Rising prices continue to challenge families across the country, leading to difficult choices such as rationing groceries or skipping meals, with one recent poll indicating that half of all Americans struggle to afford essential items like gas and food. In response to these persistent economic pressures, Indiana U.S. Senator Todd Young, alongside Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), has reintroduced legislation aimed at expanding access to workforce training programs.
The bipartisan Gateway to Careers Act, which has been referred to the U.S. Senate HELP Committee, seeks to support partnerships between community or technical colleges and workforce development organizations. This initiative is designed to help families better manage their finances and advance in their careers. Researchers from the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities at Notre Dame emphasize that rigorous research in partnership with service providers can identify effective, scalable programs that help people move permanently out of poverty.
Among the proven interventions, the Padua program, an initiative of Catholic Charities Fort Worth, provides holistic, intensive case management services to families experiencing poverty. The Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities studied this program and found it significantly improved labor market outcomes, particularly for those unemployed at enrollment. For this group, the program led to a 67% increase in the probability of working full-time and a 46% increase in monthly earnings. Additionally, participants lacking stable housing before enrollment saw a 64% increase in housing stability. Due to its success, the Padua program is replicating nationally, including in Indiana and Michigan, with a new site launching in Chicago this fall.
Another successful model is the Goodwill Excel Center, a tuition-free charter high school in Indianapolis designed for adults. Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana developed this school after observing that many of its job training clients lacked a high school diploma. The Excel Center addresses barriers by offering flexible schedules, free on-site childcare, transportation assistance, and a life coach. Graduates of the program saw a nearly 40% increase in earnings within five years, which could amount to approximately $80,000 more in their lifetime. This program has expanded to 12 states and Washington, D.C.
These interventions are crucial because when prices rise, they rarely return to previous levels; instead, they typically stabilize without dropping significantly. This reality makes targeted poverty intervention essential to prevent more families from struggling. The challenges are real for many, with one participant describing the need to ration items like milk and stopping purchases of bacon due to its high cost. Another participant noted having to "hunt down the lowest gas prices near me more than ever" to afford transportation.
By investing in these proven, scalable interventions, policymakers can shift from merely managing the symptoms of financial stress to actively solving them. Researchers, service providers, and policymakers all play a critical role in expanding economic opportunity, leveraging evidence to create conditions for more families to thrive. The Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities at Notre Dame advocates for leaders to consider such data-backed solutions to help more Americans navigate a high-cost world.
