The 22nd Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency (RECS)

Abt staff are proud to participate in the 22nd Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency (RECS). For over 20 years, the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has convened leading researchers, state and local administrators, practitioners, and federal policymakers to discuss new research on family self-sufficiency and social welfare programs. The goals of this conference directly align with Abt’s mission to improve the lives and economic well-being of people worldwide. 

Now more than ever, evaluation insights are critical to informing programs and policies designed to support low-income and vulnerable families on the path to economic self-sufficiency. Our experts will discuss recent findings related to employment practices and training programs, substance use disorder, career pathways, and more. 

Session: Disrupting Racial Bias in Employment Processes: Opportunities for Workforce Programs and Building Evidence 
May 29 | 10:30 -11:45 a.m 
Presentation: Lessons from employment and training agencies’ experiences engaging employers to de-bias employment processes 
Presenter: TBD 
Presentation: Structural Barriers, Job Quality and Evaluations of Employment and Training Programs 
Presenter: Brooke Abrams 
Presentation: Priorities and opportunities for building evidence on effective strategies to disrupt biased employment processes 
Presenter: Andrew Clarkwest 

Roundtable: Data Limitations in Equity Research: Implications and Promising Strategies 
May 29 | 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. 
Facilitators: Sarah Prenovitz (Abt Global), Robert Weathers (SSA) 

Session: Evaluating Sectoral Training Programs with an Eye Towards Employer Engagement 
May 29 | 4:15 – 5:30 p.m. 
Presentation: Impacts of the Ready to Work program on employment and earnings of the long-term unemployed 
Presenter: Jane Herr 
Presentation: Equity considerations around employer engagement 
Presenter: Deena Schwartz 

Session: Building Evidence on Employment Programs: New Resources from the Pathways to Work Evidence Clearinghouse 
May 30 | 4:15 - 5:30 p.m. 
Presentation: title TBA 
Presenter: Allan Porowski 

Session: Understanding Measures of Success in Job Training Programs 
May 31 | 10:15 – 11:30 a.m. 
Presentation: Participant and Staff Perspectives on HPOG Program Success 
Presenter: Radha Roy 
Presentation: HPOG 2.0 Impacts on Participants after Three Years 
Presenter: David Judkins 

Session: Employment Programs for People with Substance Use Disorders: New Findings on Rural Implementation 
May 31 | 10:15 - 11:30 a.m. 
Presentation: Addressing Substance Use Through the Workforce System: Findings on Rural Implementation of SUPPORT Act Grants 
Presenter: Hannah Betesh 
Presentation: Findings from the Building Evidence on Employment Strategies (BEES) Addiction Recovery Care (ARC) Implementation Study 
Presenter: Hannah Engle 

(All times in E.T.)