For DHS
Overview
Community Works Project (CWP) partners with DHS Family Coaches to empower diverse families on TANF to obtain and maintain meaningful work that sustains their families, through an individualized approach that includes coaching, skill building, barriers removal services and employer connections.
With our six agencies, we provide culturally appropriate services to a wide range of communities, and link participants with relevant community resources. CWP only serves TANF recipients referred by their DHS Family Coaches.
We use a participant-centered approach to provide our services. Our aim is that each TANF recipient we work with is supported holistically with the resources they need to achieve self-sufficiency.
We are located at the DHS East County Family Service Center and at the DHS Southeast Portland Self-Sufficiency Office. We also work closely with the DHS Schools Team in Multnomah County.
We strive for excellence and welcome your feedback in person or by email. Please visit our Contact page.
Referrals
CWP only works with TANF recipients referred by their Family Coaches. Our work starts after a Family Coach creates a Personal Development Plan with the TANF recipient and opens one of the following steps for which we are contracted: AB, ES, JO, LS, PL, SW, VT, WE, DA, ME or MH.
For Steps: AB, ES, JO, LS, PL, SW, VT, WE (all except DA, ME, MH)
We encourage all new participants in non-ME/MH/DA steps to attend the CWP Orientation to learn more about our services. Following this Orientation, participants are assigned a CWP Employment and Engagement Specialist who meet with them and through an individualized intake, create a plan for them to succeed in their Step.
Employment & Engagement Specialists follow up with the participant regularly, provide individualized support, refer and connect them to resources, and narrate all interactions in TRACS. Employment & Engagement Specialists are Family Coaches’ partners in supporting the TANF recipient. They continue to engage with participants who have been placed in jobs for up to 90 days.
CWP also offers culturally-specific life skills and career coaching in a year-long cohort model. We are currently running two cohorts, one for participants who identify as Black / African-American and one for participants who identify as Native American.
For Steps: DA, ME, MH
CWP assists TANF participants to navigate the health and behavioral health systems by connecting them with providers, assisting them to reach medical appointments as needed, and advocating on their behalf when necessary. We can also help participants access free new eyeglasses for adults and children if they have a current prescription. CWP health and behavioral health team members can only begin working with participants after a Release of Information has been signed. Our licensed team members will create a care plan for each participant and the team will assist them in successfully completing it.
Our team also attends the Intensive Case Staffing meetings to provide anonymous case consultations to Family Coaches and Engagement Specialists.