Tom's Success in Wisconsin's ELEVATE Program

In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic in February 2021, Tom, a United States veteran and resident of Wisconsin, found himself homeless, unemployed, and suffering from extreme poverty. Staying in different locations from one night to the next to survive the frigid Wisconsin winter, he was coping with symptoms consistent with undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder and was rendered unable to meet even his most basic needs.

In October 2021, Tom’s child support team realized his failure to pay stemmed from inability rather than unwillingness and referred him to the local ELEVATE program for services. ELEVATE is Wisconsin’s five-year Section 1115 waiver noncustodial parent employment demonstration. Tom is a resident of one of five participating counties.

Through ELEVATE’s four core service areas, which include intensive case management services, enhanced child support services, employment services, and parenting and fatherhood services, many individuals facing similar circumstances have found hope and the tools to build a secure future.

As a part of the ELEVATE program’s intensive case management services, Tom’s case manager spent hours building a rapport with him as well as trust and mutual respect. Together, the two identified Tom’s goals and the barriers that prevented him from thriving. Tom’s case manager then referred him to mental health and other services to help him heal and address the barriers.

Tom’s team performed an expedited desk review of his child support order and suspended enforcement of his support obligations as he worked toward completing the ELEVATE program. An employment specialist helped Tom create a resume, improve his interviewing skills, and develop a strategy for conducting job searches.

Within a short time, Tom found employment and began earning a steady paycheck. However, keeping a job was a challenge. He struggled to perform and had difficulty envisioning long-term success. Soon, Tom was unemployed again and seeking work with the help of his case manager.

Taking a new and innovative approach, Tom’s case manager focused on helping him build a sustainable dream for his future by working to identify tasks he loved, using skills that made him feel competent. The case manager posed questions like, “What job in your life was your favorite?” and “What industry do you have the most experience working in?”

The two soon realized Tom loved woodworking and cabinet assembly and installation. Armed with this knowledge, they updated Tom’s resume to highlight his skill and experience in woodworking and mailed the updated resume to several local companies specializing in cabinetry.

Though none were hiring, one company was so impressed by Tom’s experience they interviewed him, and he was hired. He reported that he loves his new work and feels as though he is finally where he is meant to be.

In June 2022, the ELEVATE program connected Tom with a local veterans’ organization that helped him secure long-term housing. The program helped him with the required security deposit and first month’s rent, and provided proof of his steady employment and ability to pay rent long-term.

Tom is now consistently earning a living wage and making child support payments as he focuses on moving forward with the dream of building a future. He is using the tools he received through the ELEVATE program to achieve that dream.

Wisconsin is honored to be a place where individuals like Tom can find hope, healing, and a bright future for themselves and their children.