Evaluation of the Sierra Health Foundation REACH Initiative
UC Davis Evaluation of the Sierra Health Foundation REACH Initiative (March 2007-2010)
California Community and Faith Based Initiative
One of the few points of agreement in the debate over "faith-based" or "charitable choice" policy initiatives is that little rigorous evidence exists to document the efficacy of faith-based programs. CCP researchers, along with colleagues from Cal State University at San Bernadino, Humboldt, and Sacramento, are currently addressing this gap in the literature through an evaluation of the California Community and Faith Based Initiative (CFBI). Through CFBI the California Employment Development Department (EDD) has used a $20 million state budget allocation to fund over 40 faith-related and community-based organizations that are helping hard-to-employ individuals prepare for, find, and retain employment. CFBI program participants include the homeless, previously incarcerated individuals, recovering substance abusers, emancipated foster care youth, refugees and new immigrants, abused women, mental health clients, and autistic youth. The evaluation seeks to learn how and how well such programs identify, recruit, train, and support employment among unemployed or underemployed persons not typically served by existing government programs. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, the evaluation team is examining program effectiveness from multiple perspectives, including client employment outcomes, organizational capacity, and the functioning of local workforce development systems. The evaluation is currently set to run from July 1, 2002-June 30, 2005. More information is available at:
Evaluation of California's Workforce Investment System
The California Workforce Investment Board has contracted with an independent research team from UC Davis to evaluate the California workforce investment system, as required by the Department of Labor under the terms of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). (November 2006)
Evaluating California's Youth Workforce Development Program
This project takes advantage of a unique opportunity to partner with the California Workforce Investment Board and the state Employment Development Department to advance knowledge about how the state can best provide programs that link youth to jobs in the emerging economy. (September 2006)