The California Bridge

AcademiesA program of

Reading and Beyond

Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities

Evaluating Case Management for Vulnerable

Populations

Bridge Academy Case Management within the Context

of Government Programs

Sean Borelli

Director, California Bridge Academies

Presentation Overview

1) Backdrop against which we operate and a brief history of the

California Bridge Academies (CBA)

2) CBA Program Overview

3) Features of the program that make CBA more effective than

comparable government-administered assistance programs

4) Results and Outcomes

Context:The War on Poverty 50 Years Later

92 federal poverty programs

Estimated expenditures: $22 Trillion

$799 billion expended in 2012$22T

2012

$22T

Problem Addressed:4.5MM Californians Depend on Food Assistance

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

3,500,000

4,000,000

4,500,000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

California CalFresh Beneficiaries

What is the Fresno Bridge Academy?

Holistic case management services ultimately focused on Employment and Training

A public-private partnership

Aimed at lifting the poorest of Californians out of poverty

By providing highly integrated “family-up” services

Through “high touch” mentors

While generating positive returns for taxpayers

Key Facts and History:Fresno Bridge Academy

2010: Demonstration project launched in two sites.

2012: Fresno County E&T Program launched.

Primarily focused on CalFresh families.

2,000 families currently enrolled

75% unemployed at enrollment

One of only ten nationwide pilots selected by USDA

for randomized control test to inform public policy.

Now in nine sites in Fresno County, three sites in

San Joaquin County, one each in Madera, Napa, and

San Bernardino counties, with Merced, Riverside,

and Stanislaus Counties slated to begin next year.

James Irvine

Foundation

2016 Leadership

Award.

1. Two-Generation Theory of Change

HOW?10 Guiding

Principles:

1. Two-Generation

Theory of

Change

2. Holistic – All aspects of self-reliance

HOW?10 Guiding

Principles:

1. Two-Generation

Theory of

Change

3. Place-based for

ease of service

access

1. Two-Generation Theory of Change

2. Holistic – all aspects of

self-reliance

HOW?10 Guiding

Principles:

4. Mentorship-based:

Career and Family

Navigators

1. Two-Generation Theory of Change

2. Holistic – all aspects of

self-reliance

3. Place-based for ease of service access

HOW?10 Guiding

Principles:

Virtually adopt

their families

for 18-month

duration of the

program

Help

families map

pathway to

self-reliance

Act as coaches

and mentors

Help

build family

self-confidence

Connect

families to

“on-ramps”

5. Collaborative — builds

on what already exists

1. Two-Generation Theory of Change

2. Holistic – all aspects of

self-reliance

3. Place-based for ease of service access

4. Mentorship-based:

Career and Family Navigators

HOW?10 Guiding

Principles:

6. Jobs with Upward

mobility “A-B-C”

Approach

1. Two-Generation Theory of Change

2. Holistic – all aspects of

self-reliance

3. Place-based for ease of service access

4. Mentorship-based:

Career and Family Navigators

5. Collaborative – Builds on what already exists

HOW?10 Guiding

Principles:

7. Evidence-based

1. Two-Generation Theory of Change

2. Holistic – all aspects of

self-reliance

3. Place-based for ease of service access

4. Mentorship-based:

Career and Family Navigators

5. Collaborative - builds on what already exists

6. Jobs with Upward Mobility: “A-B-C”

Approach

HOW?10 Guiding

Principles:

8. Outcomes-based

1. Two-Generation Theory of Change

2. Holistic – all aspects of

self-reliance

3. Place-based for ease of service access

4. Mentorship-based:

Career and Family Navigators

5. Collaborative - builds on what already exists

6. Jobs with Upward Mobility: “A-B-C”

Approach

7. Evidence-based

HOW?10 Guiding

Principles:

9. Continuous

Improvement

1. Two-Generation Theory of Change

2. Holistic – all aspects of

self-reliance

3. Place-based for ease of service access

4. Mentorship-based:

Career and Family Navigators

5. Collaborative - builds on what already exists

6. Jobs with Upward Mobility: “A-B-C”

Approach

7. Evidence-based

8. Outcomes-based

HOW?10 Guiding

Principles:

10. Stable,

predictable

funding

1. Two-Generation Theory of Change

2. Holistic – all aspects of

self-reliance

3. Place-based for ease of service access

4. Mentorship-based:

Career and Family Navigators

5. Collaborative - builds on what already exists

6. Jobs with Upward Mobility: “A-B-C”

Approach

7. Evidence-based

8. Outcomes-based

9. Continuous Improvement

HOW?10 Guiding

Principles:

Salient Differences in Service

Delivery Between CBA and Gov’t

Case Management

Traditional Gov’t Administered

SNAP E&T

Bridge Academy E&T

Compliance oriented Outcomes oriented

Limited scope/silos of delivery Holistic wraparound support

Often mandatory Voluntary/investment-based

Pre-defined pipelines of services Individualized pathways based on

aptitude, interests, and barriers

Funding focused on number of

participants served

Funding focused on outcomes

generated

Outcomes

81.5% of FBA

graduates obtain

employment

(or achieve material

income gains if employed

at enrollment).

83%retain

employment

after 1 year.

30%achieve full

self-reliance in

18 months.

$1.00 $5.50

Value Proposition

Social,

multigenerational

benefits to

entire family

Taxpayer

returns:

$5.50 per taxpayer

dollar invested

Added

discretionary

spending helps

local economies

Benefit Calculator

Thank You!

The Bridge Academy

A program of Reading and Beyond

Sean Borelli

Director, California Bridge Academies