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“Transforming communities of poverty into communities of prosperity is our mission.”

– Dr. Angela Reddix

Without employment or a source of income, individuals are often left to rely on public assistance to meet their basic needs or suffer without proper care to support their lives. There are a number of factors that impede employment and retention of a steady income, such as disabilities, childcare, education, etc. Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the poverty rate at 11.6%, over 37 million Americans, living in a state of financial insecurity.[1] Amongst the millions of individuals living in a state of poverty, key factors include[2]:

  • Economic insecurity is pervasive.
  • People of color are disproportionately affected.
  • Long-term unemployment burdens millions who are able and available to work.
  • Millions are unable to fully participate in the economy due to disability, illness, or family care needs.

Economically insecure families lack the assets and resources needed to link with opportunities and fully participate in the economy.

[1] Creamer, J., Shrider, E.A., Burns, K., & Chen, F. (2022). Poverty in the United States: 2021. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2022/demo/p60-277.pdf

[2] Langston, A. (2018). 100 Million and Counting: A Portrait of Economic Insecurity in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.policylink.org/resources-tools/100-million

ARDX’s solutions aligns with the goal of Healthy People 2030 to achieve economic stability by helping people earn steady incomes that allow them to meet their health needs; as well as the goals of the Department of Commerce and the Department of Treasury to promote economic prosperity and ensure financial security for individuals. Under policy development and analysis, ARDX is equipped to understand the regulations that drive economic initiatives and conduct analyses to impact necessary changes within those regulations. ARDX’s training and instructional design experts are experienced in teaching job placement skills and developing plans to increase employability. By leveraging our capabilities at the federal, state, and local levels, ARDX can increase the economic stability in our communities to achieve equity.

Case Study

Case-in-Point: The City of Baltimore, Maryland has a population of approximately 586,000, which is the most populous city in the State of Maryland. Recent statistics indicate it is the 30th most populous city in the United States (U.S.). The city was designated an independent city by the Constitution of Maryland in 1851, and today is the largest independent city in the U.S. According to the 2020 Census, Race and Hispanic origin are reported as predominantly Black or African American (alone) at 62.3%, almost 50% greater statistically than the U.S. average; followed by 29.7% White (alone), and the remainder is comprised of Hispanic or Latino at 5.4% and other demographics. Over 53% of the population is female, and approximately one-fifth (20%) of the population is under 18 years of age. Approximately 11.8% of individuals under 65 years of age reflect health statistics identifying as having a disability, and approximately 7% under age 65 are reported without health insurance. One-fifth of the population (20%) falls below the poverty line. The Baltimore City Department of Social Services (BCDSS) appointed ARDX to engage and empower citizens to participate in workforce development initiatives with appropriate support and incentives.

Client Business Challenges: The BCDSS had historically low participation in their workforce development programs and ongoing challenges with customer/end-user engagement. As depicted in the demographic information above, customers/end-users who experience unemployment and poverty are at the highest risk for poor economic and health outcomes in accordance with the social determinants of health. These risks affect a disproportionate percentage of women and Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) within Baltimore City. BCDSS sought an alternate contractor approach to provide available and compassionate engagement strategies to empower customers/end-users to participate in work programs while simultaneously providing access to exceptional service and necessary support services such as childcare, transportation, and skill development.

How We Helped: Throughout the period of performance, ARDX focused on delivering exceptional service to BCDSS and customers/end-users enrolled in our program. We focused on elevating the customer experience and applying project management and continual improvement best practices to control costs and maintain quality while delivering excellence in our interactions with BCDSS customers/end users. This translated into performing essential functions including:

  • Maintaining an office suitable for customer engagement
  • Ensuring sufficient and qualified staff achieved performance outcomes
  • Completing timely enrollment of referred customers
  • Achieving at least 70% compliance of customers participating in an appropriate blend of activities
  • Reporting to BCDSS when customers were non-compliant with Work Program activities
  • Entering data accurately and timely within the appropriate BCDSS system, and utilizing system reporting for program management
  • Assessing each enrolled customer and documenting Employability Development Plans (EDPs)
  • Developing employment sites as part of Job Development and Placement Support Services
  • Assisting customers with receiving Job Development and Placement Support Services
  • Maintaining case files for customers to capture records of interactions
  • Distributing bus passes to customers in need as supplied by BCDSS
  • Providing computers with appropriate compatibility requirements for system access
  • Providing case management services to assist with education and career goals and to promote self-sufficiency
  • Training for career development such as interview preparation and professional attire