Iowa: Workforce Integration, Disability Disclosure & Partnerships October 14, 2014 – Todd Spencer

Sometimes it’s difficult to see the forest for the trees. We get so wrapped up in the details that we forget to think about the big picture. We become more compliant than committed.

Modern History with Disability and Workforce Initiatives 1998 SSA SPI RSA SPI (5 State Agencies) 2000 DOL WIG (7 State Agencies) SSA BPAO HCFA MIG 2002 DOL Navigator (7 State Agencies) continued through 2010 ODEP Transition (7 State Agencies) 2005 SSA WIPA (8 State Agencies) Don’t need to go into detail on any of these things in this slide and the next – the point is that Iowa State Agencies have been working together to address employment and disability on all of these initiatives – The primary agency partners include: Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services Iowa Department for the Blind Iowa Department of Human Services Iowa Department of Education Iowa Department of Human Rights Iowa Developmental Disability Council Iowa Department on Aging Iowa Workforce Development …and we’ve been gradually engaging other disability and advocacy organizations in the process -

Modern History – Cont. 2011 2012 Outcomes AIDD – Transition and Employment ODEP – State Leadership Mentoring Project 2012 DOL – DEI Round 3 Outcomes 8 State Agencies Coordinating Disability and Employment Efforts Partnership Approach to Service and Access Engaging RWIBs in Strategies Building Culture of Sharing Expertise Across Agencies

House File 2699- 2008 Coordinate the workforce delivery system in a more efficient, cost effective manner while improving services to customers. Collocation and integration of workforce programs Improve the effectiveness of the workforce system Goal: at least one certified one-stop center in each of the 15 work force areas by 2012.

We Identified a Problem that Affects us Region-Wide, Nation-Wide Source: Middle Skill Jobs in Iowa. Iowa Workforce Development .Labor Force and Occupational Analysis Bureau , May 2012 www.iowaworkforce.org

CUSTOMER PRODUCT Business Job Seeker Community This doesn’t take away from working with the individual - it actually helps you visualize the PROCESS and your IMPACT.

DEVIL is in those details Efficient and Effective Demand Driven Efficient and Effective Value Added Iowans helping Iowans Law

Integrated Customer Service Integrated customer pool Registered simultaneously when eligible Maximize co-enrollment Integrated customer flow Sequence of skill based services Initial service triage Integrated staffing approach Everyone coming in the door gets staff assisted (beyond self service) services there are a number of states that have made a deliberate shift to an integrated service model – to our knowledge few of those actually include ALL who have come in the door in performance. This is significant in that performance is no longer a subliminal question in considering intensive or training services – the only question is finding the right combination of services and supports for all of our customers.

WIA wia

We are ALL WIA under the legislation WP JC IVRS wia

Integrated at the Door Wagner-Peyser WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker Services Trade Act Services TANF Employment services Veteran Services And connection with Unemployment Services in the “Welcome Process”

As a Result of Initial Assessment Connected with Other Regional One-Stop Partner Agencies Includes: Vocational Rehabilitation Services Older Worker Services Department for the Blind Services Food and Housing Assistance Services Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Services Native American Employment Services …and other Agency Services determined by Local Board Co-enrollment with these additional agencies is not automatic, but a result of closer coordination between staff. During program monitoring reviews, we’ve noted that in most regions, co-enrollment between workforce and VR programs and others is also increasing as a result of the movement toward integration.

All Means All Everyone coming in the door are offered the full range of IowaWORKS services (staff assisted core – what does that mean?) Co-enrollment occurs at the door ALL are in the performance pool ALL are asked if they have a disability and if they are on SSA disability benefits Disclosure of disability for all going through “membership” has remained consistently at 11% since launch in 2009

Impact for All Customers Greatly Increased the level of service for those in staff assisted core services All have a service plan Enhance workshop opportunities developed by integrated service teams Outcomes of all matter – all are in the performance pool WIA Performance Measures now reflect “system” efforts – instead the “chosen ones” placed into training services Success is dependent upon local – Inspired leadership Ability of teams of diverse agencies to work together “can do” attitude

Impact for Job Seekers with Disabilities Everyone is our customer Everyone is automatically Co-Enrolled Everyone gets an initial service plan Everyone is asked about disability up front “Disclosed” Disability of all One-Stop Customers is 11% Local leadership teams established an understanding of the disability SME role on the service team through the navigator initiative. We developed an integration policy on serving job seekers with disabilities (have this sent out in advance and refer to it) – in this policy – we referred to this role as a Navigator/disability SME/Disability Resource Coordinator (did not yet have a DEI grant, but had our sights toward development of this role through the ticket to work)

Access Accessibility and Program Access is incorporated into the Regional Program Monitoring completed by IWD state staff Technology is being reviewed by partner agencies facilitated through the DEI Grant. This process includes: Development of team of disability experts from state agencies and organizations Reviews with workforce IT staff Field office visits Recommendations to DEI Project Local Leadership teams The State of Iowa has established a State Level “Mobility Manager” Position, through the Iowa Department of Transportation (a transportation Navigator) For three years now, the review of physical and program accessibility has been a part of the monitoring process Partner agencies are advising IWD on the potential of increased accessibility through assistive technology – result of DEI

Leadership State Level Local Level State Level Staff from IWD working with other agency partners State Stakeholders Local Level RWIB Local Agency Managers and Directors Local Leadership Teams for DEI Implement DEI strategies Oversee the use of flexible funding and Ticket Incentives State Partner focus has been to establish resources for the local boards and partnership – along with encouragement to share customers, information and resources in order to strengthen service inclusion Local Leadership is where all systems change in manifested – AND sustained.

Total Adults Served in IowaWORKS PY09 – 24,521 PY10 – 46,404 PY11 – 43,337 PY12 - 35,344 PY13 - 77,833 Note rapid growth in those receiving a higher level of service (AND included in the performance pool)

Entering Employment Performance Adult EER PY09 60.30% (933 / 1,546) PY10 56.50% (8,104 / 14.352) PY11 59.70% (6,787 / 11,375) PY12 65.5% (6,939 / 10,596) PY13 58.70% (13,095 / 22,308)   Adult w/ Disability EER PY09 47.20% (50 / 106) PY10 35.30% (257 / 728) PY11 32.10% (208 / 647) PY12 41.10% (205 / 499) PY13 34.08% (409 / 1200) This is the leap of faith - Did not know how the increase in numbers of people in the performance pool would impact performance, but needed local leadership to see their guidance impacting a community rather than the few who get the training services. PY09 was the first year that there were any offices that were integrated. Two launched the new model in July, 2009, and a third in September, 2009.

Partnership and a service model that engages all relevant agencies is the first step – Developing shared resources that the partnership can invest to fill the gaps is the second. Iowa’s state agency partnership became a statewide employment network on behalf of Iowa RWIBs to support their ability to grow in their partnership and generate resources that would support greater success. This slide shows the progress of the statewide Employment Network in terms of Ticket Assignments It starts slow – with the effort required to help each understand what sharing customers, information and resources is all about Once that is accomplished, the diverse expertise of the different agencies working together is going to lead to success.

Show me the money – This is a measure of outcomes, really, not money – and it does not occur without the primary focus on customer success – the money has to come later. Ticket to Work is fully integrated into our service model. Integrated for us means collaborative oversight by board and partner agencies of the ticket assignments, services and investment of the incentives generated. DEI pilot regions have made the commitment of using the Ticket to Work incentives to sustain the DEI strategies. We believe that the combination of the integrated service model, DEI strategies and Ticket to Work will sustain the DEI activities in all 5 of the Iowa DEI pilot regions after 10/1/15.

Thank You!! Todd Spencer, Workforce Investment Act Administrator Iowa Workforce Development Todd.spencer@iwd.iowa.gov