Abstract
This study will measure the impact of the Padua Pilot, an intensive case management intervention designed to permanently lift people out of poverty. The intervention has three key components: First, participants are assessed along many dimensions (skills and abilities, physical and mental health, resources, etc.) to determine their barriers to self-sufficiency and to develop a personalized service plan. Second, participants are assigned to a two-person case management team (a case manager and a case aide) who will implement the customized service plan. Caseloads will be very low (16 clients/case management team), and service coordination will be comprehensive. Third, temporary financial assistance will be made available on a case-by-case basis to address potential obstacles to self-sufficiency. This study will evaluate the impact of this intervention on key outcomes including family income, poverty, savings, and use of social programs. Participants are selected at random via a lottery from clients who contact Catholic Charities Fort Worth seeking assistance through three of their largest programs: financial assistance, immigration services, and a family support program. The study will include 350 participants, 150 in the treatment group and 200 in the control group. The outcomes will be tracked through a baseline survey and annual follow-up surveys for up to four years.