by family size. For a family of four, it is an income level of $32,150 a year.
The program will allow case workers to develop personalized plans to address specific barriers to employment to help participants move toward finding stable work.
Traditional federal funding requirements tie employment metrics to work search and training activities. The pilot will create alternative metrics that take into account other employment barriers such as lack of transportation, limited education, unstable housing, or health challenges. The pilot will seek to find ways to address those barriers and then track progress toward independence while addressing basic needs.
“Every day in Ohio, we are working to help people reach their full potential,” DeWine said in the announcement. “Part of that mission is to make sure those who need a job are supported in finding a job and placed on a pathway toward financial independence.”
Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel said the pilot program focuses on “meeting people where they are and removing barriers that stand in their way.”
“The Trump Administration recognizes the best economic program is a job, and Ohio’s pilot reflects our shared commitment to reshaping welfare programs to prioritize employment, personal responsibility, and strong families,” said Andrew Gradison, an acting assistant secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services. “Our goal is to reduce reliance on public assistance by addressing factors that prevent individuals from achieving self-sufficiency.”
ODJFS Director Matt Damschroder said the pilot will combine state, county and community resources to build stronger families through innovative approaches.
The pilot program will begin Oct. 1 and will be available to Ohio Works First participants in all 88 Ohio counties.
AI was used in drafting this story.