This thesis studies qualitative data to examine the lived experiences of Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (K-TAP) recipients in Appalachian Kentucky. This research suggests that PRWORA legislation utilize the importance of place-based analyses to implement and evaluate poverty policy. For women who are attempting to meet PRWORA’s goals, the local services available to the women and the barriers they face to employment highlight the role place has in this national policy discussion. Of the women interviewed, recipients who resided in economically distressed areas had fewer opportunities to participate in employment activities than women in at-risk or transitional areas. While many strived to transition from PRWORA aide to economic independence through education and employment, others sought to exit through disability insurance. Nevertheless, the women interviewed had adopted PRWORA’s goals of economic independence.

This thesis deals with the reintegration of persons recovering from drug addiction and their return to the labour market. The reintegration model is chosen by social company, Café Therapy, one of the first social enterprises to focus specifically on the re-employment of individuals. The main goal of this work is to analyse how successful the company has been, in terms of social effectiveness and self-sufficiency and whether or not the funds invested return by way of the tax system. The objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of this particular social business. It also outlines the recommendations arising from the results of the findings. This work is mainly based on the theory of social exclusion, which can be defined as exclusion from social and economic way of life of society. Therefore, reintegration into society and the labour market is regarded as the main prerequisite to recovery. Concluding, attention is paid to active substance users and opportunities for clients to not only help themselves, but society as a whole.