Innovative Strategies for Addressing Employment Barriers Portfolio

Several past and ongoing OPRE-sponsored evaluations have sought to evaluate programs or interventions that connect individuals with low incomes to the labor force. While these studies have demonstrated that different types of interventions can improve labor market outcomes for disadvantaged groups, the duration and magnitude of impacts varies substantially, and many questions remain. Further, recent developments in the labor market and policy trends have inspired new questions.

Through the Innovative Strategies for Addressing Employment Barriers Portfolio, OPRE seeks to build on the lessons learned from and gaps in knowledge revealed by these previous and current studies and identify and rigorously evaluate the “next generation” of employment strategies. The portfolio is comprised of two OPRE projects: the Building Evidence on Employment Strategies (BEES) Project and the Next Generation of Enhanced Employment Strategies (NextGen) Project. These projects aim to identify and test innovative, promising employment interventions designed to help individuals facing complex challenges secure a pathway toward economic independence. BEES has prioritized evaluations of programs that serve adults whose employment prospects have been affected by opioid use disorder, other substance use disorders, or mental health conditions. NextGen has physical and mental health conditions, criminal justice system involvement, or limited formal work skills and experience.  While most of these evaluations are experimental impact studies, a subset are descriptive evaluations. Cost analyses and case studies are also being conducted.

Additionally, as part of this portfolio, OPRE is partnering with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to incorporate a focus on employment-related early interventions for individuals with current or foreseeable disabilities who have limited work history and are potential applicants for Supplemental Security Income. SSA is providing financial and technical support for the evaluation and/or service provision of selected interventions within the BEES and NextGen projects.

The Innovative Strategies for Addressing Employment Barriers Portfolio is being conducted under contract with MDRC with subcontractors Abt Associates and MEF Associates (BEES) and Mathematica (NextGen).

Point(s) of contact: Marie Lawrence, Sarita Barton, Megan Reid, Clare DiSalvo

Related Resources

The Experiences, Needs, and Voices of Workers in Low-Income Households During COVID-19, and its accompanying brief, Facing Challenges and Showing Resilience: Reflections of Workers from Low-Income Households During COVID-19, summarize the experiences that 41 such workers shared during in-depth interviews.