DEI Orientation Part 1: Setting the Stage for Round VI DEI Projects Hosted/Facilitated by: Laura Gleneck, NDI Technical Assistance Team Presented by: David Jones, National DEI Program Office and Miranda Kennedy, NDI Technical Assistance Team DEI Orientation Series – 2016

Host / Moderator Host / Moderator: Laura Gleneck Title: Project Manager for the DEI, NDI Technical Assistance Team Organization: NDI Consulting, Inc. Laura

Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) DEI is jointly funded and administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). Training and Technical Assistance to DEI Projects on implementation of the DEI is provided under U.S. DOLETA contract with NDI Consulting, Inc. and the National Disability Institute (NDI), the NDI Technical Assistance Team. Evaluation of the impact of the DEI Projects implementation and outcomes of the DEI will be provided under U.S. DOL ODEP contract with Social Dynamics and its partners. Laura

Presenters Presenter: Miranda Kennedy Presenter: David Jones Title: Workforce Analyst, Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) Organization: U.S. DOL, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Presenter: Miranda Kennedy Title: Director of Training and Technical Assistance Organization: National Disability Institute (NDI) Laura

Agenda I. An Overview of the DEI and how it Connects with WIOA II. DEI History and Current Administration III. DEI Outcomes – Lessons Learned IV. Foreseeable Opportunities and Challenges for Round VI Grantees V. Clarifying National DEI Roles and Responsibilities VI. Resources David

DEI Overview DEI

DEI Grantees Since 2010, there have been 6 rounds of DEI grantees awarded just under $110 million covering 43 projects in 27 states: Round 1 in Program Year 2010 at $22 million: Alaska, Arkansas (youth), Delaware (youth), Illinois, Kansas, Maine, New Jersey (youth), New York and Virginia Round 2 in Program Year 2011 at $21 million: California, Hawaii, Ohio, South Dakota (youth), Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin Round 3 in Program Year 2012 at $21 million: Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota (youth) and Rhode Island Round 4 in Program Year 2013 at $18 million: Alabama (youth), Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho (youth), Illinois, Maine, New York and Virginia Round 5 in Program Year 2014 at $15 million: California, Illinois (youth), Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, South Dakota (Round V grantees had all received previous rounds of DEI funding) Round 6 in Program Year 2015 at $15 million: Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, New York, Washington David 7

The DEI Landscape David 8

DEI Strategic Service Delivery DEI implements different service delivery strategies: Partnerships and Collaboration Integrated Resource Teams Blending and Braiding Funds / Leveraging Resources Customized Employment Self-Employment Guideposts for Success Asset Development Strategies David –

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) WIOA was signed into law on July 22, 2014, by President Obama. WIOA is designed to streamline and improve the coordination of employment and training services across federal agencies and to strengthen collaboration. Several key provisions to highlight include: Seamless Customer-Focused American Job Centers (AJCs) Aligns the “core” programs to provide coordinated, comprehensive services Career Pathways David 10

WIOA Career Pathways Definition The term “career pathway” means a combination of rigorous and high quality education, training, and other services that- aligns with the skill needs of industries in the economy of the State or regional economy involved; prepares an individual to be successful in any range of secondary or postsecondary education options, including apprentices registered under the Act of August 16, 1937; includes counseling to support an individual achieving the individual’s education and career goals; includes, as appropriate, education offered concurrently with and in the same context as workforce preparation activities and training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster; organizes education, training, and other services to meet the particular needs of an individual in a manner that accelerates the educational and career advancement of the individual to the extent practicable; enables an individual to attain a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and at least one recognized postsecondary credential; and helps an individual enter or advance within a specific occupation or occupational cluster. David 11

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) On April 16, 2015, five new proposed rules were released for public comment to fully implement WIOA. One of the five proposed rules focused on joint regulations on Unified and Combined State Plans, Performance Accountability, and the One-Stop Joint Provision. The One-Stop Joint Rule Provision had the following cluster of proposed regulations in the NPRM: General Description of the One-Stop System One-Stop Partners and Responsibilities of Partners MOU for the One-Stop Delivery System One-Stop Operators One Stop Operating Costs One-Stop Certification David 12

Joint One-Stop Vision Guidance On August 13, 2015, the core partners and Administration of Children and Families (ACF) of U.S. Department of Health Human Services (HHS) jointly released “Vision for the One-Stop Delivery System Under the WIOA” (TEGL 4-15) which reinforced the following principles: One-Stop Centers provide excellent customer service to job seekers, workers, and businesses One-Stop Centers Reflect Innovative and Effective Service Design One-Stop Centers Operate with Integrated Management Systems and High-Quality Staffing David

DEI – A Vehicle for Innovation Based on WIOA statute, proposed regulations to implement WIOA, and DOL guidance issued, the DEI is a perfect vehicle to be innovative. Thus, the DEI can: Model Service delivery strategies for all participating systems Participate in small scale pilots that explore larger WIOA systems issues Use expertise around multiple systems to develop operational models David 14

DEI History and Current Administration Miranda

When you are aiming at a moving target, shoot at where it’s going and not at where it has been. Miranda –

Historical Retrospective Previous ETA and ODEP grants to improve employment outcomes of youth and adults with disabilities: ODEP Employment Service Models Customized Employment Grants (CEG) Workforce Action (Olmstead) Grants START-UP Initiative State Intermediary Youth Grants Guideposts for Success ETA Systems Change Models Work Incentive Grant (WIG) Projects Disability Program Navigator (DPN) initiative Miranda –

Historical Retrospective The DEI has evolved over its short history: Rounds I-IV (2010-2013) – Laying Down the Foundation of the Service Delivery Strategies Round V (2014) – Introduction of Career Pathway Component; Stronger Partnerships to implement job-driven strategies, Targeting 3 different populations (Adults, Youth, and Significant Disabilities), Ticket/Workforce EN Component, and Elimination of random assignment Round VI (2015) – Builds on the changes from Round V. Two states received funding focused on capacity building and service delivery targeting individuals with significant disabilities. Miranda –

DEI Administration The DEI grants are funding a PROJECT and NOT a program: specifically the DEI is a SYSTEMS CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT DEI grants help expand the capacity of the American Job Centers (AJCs) to serve customers with disabilities Miranda – 19

DEI Administration The mission of DEI is to expand the capacity of the workforce system to better serve job seekers with disabilities by: Improving training and employment of persons with disabilities focusing on career path which lead to economic self-sufficiency; Building effective partnerships that leverage public and private resources to better serve persons with disabilities; and Expanding the public workforce development system’s capacity to become Employment Networks for beneficiaries under the Social Security Ticket to Work (TTW) Program. Miranda – 20

DEI Administration Responsibilities of the DEI Project Lead include: Coordinating with local DEI workforce development boards implementing sites to ensure issues are addressed and common goals are achieved Representing the state in administrative communications and facilitating state and local DEI participation in training and TA activities Establishing and coordinating partnerships with other state level agencies Coordinating implementation of Ticket to Work Facilitating implementation of additional data collection and process evaluation requirements Miranda 21

Ticket to Work (TTW) Participating as an Employment Network in the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Ticket to Work Program to provide SSA beneficiaries with disabilities with expanded choices regarding services and supports needed to enter, re-enter, or maintain employment and to generate additional funding for service delivery at the AJCs. EN activity will be operational (Tickets assigned and first payment received) by end of DEI grant year 1. Miranda 22

Workforce Employment Networks The comprehensive nature of the American Job Centers makes them a natural service provider as an EN. Job Centers are employment support providers that can help Social Security disability beneficiaries return to work. Participation as an EN provides an additional revenue source to leverage funding to maximize services for customers with disabilities. All DEI EN Tickets Assigned by Quarter (NYESS data not included ) Qtr end 3/31/14 Qtr end 6/30/14 Qtr end 9/30/14 Qtr end 12/31/14 Qtr end 3/31/15 Qtr end 6/30/15 Qtr end 9/30/15 2357 2564 2910 2572 2747 2984 3075 $2,432,716 $2,956,465 $3,399,409 $3,429,058 $3,923,330 $4,192,694 $4,576,295 *Information made available from data collected from Ticket Program Manger

DEI Outcomes – Lessons Learned

DEI Outcomes – Quantity of Individuals Served Rounds 1 and 2 grantees made a significant impact on the enrollment of individuals with disabilities into AJCs David

DEI Outcomes – Partnerships Building relationships between staff at AJC and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Offices resulted in improved efficiencies of operations between partners and improved service delivery to our consumers. Opening lines of communication early in the DEI process; Educate and increase awareness Ensuring trust that will improve the efficiency of the administration of Ticket to Work amongst partners. David

DEI Outcomes- Integrated Resource Teams (IRT) Integrated Resource Teams (IRTs) have facilitated the blending and braiding of resources across public and private providers. Though blending of funding streams is difficult due to state and federal program requirements, DEI grantees examine the individual needs of job seekers with disabilities and determine which funding streams address those needs. Using the IRT approach at the individual job seeker level has contributed to DEI staff learning more about the resources and expertise that is available through WIOA mandated partners. This knowledge has been used to increase the efficiency of services at a systems level by reducing programmatic duplication. David – with assistance from Miranda

DEI Outcomes – Ticket to Work States that have established or accessed an Administrative Level Employment Network (EN) have seen economies of scale that have influenced the ability of local staff to administer Ticket to Work program. Skillful administration of the Ticket to Work (TTW) program is time intensive. States, such as New York, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Iowa that have established State Level EN to shoulder the administrative burden of the TTW program. Additionally there are national level Administrative ENs that are approved by DOL and can be accessed for this support. This allows LWIAs to focus on what they do best, which is career exploration and job placement. Miranda

DEI Outcomes – Sustainability Administrative EN supports can advance DEI project efforts significantly improving goals of sustainability. Advancing EN efforts quickly is one way to make sustainability possible A number of Round 1, 2 and 3 DEI project sites are still active ENs with revenue supporting full-time DRC staff Additionally a number of states and local areas that have adopted the project model have gone on to sustain and grow many of the DEI strategies (e.g. Integrated Resource Teams and Asset Development strategies) within their existing programs and among their partners, both for people with AND without disabilities. Miranda

Foreseeable Opportunities and Challenges for Round VI Grantees David

Foreseeable Opportunities Be “Innovative”- Opportunity to assess procedures in place and advocate for change; Thinking outside the box to improve on how things get done Building Partnerships- Building and expanding a network with professionals in other agencies with common mission Making a Difference- Working towards an end goal to help improve the lives of individuals with disabilities through systems change David

Foreseeable Challenges Period of Transition – New learning occurring in transition from WIA to WIOA; Finalizing the proposed regulations State and Local Administration of DEI Project No Cookie-Cutter Approach – Each LWIA is unique and a wide variety of structural issues might need to be addressed to maximize seamless operations Documentation- Documenting the work to support DEI Mission Creep– Expansion of DEI focus beyond its original goals (increasing access/outcomes to Career Pathways) when DRCs are faced by unmet needs of job seekers with disabilities entering centers not interested in Career Pathways. Pace of Change – Building the capacity of systems to better serve job seekers with disabilities takes time; Patience David 32

Roles and Responsibilities Laura

A Recap of DEI National Roles National DEI Program Office ETA ODEP ETA Federal Project Officers Regions 1 – 6 Contractors NDI Technical Assistance Team DEI Evaluation Team David 34

DEI Leadership “It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” -Franklin D Roosevelt David 35

Questions If you have a comment or question you can: A: Submit it to the host in writing via the Chat or Q&A Box to the right, or… B: Click on the “raise hand” icon to have your line un-muted and ask your question/make your comment.

Additional Resources https://www.workforcegps.org/ DEI Technical Assistance Project (https://dei.workforcegps.org/) For grant implementation tools and ongoing support for state-level project staff, go to the State Leads resources page: https://dei.workforcegps.org/resources/2017/09/29/13/13/Disability_Employ ment-Initiative_Project_Leads_Tools_and_Resources For resources, tools and information on DEI and Career Pathways programs and systems, go to: https://dei.workforcegps.org/resources/2017/08/22/14/53/LP_DEI_Project s_and_Career_Pathways Disability and Employment Community of Practice provides disability and employment resources for the public workforce system https://www.workforcegps.org/ ODEP http://www.dol.gov/odep/

Contact Information David Jones, National DEI Program Office Title: Workforce Analyst Phone: 202-693-3397 E-mail: jones.david.m@dol.gov Miranda Kennedy, DEI Technical Assistance Team Title: Director of Training and Technical Assistance Phone: 720-890-3990 E-mail: mkennedy@ndi-inc.org