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Summary

The Palm Beach County Transitional Employment Program (PBC TEP) was designed as an enhanced voluntary reentry program for adults at higher risk of re-offending that provided eight to 12 weeks of subsidized transitional employment, structured cognitive behavioral programs, and job readiness/life skills workshops in addition to standard reentry services.

Subsidized transitional employment was in one of three industries: construction, culinary, or warehouse/retail. The structured cognitive behavioral programs (CBI) included CBI-Employment Adult and Moral Reconation Therapy.

The three TEPs varied in their intensity and duration, ranging from eight to 12 weeks in total duration and 16 to 28 hours per week.

Eligibility assessments for PBC TEP included completing the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) for risk of re-offending and the Employment Readiness Checklist (ERC) to assess employment readiness. Individuals had to have at least a low/moderate score on the LSI-R (14 or above) and be less job ready (ERC score of 35 or under) to be eligible for PBC TEP. The study was implemented in Palm Beach County, FL.

101019.01-Study of Palm Beach
Populations and employment barriers: Public benefits recipients, Unemployed, Justice involvement
101019.02-Study of Palm Beach
Populations and employment barriers: Public benefits recipients, Unemployed, Justice involvement

Effectiveness rating and effect by outcome domain

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Outcome domain Term Effectiveness rating Effect in 2024 dollars and percentages Effect in standard deviations Sample size
Increase earnings Short-term Cannot assess support
Long-term Cannot assess support
Very long-term Cannot assess support
Increase employment Short-term Supported favorable 14% (in percentage points) 0.331 230
Long-term Cannot assess support
Very long-term Cannot assess support
Decrease benefit receipt Short-term Cannot assess support
Long-term Cannot assess support
Very long-term Cannot assess support
Increase education and training All measurement periods Cannot assess support

Effectiveness ratings

  • Well- supported
  • Supported
  • Mixed support
  • Not supported
  • Insufficient evidence
  • Cannot assess support

Studies of this program

Study quality rating Study counts per rating
High High 2
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Implementation details

Dates covered by study

Study enrollment ran from November 2018 through March 2021. Data collection occurred from November 2018 through September 2022, with outcomes measured over a 1.5 year follow-up period.

Organizations implementing program

Three community-based service providers

Populations served

The program served adults returning to Palm Beach County from state prison or jail who volunteered for reentry services and were at higher risk of reoffending and not job-ready. Most participants were male (94 percent) and unemployed (94 percent). The majority of participants were Black, non-Hispanic (76 percent) and had least a high school diploma or GED (54 percent). The average participant was 40 years old.

Description of services implemented

The three TEPs varied in their intensity and duration, ranging from eight to 12 weeks. All three TEP providers provided case management and offered individualized services based on risk and need, including education, substance use and mental health treatment, family reunification, and employment assistance, and assistance with basic needs.

Service intensity

The three TEPs varied in their intensity and duration:

  • Construction TEP: 10 weeks, 28 hours per week (24 hours of work experience and 4 hours of Moral Reconation Therapy per week and attendance at employment readiness and life skills trainings on days not scheduled to work)
  • Culinary TEP: 8 weeks, 16 hours per week (2 days of work per week and 4 hours of CBI-Employment per week)
  • Warehouse/retail TEP: 12 weeks, 20 hours per week (16 hours of work per week and 4 hours of Moral Reconation Therapy plus attending an employment readiness workshop one day per week)

Comparison conditions

The comparison group was offered standard comprehensive reentry services provided on a voluntary basis. Interested participants were assigned to a community-based provider and a case manager by the provider who provided support navigating the reentry process and made referrals to services. Service referrals included education, substance use or mental health treatment, family reunification, employment assistance, and assistance with basic needs.

Partnerships

The study did not describe any partners for implementing the program.

Staffing

All participants were assigned to a case manager by their provider. The study did not describe the staff providing the TEP services.

Fidelity measures

The study did not discuss any tools to measure fidelity to the program model.

Funding source

The enhanced PBC TEP program was funded through an Innovations in Reentry Initiative grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Palm Beach County delivers its standard reentry services through local and state funds supplemented by federal grants.

The information contained here reflects how the program was implemented at the time of the evaluation.

Local context

The PBC Reentry Task Force oversees reentry programs for Palm Beach County, FL, which is a collaboration between the county Public Safety Department, state Department of Corrections, local Sheriff's Office, and local community-based service providers. The local community-based service providers delivered the program services. The study took place in Palm Beach County, FL.

Characteristics of research participants
Black or African American
75%
White
23%
Another race
2%
Hispanic or Latino of any race
6%

The race and ethnicity categories may sum to more than 100 percent if the authors reported race and ethnicity separately; in these cases, we report the category White, rather than White, not Hispanic.

State(s) where implemented

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY Canada

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