Unemployment Rate
Jefferson County Community Partnership
Core Result: Parents working
Benchmark: Unemployment Rate
February 2002
Objective
To maintain current unemployment rate at 4.1 or below state rate through 2003
Maintain the average number of families (200) on TANF in Jefferson County through 2003.
Strategies
Workforce Development is a countywide initiative that links low-income adults with volunteers who help them transition to employment through support and resources. This strategy includes mentoring opportunities, as well as support services that provide families with the necessary tools to become independent. In addition, this initiative ensures that services are not duplicated in the county by collaborating with the various employment networks.
Successes
Through the efforts of Workforce Development, DFS and faith-based organizations the following was accomplished: twenty-five families were served, three adults entered full-time employment, two adults entered part-time employment, five adults increased earnings above 200% poverty level, and a car was donated to a needy family.
Putting Families First is a countywide faith-based program dedicated to helping families on public assistance makes the transition to independence. The initiative enlists the efforts of the public and private sectors and encourages them to work together to promote self-sufficiency.
Through Putting Families First, families are matched with a sponsoring church, civic group, or public/private organization. This partnership stimulates and mobilizes private efforts to provide alternative assistance (non-monetary) and mentoring.
Successes
The following was accomplished through Putting Families First: sixteen families were served, forty-one community volunteers mentored participants, two households came off TANF, and two adults entered full-time employment. Turnover in staff and difficulty in 2000-2001 with recruitment slowed the progress of this initiative. Since that time, this program has been contracted out to Catholic Services and more families are being impacted.
Results
The unemployment rate for Jefferson County remains slightly lower than the statewide rate. The Jefferson County rate of unemployment has decreased from 4.9% in 1995 to 4.1% in 2001. This nearly parallels Missouri’s rate, which decreased from 5% in 1995 to 4.1% in 2001
Funding/Return on Investment
These strategies have been funded and supported through Missouri Department of Social Services funds, Jefferson County Division of Family Services, local ministerial alliances, community organizations and local food pantries.
Barriers / Road Blocks
From 1995 to 1999 the unemployment rate steadily began to decrease for both Missouri and Jefferson County. At that time the economies of Missouri and Jefferson County were doing good. However, the year 2000 marked the beginning of the recession and after the September 11th tragedy, the unemployment rate has steadily gone up. Jefferson County is largely composed of labor and service workers. If lay offs continue in Missouri, this will significantly impact the economy of Jefferson County. With businesses closing doors, the unemployment rate is likely to be affected. This will also likely impact the objectives in the coming year.
TANF rolls are coming to the end of its five-year term. The cases currently in the system are the hardest cases to be dealt with. As it is now, TANF recipients are being move to Social Security Income (SSI) or have just been accepted into SSI. This move is perpetuating the cycle of welfare, and it is not helping those in the welfare system reach self-sufficiency.
