To: Board of Supervisors
From: Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Report Title: WFS - 20-579-3 Humanity Way Inc. Contract
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, to execute a contract with Humanity Way Inc. in an amount not to exceed $1,639,505 to provide STEP-UP (Subsidized Temporary Experience with Pay for the Under-Employed Program) participants with short term entry-level work experience and job placements to help the participants satisfy certain state welfare program requirements for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
100% Federal Funds; (California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids Single Allocation), all of which is budgeted in FY 2026-27.
CFDA #93.558.
BACKGROUND:
On June 10, 2025, the Board approved item, C.57, authorizing execution of a contract with Humanity Way Inc. for a term of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. This action seeks to execute a contract renewal for the term July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, to provide Subsidized Temporary Experience with Pay for the Under-Employed Program (STEP-UP) work experience services.
The objective of the program, known as STEP-UP, is to provide entry-level work experience to designated CalWORKs Welfare-to-Work (WTW) participants who are not meeting their WTW participation requirements by immediately placing them into short-term worksite assignments up to 180 days. The goal of STEP-UP, when coupled with other necessary WTW activities and services, is to immediately engage participants by providing exposure to work and basic job skills and ultimately lead to a participant’s successful, long-term permanent job placement.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
County will not be able to provide the federally mandated STEP-UP Program of CalWORKs, thereby adversely impacting EHSD’s ability to provide an effective Welfare-to-Work activity, meet the federally required Work Participation Rate (WPR) and CalWORKs Outcomes and Accountability Review (Cal-OAR) performance measures.
CHILDREN’S IMPACT STATEMENT:
The services in this Contract support three (3) of the five (5) Contra Costa County community outcomes of the Children’s Report Card: (3) "Families that are Economically Self-Sufficient”; (4) "Families that are Safe, Stabel and Nurturing"; and (5) "Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families" by providing training and employment opportunities.