3.  So you’re going to be Audited…  When to prepare  Who will conduct the audit?  What will be audited?  What is my role in an audit?  Who else will participate?  The day of the audit What to bring and what to expect  Your next steps  Audit Best Practices

4. First thing – B R E A T H E! Audits are important. They are urgent. And they are necessary You may have some anxiety after hearing stories about other Regions that went through difficult audits and “how bad it was”

5. Many people feel unprepared for a compliance audit…but why? Bottom Line - Worrying about an audit is like worrying about the weather. The only part under your control is how prepared you are continued

6. Short answer is: Right now! When it comes to audits, the saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” certainly rings true Document everything you do in EFM “Be a SME”!!

7.  Non-DEO audits are conducted by the US Department of Labor (USDOL), Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) Florida’s Director, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (DVET) Assistant Director for Veterans' Employment and Training (ADVET)

8.  When invited (and as observers only) State Veterans' Program Coordinator Assistant State Veterans' Program Coordinator Regional Veteran Program Coordinators continued

9.  Basically everything you’ve done and even what you haven’t  But you probably want to know specifics? Intake (how, who, effectiveness, process, results, etc.) Services Provided (to SBE vets, non-vets, non-SBE vets, results) Timeliness of services (when, how, results) Case notes (SBE listed, what happened, why, how, impact, etc.)

10. IEP (short/long term goals, roadmap, changes, follow-up, results, etc.) Follow-up (scheduled, documented, meaningful, results) Outreach (where, when, why, results) Employer contacts (when, where, how often, documented, results) Position Description (signed, current, understood, updated?) Processes (everything vet related, especially POS processes) continued

11.  What will be expected of you?  You will be asked many questions, including: Your job responsibilities and where are they defined? Why did you serve this vet and was the vet assessed prior? Priority if Service – definition, who provides, who is the expert, training?

12. Why this service instead of that one? Explain this case note Tell me about the IEP – how do the short and long term goals relate, what is the roadmap, was it agreed upon, etc. Follow-up – explain how it was useful (results) Remember, Be a SME! continued

13.  Who else might meet with the auditors? Regional Senior Managers (in and out brief) Managers Front desk staff WP staff WIOA staff

14. Resource Room staff Business Services staff Partners VA Work Study staff Anyone on the team (WHY??) continued

15.  What should I bring? Pen and paper Copy of signed position description Highlights (best practices, innovative ideas, show-off!) Good attitude (remember, audits are helpful!) Questions (just make sure they aren’t “how do I do my job”?)

16.  What to expect An interview (Tell me about yourself…) LOTS of questions (the answers are known, so be honest!) Your Opinion (How are things…? What do you think about…?) Issues (Have you discussed this with your manager?) continued

17.  Whew! Its over! B R E A T H E Review the notes you took Gather up anything promised Research anything you didn’t understand Be a SME!

18. Staff training opportunities? (discuss with your manager and your LVER) Review your processes - do you have to change how you do business based on what you just learned? Make appropriate adjustments Focus on the vet – do the right things and provide the best services, and document everything properly continued

19. Seek clarification on anything you still are not sure about (discuss with your manager) After the audit, meet with your vet teammates and discuss issues, questions, good and bad – be a team (coordinate with your manager) Follow your local guidance (don’t make changes to processes or procedures based on the audit - follow your local policies!) Be a SME! continued

20. Reception staff should ask veteran status regardless of gender Every veteran served by a DVOP should have a Significant Barrier to Employment identified and receive an intensive service. If the vet does not require (or want) IS, AJC staff should not refer the veteran to a DVOP and provide services Veteran staff should maintain a copy of their most current signed position description Veteran staff should obtain/read the DEO Veterans State planDEO Veterans State plan

21. The region may wish to clearly define to all staff the term “homeless” – this may help when AJC staff conduct initial assessments to determine if the veteran should be referred to the DVOP. A good source of information for clarifying “homeless” can be found here: The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance ActThe McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act When “low income” is determined to be an SBE for a veteran, staff should list the details behind that determination (family size, total family income, time frame used to determine the low income barrier, etc.) as part of the case note

22. DVOPs should partner with regional County Veteran Service Officers (CVSOs) - A list of CVSOs can be found here: County Veteran Service OfficersCounty Veteran Service Officers LVERs staff should provide veteran specific training to management and AJC staff The region’s quarterly managers’ report should be used to show-case innovative solutions the region has developed to serve veterans

23. The region may decide to have all staff take the National Veterans’ Training Institute’s “Preparing Veterans for Meaningful Careers” training presentation. The presentation is located here: http://www.nvtihelpvets.ucdenver.edu/splash.php http://www.nvtihelpvets.ucdenver.edu/splash.php The region may consider having DVOPs attend local WIA and/or TANF case management (CM) training to help improve their CM skills and how to properly code, create and update Individual Employment Plans as well as the use/case noting of IS

26.  Who we are  Metrics  VPL Question and Answer Now’s the time to clear up any confusion!

27. Fred Beckham, Regional Veterans’ Program Coordinator RWB’s 1 – 8 (RWB’s 1 – 8) André D. Anderson, Regional Veterans’ Program Coordinator RWB’s 11, 14, 15, 17, 19-22 (RWB’s 11, 14, 15, 17, 19-22) Shawn O’Malley, Regional Veterans’ Program Coordinator RWB’s 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 18, 23, 24 (RWB’s 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 18, 23, 24)

28.  Metrics Compliance Intensive Service Rates Services provided Case note reviews IEP Reviews Services to non-vets Services to non-SBE vets Tech assists Training Information Process review

29.  Desk Reviews What are they? When are the done? What is reviewed? Example:

30.  DVOP specialist provides intensive services and facilitates placements to meet the employment needs of veterans, prioritizing service to special disabled veterans, other disabled veterans, and other categories of veterans in accordance with priorities determined by the Secretary of Labor.

31.  DVOP specialists must limit their activities to providing services to eligible veterans and eligible spouses who have an SBE belonging to at least one of the criteria below (VPL 03-14) A special disabled or disabled veteran entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs; or, were discharged or released from active duty because of a service connected disability; continued

32. Homeless, as defined by the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act A recently-separated service member who at any point in the previous 12 months has been unemployed for 27 or more consecutive weeks An offender released from incarceration within the last 12 months Lacking a high school diploma or equivalent certificate Low-income continued

33.  VPL 04-14 added Veterans aged 18-24  VPL 08-14 added Services to transitioning service members who:  Receive a warm handover, or who have not met Career Readiness Standards;  Are active duty service members being involuntarily separated through a Service reduction-in-force continued

34.  Service members receiving treatment in Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) or Warrior Transition Units (WTUs)  Spouses and Family Caregivers of such Wounded, iII or Injured Service Members continued

35.  LVER’s principal duties are to: Conduct outreach to employers in the area to assist veterans in gaining employment, including conducting seminars for employers and, in conjunction with employers, conducting job search workshops and establishing job search groups Facilitate employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans in a State under the applicable State employment service delivery systems

36.  LVERs must be assigned duties that promote to employers, employer associations, and business groups the advantages of hiring veterans When employer outreach is primarily accomplished by a “business services team” or like entity, the LVER must be included as an active member of that team.  LVERs should advocate for all veterans served by the AJC with business, industry, and other community-based organizations by participating in appropriate activities such as: continued

37. Planning and participating in job and career fairs Conducting employer outreach In conjunction with employers, conducting job searches and workshops, and establishing job search groups Coordinating and participating with other business outreach efforts continued

38. Coordinating with unions, apprenticeship programs and businesses or business organizations to promote and secure employment and training programs for veterans Informing Federal contractors of the process to recruit qualified veterans Promoting credentialing and licensing opportunities for veterans continued

39.  LVERs are also responsible for “facilitating employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans in a State under the applicable State employment service delivery systems” VETS defines this facilitation duty as capacity building within the state’s employment service delivery system to ensure easier access to the appropriate employment and training services for job seeking veterans continued capacity building

40.  LVERs play an important role in assisting with the development of service delivery strategies for veterans in the AJC as well as educating all AJC staff on current employment initiatives and programs for veterans  LVERs may work directly with any AJC partner staff members to assist that staff member with placing a specific veteran participant Can LVERs provide services to veterans? continued all

41.  We are not going through each VPL, but lets talk about your Questions Confusion Clarification Gripes Suggestions Ideas

42.  Veterans Program Letter (VPL) 03-14  VPL 03-14, Change 1  VPL 04-14  VPL 08-14

44. Deal With Negativity – You will have some whiners and those who say, “I work better alone,” so accept that up front and work as a team to make a team You Have to Meet – Most people hate meetings, but if you are going to be an effective team, you need to meet. And regularly. Set up your meeting plan and expect team members to adhere to set meeting times. Individual Input – If you don’t offer and allow individuals on the team to give input, you’re not a team, you are just collaborating. Keep Track of Good Ideas - If an idea worked well, or a good idea was brought up that can’t be tried at the current time, make a note of it and try it at the next opportunity If Change is Needed – If changes arise, don’t panic! Face the changes as the great team you are!