Understanding the Dynamic Among Government, Nonprofits, Faith Communities, and People Needing Services in U.S. Social Welfare Systems

We have participated in policy discussions related to welfare reform, health insurance, workforce development, and human services reform, designed and implemented programs, and produced twelve applied and policy research studies with the Campaign for Self-Sufficiency, a coalition of training and adult basic education providers, local government and community legal services formed to improve practice and change welfare reform and community development policy.   We have analyzed U.S. federal, Pennsylvania commonwealth, and Philadelphia policies and practices related to welfare, health insurance for low income families, adult education and training, safety net supports, housing, childcare, employment development and related programs.  This also included an analysis of training provider organizational practices and the role of organization systems in successful program implementation.  Similar organizational and systems analysis were produced for Kenosha, Milwaukee and Wisconsin as a whole.  These analyses were combined in Jo Anne’s book Social Capital and Welfare Reform. Two policy reports and consultative activities were conducted for the Annie E Casey Foundation.  Most recently, this combined knowledge was used to examine root causes of long term unemployment after the great recession and propose policy solutions to address long term unemployment for older workers, veterans and people with disabilities.