Overcoming barriers to employment

Dr. Joseph Doolin, President of Catholic Charities of Boston and Cabinet Secretary for Social Services, Archdiocese of Boston

The Pilot, Archdiocese of Boston, April 6, 2001, at 11

Simply placing welfare recipients in jobs will not improve their economic security. Without job skills, and especially education, work does not equate with self-sufficiency.

Last summer, as the fifth anniversary of Massachusetts’ own Welfare Reform legislation approached, Catholic Charities talked with families in our service delivery system who were leaving welfare.

We learned so much that we published a booklet called "Children First." Cardinal Law premiered it at a press conference in early December and The Pilot distributed it as a tool for parish reflection during Advent. "Children First" is built on the firsthand stories of families—largely women and children — coping with the dramatic changes in the way our society cares for its poor and vulnerable members.

Valerie is one of the women who shared her story. She described in detail how important it was for her — and her children — that she was able logo through a meaningful job training program to prepare her for self-sufficiency For her, it was an exceptionally positive experience.

It was equally positive for Valerie’s children. They saw her go off to "school" every day. Watched her do homework. They even came to her graduation from the program. The pride continues as they see her diploma for computer programming on their wall and they revel in telling their friends that their mother works for a doctor.

Unfortunately, even although the new Welfare Reform laws have strict limits on the length of time a recipient can receive a monthly check, not all those who leave welfare do so as smoothly and successfully as Valerie.

For too many, the road to employment can be complex and laden with barriers —poor health, depression, mental illness, substance abuse, learning disabilities, domestic violence, lack of child care, lack of transportation, and insufficient skill and educational levels to successfully compete in today’s high-tech labor marketplace. And, make no mistake about it, as the economy cools, employers who have had to accept ill-prepared workers because of labor scarcity, will once again be able to pass over those leaving welfare who are just not ready for the workforce.

Experience has shown us that if we are to help welfare families alleviate the many barriers between them and economic independence, we must identify these barriers very early in their time on welfare and immediately link families with appropriate and effective interventions.

The Barriers to Employment bill (112713) establishes a collaborative system between the Department of Transitional Assistance and the Department of Public Health for professional assessments of recipients and for appropriate referrals to services. Families who need additional time to participate in services and programs are given that time through this bill. Early identification of barriers and access to services designed to eliminate barriers are critical to a welfare reliant family’s ability to stabilize.

Improved access to education and training opportunities is another critical component of the Barriers to Employment bill. Mistakenly, the Welfare Reform law prohibits recipients from substituting education and training for work. Such a "one size fits all" approach fails to recognize the diversity of the welfare population. A number of recipients do not even meet the minimum requirements necessary to participate in an employment and training program; let alone secure continuous employment in a world that has become increasingly technologically sophisticated.

In overzealousness to view the declining welfare caseload as evidence of success, far too little attention has been paid to the mismatch between the state of job readiness on the part of recipients and the requirements of the Massachusetts workplace.

Simply placing welfare recipients in jobs will not improve their economic security. Without job skills, and especially education, work does not equate with self-sufficiency. It is education and training, not mandatory work requirements, that will end poverty for welfare reliant families.

As Catholics, we bring strong convictions and broad experience to welfare reform issues. We support welfare reform that strengthens families, encourages productive work and protects vulnerable children. We support the right to suitable employment for all who are capable of it; we support just and adequate wages; and we support social welfare benefits when jobs are not available, or people are not able to support themselves and their families.

More women and their children deserve the same positive experience that Valerie and her family had. Comprehensive assessments, additional time to complete programs and an integrated education and training system that combines remedial education and ESOL with vocational skills training would make Valerie’s story a reality for many more families.

As we review and hopefully improve on the first five years of welfare reform in this Commonwealth, Massachusetts has an historic opportunity to create policies and supportive services that respond to the demographic and social change that are cognizant of labor market realities. The challenge for Massachusetts is to use the flexibility it has under welfare reform to create a system that motivates adult family members to work, but stands ready to help those who cannot work for no fault of their own. The Barriers to Employment bill offers workable strategies to do just that.