Ohio Works First (OWF) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) establish guidelines regarding participation in work activities intended to produce self-sufficiency through employment. Cuyahoga County awards contracts to various service providers in order to provide federally-mandated activities to support OWF and SNAP program participants.

Previously, this measure provided updates on major milestones related to the establishment of performance measures to monitor program participant outcomes. As of Q1-20 this measure now reports on the performance measures established in contracts between Cuyahoga County and its service providers serving OWF program participants. These measures include:

• Job Readiness Status: The number and percent of clients enrolled, onboarded, or completing a job readiness or work experience readiness program (WEP) demonstrating job readiness by scoring 80% on the work readiness checklist,

• Job Placement: The number and percent of clients who have completed an education/training program or identified as job ready who remain employed after one week at a job placement,

• Job Retention (90 Days): The number and percent of clients placed in a job who remain employed for at least 90 days,

• Job Retention (180 Days): The number and percent of clients placed in a job who remain employed for at least 180 days,

• Completed Hours: The number and percent of clients with work requirements who have completed their assigned work hours,

• Credential Training: The number and percent of clients in an education or training program who obtain a credential (i.e., high school diploma (HSD), general education development (GED), post-secondary degree, or occupational skills certificate, and

• Wage Level: The number and percent of clients achieving 90-day job retention who earn at least $2.00 above minimum wage (i.e. $10.70/hr).

Updates are provided by the Cuyahoga County Division of Job and Family Services on a quarterly basis. 

Cuyahoga County is committed to providing avenues to self-sufficiency for county residents who receive public benefits. Each year, the Division of Job and Family Services serves approximately 2,000 recipients of cash assistance and 16,000 recipients of food assistance. A large body of welfare-to-work research conducted in a variety of labor markets suggests that the most effective job preparation and placement programs require public benefit recipients to participate in employment-related activities, provide a mix of job search activities and short-term education/training, and include a strong focus on quick employment. Aligning with these best practices and the County’s strategic goal to "ensure every resident is on a path to upward income mobility and career advancement,” the Division of Job and Family Services provides the tools to foster positive outcomes for OWF and SNAP program participants.

Cuyahoga County Division of Job and Family Services

Data table abbreviated due to number of measures.  See Attachments for full data table.  

Job Readiness (Quarterly): 80%

Job Placement (Quarterly): 70%

Job Retention - 90 Day (Quarterly): 65%

Job Retention - 180 Day (Quarterly: 60%

Completed Hours (Quarterly): 60%

Credentialed Training (Quarterly): 65%

Wage Level (Quarterly): 23%