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The CalWORKs Project is a collaborative project of the California Institute for Mental Health (CIMH), Children and Family Futures (CFF) and the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF). Project partners conduct research and evaluation and provide technical assistance to counties in the provision of mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence and employment services to participants of CalWORKs- California's TANF program.

The purpose of the CalWORKs Project is to study the implementation of CalWORKs in California counties as it relates to identification, referral and delivery of MH, DV and AOD services to participants. Project goals include:

• Understanding MH/AOD/DV impact on TANF recipients' employability and job retention
• Understanding how MH and AOD assessment/treatment/recovery services and services for domestic violence victims can be effectively delivered to overcome these barriers
• Disseminating findings to counties and other interested parties
• Providing empirically based policy analysis and recommendations regarding models for employment of TANF parents with MH/AOD/DV issues

Project components include:

1. A six county case study gathering in-depth information through site visits, interviews and data analysis.
2. A research project following 880 CalWORKs individuals in two counties over two years to determine the extent to which MH/AOD/DV issues exist in the population, the extent to which these issues are barriers to employment, and the extent to which identification and treatment of these issues results in better work, child and family functioning.
3. Technical assistance based on what is learned from the two components above, as well as from other counties and states. Technical assistance includes a CalWORKs Project web site, regional forums, satellite broadcast trainings and printed work products.
4. Interaction with policy makers, both directly and through written products, in order to positively influence CalWORKs policy and practice in the areas of identification, referral and delivery of MH/AOD/DV services to CalWORKs-eligible families.