The Feds Introduce a Program for Disconnected Youth
The federal government is seeking to partner with states and localities to help the more than 5 million young adults out of school and work.
Jonathan Walters -- Senior Editor. Jonathan has covered state and local government for more than 30 years, including for publications ranging from The Washington Post to USA Today. His beats include public sector management and administration, with an emphasis on results-based government. He also covers human services-related topics, and does a monthly e-newsletter on human services. He is author of three books, two on performance measurement in the public sector and one on public sector press relations. He started with GOVERNING in 1989 as a staff correspondent, and now serves as the magazine's executive editor. Walters lives in Columbia County, New York, where he serves as chairman of his local planning board. He is also a Class A interior attack qualified firefighter, and serves as president of his local volunteer fire company.
The federal government is seeking to partner with states and localities to help the more than 5 million young adults out of school and work.
The division avoided a top-down approach and let front-line workers help shape the overhaul.
Several states are piloting programs to develop cost-effective strategies in helping disconnected youth.
Wisconsin GOP Rep. Paul Ryan's antipoverty plan may be worth considering.
At Bridge Meadows, a special housing development in Portland, troubled foster children and elders live side by side.
A handful of communities are putting CRA funds toward more than just housing projects.
A new study finds a link between how much families spend on housing and children's intellectual ability.
Social media is the ultimate government transparency, which is why public officials need to not only get used to it but also get good at it. Here’s how.
Without any thought to unintended consequences, Ohio legislators have created a damaging pay-for-performance welfare-to-work program.
Even when improving the lives of others, the people running departments of children and families can’t escape controversy.
The former New York lieutenant governor has 50 years of budget experience. Here's how it really works.
Britain has a bold yet simple plan to do something few U.S. governments do: test the effectiveness of multiple policies before rolling them out. But are American lawmakers willing to listen to facts more than money or politics?
Tennessee asked caseworkers this and more in what is believed to be the nation's first survey of state child protection workers.
Conservatives were out in force last year trying to roll back requirements for some states to use alternative energy. They failed. Does that mean attitudes on green power are changing?
Several school systems are implementing so-called wraparound programs in an effort to help troubled kids, families and communities.
Too often, governments simply take savings from successful human services programs and inject them into the general fund. But that's a dangerous practice.
In the past year, several states have either created or rekindled grant programs dedicated to improving freight service.
Human services departments are looking for new and creative ways to fund programs.
A new initiative in about a dozen states plans to improve the coordination of child services between the administrative, legislative and judicial branches.
A new GAO report finds that states don't do a particularly effective job of monitoring kids on psychotropic meds.
A new conservative report claims welfare benefits disincentivizes people to work. Federal data, however, suggests that's not the case.
Since 1895, the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York has operated a home for volunteer firefighters. It’s the only home of its kind in the country.
In many children and families agencies, placing foster care children with their relatives was previously taboo.
The fatal explosion earlier this year at a Texas fertilizer plant that hadn’t been inspected since 1985 brought attention to the nation’s dysfunctional and ineffective system of keeping employees -- both in the public and private sectors -- safe.
A new trend in the human services field suggests it isn't. Instead of punishing noncustodial parents, officials are trying to help them find and keep jobs.
The Colorado Department of Human Services and The Denver Post prove that the relationship between government and media doesn't have to be adversarial.
An initiative in six states seeks to stabilize the health and well-being of low-income families.
Children and family services agencies under federal oversight need to focus on what's best for families and kids -- not just on what's mandated.
Some places aren’t waiting for another Sandy. They're taking matters into their own hands. But what’s best for one city may not be best for the region.
New management tools are a dime a dozen and often just old strategies with fancy new names. But a few do make measurable differences.
If human services officials want to take advantage of the Affordable Care Act, they need to get involved in its implementation now.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposal to let municipalities short their pension payments for the next quarter century uses fuzzy math, writes Governing's Jonathan Walters.
The National Core Indicators project helps states target human services spending to practices that work.
The gap between what seniors need to live on versus what they have might land squarely on state and local governments.
It takes leadership to implement the type of IT systems that would make human services more efficient and effective.
A toxic election cycle in Indiana has ended in the resignation of the state's director of children services.
A state-level movement has evolved to give terminally ill patients more say in what medicine and medical procedures they want during their final days. View our special series on aging in America at governing.com/generations.
Two New York state social services directors found a way to help clients even in the midst of a natural disaster.
For all their charts and graphs, CAFRs don’t tell public officials -- or the public -- anything about fiscal sustainability or whether a locality’s finances might be trending south.
The decision of where to place a child should be made by everyone in that child's support system.
Administering services to vulnerable populations is hard work. But tough public-sector jobs have a way of attracting top talent.
New leadership and energy at the American Public Human Services Association promises to deliver much-need support and expertise.
Human services officials have a lot of work to do to prepare for the return of war vets from Iraq and Afghanistan.
A much-needed study will evaluate the merits of transitional living programs.
A better relationship between the feds, states and localities equals better outcomes.
Though the number of homeless has increased since numerous pledges were made in the early 2000s to end it, some progress has been made on the nation's understanding of the phenomenon.
While sensible arguments in favor of it can be made, they ultimately don't hold up to scrutiny.
The lack of research on participation rates make it hard to find best practices.
What does the data collected by children and family advocates tell us about where to invest in kids?
Three veteran judges are tacking big reforms at children and family services departments in three states.
Task-based processing systems, instead of traditional case management, could help human services offices process claims faster.
Crucial staff and money-saving strategies that have helped kids in jeopardy have been -- or are in danger of being -- eliminated.
On its anniversary and coming off another bad jobs report, a review of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program is needed now more than ever.
Not understanding what doctors say is costly for patients' health and for health care itself.
In America’s largest Arab community, police are pioneering a new way to fight terrorism by strengthening neighborhood ties. Plus, more 9/11 coverage.
One state is hoping investors will happily plop down money for social service programs.
Cuts targeting poverty-fighting programs will come back to haunt us.
Governing: State and local government news and analysis
States are putting limits on their pension plans and retiree benefits, usually calling for employees to pay more toward their future.
An experiment by Annie E. Casey Foundation staff in children and family services agencies is improving these organization's performance.
The health-care reform bill is full of very scary news -- and great opportunities -- for states and localities.
Nonprofits deliver crucial health and human services to the most vulnerable populations, but state budget constraints are endangering their operations.
When a child is hurt, punishment seems to be the go-to response. But pursuing that direction has serious consequences.
For e-health records to work, physicians need to be brought online.
As state and local human services departments pinch pennies, they'll also be looking to cinch fraud.
When it comes to easing inept teachers out of the classroom, Toledo has been charting the way.
When it comes to easing inept teachers out of the classroom, Toledo has been charting the way.
To reach all their clients, state human services officials say technology and less rules and regulations are key.
Why are some state efficiency commissions helpful in streamlining government and others an expensive waste of time?
The smartest investment a state can make is in its children and families. The best way to do that is through results-based government.
Executive Editor Jonathan Walters sheds light onto how he approached his January feature on cuts to fire departments as journalist and as a volunteer firefighter.
Former president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Jeff Johnson shares his thoughts on the firefighting game.
In small and large cities alike, firefighters have gone from heroes to budget bait.
There is value in all-day workshops beyond tuning up one's performance measurement game. Worshops offer a rare opportunity for those in the human services business to rub elbows and compare notes.
The District of Columbia, once the nation's poster child for managerial incompetence, is staging a comeback.
It will take more than platitudes to save Amtrak. But good ideas are out there.
More and more issues of federalism are ending up in the Supreme Court. There's a reason for that.
ISTEA and TEA-21 were designed to overhaul state highway habits and refocus spending. Is that what's happening?
The feds have learned what to do with polluted industrial sites. States and cities taught them.
The mixture of religion and social service worries a lot of people. But is it really a problem?
We've gotten people off the rolls. But we aren't paying most of them enough to live on.
States have done better on a whole lot of fronts in recent years. Corporate regulation isn't one of them.
There's nothing we need more right now than teamwork among state, local and federal government. It doesn't come naturally.
When it comes to governing in the United States, "there is more that unites us than divides us," declared Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, as he welcomed more than 350 high-level local and state officials to Governing's annual management conference, held in Baltimore October 10-12.
Once a system starts getting to know more about its homeless population, it's much easier to develop targeted, strategic interventions.
In hard times, good sense should prevail. But that's not what's happening with the re-crafting of transportation policy.
The idea of crafting a budget based on performance measures is catching on--slowly.
Taking a page from the nation's top retailers, Iowa is making a new promise to its citizens: If you're not happy with the services you receive from state government, you get your money back.
A reform-minded governor thinks performance measurement is the first step toward a healthy state future.
State regulators need to work together if they want to keep the feds from moving in on them.
The standard for evaluating states' special education efforts is shifting from access to outcomes.
The White House can't wait to sell off federal programs. The states might want to look before buying.
Do recent investment scandals mean public retirement systems need a quick fix?
The more tax cuts Congress passes, the more trouble states and localities will have making ends meet.
The federal anti-mandate law is almost 10 years old. It hasn't worked any miracles, but it hasn't been a total loss, either.
This is a time for every level of government to remember the things it does best.
There's no easy way for a small community to fight monster retailers. But there's a right time to do it: before they show up.
Bringing truth, light and perhaps even fairness to redistricting.
Lobbying Washington for state and local budget aid isn't the gentlest game in the world.
The balanced scorecard is the latest private-sector managment trend to hit governments. What's it all about?
For most people, motor vehicle offices are the face of government. It's not a pretty face.
Property rights activists want local land-use cases thrown into federal court. Judges are starting to do it.
The Justice Department spends a lot of money tracking down state and local corruption. Is that necessary? Unfortunately, yes.
Florida's radical overhaul of its personnel system is making big political waves.
Florida has recently become one of a handful of states to adopt a formal system of debt analysis aimed at helping guide debt-issuance decisions.
A once-obscure cost-accounting method is becoming the clearest path to tracking the real costs of delivering services.
Financial deregulation offers the public some neat opportunities. it also offers the potential for disaster.
There's a cheap and simple way for governments to get their message out. It's called radio.
The private sector is moving quickly to cash in on the new world of public assistance. Can the for-profits do a better job than government workers?
The push to privatize is expanding beyond service delivery into the areas of policy making and program design.
If we want a health care system that works, we need to start some radical experimenting.
Cutting back on military bases makes economic sense--unless you happen to live near one.
To a business community confronting 50 sets of rules in 50 state capitols, Washington suddenly looks like a friend.
States Won't Find It Easy To Resolve The Gay Marriage Issue. The Federal Government Could Make The Task Even Harder.
Is performance measurement living up to its promise? When it comes to measuring the impact of government programs and services, its potential is now widely accepted.
When it comes to protecting the food supply, states leave it to Washington. Maybe they shouldn't.
There's a form of gun regulation that could save thousands of lives a year. If we weren't so paranoid, we'd adopt it.
School reform through saturation testing is a simple and seductive idea. It needs scrutiny.
Job reviews are nerve-racking for both managers and employees. Some places are trying to make them less stressful and more meaningful.
Rewriting the 1996 reform law could make it better. It could also make it worse.
"Change is going to happen," declared Utah Governor Michael O. Leavitt in his keynote address at Governing's annual management conference in Salt Lake City.
Within the past year, the struggling middle class has given in and applied for everything from food stamps, to energy assistance, to help paying rent.
Performance measurement has become a powerful tool for some government agencies. For others, it's been useless.
States are finally getting their federal care package. Local governments would like to see some of it.
In the nine states that don’t levy a personal income tax, the politics of staying that course remains powerful.
Governing: State and local government news and analysis
A new way to help the poor become self-sufficient raises hackles at both ends of the political spectrum -- and questions about effectiveness.
In the latest round of budget cuts, mid-level managers are considered the easiest and most defenseless target.
Appointing inspectors general to probe reports of wrongdoing is politically popular. And some IGs are becoming very powerful.
A growing number of localities are experimenting with alternatives to annual financial reports to inform citizens about government performance.
Comparing local government practices and performance among neighboring communities is rare but rewarding.
What started as a rift in the AFL-CIO has intensified into a fervent contest between the public employee unions over new recruits.
Introducing Our Public Officials of the Year
No issue is beyond his realm of interest.
When citizens take to the streets, they learn more than just where problems are; they learn whose job it is to fix them.
Illegal immigrants working as day laborers present one of the toughest, most divisive issues to land on local government's doorstep in recent years.
Washington State is making a big push to get citizens more involved in the performance auditing process.
To say that Christine Gregoire's start as governor of Washington was inauspicious would be an understatement. After an apparent 130-vote win in November 2004, the election was marred by multiple recounts and a lawsuit. When the Democratic majority in the legislature moved to certify her election, Republicans mustered on the front lawn of the statehouse chanting, "Revote! Revote!"
Governing: State and local government news and analysis
An invigorated FEMA is on the comeback trail. Do the federal agency's local partners see any progress?
Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Wetlands can protect cities from floods, but it's no longer clear which wetlands the Act protects.
Governing: State and local government news and analysis
More governments are turning to technology to help them budget and manage for results.
Agencies caught in the eye of a scandal need a pre-plan for defusing the storm of media attention.
Though troubling, the recently leaked video of a Springfield, Mass., police officer beating an apparently helpless suspect with a metal flashlight while three other officers...
Call it the great intergovernmental camera caper. Although it might not have involved millions of dollars in spending, it did illustrate the sometimes absurd consequences...
Bev Stein remembers with dismay the public budget hearing that marked her debut as the chief elected executive in Multnomah County, Oregon. Although it happened...
Indiana had to cut its 10-year welfare-privatization contract short, showing that there is no silver-bullet for improving human services.
It's been about five years since Washington State Auditor Brian Sonntag announced the launch of his ambitious effort to bring a new style of performance...
This summer, St. Petersburg, Florida, Mayor Rick Baker declared a fiscal emergency. He wanted to reopen a union contract and put the brakes on scheduled 2010...
Learn why hydrofracking is important to Russia and the Middle East for accessing reserves of natural gas a mile-deep.
While charter agencies may have disappeared in Iowa, the spirit of charters lives on in the state's "lean" initiative. According to John Baldwin, head of...
The deal seemed too good to pass up or to ever undo: Iowa would create "charter agencies" and give them unprecedented freedom and flexibility to...
While pondering how to help people recovering from a mental illness, Elise Sanford, a photographer and mental health advocate in Athens, Ohio, had a hunch:...
There is a consistent concern with performance-based contracting in education, physical and mental health, and social services: Providers will want to sign up only those...
Last year, the City of Boston needed help, and a lot of it. Its top management team was suddenly full of holes. In the space...
Call it the six stages of GASB 45: anger, denial, sorrow, acceptance, study and action. That's been the general response to a new set of governmental...
When it comes to the growing costs of government, one thing particularly rankles Dean Rich, the finance director for O'Fallon, Illinois: two police officers claiming...
With Virginia struggling to pay for such pressing priorities as transportation and education and the legislature exhibiting its traditional lack of appetite for raising taxes,...
Texas' first foray into a high-profile streamlining of social and health services delivery paid off impressively: In 1993, the Lone Star state won an Innovations in...
In 2006, Georgia's information technology systems were a borderline mess. No one was a harsher critic than the man in charge of them. "Our business model...
Twelve years ago, Bill Clinton and the U.S. Congress ended "welfare as we know it." Gone was the idea of an open-ended entitlement for...
In the late 1990s, Hickory, North Carolina, was flunking Pothole Patching 101. "Pothole patching is a big deal to citizens," says Karen Hurley, a city budget...
If the physical condition of a neighborhood is a significant indicator of its overall health, then few cities in the country are taking the measure...
With the city of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, facing a quarter of a million dollar revenue shortfall, as well as a continuing and contentious political dispute...
In the ongoing debate over which came first, government opacity or citizen apathy, there are two basic schools of thought: One side argues that citizens...
In Rich Siegel's view, there isn't a more over-rated document in state and local government than the comprehensive annual financial report -- "CAFR" in public...
You get lied to a lot out there," says Brian Joseph Tierney, a burly beat cop with the Chicago Police Department. Tierney is referring to...
In the late 1990s, as an alderman in Somerville, Massachusetts, Joseph Curtatone was perpetually frustrated by the budgets his local legislature was supposed to be...
When Oregon launched its statewide performance measurement initiative called "Oregon Benchmarks" back in 1989, the whole effort took a considerable amount of explaining. At the time,...
When it comes to public-sector performance measures, collecting and verifying data are hard enough. Then comes the challenge of trying to actually get the attention...
By the time Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell left office in 2000 -- riding a bribery and tax-evasion scandal out the door and into federal prison --...
It takes a single-minded sense of purpose for a government worker to rack up 349,170 Web-site visits during work hours over five months. That sense of...
Martin O'Malley, the governor of Maryland, thought his question was reasonably straightforward. He was meeting with state parole and probation managers, and O'Malley wanted to...
In his first job out of graduate school, Will Barnow practices performance measurement every day. Barnow works in the Maricopa County Office of Justice Systems...