Promoting Work through Early Intervention Project (PWEIP)
Objective
The Promoting Work through Early Interventions Project (PWEIP) is a joint undertaking of the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The goal of this partnership is to understand the effects of interventions that aim to improve the employment and economic outcomes of individuals with little or no work history, current or foreseeable disabilities, and ties to the U.S. safety net, who have not yet applied for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The evaluations of each program will include impact evaluation and implementation research, and a selected number of evaluations will also include cost analysis.
Status
SSA signed the Jointly Financed Cooperative Arrangement (JFCA) on August 8, 2019, to support selected programs for evaluation and ensure those evaluations meet both agencies’ goals. In February 2021, SSA approved funding to evaluate eight programs. Additional information for each of these programs, including the study/organizations, location(s), enrollment periods, and completed enrollment numbers, is described in the Key Activities and Design section below.
PWEIP contract activities were initially set to expire in September 2023. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic effects that stymied enrollment, SSA and ACF agreed to extend the JFCA for an additional three-year period. Enrollment for the PWEIP programs ended in December 2024 (see details below). SSA expects to receive a final report on all PWEIP programs and evaluations in FY 2026.
A total of eight programs were jointly funded by ACF and SSA in FY2021 and FY2022. ACF established contracts with two firms, MDRC, responsible for Building Evidence on Employment Strategies (BEES programs), and Mathematica, responsible for Next Generation of Enhanced Employment Strategies (Next Gen programs).
| Building Evidence on Employment Strategies (BEES) | Study/Organization and Location(s) | Program Description | Enrollment Period | Completed Enrollment Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central City Concern (CCC) (OR) | Provides treatment for substance use disorder, healthcare, housing, and comprehensive employment services. | Oct. 2021 - Dec. 2024 | 475 |
| IPS - FQHC (IL and NH) | Provides individual placement and support (IPS) services in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). | Apr. 2021 - Nov. 2023 | 766 |
| IPS-SUD (OK and OH) | Provides IPS services to persons in substance use disorder (SUD) residential rehabilitation. | July 2021 - Aug. 2023 | 823 |
| IPS-TANF-SNAP (WA) | Provides IPS services to persons receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. | July 2022 - Jan. 2024 | 622 |
| Next Generation of Enhanced Employment Strategies (Next Gen) | Study/Organization and Location(s) | Program Description | Enrollment Period | Completed Enrollment Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridges from School to Work (Bridges) (GA, MD, TX, NY, CA, PA, D.C.) | Provides job readiness instruction, placement, and post-placement support for young adults with disabilities. | Sep. 2021 - June 2024 | 933 |
| IPS-JS (OK, SC, IL, TN, IA) | Provides IPS services for adults with mental health conditions recently released from the justice system (JS) or serving alternative sentences in the community. | June 2021 – June 2024 | 780 |
| Mental Health Outreach to Mothers (MOMS) (MA) | Provides IPS services to a structured, community-based intervention using cognitive behavior therapy to improve the outcomes of children by improving the mental health and economic security of their mothers. | Mar. 2022 – June 2024 | 880 |
| Community Integrated Services (CIS) (PA) | Provides employment services including job development, job matching, on-going support, and financial counseling for people with disabilities. | (Pilot: June 2022 - Aug. 2022) Sept. 2022 – June 2024 |
945 |
SSA expects to receive a final report on all PWEIP programs and evaluations in FY 2026.
Not applicable at this time.
Not applicable at this time.